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STDs (Expert Forum)
Changes in semen color / texture
Answered by
University of Washington
Seattle - WA
This forum does not cover AIDS/HIV issues. This forum is for questions and support regarding STD issues such as: Chlamydia, Crabs (pubic lice scabies), Gonorrhea, Hepatitis (viral), Herpes, HPV, Molluscum Contagiosum, PID, Rectal Infections, Syphilis, Trichomonas, Warts, Yeast Infection.
IMPORTANT
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Some of the most common types of questions concern the risk of HIV or STD after a particular sexual exposure, and about symptoms that might or might not be due to HIV. If your question is along these lines, please visit the HIV Prevention and Safe Sex Forum.
This forum is limited to questions about STDs other than HIV/AIDS. For questions about HIV prevention, or if you have general questions about safe sex (e.g., condoms, how to protect yourself from HIV and STDs), please visit the HIV Prevention and Safe Sex Forum
Some of the most common types of questions concern the risk of HIV or STD after a particular sexual exposure, and about symptoms that might or might not be due to HIV. If your question is along these lines, please visit the HIV Prevention and Safe Sex Forum.
Changes in semen color / texture
by OSU1168, Jul 14, 2007 12:00AM
About three years ago, I was diagnosed with Chlamydia and took (what I thought) was a successful treatment of Minocycline. I believe that the infection went away as I had no more discharge and urethral stinging and pain. However, I noticed that after I had this infection, my semen was (and continues to be to this day) very white and thick, and women have remarked to me that it is especially white and thick. In addition to this, it does not "mix" properly and looks much more heterogeneous than it should be (the white, thick component is pretty much separated from the clear component, almost as if it is a suspension). Is it possible that the Chlamydia PERMANENTLY altered my semen by doing damage to the prostate and/or seminal vesicles? Does the prostate produce the thick, white component or is it the seminal vesicles? If you could shed some light on this, I would appreciate it. Thank you.
Doctor's Answer
by H. Hunter Handsfield, M.D., Jul 14, 2007 12:00AM
, Jul 14, 2007 12:00AM
No STD is known to alter semen consistency, color, or other appearnce. The only exception might be during the acute, early stages of urethritis (gonorrhea, chlamydia, NGU), but even that is only a guess; I have never seen it happen (but maybe my patients just didn't say anything about it). But a distant past infection can't do this, and I'm sure the variations in appearance of your semen have nothing to do with your chlamydial infection 3 years ago or any other STD. Further, the variations in appearance you describe sound entirely normal to me--although I'm not an expert in that area.
Note that MedHelp forum administrators don't generally see any follow-up comments before the initial response, but in this case I saw your question below about testicular size. Neither chlamydia nor any other STD can cause that, unless there is acute epididymitis at the time of the infection--which is always a very obvious problem, with acute tenderness, pain, and swelling. As for your semen variations, the size of your testicle has nothing to do with your past chlamydia or any other STD.
My advice is for you to describe your symptoms to a personal health care provider, preferably a dermatologist--to assess whether either problem is abnormal and, if so, to figure out the cause.
Good luck-- HHH, MD
Note that MedHelp forum administrators don't generally see any follow-up comments before the initial response, but in this case I saw your question below about testicular size. Neither chlamydia nor any other STD can cause that, unless there is acute epididymitis at the time of the infection--which is always a very obvious problem, with acute tenderness, pain, and swelling. As for your semen variations, the size of your testicle has nothing to do with your past chlamydia or any other STD.
My advice is for you to describe your symptoms to a personal health care provider, preferably a dermatologist--to assess whether either problem is abnormal and, if so, to figure out the cause.
Good luck-- HHH, MD
But regardless of how thick your semen looks when you ejaculate, after a little while it liquifies. It's pretty cool. My husband donated semen for male birth control research, and by the time I dropped the little tubes off at the lab, it looked completely different from when he ejaculated.
I also forgot to mention, too, that it seems as though my left testicle has atrophied since this infection. I know that there can be a difference in size between the two testes, but my left one is MUCH smaller than my right, and I never noticed this before the infection. Is it possible for chlamydia to be responsible for testicular atrophy? Thanks in advance for your help.