Dry Scally Skin

[ATLpozbrother]

I had no signs or symptoms of HIV/AIDS until I started a dry cough that lasted a week, soon after I could barely breathe.  After surviving PCP Pneumonia (hospitalized for 6 days) and a long term post treatment of Bactrim/Prednisone (horrible meds, lots of side effects), my doctor placed me in her Gilead treatment trial, once approved the pill will be a once a day regimen of many meds known as the Quad Pill.  I just finished my first 30 day regimen:VL went from 430K to 41, my T-cells went from 28 to 153. I am doing ok, but I look great since I stay in the gym and have gone from 162lbs to 180lbs very quickly, lots of muscle mass.  I take my meds daily, along with dapsone as a preventive med for PCP til my T-Cells exceed 200.  What I am experiencing now is dry skin, my skin looks sunburn sometimes, I've started using this African Soap to assist with this, along with 100% shea butter.  I've never had this issue in my life and it seems to not be getting better. Are there some regimens that folks are using that work? I've known my status since October 24, 2011 and its been hell, since I dont have anyone to talk to and can't share this with family.  The dry skin and periodic pimples that show up sometimes in my face, but disappear when I use the shea butter is driving me nutz.  To date, I still dont have the energy I use to have and just hope one day to accept this diagnosis.  In the short term, I just want to find a cure for the dry skin.  Please help me...all alone in Atlanta. 

[Miss Philicia]

While it's impossible for anyone to diagnose you on a web forum, the most common dermatological manifestation associated with HIV infection is seborrheic dermatitis, especially with a cd4 count as low as what you were diagnosed with.

http://hivinsite.ucsf.edu/InSite?page=kb-04-01-01#S3.2X

You'll need to discuss this with your doctor, and if he feels that's what it is he can prescribe some stuff for it.

[newt]

OK, so beforehand you had nothing but a life threatening illness, now you have some dry skin and a life...

Bactrim and (less so) Dapsone are notable for causing skin reactions, and the cure is 1) getting off Bactrim/Dapsone when your CD4 count is over 200 for 6+ months 2) ameliorative treatments eg Shea butter or stronger until that point.

Also the Quad pill is new so could be causing this. The side effects are not completely clear. If you are in a trial it is important to mention the skin thing to the researchers.

Also HIV affects your immune system and skin rash is often the first reaction to a change in your immune system (getting better/altering balance).

Also starting meds stops HIV hijacking your immune system . Your immune system can then deal with other things, which therefore produces symptoms, like a rash. Maybe you had no reaction to something like a skin infection because your immune system was so low.... This is especially true when starting meds with a CD4 count under 100.

Have you discussed this with your doc? I would

Good on your CD4 rise and viral load drop.

You are not alone, especially in Atlanta

- matt

[ATLpozbrother]

Thanks for the replies.  I have mentioned my dry skin to my doctor, but I was on Bactrim/Prednisone for nearly 3 months, and the Bactrim caused a skin outbreak which is why i was placed on Dapsone. I also went to a dermatologist for skin issues, but was to embarassed to admit my status; she prescribed prednisone to get rid of the skin facial eruption, which was caused once I was only on Bactrim. Those facial issues are resolved, but  my arms, upper back and torso are like sand paper.  I'm going to get a referral to a dermatologist from my doctor and I am hoping this will help. I also found a product online called the Wonder Salve that really works, but its in a one ounce jar and goes quickly and its costly at $20 bucks for a little jar.  Thanks for sharing that link, I suspect I may have this dermatitis issue, that associated with recovery from PCP.  I just hope and pray one day to be able to live with this and return to my old life, now I'm a recluse, all I have is work and the gym.

[littleprince]

My story is almost identical to yours. I started having dry skin issues about a year before PCP and then HIV diagnosis. The dry skin problems continue to this day (2 years) but are much less than when I was sick.

I found that moisturisers didn't work. My doctor prescribed me some cortisone cream and that cleared it up within a day or 2 every time. Now I only get a small dry patch show up every few months so I think it is slowly resolving itself as my immune system recovers. 

[ATLpozbrother]

I have cortisone cream that I discovered my doctor prescribed, but this was when I had an outbreak in my face as a side effect of long term Bactrim treatment.  It's hydrocortisone 2.5% prescription, and I am going to start using this.  I was just hoping someone knew of something like unrefined shea butter that would work.  I also get these periodic pimples that show up, two are on my neck, one on my forehead now.  I'm ordering unrefined shea butter today online, and hoping this will help also.  Because I am in the Gilead Quad Pill trial, I have access to my doctor very often, my next appointment is in a week and I will discuss all these issues.  i'd prefer to hear from someone in the forum as to what has worked for them, thanks so much for the comments....just searching for resolution of the skin issues.