Allergy to Partner?

I had atopic derm and some reactive airway disease, allergies as a small child. As I grew up, I was without problems until this year. I am now 36. My symptoms started shortly after I began a relationship. I have had eczema, subjective shortness of breath, runny nose, etc. I would never have connected this with my relationship were it not for some unusual circumstances....

My partner moved away after we had been together some time. During that time, my symptoms were getting progressively worse. After she left, they resolved. Over the course of the next four or five visits, I always had flares while we were together, and resolution (over time) while apart. Trying to understand this, and understand what to do about it has been one of the most stressful experiences of my life. I have been doing all the "tests"- patch, intraderm, immunocap, without anything really fitting. I have yet to test her "products" specifically. I have been reading personal anecdotes on the web about actual allergies to partners (narratives seem a little questionable at times) and did a very systematic review of the literature (I used to be a researcher and am a physician myself). I found a handful of articles referring to atopic reactions to human dander, all of which were older. I would like to know your experience with "interpersonal reactions" and/or reactions to human dander. My reactions very closely resemble my reactions to animals- very itchy and red eyes, sneezing, couging, sob.

I love this woman like I love life itself. I am looking for help and feedback anywhere I can get it. If I am "allergic" to her, could we test her dander? Could we develop shots from it? If we get married, and I just live with it, manage it, what is the long-term course of repeated allergen exposure? Does it burn out, mabye because of concurrent IgG development?

Please help. I cannot tell you how much this hurts.

Thanks,

[Alan Rockoff, MD]

I have never personally encountered allergy to other people, although I have also read the occasional case report.  I can't comment with any authority on the reactive airway disease, but as far as the atopic dermatitis goes, I can with confidence that contact allergies of any kind play little or no role in causing flares.  That goes for soaps, detergents, water, diet--or other people.  Flares can be frustrating, but in my experience they rarely persist.  I suggest you query your dermatologist about more aggressive therapy (creams, UV treatments) for your skin problems, but I don't think that from a dermatologic standpoint you need to consider severing relations with your partner.

Best.

Dr. Rockoff