Lube (Astroglide) allergy?

June 14, 2006 12:21 PM

Lube (Astroglide) allergy?

Problem: Masturbating with lube (astroglide) = terrible burning when urinating for 30 minutes afterwards.

Question: Is this a 'stop using Astroglide' sort of thing or a 'go see a doctor' sort of thing? I've already been tested for STDs and UTIs. Anyone else experienced this?

posted by anonymous to Grab Bag (16 answers total)

Have you tried other lubes?
posted by Coax at 12:48 PM on June 14, 2006

It's a "try not to get any inside ya" kind of thing. It's probably not an allergy; you're probably just chemically sensitive. I get an uncomfortable burning when urinating after I use any kind of chemical lubricant -- or even if I get some soap inside me when washing. I don't think it's an issue. But I'm not a doctor.
posted by solid-one-love at 12:49 PM on June 14, 2006

How old is the bottle? Perhaps it's contaminated? Get a new one and see if it still occurs.
posted by elle.jeezy at 1:21 PM on June 14, 2006

I would try silicone-based instead, pjur is good.
posted by teleskiving at 1:25 PM on June 14, 2006

If it's just masturbation -- i.e., nothing where you are wearing a latex condom and worrying about the condom breaking -- why not try an oil-based lube? Elbow Grease and Wet have varieties. Or try Albolene, a cleansiing cream from the drugstore -- it is petroleum-based, melts at skin temperature, and it is great!

And for us old-school guys, remember Crisco, with many uses...
posted by Robert Angelo at 1:51 PM on June 14, 2006

We don't know if anonymous is male or female. If female, petroleum-based can cause many *nasty* infections.

There are other things that could be the problem other than STDs, like irritation of the urethra. You may want to see a physician.

I would change lubes and see if the problem resolves. Or abstain, and see if the problem gets better while waiting to get into the doctor's office.

This is not medical advice, YMMV.
posted by 6:1 at 2:14 PM on June 14, 2006

Try other lubes. I'm female and I went through five before I found one (then another!) that didn't, um, cause unpleasant burning sensations. If you don't want to be that guy in the drugstore comparing brands, look at a webpage that will let you look at the lists of ingredients, like drugstore.com. Eventually you'll find one that doesn't suck. If you're female (or not) and prone to yeast, the O'my brand seems to help a bit - the hemp in it is supposed to inhibit infection - and it's got fewer chemical ingredients than most brands.
posted by cobaltnine at 4:42 PM on June 14, 2006

why not try an oil-based lube?

Comparatively much more digusting to wash off, for one.

You may have a very low-level UTI that isn't showing up. I had one for a couple years (!) with similar symptoms--slight burning every now and then. Went to the doctor many times during that period, eventually tried Cipro, and it cleared up instantly.
posted by trevyn at 6:00 PM on June 14, 2006

and it's got fewer chemical ingredients than most brands.

Sorry to pick nits cobaltnine, but it it's ingredients are not chemical, then what are they? Light? Energy? Happy thoughts?
posted by peeedro at 6:02 PM on June 14, 2006

Coconut oil is a divine personal lubricant if you aren't worried about breaking down latex. Doesn't dry up like astroglide. And because it isn't petroleum based it is fairly easy to clean up.
posted by Mitheral at 6:25 PM on June 14, 2006

If you're female, be sure to urinate before masturbating (or engaging in any sexual activity involving your genitals). This eliminates a lot of the possibility of painful urination/UTI resulting from bacteria being introduced up into the urethral opening.
posted by Dreama at 7:14 PM on June 14, 2006

Actually, if anon. is female, urinate *after* masturbation. Just like after sex. That way you flush the bacteria that might have been massaged into the urethra out.
posted by 6:1 at 7:20 PM on June 14, 2006

Okay, lab-created nasty-sounding polymers. Fewer chemically-seeming chemicals versus hippy plant extracts.

Hempseed oil and seed extracts 'seem less chemical [in common parlance (which I shouldn't be using because that's too common)]' than polyquaternium 15.

Hell, I get a skin reaction to only certain brands of adhesive bandages; people react funny to seemingly inert things. You just need to remove as many of them as possible, and when most of the products of a certain type on the market contain the same chemicals, you want to switch them out for others when possible. But IANAC, so whatever.
posted by cobaltnine at 7:22 PM on June 14, 2006

Anon, I can't really go trolling for this right now, but I remember a discussion on Dan Lyke's Flutterby.com where someone discussed their own astroglide sensitivity and the viable alternative they had already implemented. I would search for the word astroglide over there.
posted by NortonDC at 9:23 AM on June 15, 2006

Quaternium-15 is a preservative found in many cosmetics and industrial substances that releases formaldehyde. It can be found in numerous sources, including but not limited to: mascara, eyeliner, moisturizer, lotion, shampoo, conditioner, nail polish, personal lubricants, soaps, body wash, baby lotion or shampoo, facial cleanser, tanning oil, self-tanning cream, sunscreen, powder, shaving products, ointments, personal wipes or cleansers, wipes, paper, inks, paints, polishes, waxes and industrial lubricants. It can cause contact dermatitis, a symptom of an allergic reaction, especially in those with sensitive skin, on an infant's skin, or on sensitive areas such as the genitals.

Who knew? Oh, all you hippies.
posted by trevyn at 9:46 AM on June 15, 2006

Ok, found the relevant Flutterby post for certified organic lube.
posted by NortonDC at 8:11 PM on June 15, 2006