I think you are right about the folicilitis on my arms and not being moluscum because I take about 1-2 showers a week thank you for your help
You may be right about the folicilitis on my arms rather than it being molluscum because I probably take 1-2 showers a week...never thought about that
Thank you for you're help
And it seems as though my joint pain/ muscle pain may have arisen from my anxiety. When I got really anxious last December I'd have muscle aches and muscle spams.
And folliculitis was confirmed by my DR. The topical medication is effective and is brining down the swollen lymph node
This additional information suggest you indeed may have had folliculitis in the pubic area. However, I cannot make a specific diagnosis and won't try; that's not MedHelp's purpose. Online forums are not intended to replace professional evaluation in person.
Feel free to report your test results the outcome after you have seen a dermatologist or other doctor. Until then I won't have any other or advice.
But the redness near my pubic hair / lower abdomen there were no visible bumps, just a swollen lymph node, very small and redness around the area with ingrown hairs around there
Ok . So what exactly would cause these symptoms ??
I have no doubt you are anxious, but that won't cause skin bumps etc.
I forgot the thread link discussed above. Here it is:
http://www.medhelp.org/posts/show/1891685
I also have anxiety so maybe symptoms arose from my anxiety
Welcome to the forum.
As you were told on the HIV community forum, the two sexual exposures you describe was very low risk for a new HIV infection. Almost certainly you didn't catch HIV. However, you can speculate all you want, and so can I -- but the only definitive answer will come from an HIV test. It sounds like it's been about 8 weeks since the second exposure, which is enough time for a definitive result. (Details about test timing are discussed in the thread linked below; as you will see, it usually isn't necessary to wait 3 months for conclusive results.)
As for your skin bumps and rash, I'm sure they have nothing to do with HIV, which doesn't cause this sort of rash. It would be pretty atypical to have molluscum contagiosum of the arms or body; it could happen, but most infections in persons your age are on or near the genitals. I have to wonder whether the folliculitis was also molluscum -- it's pretty easy for a doctor to confuse the two conditions, especially for a non-dermatologist.
Sore throat would almost never be the only symptom of HIV, so no worries there.
My advice: 1) Have an HIV test; you can expect a negative result. 2) Consider another medical opinion about your skin rash/bumps, preferably by a dermatologist. 3) To be maximally safe, given your two casual sexual encounters, in addition to HIV testing, have standard testing for other common STDs: a urine test for chlamydia and gonorrhea, and a syphilis blood test. Probably all will be negative, but beter safe than sorry!
I'll be happy to comment further if you would like to return to let me know your various test results, or the opinion of a dermatologist about your skin problem. In the meantime, don't be seriously worried; it is unlikely you have anything serious.
Best regards-- HHH, MD