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Author Topic: Will Meds Give Me My Skin Back?  (Read 8574 times)

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Offline northernguy

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Will Meds Give Me My Skin Back?
« on: March 17, 2008, 01:54:55 am »
I'm interested to hear from those who had the common HIV skin issues before starting meds, did going on HAART make your skin better (or worse)?
Apr 28/06 cd4 600 vl 10,600 cd% 25
Nov 8/09 cd4 510 vl 49,5000 cd% 16
Jan 16/10 cd4 660 vl 54,309 cd% 16
Feb 17/10 Started Atripla
Mar 7/10 cd4 710 vl 1,076 cd% 21
Apr 18/10 cd4 920 vl 268 cd% 28
Jun 19/10 cd4 450 vl 60 cd% 25
Aug 15/10 cd4 680 vl 205 cd% 27
Apr 3/11 cd4 780 vl <40 cd% 30
Jul 17/11 cd4 960 vl <40 cd%33
April 15/12 cd4 1,010 vl <40 cd% 39
April 20/12 Switched to Viramune + Truvada
Aug 2/12 cd4 1040, vl <40, cd% 38
Oct 19 cd4 1,110 vl <40 cd% 41

Offline isitthatbad

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Re: Will Meds Give Me My Skin Back?
« Reply #1 on: March 17, 2008, 03:54:36 am »
I have lots of skin problems since acquiring this :( id like to know also if when starting meds this will bring my skin back to how it used to be.

Offline Matty the Damned

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Re: Will Meds Give Me My Skin Back?
« Reply #2 on: March 17, 2008, 03:57:09 am »
I have constant seb derm which becomes totally florid when I'm off meds. Bleeding sores, the whole bit. When I'm on meds it's comparatively bearable, but very noticeable.

I use betamethasone 0.02% ointment to control it.

MtD

/edited for a tyop/
« Last Edit: March 17, 2008, 07:36:42 pm by matty.the.damned »

Offline minismom

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Re: Will Meds Give Me My Skin Back?
« Reply #3 on: March 17, 2008, 08:15:05 am »
Mini had horrible skin problems even on meds, but while still carrying a vl.  Her scalp was so bad that her hair wouldn't grow.  Once she was on the right combo and got her virus down to u/d, the skin problems got a lot better - and her hair grew.  She still has dry skin issues, but I think it's less from the virus and more from her ethnicity.

Mum
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Offline sharkdiver

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Re: Will Meds Give Me My Skin Back?
« Reply #4 on: March 17, 2008, 08:44:21 am »
icky skin problems are usually the sign my immune system is crashing. it's not pretty
But once my system improves the skin problems resolve quite a bit.

Offline AlanBama

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Re: Will Meds Give Me My Skin Back?
« Reply #5 on: March 17, 2008, 12:31:53 pm »
One of the worst manifestations of AIDS for me was molluscum contagiosum, which covered my entire face and neck (this was pre-1996).

One I began HAART, they "melted" , and I mean literally.   It was like having a white gooey wax on the INSIDE of your skin; it ran down and accumulated around my jaw line, then formed big walnut sized pockets that would burst.

Sounds terrible doesn't it?   Another reason why I am a big advocate of starting HAART when your numbers indictate it's time, and sticking with it.

15 years later, I am left with surgical scars on my face, and the scars on my body from the ones they tried to remove by "freezing".   The scars look a lot like KS lesions.

Alan
"Remember my sentimental friend that a heart is not judged by how much you love, but by how much you are loved by others." - The Wizard of Oz

Offline newbie76

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Re: Will Meds Give Me My Skin Back?
« Reply #6 on: March 17, 2008, 03:21:39 pm »
Becoming extremely sensitive to the sun to the point of burning up for 3 days if only I went to the sun for an hour in London in April (!), was the main reason that convinced me to take an HIV test.

Unfortunately my skin is still very sensitive to the sun and the heath. Having y laptop resting on my tummy, for example, leaves red marks from the heath of the computer that would only go away after about an hour. Same thing when I take a hot bath. In this respect, I don't think the meds made any difference and I got used to it.

25th Apr 07: The worst day of my life
27th Apr 07: cd4 202 14%
30th Apr 07: cd4 126 18% VL 110000
19th May 07: Started Truvada/Sustiva
20th Jun 07: cd4 218 25% VL 435
13th Aug 07: cd4 374 20% VL 64
20th Dec 07: cd4 435 24% VL <50
20th Oct 08: cd4 725 31% VL <50
30th Nov 09: cd4 725 30% VL <50
01st Nov 10: cd4 755 33% VL<50
11th Nov 11: cd4 754 32% VL<50
01st May 12: cd4 864 40% VL<50
01st May 13: cd4 615 VL 609 :-/
14th May 13: VL <50

Offline StrongGuy

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Re: Will Meds Give Me My Skin Back?
« Reply #7 on: March 17, 2008, 05:03:41 pm »
I had that seborheiic dermatitis (sp?) crap on my scalp and some on my face from the HIV (never had signifiicant skin issues prior) and had it pretty much under control with differnt shampoos (I heart T-Gel coal tar) and creams. But after some time on the meds the skin issues all cleared up and I weaned off the creams and shampoos. Occasional slight issues, but nothing even close to before.

I think it all depends on what the skin issues you are having and each individual. Lot of us respond differently.

Good luck :)
"Get your medical advice from Doctors or medical professionals who you trust and know your history."

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"You know you all are saying that this is incurable. When the real thing you should be saying is it's not curable at the present time' because as we know, the great strides we've made in medicine." - Elizabeth Edwards

BobF

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Re: Will Meds Give Me My Skin Back?
« Reply #8 on: March 17, 2008, 07:36:01 pm »
HI ... I've had minor skin issues since diagnosis.  I have to use a dandruff shampoo or the itching will drive me crazy; I also have a fungal issue on my face (eyebrows, cheeks, goatee, etc.   I use Ketaconazole to keep it under control.   Then there's the darn genital wart that won't stay away and some skin tags on my neck --- all of these we're going to try to freeze off on Friday.   I'm keeping my fingers crossed!

Offline newt

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Re: Will Meds Give Me My Skin Back?
« Reply #9 on: March 17, 2008, 07:42:48 pm »
Well my personal and unscientific experience is yes, but then you get kinda dry skin and fork out masses of £ (or $ I guess) on moisturiiser. But I know which I prefer (Clinique, or generally sommat cheaper n bargain -- all works the same  ;))

- matt
"The object is to be a well patient, not a good patient"

Offline northernguy

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Re: Will Meds Give Me My Skin Back?
« Reply #10 on: March 17, 2008, 09:49:39 pm »
Well my personal and unscientific experience is yes, but then you get kinda dry skin and fork out masses of £ (or $ I guess) on moisturiiser. But I know which I prefer (Clinique, or generally sommat cheaper n bargain -- all works the same  ;))

- matt


I've been going with Eucerin and Aveeno to paste down the flakiness.

What throws me is how unpredictable it is.  If we were talking face to face right now you wouldn't even notice.  Yet three hours ago at work I could feel the heat begin on my nose, spread to my face and before you could say "boo" my whole face was an angry red.  Of course that never happens when I''m at the dermatologists.  Makes it hard to schedule things like job interviews etc ???
Apr 28/06 cd4 600 vl 10,600 cd% 25
Nov 8/09 cd4 510 vl 49,5000 cd% 16
Jan 16/10 cd4 660 vl 54,309 cd% 16
Feb 17/10 Started Atripla
Mar 7/10 cd4 710 vl 1,076 cd% 21
Apr 18/10 cd4 920 vl 268 cd% 28
Jun 19/10 cd4 450 vl 60 cd% 25
Aug 15/10 cd4 680 vl 205 cd% 27
Apr 3/11 cd4 780 vl <40 cd% 30
Jul 17/11 cd4 960 vl <40 cd%33
April 15/12 cd4 1,010 vl <40 cd% 39
April 20/12 Switched to Viramune + Truvada
Aug 2/12 cd4 1040, vl <40, cd% 38
Oct 19 cd4 1,110 vl <40 cd% 41

Offline Oceanbeach

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Re: Will Meds Give Me My Skin Back?
« Reply #11 on: March 17, 2008, 10:57:50 pm »
I have always had flawless skin, except for one Summer.  I had an itchy, scratchy rash and went to a GP.  I had just gotten the results from my most recent HIV test and was again negative and did not think to ask.  The doctor I chose. knew of my company and the stress and thought I may be having a little nervous breakdown.  In Los Angeles in the mid 90's, everyone was on Prozac and everyone was in therapy (a little later for me).

Doctor Perry was really special to me so I called him my Jewish Mother, we tried everything, the rash would not go away.  He referred me to a Dermatologist in Seal Beach where the first question asked was if I had done a recent HIV test and that Doctor stated my answer was off the record.  I told Doctor about the test results and how recent they were, left the clinic and got a really cheap bottle of Aloe Vera lotion, used it every day and the rash was gone.  I tested every six months back then and on the Christmas, I tested positive.

My VL was never higher than 36,000 and undetectable since 1998, my T-cells were below 100 but have been over 300 since 1998 and over 500 now.  Other than during sero conversion, I have always had flawless skin.  Have the best day
Michael

Offline Dragonette

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Re: Will Meds Give Me My Skin Back?
« Reply #12 on: March 18, 2008, 06:56:59 am »
My skin has improved a lot since I got on meds. I had small hard bumps all over my legs & arms, they are much much less obvious now but still not 100% gone. I had very dry patches under my eyes and behind the ears, its OK now. I also had boils that wouldnt go away and stayed infected in a couple places, which havent come back since meds. I hope you'll see a similar improvement, I didn't realize before that you were not on meds.
"If you keep one foot in yesterday, and one in tomorrow, you piss all over today". Betty Tacy

Offline randym431

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Re: Will Meds Give Me My Skin Back?
« Reply #13 on: March 18, 2008, 07:49:25 am »
My skin returned to "normal" and healthy state on meds. I too started geting molluscum contagiosum on the legs.
The skin doc thought I picked it up from the gym or ?
I did not go to gym's and no way I caught it from someone. But anywho, meds cleared it up and new groths stopped long ago.
But my best skin story was a few KS spots I had on my leg and arm, after meds, went totally away.
I can't even imagine how badly KS would have taken over my body if not for the meds.
Always made me so aware of how hiv destroyed ones body in the old days when meds were not available.
I can't imagine the horror of those early days of hiv with no hope.
To answer the question, YES, meds should give you your skin back.
Diag Sept 2005 VL 1mill, CD4 85, 3%, weight 143# (195# was normal)
Feb 2021, undetectable, weight 215#

Offline northernguy

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Re: Will Meds Give Me My Skin Back?
« Reply #14 on: March 09, 2010, 12:35:06 am »
So, I'm going to revisit my question of two years ago.

I've been on Atripla now for almost 3 weeks and there has been no noticeable improvement to my skin. I'm bright red right now, and still doing a credible imitation of a snowglobe when I run my fingers though my hair.  >:(

Am I being premature in hoping to see some improvement after 3 weeks?
Apr 28/06 cd4 600 vl 10,600 cd% 25
Nov 8/09 cd4 510 vl 49,5000 cd% 16
Jan 16/10 cd4 660 vl 54,309 cd% 16
Feb 17/10 Started Atripla
Mar 7/10 cd4 710 vl 1,076 cd% 21
Apr 18/10 cd4 920 vl 268 cd% 28
Jun 19/10 cd4 450 vl 60 cd% 25
Aug 15/10 cd4 680 vl 205 cd% 27
Apr 3/11 cd4 780 vl <40 cd% 30
Jul 17/11 cd4 960 vl <40 cd%33
April 15/12 cd4 1,010 vl <40 cd% 39
April 20/12 Switched to Viramune + Truvada
Aug 2/12 cd4 1040, vl <40, cd% 38
Oct 19 cd4 1,110 vl <40 cd% 41

Offline Matty the Damned

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Re: Will Meds Give Me My Skin Back?
« Reply #15 on: March 09, 2010, 12:48:47 am »
So, I'm going to revisit my question of two years ago.

I've been on Atripla now for almost 3 weeks and there has been no noticeable improvement to my skin. I'm bright red right now, and still doing a credible imitation of a snowglobe when I run my fingers though my hair.  >:(

Am I being premature in hoping to see some improvement after 3 weeks?

Bugger Northo.

You might be wanting to show your frazzled hide to your doctor.

MtD

Offline next2u

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Re: Will Meds Give Me My Skin Back?
« Reply #16 on: March 09, 2010, 12:54:32 am »
@ mum....what, u saying that black people are ashy, lol.

we've known since day one to put the lotion on the skin...buffalo bill style...

yeah, since converting ive had my fair share of fungal outbreaks (3 to be exact).

hopefully meds will make it reoccur less frequently.

good luck!

best,
d
midapr07 - seroconversion
sept07 - tested poz
oct07 cd4 1013; vl 13,900; cd4% 41
feb08 cd4  694;  vl 16,160; cd4% 50.1
may08 cd4 546; vl 91,480; cd4% 32
aug08 cd4 576; vl 48,190; cd4% 40.7
dec08 cd4 559; vl 63,020; cd4% 29.4
feb09 cd4 464; vl 11,000; cd4% 26
may09 cd4 544; vl 29,710; cd4% 27.2
oct09 cd4 ...; vl 23,350; cd4% 31.6
mar10 cd4 408; vl 59,050; cd4% 31.4
aug10 cd4 328; vl 80,000; cd4% 19.3 STARTED ATRIPLA
oct10 cd4 423; vl 410 ;); cd4% 30.2
jun11 cd4 439; vl <20 ;); cd4% 33.8 <-Undetectable!
mar12 cd4 695; vl ud; cd4% 38.6
jan13 cd4 738; vl ud; cd4% 36.8
aug13 cd4 930; vl ud; cd4% 44.3
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sept14 cd4 990; vl ud; cd4% *
jun15 cd4 1152; vl ud; cd4% *
july15 - STRIBILD
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mar16 cd4 860; vl 20; 44

Offline Miss Philicia

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Re: Will Meds Give Me My Skin Back?
« Reply #17 on: March 09, 2010, 01:27:25 am »
So, I'm going to revisit my question of two years ago.

I've been on Atripla now for almost 3 weeks and there has been no noticeable improvement to my skin. I'm bright red right now, and still doing a credible imitation of a snowglobe when I run my fingers though my hair.  >:(

Am I being premature in hoping to see some improvement after 3 weeks?

Could be that your skin issues have nothing to do with HIV.
"I’ve slept with enough men to know that I’m not gay"

Offline komnaes

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Re: Will Meds Give Me My Skin Back?
« Reply #18 on: March 09, 2010, 01:35:33 am »
3 weeks is probably too soon and you can more or less expect some skin problems even after starting meds. Dandruff is a frequent visitor and when it acted up it also grew on my goatee and the skin under it and even my eyebrows were flaky. During the last few months I rarely did anything about as they usually came and went away within a few days.

But 3 weeks ago it acted up badly again and when I went back for my blood draw around the same time I spoke to the nurse briefly. She then spoke to the doc and asked him to see me and he quickly wrote me a prescription of ketoconazole cream. All the white stuff was gone after using it for 2 days!

So my feeling is that don't expect the meds to also fix your skin problems. Go talk to your ID doc and if your numbers are stable s/he should be able to give you something to fix your problems quickly.

Best of luck dude

(edited for typos)
« Last Edit: March 09, 2010, 01:39:37 am by komnaes »
Aug 07 Diagnosed
Oct 07 CD4=446(19%) Feb 08 CD4=421(19%)
Jun 08 CD4=325(22%) Jul 08 CD4=301(18%)
Sep 08 CD4=257/VL=75,000 Oct 08 CD4=347(16%)
Dec 08 CD4=270(16%)
Jan 09 CD4=246(13%)/VL=10,000
Feb 09 CD4=233(15%)/VL=13,000
Started meds Sustiva/Epzicom
May 09 CD4=333(24%)/VL=650
Aug 09 CD4=346(24%)/VL=UD
Nov 09 CD4=437(26%)/VL=UD
Feb 10 CD4=471(31%)/VL=UD
June 10 CD4=517 (28%)/VL=UD
Sept 10 CD4=687 (31%)/VL=UD
Jan 11 CD4=557 (30%)/VL=UD
April 11 CD4=569 (32%)/VL=UD
Switched to Epizcom, Reyataz and Norvir
(Interrupted for 2 months with only Epizcom & Reyataz)
July 11 CD=520 (28%)/VL=UD
Oct 11 CD=771 (31%)/VL=UD(<30)
April 12 CD=609 (28%)/VL=UD(<20)
Aug 12 CD=657 (29%)/VL=UD(<20)
Dec 12 CD=532 (31%)/VL=UD(<20)
May 13 CD=567 (31%)/VL=UD(<20)
Jan 14 CD=521 (21%)/VL=UD(<50)

Offline LordBerners

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Re: Will Meds Give Me My Skin Back?
« Reply #19 on: March 09, 2010, 03:25:58 am »
The overall health of my skin is the same as throughout my life - good, though naturally a bit dry - but the pigmentation seems to have changed a lot on meds.  I used to be very, very pale, and now I'm considerably less so.  I seem to have more freckles - I don't really tan but I don't burn in 10 minutes like I used to..  Its kind of hard to describe as I'm still basically a pale person.  I guess its from the Reyetaz or Ziagenavir (I forget which ones yellows you).
Please, just call me Berners.. or Baron.

Offline mecch

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Re: Will Meds Give Me My Skin Back?
« Reply #20 on: March 09, 2010, 05:31:19 am »
yes your skin will get much better eventually.
but if you get iris you can have a few weeks or months of worse skin.

3 weeks is not enough. I flaked for weeks and weeks. My scalp. My face.  etc etc.

but finally a healthy immunity does wonders
« Last Edit: March 09, 2010, 05:35:48 am by mecch »
“From each, according to his ability; to each, according to his need” 1875 K Marx

Offline loop78

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Re: Will Meds Give Me My Skin Back?
« Reply #21 on: March 09, 2010, 07:15:03 am »
My personal experience is that my skin condition improved dramatically when I started meds.

Pre-meds I had been suffering a back-to-puberty-from-hell acne throughout my face and back for months, which was worse each day.

1 month after starting meds my skin was totally clear.

Your millage may vary, of course.

Offline Hellraiser

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Re: Will Meds Give Me My Skin Back?
« Reply #22 on: March 09, 2010, 10:13:18 am »
As I was going through my downward spiral before detection I was having extreme skin problems consisting of mega-flakiness, skin infections, and acne.  As of now (closing in on 5 months of meds) almost all of that has gone away.  The only thing I really deal with now is flakiness, to counteract that I drink more water and try to moisturize when I think it's happening.  If your skin problems persist for a while go see a dermatologist, it's what they're for.

Offline Etay1207

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Re: Will Meds Give Me My Skin Back?
« Reply #23 on: March 09, 2010, 08:10:07 pm »
I also had a skin issue. Back in '06 I developed a rash on my face. I always had flawless skin. I was working 2 jobs at the time and averaged 4-5 hours of sleep a night. I tried different cleansers and moisterizers to no avail. October of that year I went on vacation and got alot of sleep.  I noticed as I was getting dressed one day that my rash was gone. Now I make sure to get my proper rest. I never had a problem since then. Sorry, I now I didn't answer your question. But maybe it's not HIV related. Maybe, like my situation, it was stress and lack of sleep.
POZ since 1999
1/07 tcells: 530 vl: 72,922 7/07 tcells: 542 vl: 26,577
9/08 tcells: 339 vl: 56,120  7/09 tcells: 267 vl: 663,160
11/09 tcells: 71 vl: 498,670 2/10 tcells: 52 vl: 322,000
 no meds and feeling great!

Offline northernguy

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Re: Will Meds Give Me My Skin Back?
« Reply #24 on: March 10, 2010, 11:17:57 am »
Could be that your skin issues have nothing to do with HIV.

Oh goody.  Maybe I've got diabetes or a thyroid condition.  That would be icing on the HIV cake.  :'(
Apr 28/06 cd4 600 vl 10,600 cd% 25
Nov 8/09 cd4 510 vl 49,5000 cd% 16
Jan 16/10 cd4 660 vl 54,309 cd% 16
Feb 17/10 Started Atripla
Mar 7/10 cd4 710 vl 1,076 cd% 21
Apr 18/10 cd4 920 vl 268 cd% 28
Jun 19/10 cd4 450 vl 60 cd% 25
Aug 15/10 cd4 680 vl 205 cd% 27
Apr 3/11 cd4 780 vl <40 cd% 30
Jul 17/11 cd4 960 vl <40 cd%33
April 15/12 cd4 1,010 vl <40 cd% 39
April 20/12 Switched to Viramune + Truvada
Aug 2/12 cd4 1040, vl <40, cd% 38
Oct 19 cd4 1,110 vl <40 cd% 41

Offline Nestor

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Re: Will Meds Give Me My Skin Back?
« Reply #25 on: March 10, 2010, 02:26:47 pm »

I started having minor but persistent and annoying skin issues (basically ongoing itch and dryness on thighs, ankles, and behind the knees) years before getting HIV, so I can assume in my own case that HIV didn't cause them.  They did, however, get a bit worse about a year ago.  Also, I began having dandruff a couple of years into HIV, and even dry, flaky skin on the eyebrows, neither of which I'd ever had before. 

Four months ago the situation around the ankles became severe: visibly red, scaly patches.  That's when I decided to do something.  (By the way, I suspect part of the ankle problem may be related to woollen socks, but that's not something I"m willing to give up; cotton socks on a cold winter's day would leave my feet freezing!) 

I do not recommend going to a dermatologist.  All she did was say "atopic dermatitis" which I already knew, and prescribed a cortico-steroid which I knew I wouldn't take. 

What does appear to have helped--since the problems really have subsided amazingly in the last four months, since I started using the following, has been:

1. Taking a couple of spoons of a flax oil/borage (or evening primrose oil) mixture regularly if not every day. 

2. Rubbing coconut oil into the scalp (absolutely no more dandruff, and I have better hair than I've ever had before)  Rubbing coconut oil into the ankles has not worked quite such a wonder there, but at least it really mitigated the itching at a moment of attack. 

3. Reducing the use of soap and shampoo to a necessary minimum, and only using very high quality products (no sodium lauryl sulfates or that sort of thing) when I do use them; not using any other skin products.  Very high quality does not equal very expensive. 

4. Improved diet--getting the refined vegetable oils, the white flour, the sugar, and the processed junk out or at least reduced to as much of a minimum as possible. 

5. Yoga (on the theory that all the increased blood flow from inverted postures and the like would help.)

6. Rgular visits to a sauna on the theory that if any toxins were behind these problems I would sweat them out. 

7. Getting more sleep, as Etay says. 

The problems have not gone away, but they are dramaticallyk reduced.  Whether that is because of all of these steps, or only some of them, or has nothing to do with any of them, I have no idea.  They would get worse in winter anyway, so I would have expected some improvement around this time of year anyway. 
Summer 2004--became HIV+
Dec. 2005--found out

Date          CD4    %       VL
Jan. '06    725    25      9,097
Nov. '06    671    34     52,202
Apr. '07    553    30      24,270
Sept. '07  685    27       4,849
Jan. '08    825    29       4,749
Mar. '08    751    30     16,026
Aug. '08    653    30       3,108
Oct. '08     819    28     10,046
Jan '09      547    31     13,000
May '09     645   25        6,478
Aug. '09    688   30      19,571
Nov. '09     641    27       9,598
Feb. '10     638    27       4,480
May '10      687      9    799,000 (CMV)
July '10      600     21      31,000
Nov '10      682     24     15,000
June '11     563    23     210,000 (blasto)
July  '11      530    22      39,000
Aug '11      677     22      21,000
Sept. '12    747     15      14,000

Offline AlanBama

  • Member
  • Posts: 3,670
  • Alabama: the 'other' 3rd World Country!
Re: Will Meds Give Me My Skin Back?
« Reply #26 on: March 10, 2010, 02:56:43 pm »
3 weeks might not be enough time...I'd say wait 2 months, and if no improvement, you need to see a dermatologist about your issues.

My skin "issues" these days are not the 'no immune system' variety (although my complexion has seemed a little gray to me for years now) but are more to do with aging.   Example:  take brown paper grocery bag; wad up into a small ball; unroll; this is what the skin on my cheeks looks like !  LOL

Also as I get older my skin gets thinner.  It appears to be somewhat dehydrated all the time, even though I drink lots and lots of water.   

Skin issues are very aggravating; hope you can get some relief.

Hugs, Alan
"Remember my sentimental friend that a heart is not judged by how much you love, but by how much you are loved by others." - The Wizard of Oz

 


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