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Thalidomide Medicine For Myeloma ,can This Medicine Be Excreted In Semen While Ejaculation Into The Vagina?

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Posted on Sun, 20 May 2012
Question: my husband is going to be taking thalidomide on a life long basis for myeloma. will this be excreted in his semen? if so is it safe for me if he ejaculates inside me?
doctor
Answered by Dr. Jasvinder Singh (35 minutes later)
Hi XXXXXXX

Thanks for your query.

I can understand your concern. Thalidomide is a highly teratogenic drug and can cause severe birth defects and even death of an unborn baby. It has been known to be excreted in semen when a male partner takes this drug. So we always ask the male patient to use a latex condom during any sexual contact with women of childbearing potential, even if he has undergone a successful vasectomy.

It is not safe for your husband to ejaculate inside you if he is taking this drug because not only it has extremely teratogenic effects in case you conceive but also for its side effects on the female partner. It can cause drowsiness, peripheral neuropathy, dizziness hypotension, neutro-penia etc

Always use a condom during intercourse with your husband till he is taking Thalidomide.

Hope this answers your query. If you have additional questions or follow up queries then please do not hesitate in writing to us. I will be happy to answer your queries.

Wishing you good health.




Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
doctor
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Follow up: Dr. Jasvinder Singh (33 minutes later)
thank you dr.
as we would not proceed with any unplanned pregnancy plus my husband has had a vasectomy (our children are adults now), my main concern is our ongoing sexual relations. my husband dislikes condoms as they impair his sensation to the point of minimal enjoyment. he would be sad to face this added burden when he has already lost a lot from the illness, he will always be on thalidomide or similar as long as he survives. would it be safe for me if he withdrew just prior to ejaculation or could there still be some semen with thalidomide secreted into me?
doctor
Answered by Dr. Jasvinder Singh (10 hours later)
Hello XXXXXXX

Thanks for writing back. We usually recommend patients to avoid any unprotected intercourse even if vasectomy has been done because no method of contraception is 100% full-proof and sperms may get leaked if there is re-canalization of the tubes long after vasectomy is done.

I can understand your husband's dislike for condoms but using the withdrawl method of ejaculation just before ejaculating also does not give 100% protection. During intercourse, prostatic fluids or precum is released which may contain the excreted drug and some sperms. Hence thalidomide can be excreted inside you. So in both cases, even contact with any precum is undesirable. Female partner may develop the side effects of the drug.

Hope this answers your query. If you have additional questions or follow up queries then please do not hesitate in writing to us. I will be happy to answer your queries.

Wishing you good health.



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Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
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Answered by
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Dr. Jasvinder Singh

Internal Medicine Specialist

Practicing since :1998

Answered : 1578 Questions

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Thalidomide Medicine For Myeloma ,can This Medicine Be Excreted In Semen While Ejaculation Into The Vagina?

Hi XXXXXXX

Thanks for your query.

I can understand your concern. Thalidomide is a highly teratogenic drug and can cause severe birth defects and even death of an unborn baby. It has been known to be excreted in semen when a male partner takes this drug. So we always ask the male patient to use a latex condom during any sexual contact with women of childbearing potential, even if he has undergone a successful vasectomy.

It is not safe for your husband to ejaculate inside you if he is taking this drug because not only it has extremely teratogenic effects in case you conceive but also for its side effects on the female partner. It can cause drowsiness, peripheral neuropathy, dizziness hypotension, neutro-penia etc

Always use a condom during intercourse with your husband till he is taking Thalidomide.

Hope this answers your query. If you have additional questions or follow up queries then please do not hesitate in writing to us. I will be happy to answer your queries.

Wishing you good health.