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recurrent skin problems an early hiv symptom
I am a straight male living in south america and have had protected sex with sex workers but no instance of broken condom. I did perform sex between the breasts of a sex worker which was unprotected.
I have had unprotected sex with a few girls of unknown hiv status.
I am freaking out because I have had recurrent abscesses around my under-pants area (buttocks, thighs), eczema has appeared on the palms of my hands. and what I think is psoriasis in the fold between my scrotum and shaft. I also had folicalitus about 7 months ago.
In other words i am having recurrent, multiple skin diseases that suggest an impaired immune system.
I have not had any of the early symptoms of hivthat I have read about: sore throat, sore muscles & joints, diarrhea, vomiting.
I do drink about 6 alcoholic drinks a night and have stress at work which could be the cause.
I'm losing a lot of sleep over this and will get tested this week but wanted to know if these multiple-skin conditions around the underpants and upper legs area is symptomatic.
I have had unprotected sex with a few girls of unknown hiv status.
I am freaking out because I have had recurrent abscesses around my under-pants area (buttocks, thighs), eczema has appeared on the palms of my hands. and what I think is psoriasis in the fold between my scrotum and shaft. I also had folicalitus about 7 months ago.
In other words i am having recurrent, multiple skin diseases that suggest an impaired immune system.
I have not had any of the early symptoms of hivthat I have read about: sore throat, sore muscles & joints, diarrhea, vomiting.
I do drink about 6 alcoholic drinks a night and have stress at work which could be the cause.
I'm losing a lot of sleep over this and will get tested this week but wanted to know if these multiple-skin conditions around the underpants and upper legs area is symptomatic.
Hi ive only had one boyfriend my Entire life we have only had sex once with a condom but I performed oral without one, recently I have had recurring abscess and Im scared I might have hiv also. Get checked I know I am.
And to just follow up my conclusion, the point is, bacterial infections are nasy little buggers. I believe I had the chlamydia bacteria for the last 12 months and it would rear it's ugly head and stuck around for a long long time. If your doctor is not addressing your concerns be forthright in demanding they test for ALL STD's. While my furuncles could possibly have been a symptom of later stage HIV, the doctors in south america did not ask me any lifestyle questions to determine their diagnosis. Only my cousin did this and that gave me the reassurance that my lifestyle and my feedback was important in her diagnosis and testing and is what ultimately got me properly diagnosed. If you aren't comfortable with any one doctor, go get a second opinion. This is all about YOU. Not some know-it-all doctor that comes to diagnosis without listening to your story.
I wanted to again thank Frank303 for his help while I worried myself sick that i had contracted HIV. I wanted to tell my story here to try and help other people that have 'worry well' phases they go through. I was sexually active and would use condoms with any sex worker vaginal intercourse with occasional condom less oral and condom less sex with non-sex-worker one night stands. About a year ago I felt a lump or two in my scrotum, attached to my testicles. I got a screen and it ended up being cysts (not cancer). I also, around that same time had a "urinary tract infection". I (now)don't feel the hospital did their due diligence in scrutinizing the infection and just writing it off as a UTI (as opposed to epedidimitis, or chlamydia). In the last 6 months or so I have suffered a regular occurance of furuncles and abscesses around my underpants area; thighs, buttocks area and lesions on my shaft. This and a string of flus made me very very concerned I had HIV. Thanks to Frank and this group (and my brother) I garnered the strength to get tested and I came out negative on HIV. But again, the hospital did not culture any of my abscesses and poorly diagnosed my symptoms as "a ph balance problem with my skin". I again started to have discharge and burning during urination. I luckily got back to the united states and saw my cousin who is a fantastic doctor. She cultured my urine (which came out positive for clamydia) and put me on one-time, one gram dose of azithromycin and a 3 week cycle of cipro. In less than one week my lesions and furuncles have cleared up!
My cysts continue and according to a urologist it is unlikely that the cysts are/ were feeding the abscesses. I'll have another scan but am quite sure I don't have testicular cancer and think the antibiotics may well be the end of the cysts as well (but am still on the fence here).
For all of those that worry, please take the fine advice of the qualified professionals in this fine group and get tested. don't hesitate there and put yourself through hell like i did. And again thanks to this communicty and Frank303 for your help and support through this dark time that is now over in my life!
My cysts continue and according to a urologist it is unlikely that the cysts are/ were feeding the abscesses. I'll have another scan but am quite sure I don't have testicular cancer and think the antibiotics may well be the end of the cysts as well (but am still on the fence here).
For all of those that worry, please take the fine advice of the qualified professionals in this fine group and get tested. don't hesitate there and put yourself through hell like i did. And again thanks to this communicty and Frank303 for your help and support through this dark time that is now over in my life!
If your past exposures cause concern I think you should test and I recommend that to know your baseline status. I'm sure it will be negative as none of your symptoms point to HIV.
Dermatological problemss are common, (I have many which preceded my risk), no way indicative of HIV and occur in HIV only in later stage disease.
You can't remove all risks from life, life has risks so zero risk is an impossibility. You can manage risks such as consistently and correctly using protection (and lube where required) for vaginal and anal sex, looking both ways before you cross the road, not walking under a top floor window when they are removing a grand piano through it and not climbing masts during a lightning storm.
Dermatological problemss are common, (I have many which preceded my risk), no way indicative of HIV and occur in HIV only in later stage disease.
You can't remove all risks from life, life has risks so zero risk is an impossibility. You can manage risks such as consistently and correctly using protection (and lube where required) for vaginal and anal sex, looking both ways before you cross the road, not walking under a top floor window when they are removing a grand piano through it and not climbing masts during a lightning storm.
Thanks Frank303. good news on your negative tests in your journals.
I can't stop thinking about the times of exposure I've had in my life and connecting my skin problem with it.
I think I live a low risk life, and intend to make it zero risk from here out.
I never had vaginal sex with a sex worker. I had 3 counts of 'brief, light" oral sex but know this does not put me at risk for HIV.
I have had some skin disorders since very young. Just not this recurring furnucle/ abscess problem.
The furnucles tend to stay small and, on occasion (every 2-3 months) actually come to a head with puss. But these skin issues are not listed as a common symptom of HIV along with diarrhea etc etc. Also they are always localized around my thighs and buttocks.
It is more likey caused by my stress, anxiety, drinking, and bad sleeping.
The girls with which i had unprotected sex were not high-at-risk girls. But that is just a feeling of course.
I can't stop thinking about the times of exposure I've had in my life and connecting my skin problem with it.
I think I live a low risk life, and intend to make it zero risk from here out.
I never had vaginal sex with a sex worker. I had 3 counts of 'brief, light" oral sex but know this does not put me at risk for HIV.
I have had some skin disorders since very young. Just not this recurring furnucle/ abscess problem.
The furnucles tend to stay small and, on occasion (every 2-3 months) actually come to a head with puss. But these skin issues are not listed as a common symptom of HIV along with diarrhea etc etc. Also they are always localized around my thighs and buttocks.
It is more likey caused by my stress, anxiety, drinking, and bad sleeping.
The girls with which i had unprotected sex were not high-at-risk girls. But that is just a feeling of course.
If you have had unprotected sex with aomeone of unknown status you need to test at 3 months past the last possible exposure for a reliable indication of your HIV status.
Symptoms and lack of symptoms are an unreliable indicator of HIV status. The only way to know for sure is to test.
Multiple skin diseases do not necessarily suggest an impaired immune system they are suggestive of ... multiple skin diseases. See a Dermatologist..
6 alcoholic drinks a night is over the recommended limit and would have skin manifestations if you are prone to excema.
Test in the meantime to learn your HIV status.
Symptoms and lack of symptoms are an unreliable indicator of HIV status. The only way to know for sure is to test.
Multiple skin diseases do not necessarily suggest an impaired immune system they are suggestive of ... multiple skin diseases. See a Dermatologist..
6 alcoholic drinks a night is over the recommended limit and would have skin manifestations if you are prone to excema.
Test in the meantime to learn your HIV status.
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