don't like nipples to be touched

This is so strange, I also have the same problem!
And it's on and off, there are times when it feels amazing to have my nipples touch and at other times this wave of depression and almost nausea rolls over me. I wish someone knew what the reason for this was, if maybe there are some nerve signals that cross-fire.. It feels a lot better to know that other people have this same problem. because I didn't even know how to google it to see if they do..
weird!

:-( I am glad to see this problem here but I wish there was some answers! I do not like my boobs being touched, and this makes for issues between me and my husband. He gets angry b/c he feels rejected. He touches my boobs and it just makes my skin crawl! Idk why, I've never been sexually abused that I know of...Sometimes if it's at the right moment and I'm really into sex, I enjoy it. But more often then not, I find it HUGELY annoying and it totally turns me OFF! The only thing I can think is that it takes way longer for me to get in the mood than my husband, and AFTER I'm in the mood it's fine, but it doesn't help me in the process! If anyone has any suggestions, that would be greatly appreciated!!!!!!

It's nice to see so many people talking on here about the subject..
I'm 21 and my problem is a slightly different reaction, but very similar.

I haven't notice feeling depressed or any of those type of responses, but they are very sensitive and almost hurt. The worst part is that I get instantly nauseous. I have never actually thrown up, but it feels incredibly imminent all the time. It has been going on for as long as I can remember.

It doesn't even happen in just a romantic situation (although it does impede romance quite a bit), but even just putting on lotion, or the other day a friend picked a piece of hair off my sweater which was very close to my nipple and it caused a wave of nausea.

The last time I went to my OBGYN he said he had never heard of it and had absolutely no idea. He said perhaps it was unconscious feelings of self-consciousness, but I feel as if this isn't the whole answer.

Any answers or insight would be helpful, I know we are all a little confused.

It was very good to find this post. I'm incredibly disapointed that it hasn't been answered yet, but I'm still glad to see other women have this problem. You see, my wife is the exact same way. She has the most perfectly and beautifully shaped breasts on the planet, but even if i grave them accidentily she freaks. She says the same things like "it's just really annoying" or "it just bugs me" and "its hard to explain." I've known her family my whole life so I know there's no chance that there's any kind of weird repressed memories or anything in fact I am pretty quick to dismiss any kind of emotional connection. I think this is just a strange physical issue. What gets me is that it just seems so right to touch her breasts and nipples during love making, and she doesn't mind me touching her breasts, but whenever I touch her her nipples its over. It do it more than 2wice and we are done having sex. It turns her off so much and its so hard for me not to touch them. To complicate issues more I am completely into breasts and hers being so perfect, you can see my dilema. I hope this gets answered soon, but in the mean time I have a theory.

At any normal time when she's not turned on or not turned on very much she very much dislikes having them touched, but on rare occasion when I've managed to get her writhing in ecstasy from rubbing her clitoris, I'll try to touch or suck on her nipples and she will very much enjoy it. Afterwards, its back to the same annoyance at being touched. This has only happened 3 or 4 times in 2 years. My theory is maybe she has the same reaction as most women do to having their nipples touched, but something makes it go on overload as far as her senses are concerned. When not in the throws of love making its just way too much to handle, but when she gets turned on enough it balances out. I have absolutely no medical evidence to support this. Just a theory.

I so very much envy the men married to women who enjoy having their nipples touched. I almost cried out of frustration when I read the post about the woman who can even orgasm by having her breasts touched. If it was that way for my wife, we would have a very different relationship, at least sexually.

I have struggled with this for a long time too, and only spoken about it with one person because that person suggested that I had been molested, and no matter how much I rack my brain, I have NO memory of anything like that.
My irritation can be set off by anything brushing up against my nipples, even my bra adjusting in a odd way, and I feel angry and annoyed. But, like many of you have said, there are times when I'm totally aroused by them being touched, then I feel disgusted and grossed out by it the next time, and it makes me lose any sex drive I had.

Has anyone on this chain ever seen a psychologist about this issue? I feel like it must be, in some way, tied to "intimacy issues", but no matter how much search my mind I can't really make sense of it.

If anyone has seen a psychologist about this, please share his/her response. Otherwise, I plan on seeing one myself and I'll share any helpful insights.

I have struggled with this same issue for quite some time. I have only talked about it with one person because that person thought that it was a result of sexual abuse, and while I have RACKED my brain trying to remember something like this, nothing like that has ever happened in my past. Like most of you have said already, even the smallest touch (for example my bra adjusting in an odd way that brushes my nipple) makes me irritated, disgusted, and even angry. Also like most of you said, there are then times that I'm completely aroused by the sensation, but it usually turns to disgust with almost no warning.

Has anyone seen a psychologist about this issue? If so, please share what he/she had to say. I feel like its definitely connected to "intimacy issues"--one thing I've noticed is that this intense irritation and disgust with ANY contact to my nipples seems to happen more frequently when I'm around people that I'm close to, as opposed to when I'm just in public or with someone that I'm not particularly "close" with emotionally. Can any of you relate to that feeling? Again--if you have any insights from a psychologist, please share! I think that like most psychological issues, just understand what is going on should (hopefully) help.

Well.. you can add me to the list... I've been dealing with this problem since my last was born 2.5 years ago. I was really surprised to see people who haven't had kids post. I didn't breast feed any of mine. I used to love having my nipples touched etc as a part of four play... as others have said, there's be no molestation... and I've never had any kind of bdy image problem and I feel bad for my husband too...

this has changed the way I get dressed... how I shower... and how I interact with my kids and my husband. I don't get depressed really... but I do get frustrated and upset... sometimes more than others...
I've got a hypoactive thyroid with is under control (although i'm thinking about changing meds).
My libido is pretty much non existant... and sensative nipples don't help.
I've had my testosterone checked at my request as I thought maybe with the birth of the kids and all (close together) that might be out of whack.... but it wasn't...

I recently tried putting lanacane on them and that seems to help a lot... but I don't know if there's any problems with over use... it says to consult a dr if used for more than 7 days...
anyways... i'm going to call my dr about changing my thyriod meds.. but if you guys don't have that problem then it's probably not that... but if I can get my libido back and use lanacane when I know I need it then i'll be a happy camper!!!

please keep posting everyone... I hate to know other people are dealing with this... but it's nice to have people who completely understand...

I have hypothyroidism as well--do other posters have underactive thyroid?

I take Armour thyroid medication but my doctor said that my last blood test showed that I'm still low on thyroid--maybe that has messed with my hormones and contributing to the nipple sensetivity.

I take synthroid... but i was thinking about asking my dr about armour... my levels have been ok with synthroid... but i've read that sometimes a t4 only medication can still leave you with symptoms... one being low libido...

Elisa1010, how does the length of time you think you've had hypothyroidism correspond with the nipple sensitivity? how is your libido? (almost my main concern with fixing the darn sensitivity thing!! haha!)

If you don't feel there's a connection that's probaly not it... but it was a thought... i don't remember when the sensitivty situation came about for me....

Hi everyone,

Wow.. I thought there might be a few people like me, but nothing like this!

I have always been this way.. i think. I can remember disliking having my nipples touched/brushed against accidentally ever since i hit puberty. It's got more and more intense as I've grown up. I'm 24 now and can't bear it. I think that it's a really complex issue.

My boyfriend is really good about it. He knows to be careful and to listen to me when I say yes or no to him touching me there. Like a few other people mentioned, I can allow him to do it when i am really aroused and about to orgasm, but as soon as it's over I feel gross and sick at the thought. And if it's timed wrong it can end everything.

It's interesting that so many of us assumed something sinister happened to us in the past and we repressed the memories. I wondered about that too. I am guessing it's because it's such a sexual issue and so unexplainable to so many of us.

Personally I think it has a lot to do with issues of my sexuality and my identity. I never wanted breasts and could barely even say the word till in my late teens. I think it has to do with me not wanting to grow up or develop sexual attributes. It feels like i am being abused when i'm touched there- that may be why people immediately link it to the possibility of sexual abuse? Because it feels like abuse? so invasive? It can be physically painful for me.

I think it's going to be entirely different for each individual.

Exposure therapy- where you expose yourself to the thing you hate.. gradually, over a period of time -often helps to de sensitise yourself from it. But I do this on my own, under my own control.. like in the shower etc. And it's important not to ignore the underlying emotional issues. I'm personally convinced it's psychological.. not physical. But that's just me, it might not be the same for others.

Anyway, i have so much more to say but can't really find the words.

It'd be interesting to see what we all have in common? What is our common factor?

Lovely to read all of your responses, I only wish it wasn't something so horrible that brought us all here!

And to the guys: I think it is great that you have responded, you obviously care and have taken the time to look into it rather than taking it personally or trying to force them into something they don't want to do. It's great you are searching for answers and engaging with the issue.

Would love to hear from everyone.. maybe we can figure this out?

:O)

p.s. I don't have any issues with thyroid stuff.. as far as i know. I generally have quite sensitive skin- I have a nickel allergy (the metal!) and excema when i was little. I have small red blood cells (random!)

Anyone else here have any issues with sexuality? how men in general make you feel? I started to wonder whether I was repressing part of my sexuality? or whether I just have intimacy issues with men?

Obviously it could just be my own issues, I'm not assuming everyine else is the same!!

who knows...

I have severe intimacy problems with men. o.O
I don't like them touching me anywhere. >;)

amoobaa- I think you're on to something, in that it is a (mainly) psychological thing. I think that maybe hormonel imbalances would make it worse (btw, thyroid problems can mess with your hormones so that might be why a few of us share the same thyroid issues) but thats only because when your hormones are off can make you more emotional and/or reactive.

I also think you're right about it feeling like abuse because its so invasive-thats probably one of the best words to describe how I feel. Several of you (and it goes for me too) have mentioned that you grew up in loving homes--is that the case for everyone? I wonder if close relationships with your family make it harder to break away from them, and because puberty and sexual urges are signs of growing up and "breaking away", its more difficult to accept them if you're having trouble with the whole concept of growing up. This would make sense for me because my dirty/disgusted feeling that come with nipple stimulation seem to be a LOT worse during transitional times (puberty, around the time i graduated, and NOW while I'm getting more serious with my boyfriend and talking about marriage) although its pretty much always in issue....just worse at those times.

Please keep the thread going, just having open discussion about this is helpful!

It's really hard for me to believe (for me) that's it would mainly be psychological. I would assume that there is some psychological aspect, but I can't except that that'd be the brunt of it.
It really doesn't feel like abuse to me.. More like a huge physical aggravation... but it does ruin the moment during sex and then I feel horrible after -that- because it's just so easy for the moment to end and lately it's so so rare to get something going anyways...

As far as growing up and family goes, my elementary age memories seem normal enough, but by the time i was in middle school, both my parents were self absorbed alcoholics. I didn't have this sensitivity issue at -all- growing up... not until after my 2nd or 3rd pregnancy in my late 20's.
When I first found this thread, the sensitivity was probably the worst it's ever been. I think when i notice it's worse than normal, i'll have to mark it on the calendar and see if it corresponds with anything.

Amoobaa: exposure therapy: i'm thinking i might just have to buckle down and see if i can retrain my body... i did read here and there that air exposure helped some guys that had an issue with sensitivity... course i really can't just walk around without a shirt on....

lemme throw something else out there...
when i was pregnant with my 2nd, i got in the habit of wearing shirts with shelf bras to sleep in, i guess for the support... it was comfortable... continued that through my 3rd pregnancy and now i can't go without a shelf bra shirt at night.... and i get dressed and put on a bra as soon as i wake up.. i don't like the feeling of just hanging there either... when i get out of the shower and walk to my room in my robe, i put my arms under my breasts. I might try a combination of lanacane (just to take an edge off the sensitivity with my clothes having to brush against me) and going with out a bra around the house...

i feel the same way too and i am a male, i just am wondering if they are just too sensitive that it is an unpleseant feeling, cause i can not link any past experiences to it.