Man Allergic to Own Semen Gets Flu-Like Symptoms; Post Orgasmic Illness Syndrome Explained

A 27-year-old man has been suffering from a rare medical condition that causes him to be allergic to his own semen. His case was recently reported in the study titled "Post orgasmic illness syndrome successfully managed with antihistamine: A case report," published in Urology Case Reports.

The man is not the first case ever recorded to have been experiencing this unusual condition. This treatable medical condition is called the "post orgasmic illness syndrome" (POIS).

(Photo: Unsplash/Brittany Colette)
Man Allergic to Own Semen Gets Flu-Like Symptoms; Post Orgasmic Illness Syndrome Explained

POIS Case of the 27-Year-Old Man

Newsweek reported that the man in the study has been suffering from POIS for ten years and has avoided sexual relationships to prevent his flu-like symptoms, which include a runny nose, coughing, sneezing, and a hive-like rash on his forearms. His allergic reaction appears after having orgasms, either through sexual intercourse or masturbation.

Oakland University William Beaumont School of Medicine researchers examined him and found that the patient had hay fever and an allergy to cantaloupe melons but had normal semen analyses and standard testosterone levels.

Doctors prescribed him 180 mg of the antihistamine fexofenadine, which is usually sold under the name Allegra, that he needs to take daily. He reported that the medication decreased his symptoms by 90% and has enabled him to return to having a normal sex life.

The paper said that there is no known single most effective therapy for POIS, given the rarity of the condition. Different studies have attempted testing treatments with benzodiazepines, immunotherapy, and selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs).

Medical student Andrew Shanholtzer, the study's co-author, said that the condition is so rare that many health providers are unaware that it could most likely go underdiagnosed in many patients.

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What is Post Orgasmic Illness Syndrome?

The paper's author wrote that post-orgasmic illness syndrome (POIS) is increasingly recognized as a debilitating cause of men's sexual dysfunction. Although its etiology is unclear, a theory suggests that symptoms could result from Type I and Type IV allergic reactions to semen.

The theory is widely accepted because of its clinical manifestations and because 88% of men suspected of POIS tested positive for skin-prick tests to diluted, autologous semen.

POIS has only been known to medical research for the last 20 years, and less than 60 cases have been recorded. According to the Genetic and Rare Diseases Information Center, POIS is a rare medical condition in which the person could have flu-like symptoms after an orgasm.

Although it can also be reported on females, most cases are of men having an allergic reaction to their semen after having sexual intercourse, masturbation, or spontaneously during sleep. Symptoms, such as fatigue, weakness, headache, fever, mood changes, and memory or concentration problems, may develop within seconds, minutes, hours, or even after two to seven days.

POIS patients usually abstain from sexual activity or find that they need to schedule sexual intercourse for another time when they can already cope with their symptoms.