Rash after almost 2 months

[DDGB]

Hi all
I've been on Stocrin/Truvada for almost 2 months now - and all of a sudden im bumpy on my chest, neck, face and back and itching! Not flaky, just itchy bumps - typical rash i guess. Is this normal? I had an initial rash when i started my meds, but it disappeared. So why on earth this now? Other than that, im very healthy. No negative side effects, apart from having the appetite of a horse:)

[Hellraiser]

Hi all
I've been on Stocrin/Truvada for almost 2 months now - and all of a sudden im bumpy on my chest, neck, face and back and itching! Not flaky, just itchy bumps - typical rash i guess. Is this normal? I had an initial rash when i started my meds, but it disappeared. So why on earth this now? Other than that, im very healthy. No negative side effects, apart from having the appetite of a horse:)

Were your CD4 numbers low to begin with?  The same sort of thing happened to me, the longer I've been on it and as my numbers have improved it goes away and comes back, weaker and weaker each time.

[DDGB]

Yes, it was VERY low - 54 to be exact. After 6 weeks on the meds it shot up to 256:) which is great, but now of course im stressing that something  is all of a sudden going wrong because i read that initial rash will go away and here i come with it flaring up as my numbers improve.  Great to hear im not alone in this experience tho. Did your appetite increase a lot too??

[papichasing]

The same thing is happening to me. Same kind of rash. My CD4 was very low at first, only 15, and now is 268 after 2 months in Atripla. My doctor says that the rash is maybe a reaction to one of the antibiotics that I'm taking and put me in a medication for 6 days that I started today but so far does not seems to be working. He asked me to let him know after the 6 days if I still have the rash but he wasn't alarmed when he saw the rash so I am assuming that it's a normal reaction. And yes, my appetite has increased a lot lately. It's like I'm hungry all the time. But in my case it's a good thing since I've been skinny all my life and I'm gaining a few extra pounds that are more than welcome.

[DDGB]

Maybe i should give my doc a call then if it doesnt calm down by say early next week. I'm only on one antibiotic (was on double that last month) so not likely that it would all of a sudden cause probs? UGH I dont know, i just know i hate ITCHING!! I dont like being hungry either - I'm sort of a normal weight now (I'm 1.65 and weigh anywhere between 59 and 62), so i'm fine with it, thing is just i have gained like 5kgs in 2 months (i weighed 55 when i was diagnosed) and i'm just scared it wont stop coz im not very tall and will quickly look round:) And i am really trying here, trying not to eat too much, but i cant help if im so HUNGRY.

[Hellraiser]

Maybe i should give my doc a call then if it doesnt calm down by say early next week. I'm only on one antibiotic (was on double that last month) so not likely that it would all of a sudden cause probs? UGH I dont know, i just know i hate ITCHING!! I dont like being hungry either - I'm sort of a normal weight now (I'm 1.65 and weigh anywhere between 59 and 62), so i'm fine with it, thing is just i have gained like 5kgs in 2 months (i weighed 55 when i was diagnosed) and i'm just scared it wont stop coz im not very tall and will quickly look round:) And i am really trying here, trying not to eat too much, but i cant help if im so HUNGRY.

Yeah this all sounds very familiar.  I've been on Atripla for I think 8 months now and my skin is mostly clear now and yes my appetite came back with a screaming vengeance almost as soon as I started meds.  Show your doctor the rash and see what he thinks.  Mine actually thought my rash was not the atrpla rash but my immune system coming back "online"  (I.R.I.S.) he gave me a 2 week round of Tetracycline (aka gastrointestinal stress test) and it did seem to help.  All of this has slowly but surely faded over time but it's taken me almost a year to get back to "normal".

[DDGB]

It is SUCH a relieve to know that there is someone who is experiencing the exact same things as me...thanks so much for chatting to me.  I'm glad you're basically back to normal - I guess it's a small price to pay for being alive hey? Have a wonderful day
**Hugs**

[Hellraiser]

It is SUCH a relieve to know that there is someone who is experiencing the exact same things as me...thanks so much for chatting to me.  I'm glad you're basically back to normal - I guess it's a small price to pay for being alive hey? Have a wonderful day
**Hugs**

This website exists to let us all know that we're not alone out there.  So I'm glad I can do my small part in helping you find some relief from the stresses of this disease.  As for the side effects, I would gladly deal with much worse as long as I'm still alive.  I hope you have an excellent day yourself.

[DDGB]

Hello again. I couldnt agree more - as long as i'm alive and well i'm willing to take on ANYTHING.  I really thought this was going to be much harder actually  -  I thought I was going to be depressed all the time, but I'm just not.  I know this is thanks to my wonderful boyfriend and my faith, but still, I'm giving myself a thumbs up:)  AND TO ALL OF YOU!! When i cant visit this site for a couple of days i miss it like crazy:)

[Ann]

Hello again.

Hello.

How's the rash? I'm hoping you didn't mention it because it's cleared up?

[kevykev110]

The same thing is happening to me. Same kind of rash. My CD4 was very low at first, only 15, and now is 268 after 2 months in Atripla. My doctor says that the rash is maybe a reaction to one of the antibiotics that I'm taking and put me in a medication for 6 days that I started today but so far does not seems to be working. He asked me to let him know after the 6 days if I still have the rash but he wasn't alarmed when he saw the rash so I am assuming that it's a normal reaction. And yes, my appetite has increased a lot lately. It's like I'm hungry all the time. But in my case it's a good thing since I've been skinny all my life and I'm gaining a few extra pounds that are more than welcome.

Atripla made u gain weight??? I taught it made ppl loose weight. Im about to start Atripla and im not lookin to gain weight. I use to be chubby 5' 5 160 now im 130lbs. Im loving my slim/skinny frame-with a six pack.. im not trynna loose my six pack  so i hope it dont make me gain weight. i hope my appetite do not increase.

[Hellraiser]

Atripla made u gain weight??? I taught it made ppl loose weight. Im about to start Atripla and im not lookin to gain weight. I use to be chubby 5' 5 160 now im 130lbs. Im loving my slim/skinny frame-with a six pack.. im not trynna loose my six pack  so i hope it dont make me gain weight. i hope my appetite do not increase.

I gained weight but only because I was trying to, I had wasted away a good solid 80 pounds though and have only regained 30 of it.

[DDGB]

Hi Ann:)
The rash seems to be much better in my facial area, but my back and chest still itching... It doesnt seem to get any worse tho, so now I dont know if I should go to the doctor or if she'll just think i'm silly for running to her with every little problem.

Kev: The weight gain - I had pneumonia and lost quite a bit of weight, so I think the weight gain was just basically going back to my "normal" weight - I seem to have settled down in the weight gain department, so that's a relief.  And from what I read on hear, limb fat gain is actually a very good sign.  If you've always been skinny, i dont think you need to worry about gaining weight. Also, if you had something like pneumonia, your appetitie would of course disappear, I think my body just went into overdrive with the hunger pains when I got healthy again:) As i said, all better now. Have a healthy appetitie, but not craving everything in sight anymore.

[Ann]

DD,

You've had this rash for around two weeks now. If it's not gone by the end of this coming weekend, you may want to contact your doctor. Don't worry about contacting her with "every little problem". Sometimes big problems start out small and it's better to be safe than sorry if something doesn't seem to be resolving on its own in a reasonable amount of time.

Keep us posted!

[DDGB]

Thanks Ann, I think I must _ dunno why I feel "stupid" to phone her, she's actually great...Will def keep you posted, thanks for the feedback. As always, it's so FANTASTIC to have you guys in my life, although I'm starting to feel a tiny bit worried about this stupid rash now...

[Ann]

DD, sorry, didn't mean to make you worried. It sounds like it's slowly starting to clear up (your face is better), so that's a good thing. I just meant that if there isn't more improvement by the end of this coming weekend, then it would be prudent to talk it over with your doctor.

Hang in there hun!

[DDGB]

No no, Ann, please dont say sorry:)  I decided to see my doc tomorrow -appointment made for early morning - will let you know the minute i get back:)  Coz just as i wrote my face is better, it's itching all over again, even my ears. So enough is enough - why suffer when someone can give you something to alleviate your so-called pain. Thanks Ann - lots and lots of hugs.

[Ann]

Coz just as i wrote my face is better, it's itching all over again, even my ears.

Hehehehe... sod's law, that.

I'm glad to hear you've scheduled an appointment. Good luck!

Hugs back at ya....
Ann

[DDGB]

Some rash feedback: doc doesnt seem to think it's anything serious, was given a cream and some very strong antihistamines and a waiting period of 2 weeks - if not cleared up it could just be my body complaining about the antibiotics that might be a bit too strong for my system.  So for now nothing serious - had a good and throrough general checkup and had a gynae checkup so just waiting for those results:)

[Ann]

I hope the cream and antihistamines do the trick and you're feeling better real soon. Keep us posted!

[DDGB]

Thanks Ann and thanks for all the wonderful support! Will post soon
x

[DDGB]

Rash feedback: it's better!!!! The cortisone cream seems to do the trick, thank goodness!

[Ann]

Great news!