Skin rash on forearm

I noticed about 3 weeks ago when I came back from lunch that I had a rash on my right forearm (mainly on my wrist). I didn't know what it was but they were very small redish pink spots that were slightly raised. Over the next few weeks they have gone away and come back and my other forearm as well as the same forearm that it originally appered on. At first I though it was just stress causing this b/c I was having a stressful day at work when I first noticed it. I have still been really stressed about this thinking that this rash could have be something bad like HIV. I finally went to the doctor and asked her about it and she though it wasn't anything bad but dermatitis and she gave me a Rx and it has been going away but I have been itchy all over. I didn't tell her that I was worried that I thought it might have been HIV or some other STD but she didn't seem to worried about it. I have used the Rx for about a week now and the rash on my forearms is pretty much gome but I'm still itchy on other parts of my body including my forearms. Should I go back to the doctor or just keep using the Rx and see what happens?

[Bhupinder Kaur, MD]

Hello,

First of all pls stop worrying as it is not HIV.HIV presents with prodromal features of flu like illness and other symptoms and never itchy rash as its early symptoms.

As your doctor has said,it can be either a dermatitis(contact/sweat/allergic dermatitis) or it can be a fungal infection.

As the rash has gone,pls continue taking the treatment that your doctor has prescribed. Application of calamine lotion will help in soothing the skin.You can also take antihistaminics like benadryl or Claritin to help relieve the itching.This should help.

Take care and pls do keep us posted if you have any additional queries.

[AK34420]

Thanks for ur post. I did have flu like syptoms (symptoms) about a month after I had sex with this girl. It only lasted a day but I was throwing up and had chills the whole day. At first I thought it was something I ate b/c my stomach was upset the night before after I was done with the meal. Then about 3 months ago I had what I thought was an ear infection but the glands in my throat were very swollen for about a week until I started taking antibiotics and then it went away a week after I started taking the meds. I never went to the doctor but I was almost positive that it was an ear infection. I haven't had any flu like symptoms since I have had this rash but could the early symptoms be spread out over a six month period?