Wife's yeast infection -> my scrotal rash?

[blanshlu]

About a year and a half ago, my wife was prescribed Augmentin, a powerful antibiotic, for a cat bite.  She got a yeast infection, as usual for her with antibiotics.  Shortly thereafter, I got a rash on my scrotum, which spread to my penis -- NOT usual (thank God).

  I tried treating the rash for jock-itch, to no avail.  I went to the doctor, and he diagnosed it as eczema and prescribed triamcinolone 0.1% cream.  It eventually went away.

  A week ago, my wife had surgery and was prescribed Augmentin.  Over the weekend, she started to feel the effects of a yeast infection.  And we had sex.  A day later, my scrotal rash was back.

  This seems like way too much coincidence.  She's had her share of yeast infections over the years, not many but some, and I've never had a problem with them -- which is consistent with what I've read on the subject.  But the two times in her life she's taken Augmentin, I get this nasty rash.  The stress level in my life is not very high right now, nor was it the last time I got the rash -- it's been lots higher at other times, with no sign of eczema.

  So -- what could this be?

Thanks,
Luke

P.S.  I still have the cream my doctor gave me, and I'm applying it.  I assume that's not a bad thing to do.

[Alan Rockoff, MD]

Triamcinolone is a cortisone cream.  Cortisone makes yeasts worse.  If your rash went away while you used it, it wasn't yeast.  It probably isn't now either.  Women who have yeast rarely transmit it to men, and the fe men I've seen with thrue yeast infections haven't been exposed to women with the problem.

I suspect you have eczema, related perhaps to chafing or stress.  Try using your triamcinolone for 5 more days.  If the rash is still there, see a doctor.  If the rash goes away, get a milder steroid to use for future outbreaks, since triamcinolone is a bit strong to use chronically.

Best.

Dr. Rockoff

[what_is_it]

im a 18 year old male. i have a rash on the head of my penis but it is only around the rim of my penis head. it is a cluster of milky white bumps. when ever my penis is irect thay grow larger.
is dosent feel sore or itch and some tend just to rud off or come loose. im not sure but i think i hade it before i had sex.i have checked sites on stds and non of them seem to describe my symptoms what could it be.