POZ Community Forums
Main Forums => Living With HIV => Topic started by: todd123 on August 24, 2008, 10:00:50 pm
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Hey everyone,
I'm relatively new here. I was just diagnosed with advanced HIV a month ago. So I've had it for quite awhile.
My molluscum is when my doctor basically made me take an HIV test. (thank god).
They have increased a little since starting HAART and I know this is normal for an immune system that is finally getting
some help.
My question is: Should I wait and let the HAART help them go away, as my doctor says it eventually will or do
curtelage? Needless to say I am concerned about scarring all over my face. Thoughts? Advice?
I posted here because my doctor said he hasn't seen this in a while and I figured that Long Term Survivors would have
more experience with this.
Yours, in gratitude
Scott
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I'm in exactly your same situation, Scott, except my Molluscum warts are on my penis. I do fear them popping up somewhere visible like the face! I'm not absolutely sure they are molluscum - could be HPV warts.
But anyway I began ARVs just 3 or so weeks ago, and so far if anything the warts got slightly worse. On the other hand I had a period of falling just below 200 CD4 cells before beginning ARVs, so maybe it was that.
I hope your excellent question gets some good feedback here from the long-termers, and I hope you'll keep us updated on how the warts are doing.
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Hey Scott,
Molluscum contagiosum is caused a pox virus which is transmitted via skin to skin contact. It's not restricted to people with HIV, anyone who has been exposed to the virus can have an outbreak of molluscae.
Molluscae (the bumps cause by the molluscum contagiousum virus) don't usually cause scarring and particularly annoying lesions can be removed by cryotherapy. HIV positive people commonly experience molluscae on the face. They can also appear on the buttocks, upper arms and thighs,
It's important that you don't squeeze or scratch the bumps, they can get infected if the bleed. You should ask your doctor for a referral to dermatologist.
For the record you aren't exactly the same situation as Lord Berners. The lesions on his dick are more than likely genital warts as molluscae are not commonly found on the penis.
MtD
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Hello Scott,
There is also a lesson available, from this site, that may give you some addtional info. Click below. There are four or five pages to click through :
http://www.aidsmeds.com/articles/MC_6812.shtml
Take care-----Ray
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Finally, a question I feel I am 100% qualified to answer for! I had MUCHO molluscum removal in the 90's (pre-HAART). It left me quite scarred up, espcially the ones that were 'frozen' off. I have awful purple scars on my legs that people think are KS.
My advice: let the HAART kick in, your molluscum will melt away. Mine did. Literally. It ran down my face, on the 'inside' of my skin, collected around my jaw line in big walnut sized bags, which burst open and were horribly nasty. I've never been so glad to get rid of anything in my life.
Good luck, and just hang on. It may take a few months, but I don't think you'll have nearly as much scarring.
hugs,
Alan
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Hi Todd,
I've moved your thread into the Living forum where you'll get more responses as that forum has more traffic.
Ann
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Thanks for the advice guys. I may try to have a couple removed on my neck and see how it goes.
i know that everyone scars differently.
Scott
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Scott
I still have a couple left on the thighs that I need to deal with -- but the ones on my face and chest vanished and I don't have any scarring except where I shaved over one early on. And that is only really noticeable if you know to look -- so you might want to try some place not too visible if you are going to have them removed since patience generally works.
Good luck
Assurbanipal