Seborrheic Dermatitis And Other Worries

[A Nonny Mouse]

Hello, all. I've read this forum pretty thoroughly and done a few searches, so I know I'm going to sound paranoid by starting a thread. I hate to be yet another "worrier" for the forum to deal with but, as so many have said before me, I can't get this off my mind. So, I beg your indulgence. I know you get this stuff all the time.

A little over a year ago, I had a sexual encounter with someone I'd consider a "high risk" person. We didn't actually have intercourse, anal or otherwise, but I did finger her rather thoroughly and she gave me oral. I wasn't thinking at the time, and didn't rush out to wash my hands or anything else afterward either. While I've seen these things repeatedly referred to as low-no risk on this site, it still worries me. I was never tested. I'd never had sexual contact with anyone before this incident, and I haven't had any since.

A few weeks ago, I developed an itchy rash rather suddenly that still hasn't gone away. After doing a bit of research online, it matches the symptoms for Seborrheic Dermatitis exactly. The reason this worries me is that all of the information sites seemed to indicate that the only cases in which it appears in the areas that I have it (chest, arms, back, legs) are those of people with HIV. I've also noticed other symptoms in the past six months or so that have gradually gotten worse, such as high blood pressure (I'm a 25 year old male), a constant "feverish" feeling (though there usually isn't a fever), extreme fatigue, and an increase in things like sinus infections.

The other things can be written off as... well... other things, I guess. But the skin rash really worries me. All of the health information sites I've read seem to indicate that Seborrheic Dermatitis only shows up on the chest, back, arms, and legs in people who are HIV positive. Is this true?

The reason I haven't gone out and gotten tested, despite my worries, is primarily that I was laid off a while ago, and am currently unemployed so I have no insurance (and no money in the bank, for that matter). I don't know how much a test costs. Unfortunately, my lack of insurance also means that I can't even see a doctor for the rash itself.

[Andy Velez]

Mouse, depending on where you live you may be able to get an HIV test free. But it's not something you have to worry about because the activity you described did not put you at risk for transmission. All of that fingering and stuff and variations of same as well as receiving oral are nil for risk. So no matter what your mind maybe telling you to the contrary, you were not at risk.

As for your symptomatic concerns, that's something to dicuss with your doctor. If you can't afford one then call your local health department and find out where you can go for free or a very low fee. There's certainly nothing about what you have described which is in anyway suggestive of HIV, but then you also need to know that neither the presence nor the absence of symptoms will ever tell you anything accurately if you have had a genuinely risky incident such as unprotected vaginal or anal intercourse.

Other STDs are a separate matter and if you are sexually active it's always good to have a checkup at least annually with a full panel of STD tests.

This time out I don't see any cause for further concern on your part about HIV.

Cheers,