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Dermatology (Expert Forum)
new pigmentation changes, hiv question.
Answered by
Alan Rockoff, MD - dermatology, Child Skin Problems
The Rockoff Dermatology Center
Brookline - MA
Welcome to the DERMATOLOGY FORUM! Questions in this forum are answered by Dermatologists from St. Luke's Roosevelt Hospital, under the direction of Andrew Alexis, M.D., M.P.H.
new pigmentation changes, hiv question.
by jason93442, Apr 28, 2006 12:00AM
About a year ago I used to room with a person that was my close friend and whom I recently learned has gotten HIV. I freaked out initially and started researching online everywhere to see if I was showing signs of infection. I did -not- engage in sexual contact with him nor am I homosexual. I did however notice that I was experiencing changes within my body. I also had protected sex with a prostitute in tijuana while i was in the navy around the same time frame. I didn't get sick initially nor did I develope any signs of infection or anything. I however did use my friends razor, which is electric and I did not notice any blood on the razor etc.
Somethings I've noticed.
Recently acquired birthmarks or pigmentation on the skin, brown marks or nodules that I was informed where pigmented naevi. They just started appearing in crops rather recently and I know this for a fact because I'm vain and I check myself often. They however do not look anything like pigments resembling kaposi's sarcoma which I learned was a sypmtom of HIV. I have severe allergies as well as severe asthma. These spots appear all over my body. From chest, to back, to face, eyes, and legs. They're aren't that many, about 19 on my chest and about 10-15 on my legs. My back has dozons around 40.
I also developed a two blood pockets on the tip of my penis that do not hurt, but when i squeeze them they fill up with blood. My testicals are also red and itch every so often. I also experience burning while urinating. I also experience soreness during ejaculation. I've had a bladder test done and infection is negative. I've also had a white cell count done, not an HIV test, and it was normal. It's been over a year and all of this started happening during the time frame I started researching. I was also born with red hair and have very pale skin. I've talked with two different doctors and they all say I'm fine and shouldn't waste my time on a HIV test if I used protection. I haven't been sexually active for over a year. But I've been worried for the past three weeks that I might have something. I have not experienced any sort of execretion at the penis but am still concerned that it may be herpes. I've been to the doctor several times and they tell me it's nothing to be worried about and it's probley caused by stress as well as associated sypmtoms of asthma and allergies. I recently moved in a household with my grandmother and my uncle whom smokes and she has four cats as well as black mold in some of the walls. Am I over-reacting? My mother and her mother also have FMS or fibromyalgia and she says that all of this may be caused by that but I haven't been tested yet for it. As I said before all of the doctors I've seen have said that I need to drink more water for my urinating and look into an allergist for soreness, skin problems and itching, etc. Basically, am I overreacting or should I really be worried?
Somethings I've noticed.
Recently acquired birthmarks or pigmentation on the skin, brown marks or nodules that I was informed where pigmented naevi. They just started appearing in crops rather recently and I know this for a fact because I'm vain and I check myself often. They however do not look anything like pigments resembling kaposi's sarcoma which I learned was a sypmtom of HIV. I have severe allergies as well as severe asthma. These spots appear all over my body. From chest, to back, to face, eyes, and legs. They're aren't that many, about 19 on my chest and about 10-15 on my legs. My back has dozons around 40.
I also developed a two blood pockets on the tip of my penis that do not hurt, but when i squeeze them they fill up with blood. My testicals are also red and itch every so often. I also experience burning while urinating. I also experience soreness during ejaculation. I've had a bladder test done and infection is negative. I've also had a white cell count done, not an HIV test, and it was normal. It's been over a year and all of this started happening during the time frame I started researching. I was also born with red hair and have very pale skin. I've talked with two different doctors and they all say I'm fine and shouldn't waste my time on a HIV test if I used protection. I haven't been sexually active for over a year. But I've been worried for the past three weeks that I might have something. I have not experienced any sort of execretion at the penis but am still concerned that it may be herpes. I've been to the doctor several times and they tell me it's nothing to be worried about and it's probley caused by stress as well as associated sypmtoms of asthma and allergies. I recently moved in a household with my grandmother and my uncle whom smokes and she has four cats as well as black mold in some of the walls. Am I over-reacting? My mother and her mother also have FMS or fibromyalgia and she says that all of this may be caused by that but I haven't been tested yet for it. As I said before all of the doctors I've seen have said that I need to drink more water for my urinating and look into an allergist for soreness, skin problems and itching, etc. Basically, am I overreacting or should I really be worried?
Doctor's Answer
by Alan Rockoff, MD, Apr 28, 2006 12:00AM
, Apr 28, 2006 12:00AM
I do think you are overreacting. When you start worrying about AIDS, you start noticing all kinds of changes that are either normal (moles) or unimportant (redness at the tip of the penis.) It sounds as though you have checked yourself out with doctors more than enough to let the matter drop. If you continue to feel anxious despite all this reassurance, you may want to consider counseling to help get you past it. If all you did was room with someone who later developed AIDS, you have no reason to worry.
Best.
Dr. Rockoff
Best.
Dr. Rockoff
Dr. Rockoff