Please Help... Possible Bromine Sensitivity?

[K.Cool]

My husband and I got our tub last September. We've used it almost every day for the past seven months and have never had a problem. I use a Taylor rest kit and am very, very consistent in using it. Our tub is always right where it should be, chemical-wise. We use three step bromine, shock with bleach, use a spa stick filter to fill the tub, have low metals, low calcium (we raise it to 150pm).

My current test results (these are typical):

Bromine- 5 ppm

Calcium hardness- 140 ppm

TA: 50

PH: 7.8

Here is the problem. Sometime in April my husband started having a reaction from the tub. Forgive the indelicacy, but he wound up with a rash on his genital area. This happened right after I tried an experimental shock with MPS, so I figured he had a reaction to that. However, I quit using it and the rash continued. I did a decontam just in case and refilled. He took a several week break to get everything healed, but after going in the freshly filled tub the rash returned.

The doctor checked things out and said it was not fungal or bacterial. No one has ever had a bacterial reaction from the tub, and I do keep the water at adequate bromine levels all the time.

He took a one month break from the tub and the rash cleared up completely. Over the last two days he decided to try the tub again. Day one was okay, but 12 hours after day tow the rash was back with a vengeance. So it looks like it is definitely the tub.

Do you think this could be a reaction to the bromine? If so, any idea why it took so many months to manifest? And why only in a certain area? The only things in the tub right now are calcium, sodium bromide, bromine tablets, baking soda (for PH and TA), bleach for oxidizing weekly. No cleaners, clarifies, scents, etc. on our last fill we had borates, but not this time as I was trying to rule out as many causes as possible.

Any advice you cold give would be great. I was thinking of trying a switch to chlorine (which would mean a new new Taylor kit and chemical set... Arrrrg!). I've been reluctant to do so because we go out of town for 4-7 days several times throughout the year, and I like the freedom 3 step bromine gives us for that. To my understanding this doesn't work so well with chlorine.

[waterbear]

It's possible but not very probably. It might simply be a reaction to the hot water or a reaction to the MPS which is a known irritant. Since it is in an isolated area of his body I wuld suspect it is a hot water reaction. Hot water can cause eczema in some individuals. I would consult a dermatologist. Hot water could possibly potentiate a dormant viral infection also.

[Dr. Spa]

There's also "Grovers Disease", but I don't know if that's an area if effects.

[K.Cool]

We thought about the hot water theory. He took several long, very very hot baths after it had gone away to see if it would come back. It did not. It was only after he used the hot tub again that it returned.

I thought about the MPS idea, too, but there is no MPS in the tub on this fill: I shock only with bleach.

[laurah]

I too suddenly started having a reaction to the hottub. I get bumps on my arms and inner thighs. Extremely itchy. I thought that maybe I needed to change the water, so I did that this weekend, used the tub last night and I'm itching like crazy. Would changing to chlorine be a good solution? If so, would I need to change the water again?

Thank you.

[Dr. Spa]

The only one qualified to make a diagnosis is a BOARD CERTIFIED DERMATOLOGIST, that's willing to take the time to make a through and proper diagnosis (rare to find these days). ANYTHING else will just be a guess and CAN make your problems WORSE.

Why in the he$$ would anyone take medical advise from some anonymous person on and anonymous message board??????????????

[laurah]

I'm not asking for medical advice. I'm asking for an alternative to bromine.

[Dr. Spa]

You asked if changing to chlorine would be a good solution to the reaction your having which is causing itchy bumps on your arms and inner thighs.

[waterbear]

The bumps could be caused by an infectious agent (pseodomonas comes to mind) if your sanitizer levels have not been properly maintained. Get a medical diagnosis and find out if it is an infection or an allergy and THEN worry about whether you need to switch santizer or just learn how to properly use your current one.

Halogen sensitivity is really very rare. Bromine is a bit more likely to cause sensitivity than chlorine but in either case a true allergy to either has not really been documented in the medical literature.

Sensitivity to persulfates (non chlorine shock that is normally sold with bromine) are well docmumented

Infectious hot tub folliculitisis from improperly sanitized water is also well documented

Other skin infections from improperly sanitized water are also well documented

Skin inflamation and eczema from exposure to the hot water in a tub is also well documented

In fact, many cases of so called halogen sensitivity reactions turn out to be infections from undersantized water!

[K.Cool]

I wanted to post an update to this: it turned out to be a bromine sensitivity. Seven months ago I switched to diclor-then-bleach and we have not had a single problem.

[chem geek]

Thanks for updating us and glad that things are now working out. Bromine when combined with ammonia, can be more harsh than chlorine. It might have just taken time for such irritation to turn into a skin sensitivity.

Don't forget with Dichlor-then-bleach to add more Dichlor about once a month if the CYA level drops which it may do over time (about 5 ppm per month or so). You don't want the chlorine to be too strong and CYA moderates its strength.

[waterbear]

Were you using MPS with the bromine by any chance?

[K.Cool]

ChemGeek: Yes, I keep track of our CYA monthly.

Waterbear: We did use MPS a couple times, and I initially thought it was that. But the problems returned after a complete water change where I used only bleach to shock, and we haven't had issues with MPS when using a friend's chlorine hot tub. The only variable that changed was switching from bromine to chlorine.