trouble with sex when you have MCAS
This post discusses the trouble with sex when you have MCAS. And by sex, I do mean actual sexual activity, but I also include the effect of sex hormones in general on Mast Cell Activation Syndrome or MCAS. Sad but true, sex and orgasm tend to activate mast cells and cause MCAS flare symptoms. Read on for the deets.
Mast Cell Activation Syndrome (MCAS) is a chronic condition that affects all organ systems. MCAS is serious and disabling and people with MCAS experience often significant and debilitating symptoms daily, including anaphylaxis, which can be fatal.
MCAS is often found in combination with other chronic conditions such as Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (EDS) and Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS).
Frequently healthcare providers do not know about MCAS, and the tests for MCAS are problematic because they are not uniformly reliable. MCAS can be difficult to manage. Treatments include blocking mast cell mediators with anti-histamines and mast cell stabilizers, as well as avoiding triggers.
Check out this post on how to manage MCAS.
Mast cells are present in virtually every type of cell that is part of the reproductive system, including the bladder, prostate, penis, vagina, and uterus. – source
In addition, sexual arousal and sexual activity are well-known triggers for MCAS.
As well, mast cells can be activated from kissing, skin irritation from sexual contact, allergic reactions in the vagina and vulva, allergic reactions to semen, post-orgasmic illness syndrome, male pelvic floor dysfunction, female pelvic floor dysfunction, and the emotional aspects of sex, to name a partial list.
This month I decided to take an online course on raising Kundalini energy. Kundalini is an energetic force in living beings, and it is part of orgasmic energy in humans. Kundalini energy is not just associated with sexual energy but with creative energy as well. Kundalini energy can be activated by chanting, singing, breathing exercises, and repetitive yoga poses, all of which have the potential to cause mast cell activation. But I figured, what the heck, I want to know what it’s like to raise my Kundalini energy.
I discovered after just one week of the class that even gentle Kundalini exercises, like self-breast massage, caused massive MCAS symptoms in my body. And by week two of the class, I was experiencing a huge MCAS symptom flare and had to take a break from the exercises.
And according to this source mast cell activation has been implicated in everything from urinary issues to pregnancy:
Mast cells also have estrogen, gonadotropin, and corticotropin-releasing hormone receptors, meaning that they pick up on and respond to the hormones involved in preparing the female body to release an egg from an ovary, and for pregnancy. – source
And mast cells are found to be more active during PMS, and their activity varies with a woman’s monthly cycle. – source
Mast cells are implicated in making female pelvic floor pain worse. – source
The bucket theory offers a helpful analogy for understanding symptom reactions with MCAS.
Think of your body as an empty bucket that you want to keep from overflowing. Different foods and activities fill your histamine bucket at different speeds but they combine to form the total level of histamine in your body (how full your bucket is). A fuller bucket means you have more histamine symptoms. When you manage triggers, reduce exposure to known triggers, and take medications and supplements to reduce histamine, you can manage the level of your bucket.
Knowing your symptom progression in a symptom flare is the key to developing your own rescue plan. In this post, I discuss how to determine your own symptom progression. Once you know what typically happens in your symptom progression you can design a rescue plan to address those symptoms.
Want a tool to easily keep track of your symptoms? Sign up for my newsletter and you will receive my free 50-page ebook of lower-histamine, grain-free, sugar-free recipes, my free symptom log, and a free two-week meal plan!
Sex is an important aspect of being human and a healthy way to express intimacy. It’s a major bummer that sexual activity makes me feel sick. Like every aspect of chronic illness, it adds extra layers of complexity, removes spontaneity, and adds extra stress to having to manage another aspect of your life. But it’s also well worth it to be able to experience sex for relaxation and connection with your partner.
The tools I discuss for managing MCAS in this post and this post are relevant for managing sex when you have MCAS.
I’ve found the following guidelines help me to experience sex successfully with MCAS:
Am I bonkers to write about sex and MCAS? I’d love to have your reply below!
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