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How exactly peripheral neuropathy feels
I have seen many people mention tingling/prickling sensations in hands and feet. I have seen few people mention feet (toes & ankles) hurting. I have myself suffered from burning sensations on soles and hands & pain in heels. Can all this be attributed to anxiety as I felt these sensation even when I wasn't feeling stressed like just after my test results. Also, I would like others to share similar symptoms that they suffered related to their hands and feet. The point of this exercise is just to diferentiate between common anxiety symptoms and something that can be more serious.
You say you always used protection! How did this happen to you, do you have any idea's at all about who you may have contracted off? or how?
I'm really sorry about your results, I can absolutely feel for you as i'm sure most of this forum can. Everybody here has faced the prospect that they may be HIV+, and to hear from a actual sufferer means alot.
Keep your head up and don't let this destroy you man, you canstill lead a long fulfilling life with this virus, and still even get married - look up "magnetic couples" - its a reference to couples who have lived together for years, one negative, one positive and have never contracted the virus to each other. Particularly, if you are familiar with the website "The Body", The HIV forum is not unlike this one except it has free medical advice from a doctor who is actually living as a married gay man in a magnetic couple - whom he has lived with for 15 years and never contracted HIV.
Also, as of August 2008, a special protein in the HIV virus has been found that scientists believe to be the "achillies heel" of the virus - they believe this can be used to effectively "lock out" the virus from having any effect on the body. This Vaccine/Cure is already in the pipeline and may be in production in the next 10 years - well before you get AIDS.
Many people live with HIV for a long, long time, you are not alone and you can stay strong.
I'm really sorry about your results, I can absolutely feel for you as i'm sure most of this forum can. Everybody here has faced the prospect that they may be HIV+, and to hear from a actual sufferer means alot.
Keep your head up and don't let this destroy you man, you canstill lead a long fulfilling life with this virus, and still even get married - look up "magnetic couples" - its a reference to couples who have lived together for years, one negative, one positive and have never contracted the virus to each other. Particularly, if you are familiar with the website "The Body", The HIV forum is not unlike this one except it has free medical advice from a doctor who is actually living as a married gay man in a magnetic couple - whom he has lived with for 15 years and never contracted HIV.
Also, as of August 2008, a special protein in the HIV virus has been found that scientists believe to be the "achillies heel" of the virus - they believe this can be used to effectively "lock out" the virus from having any effect on the body. This Vaccine/Cure is already in the pipeline and may be in production in the next 10 years - well before you get AIDS.
Many people live with HIV for a long, long time, you are not alone and you can stay strong.
I am not a diabetic. I also have kidney disease. 2.5 Creatinine
II have peripheral neuropathy. I was tested and found I have quite a bit of nerve damage in my feet and bottom legs. I had 9 treatments of electrical pads on my feet and laegs. It did not hurt. I now have bad pain in my knees. It is not the normal neuro pain. I wonder if this caused the pain in my knees anyway.
I am 74 and not in greatest health but I still want to kick my heels once in a while. I am a Mom of 6..Maybe that's why I am so tough. ???
II have peripheral neuropathy. I was tested and found I have quite a bit of nerve damage in my feet and bottom legs. I had 9 treatments of electrical pads on my feet and laegs. It did not hurt. I now have bad pain in my knees. It is not the normal neuro pain. I wonder if this caused the pain in my knees anyway.
I am 74 and not in greatest health but I still want to kick my heels once in a while. I am a Mom of 6..Maybe that's why I am so tough. ???
For the past 2.5 months I have been having tingling the whole body, generalized muscle twitching, numbness in the hands and my fingernails are darkish almost blue. I am also having pins and needles, burning sensation in the legs, crawling effect, chapped lips, slight cough, itchy feeling but no rash and no fever at all. My wife tested HIV positive on July 30 2007(also my last date of exposure) and I was negative. I have not had any other exposure and since I took 28 day Combivir from 30 July I am waiting for my test end of December 2007. Could this be ARS? Can ARS manifest 2 and half months post-PEP or three and half months post last exposure?
Peripheral neuropathy (what you people are talking about) occurs in any stage in hiv. I cant feel my feet, I was tested at 3 months negative and have no reason to have anxiety now because they told me I didnt have it, but all of a sudden I couldnt feel my feet and got tingly *shock* like pains in my arms and fingers and some strange kind of acne on my scalp......here is what this article I found about peripheral neuropathy says...
and I quote:
"Symptoms of peripheral neuropathy may arise at any time during HIV infection. Neuropathy is reported at a rate of 6-8% during the acute retroviral syndrome that often occurs shortly after infection. Neuropathy may affect people with asymptomatic HIV disease, manifesting in syndromes ranging from mononeuritis (inflammation of a single nerve) and mononeuropathy (disease of a single nerve), to polyneuropathies that affect multiple nerves and can lead to paralysis. Most commonly, peripheral neuropathy develops in people with symptomatic HIV disease or AIDS. For these individuals, the symptoms of painful, burning feet or numbness in the feet and/or hands are familiar and often disabling."
and I quote:
"Symptoms of peripheral neuropathy may arise at any time during HIV infection. Neuropathy is reported at a rate of 6-8% during the acute retroviral syndrome that often occurs shortly after infection. Neuropathy may affect people with asymptomatic HIV disease, manifesting in syndromes ranging from mononeuritis (inflammation of a single nerve) and mononeuropathy (disease of a single nerve), to polyneuropathies that affect multiple nerves and can lead to paralysis. Most commonly, peripheral neuropathy develops in people with symptomatic HIV disease or AIDS. For these individuals, the symptoms of painful, burning feet or numbness in the feet and/or hands are familiar and often disabling."
Thanks for your response, I appreciate it.
Even if its more of a "pain", than a "tingling or numbness?"....you still think that can be from stress?
bc i think i'm starting to buy into 6 week neg result..
any thoughts would be appreciated, thanks.
Even if its more of a "pain", than a "tingling or numbness?"....you still think that can be from stress?
bc i think i'm starting to buy into 6 week neg result..
any thoughts would be appreciated, thanks.
"Teak, is the foot problems something I should be worried about, with a 6 week negative test result?"
Nothing in reference to HIV. Stress is one of the major causes for numbness and tingling. You could also have a circulation problem. If it would continue, I would probably ask my doctor about it.
Nothing in reference to HIV. Stress is one of the major causes for numbness and tingling. You could also have a circulation problem. If it would continue, I would probably ask my doctor about it.
Guys,
I completely agree with both of you(teak and xhost). It is extremely dificult for me to let go of this and I need major help for my head. Sharing my life on these forums has completely detatched me from my close ones and re-enforced the idea subconciously that this is the only place I belong to. I myself am sick of it all and really hope my results are for real coz w/o going in details I have faced all the possible symptoms there can be. There are times when I feel I should be OK but also there are other times(majority) where I really feel that in no possible way I am negative. Even, I want to get out of this for good. I am sorry if I am causing any agony to anyone.. Thanks for the consideration and all the help....
I completely agree with both of you(teak and xhost). It is extremely dificult for me to let go of this and I need major help for my head. Sharing my life on these forums has completely detatched me from my close ones and re-enforced the idea subconciously that this is the only place I belong to. I myself am sick of it all and really hope my results are for real coz w/o going in details I have faced all the possible symptoms there can be. There are times when I feel I should be OK but also there are other times(majority) where I really feel that in no possible way I am negative. Even, I want to get out of this for good. I am sorry if I am causing any agony to anyone.. Thanks for the consideration and all the help....
O_g,
I think by now you may know, in your heart of hearts, that you are not HIV positive. But, I know, it can be hard to let go after suffering from the anxiety for so long. I prefer not to get into the specifics of symptoms, etc., because that only tends to feed someone's anxiety and, worse than that, lends the notion that you may have somehow tested negative at 6 weeks but that the test was wrong.
My simple advice is this: if you find yourself unable to let go of this, you may want to consider speaking to someone who might be able to help you, such as a trained therapist, or psychotherapist. You wouldn't be first person they've seen with this issue, and you won't be the last. No shame in it - sometimes we just get stuck in a rut and find it hard to work our way out of a well worn groove. I know, because I've been there, and I talked to a caring, compassionate therapist who ultimately helped me realize that HIV wasn't a problem for me. The therapist also helped me realize what the real source of my anxiety was, and then helped work through it. I recommend it to anyone who may be suffering from this type of anxiety - it helps, believe me.
Of course, perhaps what I have described isn't really you at all. If not, feel free to ignore my advice. But, if you think it might describe you, even a little bit, give a therapist some thought. Did me a world of good, anyway.
Take care of yourself,
xhost
Teak, is the foot problems something I should be worried about, with a 6 week negative test result?
o_g, dude give it up already. You have your negative results, and you know your problems are not related to HIV. Now if you want to get serious about it, seek out the help from your doctor and a mental health professional. You have been going on and on about this for a long time and in other forums also. It is time for you to get on with your live or get a life. You really need to give this a rest.
I have never heard of these being symptoms! Relax.
Fever (most common symptom), then sore throat, swollen glands, dry cough, mouth sores and rash are the most common symptoms I have read in numerous academic articles on Acutve HIV infection and seroconversion.
Most of which I have!!!!!
Pain in the foot, I wish that was the symptom I was worried about!
Fever (most common symptom), then sore throat, swollen glands, dry cough, mouth sores and rash are the most common symptoms I have read in numerous academic articles on Acutve HIV infection and seroconversion.
Most of which I have!!!!!
Pain in the foot, I wish that was the symptom I was worried about!
I also had similar feeling, where my right arm would "fall asleep" almost every night when i was sleeping...that has since gone...but still both my feet/ankles hurt at times...during 5/6 weeks post-exposure it got really bad at times...again, i tested negative at 6 weeks, 2 days, so i hope that is a positive..
just wanna put it behind me..but the foot pain is an annoying concern.
just wanna put it behind me..but the foot pain is an annoying concern.
my hands and feet started burning 10-11 days post exposure. I tested neg at 12 weeks and they continued to burn badly till 6 months. Now, occasionally I feel they get heated up every now and then. Also, I have had occasional nerve twitching in my fingers. There was a point in initial 12 weeks post exposure that my limbs use to fall asleep fairly easily upon lifting some weight or spreading my legs on recliner above waist level. Don't know what that was all about. Also, like 3 weeks post exposure, wearing shoes became painful for me as my ankles use to hurt and become hot all the way till knees. At the end of the day, at times, I had to soak my feet in cold water to get some momentary relief. Don't know id anyone else faced anything similar due to anxiety because it is very difficult for anxiety to cause this.
so, you haven't heard of foot pain/ankle pain being a symptom?
just weird that it is still lingering after a 6 week negative test?
i guess it could be anxiety, but never heard anxiety could cause some dull pain?
just weird that it is still lingering after a 6 week negative test?
i guess it could be anxiety, but never heard anxiety could cause some dull pain?
You are listing symptoms that are not specific to ARS symptoms. You need to relax and get tested. I have not read your other posts (reasons as to why you feel you might be infected). However, you're looking too far into your anxiety caused symptoms than you need to be. I know what youre going through. Relax.
Different parts of my feet have been hurting for a few weeks now -- sometimes on the top of my feet, other times ankles,other times side of my feet etc. (not sure if anxiety can cause pain -- it's more pain than tingling, i think)
Really frustrating, especially when I tested negative at six weeks - doubt is creeping back into my head. (and it only one-time unprotected sex with a female for :20)!
Really frustrating, especially when I tested negative at six weeks - doubt is creeping back into my head. (and it only one-time unprotected sex with a female for :20)!
Anxiety can cause a lot of symptoms, including tingeling. Especially when your looking for it. See, I'm paying attention to my body sensations right now and I can feel my foot falling asleep. Now if I hadn't read your post, I probably wouldn't have paid attention to what my body is doing. When we are so worried about something everything is looked at through a magnifying glass.
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