questions

[seekay70]

Ok here I go again, I am new here and needing a little advice, answers what ever you may call it.  My husband tested pos 2 years ago, went downhill pretty quick.  Our physician did not want to test him due to him not fitting the criteria, as if there is such a thing.  Anyway a few hospitalizations, pcp, histo, and the such.  Anyway 2 weeks ago we took him to the hospital due to weakness on his left side, partial paralysis etc.  A CT scan was done and came back abnormal.  CT shows Multiple Ring Enhancing Lesions on his brain.  His CD4 count is 116, CD8 was 1,182with ratio of 0.10  white count of 4,300.  At the time of his discharge another scan was done confirming the lesions, with some edema, (which was not there with first scan, edema that is).  A CT of his liver was also done with a 1.5 cm lesion found on the liver.  CT also showed enlarged mediastinal and hilar lymph nodes also measuring 1.5 cm.  Another lesion on liver measures 3.9 cm.

I do not understand all of this and would like some help, I am also looking for someone that knows of or has had these lesions and what the prognosis is for a person with them.  He seemed to improve in the hospital as far as balance and such but once home it seems to have gotten worse, as has the fact that he urinates a lot less often, as if maybe he is justshutting down system wise.  The Dr.s here are helpful except they dont appear to be very knowledgable.  Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Sherry

[Eldon]

Hello Sherry,

It is unfortunate that your husband is going through all of this right now. I do not have any medical background on lesions. I DO however have you and yours in my thoughts and prayers for a healing and that he will get through this as well.


Welcome.

Happy Holidays!

[gerry]

Hi Sherry,

I'm very sorry to hear about your husband's situation.  It sounds like he needs to go back to the hospital to figure out what this is.  Preferrably a bigger hospital with neurologists/neurosurgeons familiar with HIV.  The two differential diagnoses that need to be considered for ring-enhancing lesions in the brain are toxoplasmosis and CNS lymphoma.  There are others to consider but those are the top two.  A biopsy might be needed to establish the diagnosis.  Has he been on antiretrovirals and bactrim?

UCSF link: toxoplasmosis
UCSF link: CNS lymphoma 

I realize this is pretty serious.  Please let us know what other help you might need.

Gerry

[Rightbrain]

Hello Sherry,

I will pray for you as well. 

brother joe

[Queen Tokelove]

I am sorry to hear about your husband, I will keep you both in my prayers.

[red_Dragon888]

My prayers are with you also.

[seekay70]

ty for the responses.  Toxo was the first on their list and the test results came back negative for that.  They were looking at histoplasmosis as being the next possible thing but I am not sure  about that one, it it not presenting itsself to me as histo the histo presented with him the last time.

Again ty for the responses and prayers

Sherry

[seekay70]

Also, yes hes has been on antiretrovirals and bactrum,....not responsive to sustiva and truvada also not responsive to atripla, so now he is on a group of 4 meds.....would have to get the bottles for the names as I am not sure what they are at the sec.  He is also taking Sustiva and a mess of other antibiotics right now but I see it getting worse and not better.

Sherry