POZ Community Forums
HIV Prevention and Testing => Do I Have HIV? => Topic started by: IM AFRAID on February 17, 2007, 06:36:17 pm
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hello everyone,
i have a question concerning hiv and cellulitus,
i know the only way to be certain that you are infected with hiv is to get tested, but i would like to know if reccurrent cellulitus is something that people with hiv experience. I have had this infection at least once each month since the last time i was hiv tested and it was neg. when i did so in sept. of last year. But i started to have this infection and it has hunted me since then and yes i have had unprotected sex a few times after the last time i tested so i know i have to go back in again but im just wondering if this reccurent infection is caused by hiv.
i also no other things can cause cellulitus such as diabetetes but i dont have that so that pretty much rules everything out except hiv because my immune system is weakning so it must be the cause of my reccurrent infection of cellitius. I shave my head and ive gotten this infection on my skull at least three different times and ive gotten it on my elbow once and on the side of my back and on my scordum once so as you can see this is not normal and it must be because i am hiv positive. I can see no other reason for this.
thanks for the comments
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I've never had cellulitus. HIV positive since 1984. I guess you didn't look to hard to see what the other causes can be from. I just googled one time and came up with a list other than someone that is immune depressed.
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Afraid,
Symptoms, including cellulitis, or even the lack of symptoms mean nothing where hiv infection is concerned. Only testing will reveal your hiv status. Cellulitis is caused by staph or strep bacterias and they are very prevalent in the environment. Anyone can get it. Go see your doctor about it.
I'm surprised to hear that you are continuing to put yourself at risk for hiv and other sexually transmitted infections by having unprotected intercourse. You need to be using condoms for anal or vaginal intercourse, every time, no exceptions until such time as you are in a securely monogamous relationship where you have both tested for ALL STIs together. To agree to have unprotected intercourse is to consent to the possibility of being infected with a sexually transmitted infection. Sex with a condom lasts only a matter of minutes, but hiv is forever.
Have a look through the condom and lube links in my signature line so you can use condoms with confidence.
Anyone who is sexually active should be having a full sexual health care check-up, including but not limited to hiv testing, at least once a year and more often if unprotected intercourse occurs.
If you aren't already having regular, routine check-ups, now is the time to start. As long as you make sure condoms are being used for intercourse, you can fully expect your routine hiv tests to return with negative results. Don't forget to always get checked for all the other sexually transmitted infections as well, because they are MUCH easier to transmit than hiv.
You need to test at the three month point after your last unprotected encounter for a reliable result. If you are hiv negative I suggest you start using condoms and stay that way. In the meantime, make sure you use condoms anyway, because if you have been infected you will be spreading your infection.
Ann
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yea i know
ive actually asked my docs about this and they kinda havent given me a clear answer about it. i just wished i knew what causes this but must of the list of causes that i have seen online i have ruled out except a weaken immune system cause by hiv infection. I am going to get tested again of course i actually was going to go in the begaining of feb because my window period ended in feb of this year but i didnt go in for the test because i have had a car accident and have been recovering from that. When i went in for my test last year in sept i had aready gotten cellitius once on my elbow. this is the first place that it started and since then goes away with antibiotic treatment but then reappears in a different place a month later. Its really getting annoying to me and after really thinking of the causes i think a weaken immune system must be the cause of it wheater the weaken immune system is being weaken by hiv or not.
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Afraid,
Perhaps you should be swabbed for the presence of antibiotic resistant staph. Ask you doctor. And don't forget to get your conclusive hiv test and REMEMBER the condoms.
Ann
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yea he actually has done that but told me that if the antibiotic that he prescribed will kill that bacteria then he said he wouldnt bother calling me to come back for a different type of treatment. But see the antibiotics kill the infection each time. But the problem is they reappear again but in a different place on my body, it hasnt happend in the same place except on my head after i had shaved but never in the same spot. its weird and is really stressing me out after goin to the doc so many times for the same thing. This is the only problem i have had medically since last year. otherwise i havent had any problems with my health yet. im just concerned that hiv is causing this. All i know is that i tested neg in sept 06 and now itz feb 07. Do u think hiv can cause this that fast. like i said i have had cellitius even before that sept 06 test were i tested neg. i actually went to get tested in sept because of the cellitius i had but it came out neg. but now itz feb 07 and im still having this same problem. any thoughts??? or suggestions??? this thing is really bothering me... it has to be hiv in my opinion.
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Afraid,
Cellulitis has nothing to do with hiv. Keep working with your doctor.
Ann
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can anyone tell me if they know anyone that has hiv that has experience cellitius over and over again???? im sure itz common with hiv because of the depressed immune system...
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Quit looking and trying to blame it on HIV. See a dermatologist.
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I KNOW I SHOULD but its hard when your getting symptoms and the symptoms could come from hiv
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Or how many other reasons causes Cellulitus that you want to overlook? As you have been told, it has nothing to do with HIV.
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after looking at a few pictures on the net from google ive notice ezactly what i think i have been getting, from what i have found there are called boils. I get a boil i guess because im a carrier of staph on my skin surfaces i sometimes i devolp a boil and then instead of waiting to pop the boil before its ready to be pop i go ahead and mess with it everytime and it then gets more infected and turns into cellitius (a skin infection). If you google boil and look at the images thats what what i have looks like each time so im sure thats what it is.
do anyone of you have any suggestions on how to avoid skin boils??? i also read that immune depressed people get these often so hiv could still be the cause of this??? but either way i need to get my hiv test.
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http://www.dermnetnz.org/bacterial/boils.html
this is the link to see the picture of what i have been getting
any suggestions????
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Did you over look these causes?
diabetes, especially when treated by injected insulin
alcoholism or drug abuse
poor personal hygiene
crowded living arrangements
jobs or hobbies that expose them to greasy or oily substances, especially petroleum products
allergies or immune system disorders, including HIV infection.
family members with recurrent skin infections
Causes and symptoms
Boils and carbuncles are caused by Staphylococcus aureus, a bacterium that causes an infection in an oil gland or hair follicle. Although the surface of human skin is usually resistant to bacterial infection, S. aureus can enter through a break in the skin surface—including breaks caused by needle punctures for insulin or drug injections. Hair follicles that are blocked by greasy creams, petroleum jelly, or similar products are more vulnerable to infection. Bacterial skin infections can be spread by shared cosmetics or washcloths, close human contact, or by contact with pus from a boil or carbuncle.
As the infection develops, an area of inflamed tissue gradually forms a pus-filled swelling or pimple that is
painful to touch. As the boil matures, it forms a yellowish head or point. It may either continue to swell until the point bursts open and allows the pus to drain, or it may be gradually reabsorbed into the skin. It takes between one and two weeks for a boil to heal completely after it comes to a head and discharges pus. The bacteria that cause the boil can spread into other areas of the skin or even into the bloodstream if the skin around the boil is injured by squeezing. If the infection spreads, the patient will usually develop chills and fever, swollen lymph nodes (lymphadenitis), and red lines in the skin running outward from the boil.
Furunculosis is a word that is sometimes used to refer to recurrent boils. Many patients have repeated episodes of furunculosis that are difficult to treat because their nasal passages carry colonies of S. aureus. These bacterial colonies make it easy for the patient's skin to be reinfected. They are most likely to develop in patients with diabetes, HIV infection, or other immune system disorders.
Carbuncles are formed when the bacteria infect several hair follicles that are close together. Carbunculosis is a word that is sometimes used to refer to the development of carbuncles. The abscesses spread until they merge with each other to form a single large area of infected skin with several pus-filled heads. Patients with carbuncles may also have a low-grade fever or feel generally
As you see HIV is not the only immune system disorder or the only cause of your boils.
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yea i know hiv isnt the only cause of boils but ive ruled out everthing eles i dont have diabeties and no one in my family gets problems with the skin and im not over weight etc.... the only thing i cant rule out is a immune system problem is most likely caused by an hiv infection ...
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Then test, 13 weeks past your last unprotected sex.
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yea i know and i will but im just worried thats all just venting
i have the symptoms and i have proof of my immuninty failing so i think thats enough to make me worry about this and continue to stress bout this
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So far you have proof of nothing. You haven't been diagnosised by a doctor, so you have no proof.
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yea your right
just makes it feel more real when you actually have symptoms thats all.. its all my faught that i put myself in this position again because i have been in this position before and still after a couple of times have not learned my lesson. Im sure this time i will not get another chance and i believe i do not deserve one either. All the other times that i have been through this i have tested neg. but this time i surely doubt it since i have had my chances to stop my risky behavior.
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i have another question about something i have just noticed
i went to the er about one month ago and they did a complete blood count on me
my white blood cell count was high around 20 thousand because of a cellitius infection i had. My lymphs were low though they were measured on the cbc at 3 % which on there said it was low.
i know hiv effects that pacticular cell in the immune system so that must mean that i have hiv because it is very low. online it said that you have to mutiply that 3 % by the amount of white blood cells in the your blood and i did that and that means that i online have 600 lymphocyte cells in my blood so this must mean i have hiv right??
what do you think???
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Keep all your questions and thoughts in your orginal thread.
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Afraid,
Anyone can get boils or cellulitis. They are caused by bacteria that are present EVERYWHERE. Next time you get a boil, get it seen to by a doctor and keep your hands off it. No wonder it is spreading on you, you play with them when you get them. You probably need to bathe daily for a week or two in an antibacterial "bubble-bath" that your doctor can prescribe for you.
I had a run-in with boils years ago, long before I was hiv positve. It took ages to get rid of the underlying staph infection on my skin. I know two people who are prone to cellulitis. Neither one of them is hiv positive.
Even if you do end up testing positive because of your habit of having unprotected intercourse, your problem with boils and cellulitis will be unrelated. They've got no bearing on each other.
Ann
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Afraid,
I've merged your new thread into your original thread - where you should post all your additional thoughts or questions. It helps us to help you when you keep all your additional thoughts or questions in one thread.
If you need help finding your thread when you come here, click on the "Show own posts" link under your name in the left-hand column of any forum page.
Please also read through the Welcome Thread (http://forums.poz.com/index.php?topic=220.0) so you can familiarize yourself with our Forum Posting Guidelines. Thank you for your cooperation.
600 is a perfectly normal CD4 count and means nothing either way. You cannot diagnose hiv through CD4 count, you can only diagnose hiv through the standard antibody testing.
Test three months after your last unprotected incident of intercourse. That is the ONLY way to know your status.
Ann
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600 cd4 cells is low right??? i thought you have to have at least 1500 in a normal male right. something has brought them down. i mean i have read peoples posts on here about how there cd4 cells are higher than mine and they are hiv positive. and i no once cd4 cells are at 200 you have aids right. im at 600 i only have 400 more come on that cant be normal. i know you all dont want to scare me but lets face reality if your cd4 cells are at 600 that cant be normal thats why its concidered low.
Im sure if you have a cbc and your lymphs are low that means something is causing them to be low cause that is low for a normal person who isnt hiv infected
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A cd4 of 600 is within normal range a cd4 of 500 is within normal range.
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normal range then how come online i read a normal range for cd4 cells is 1500 and up on a male. maybe its in a normal range for a person with hiv so i guessing thats what you are relating your reply to right. actually it says 16% til 25% im at 3% to me that is concidered low it even says low or L next to that result on the cbc test result paper so it must be low
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Afraid, you're so busy searching the net for (mis)information and playing doctor on yourself without a license that you haven't done the one thing which will answer your HIV concerns: get tested.
As you have been told you need to do that at 13 weeks after the most recent unprotected incident. You also need to learn from this experience. If you have been having unprotected intercourse you have been putting your life at risk. It's as stark and as simple as that. You can have as much intercourse as you like and with as many partners as long as you always, ALWAYS use a latex condom. Everytime. No exceptions.
As for your boils, they happen for all sorts of reasons that have nothing to do with HIV. Boils are not in anyway an HIV specific occurence. Plus you yourself have said you have made the problem worse by messing around with them. Sounds to me as if you are in a stressed state. Rather than playing doctor, get the condition treated medically. And you might find it useful to see a mental health professional to get some support with the emotional aspects of whatever is going on with you.
Good luck with your test. Nothing you are reporting suggests HIV to me, but only an HIV test can give you that answer for sure.
Cheers,
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normal range then how come online i read a normal range for cd4 cells is 1500 and up on a male.
Afraid,
That is incorrect information. A normal CD4 range for anyone is between 500 and 1500.
You cannot diagnose hiv by looking at CD4 counts.
The ONLY way to diagnose hiv is through antibody testing.
Ann
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IM AFRAID, guess you better reread it again. The normal range for a CD4 is between 500-1700. This is something all of us with HIV have done every 3-4 months so there will be no arguing with you over the normal range.
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i have another question about something i have just noticed
i went to the er about one month ago and they did a complete blood count on me
my white blood cell count was high around 20 thousand because of a cellitius infection i had. My lymphs were low though they were measured on the cbc at 3 % which on there said it was low.
i know hiv effects that pacticular cell in the immune system so that must mean that i have hiv because it is very low. online it said that you have to mutiply that 3 % by the amount of white blood cells in the your blood and i did that and that means that i online have 600 lymphocyte cells in my blood so this must mean i have hiv right??
what do you think???
You can't tell HIV by a CBC. The fact that you had 3% lymphs is irrelevant and it says absolutely nothing about what your CD4 count might be. You are experiencing a normal response to a bacterial infection. The differential is based off of 100%. I would be willing to bet you had a pretty high percentage of neutrophils on that CBC. when you have a bacterial infection, such as cellulitis--those are the cells the body spits out to fight that infection, so a greater proportion will be neutrophils and everything else will look low. Often there will be what is called a "left shift"--where there will be some immature forms in there. Once your infection is resolved, you will see your CBC go back to a normal white count and the differential (those have the types of cells and the percentages) will settle down and go back to normal. What you are experiencing is completely normal and what happens in even HIV negative people. So don't freak out because your body is simply fighting an infection as it should be.
You also cannot tell your CD4 count without getting the CD4 test. And the others were right--the normal range varies from lab to lab, but is always around 500-1500. I don't know where you got >1500 as the normal--you get in the real high ranges like that and that would be where it is a problem. Plus, we always get our counts done, so we also would know better what the ranges are. You didn't get a CD4 count done, so I am not sure why you are even worrying about it. CD4 is a type of lymphocyte--it is not the same as the total lymphocyte count.
Get your HIV test. If you want to know status, that is the only way to know. Not by CBC, not by cellulitis, boils, or anything of the sort. Work with your doctor and it would probably be a good idea for you to stay away from the internet medical pages.
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thanks for your replys..
it certainly helps to hear that lymphs are normal in the range that you all have said. i just was worried that i had very low lymphs and that this could be caused by hiv weakining the lymph cells. the er doctor said the cbc was normal and released me that day from the er room he just said my wbc was high because of the infection and yea the polys were high like coffee chick said. i just went online to a bunch of sites reading about what they called low lymph cells which the correct term for that is lymphocytopenia and i thought i may have had this and thats why i keep on getting reccurent infections with celliutis or boils ..
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one more question
if your lymph % is low you would think that your cd4 t cells which one part of a lymph cell would also be low since the total number of lymphs is low right?? how can a cd4 cell be not low when the total lymph cells are??? ???
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This is an HIV website not a site that deals with every virus, bacteria or fungus that this planet has. If you want answers to those questions that are not related to HIV, contact your doctor.
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but it is a question relating to hiv because hiv is really the only virus that destorys cd4 cells and my question is about cd4 cells... im asking how is it possible that if lymph cells are low then how can cd4 cells which are a kind of lymph cell are not low as well??? could a cd4 still be normal while the total lymphs are low thats all im asking and this cell is why people with hiv can not fight infections and dieseses because of the impairment of this cell so this is a hiv related question
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It is not an HIV related question because you do not have HIV. You are on a fishing expedition. Your best bet would be to ask the very Dr. who ordered the test for you don't you think?
And just an FYI your CD4's arent tied(by this i mean if your total number is down the CD4's HAVE to be down) to your total number of Lymphs. Your CD4's can be just fine while another form of WBC is suffering greatly from a virus you refuse to look at because of an over active HIV imagination/anxiety/fear.
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ok i see wat you mean
but hiv is still a possiblity so im going to get tested with the ora qucik test this week im going try to get in.. but if its not hiv thats causing this repeated attacks of boils then im really at all clueless as to what is causing this problem. if would be really shocking to me if i dont have hiv it just all kinda adds up to me that i do. i have reccurent infections my lymphs were at 600 when i was in the er it just seems all to connected to me...
will untill i test i wont ever know please wish me luck im really going to need it but thank you anyways for all your replys they have truly been a help while going through this roller coaster. it just aint fun believe me this aint the first time ive been in this situation and my dumb ass still didnt learn and now look where im at now..
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Please spare us the drama. You didnt have a risk. You have symptoms of DOZENS of diseases. The sooner you move on the better.
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i dont have a risk have you really read my thread???
i have had unprotercted sex with a couple of females how is that not a risk>????? your the first who has told me that
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Did you not say in your very first post that you tested after your last unprotected sex? We can only go by what informatiom you have given.
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no you miss understood me sorry let me clarify this
i was tested in june 2006 and it was neg... i went for this test because this is when i first got cellitius and never had it before so i went in for a hiv test and it came back neg.
now its feb i have had a couple of relationships where i did not use a condom i was using them and sometimes i didn't. so from the last time i tested till now i have done this so i do have a high risk . i was going get tested after my window period from my last girl that this occured with but i did not because i had a car accident and i was dealing with that problem thats why i havent but now im going go in this week. just hope im alright because the symptoms really show otherwise
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Symptoms or the lack of is no way to diagnosis HIV and for your information I never had symptoms period. So your symptoms don't mean diddly damn when it comes to diagnosing HIV.
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OK I re-read your post. I too had assumed what Rod did. You should test 3 months after your last unprotected incident as you know. That being said, your symptoms are as follows.
1. Boils
Thats it! Just Boils. You had cellulitis BEFORE your last unprotected incident and before your negative test. Your CD4's, which you dont need to be counting anyway, are in the normal range. You have boils. And you jump straight to HIV. Just a quick search shows me at least a DOZEN causes for boils.
My other statement stands, please spare us the drama. And deal with the facts if you can. Good luck with the HIV test and remember to use condoms each and every time outside a securely monogamous relationship where you both have tested negative together.
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I assumed what the others did--test 3 months after your last unprotected incident. That is not to say that i agree with you in any way about your huge leap to HIV, since everything you have mentioned has many other explanations. You actually have a great chance of collecting a negative result. Hopefully this will inspire condom use in you, since you consent to whatever you might get any time you have unprotected sex. Also, I think you really need to stay away from the internet. You are a perfect example of why people who aren't informed shouldn't try to interpret their own symptoms or lab work, because they always seem to apply skewed logic to make unfounded leaps to conclusions--in your case it is to HIV. It might help your mental health at least, while you wait. I wasn't clear when the 3 month period is up, but hopefully in your case it is soon so you can put this behind you.
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Afraid,
Well, I knew you still needed to test - go re-read my posts to you - and I have also been saying that your boils don't mean a thing where hiv is concerned. A person who is living with hiv infection is NO MORE likely to have boils than any other person and certainly not in primary infection.
Hiv is fragile, difficult to transmit virus and more so from a woman to a man, so the chances are in your favour of testing negative. However, the only way to know is to test and even if your risk-taking does lead you to test positive, the boils have nothing to do with it one way or another.
You're just going to have to sit tight and test at the appropriate time. While you wait, go see your doctor and get that antibacterial wash I mentioned a few posts up. Get your boils seen to and stop messing with them.
Ann
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thank you all for your replys it really has informed me..
the thing is i have been getting this same infection over and over again its like at least once a month i end up getting this dam thing thats why i thought hiv has weaking my immune system because if my immune system was normal won't i not get the same infection over again and i mean now only one time i mean at least 8 other times or so i have ending up with this same thing. so it must be something wrong with my immune system because if it was normal it would not be coming back over and over again
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No thats not the case. Your only symptom is boils from what you have said. there are DOZENS of reasons for boils. I'd talk to a Dr.
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boils that get infected and i have to go to the doctor each time and get antibiotics for. it aint just a boil that goes away it comes and then gets infected each time by me for trying to pop it or it just happens i guess because my immune system is a piece of shit and dont work as well anymore because of hiv.
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Wrong. Its boils. Find out what causes boils. They arent HIV specific you know. If you could show a little respect and quit with the drama I for one would appreciate it.
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okay i know i sound like im crying on here but anyone would feel this way.. im sure you even have before you knew what your status was. we all go through this especially if you have symptoms
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No, not every goes through the worry stages. You would be suprised to know how many take the test and move on and the ones that are positive just go with the flow.
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Exactly. I tested 4 times before I got my positive result and I didnt have the anxiety you are experiencing. There was nothing I could do to change it just like there is nothing you can do.
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yea you are right. but u must have had some fear going in to test before you found out your status come on now...
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No I didn't have a fear of testing. I wasn't thinking about being positive either.
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oh alright i see i guess if you dont think your positive and you thought you were neg it would be different. For me everytime i go in for testing i always try to prepare myself for the worst because you never know what could be the out come and things always happen at least from my experience when you least expect them to
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Afraid,
Your boils don't become infected, they ARE infections. I'll tell you one more time and then I'm done with your boils. GO TO YOUR DOCTOR and ask for a prescription for the antibiotic wash you put in the bath. You have to use it daily for a week or two and that should clear up your recurrent boils. Make sure you use a clean towel each day and put clean clothes on too. How do I know this? Because I had a bout with recurrent boils YEARS ago, LONG before I was hiv positive. That's what I had to do to get rid of the problem.
If you keep coming here to moan about your boils instead of going to the doctor, I'm going to give you a time out - pending test or no pending test.
Ann
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i have been expericing hives for the past couple dayz and went to the doctor and they said it has to do with a allergy but i have never had allergyies to anything so im thinking its a autoimmune response that i have gotten maybe because of hiv or the hives may be caused by hiv but im not sure. Im getting hiv tested today so would this effect my test??? im also taking antihistime medications also.
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Afraid,
This is the second time I've had to merge your new thread into your original thread - where you should post all your additional thoughts or questions. It helps us to help you when you keep all your additional thoughts or questions in one thread.
If you need help finding your thread when you come here, click on the "Show own posts" link under your name in the left-hand column of any forum page.
Please also read through the Welcome Thread (http://forums.poz.com/index.php?topic=220.0) so you can familiarize yourself with our Forum Posting Guidelines. Thank you for your cooperation.
If an autoimmune problem affects hiv antibody test results at all, it usually results in a false positive, not a false negative.
Ann
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will what if i get a positive result, then im really goin to be freaked out, and im sure they well then do the wb test to confirm the positive result. I just been experiencing hives all throught my body in different places and if it aint a allergic reaction then its from hiv right???? They told me at the doctor that they gave me a shot of some type of steriod also and im afraid that can mess up my hiv test as well
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Afraid,
Two things: One, I've never in my life heard of hiv causing hives. Hives are an allergic reaction to something in the environment and hiv is not an allergen nor is it in the environment.
Two, if you're so worried about your recent physical/medical events affecting your test, simply wait a few days.
Ann
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does a injection of steriod mess with the hiv test also?????
or a antihistmine???
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No, an injection with a steriod will not affect your test result.
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im not even sure i have a autoimmune dieases it could be a allergy but ive never had allergys to anything and everything ive been doing recently has been things i alwayz do. So if i do have a autoimmune diease then for sure the hiv test im going to take will more than likey show a false positive??
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Your confirmative test will not show a false positive.
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Afraid,
How many times over the course of the past six months have you been asked to read the Welcome thread and read the guidelines? How many opportunities have you had to do this? Yet today you applied for a new account, something which is expressly forbidden on this website and you should have read that in the Welcome thread. It's also something you had to agree to when you signed up the first time around, so you have no excuse.
You need to understand that our answers are not going to change, even if your username changes.
I have rejected your new account application. Try that again and you will be permanently banned. Seriously.
You're on the verge of a time out as it is.
Ann
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ok the last time i logged on here ann was a long time ago maybe even a year ago, so i forgot my username and password, and then accidently i applied for a new account to try and start again over, i didn't do anything on purpose on here so sorry about my decision to open a new account to try and come back on here. I then noticed the forgot ur password part of ur website and retrived my password and my old account and came in and posted on a new topic in here dam sorry is that is so bad please im sorry. I just got back from the hiv clinic and my test came back neg so now im trying to find out what eles is causing all these skin problems im experiencing, my be another std?????
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Afraid,
Just like we told you repeatedly earlier in the year, you need to see your doctor about your skin problems. Get a referral to a dermatologist. We cannot diagnose you here and whatever is going on with you has NOTHING to do with hiv.
This is an hiv website and there is nothing more we can do for you here.
Ann