POZ Community Forums

Meds, Mind, Body & Benefits => Questions About Treatment & Side Effects => Topic started by: jeeves80 on May 28, 2012, 09:11:36 am

Title: Black Marks on legs from Meds or could it be KS
Post by: jeeves80 on May 28, 2012, 09:11:36 am

Hi Guys,

My partner was diagnosed in april 2010 with CD4 230 and a very high VL. He has been taking Atripla since then and his current stats are:-
CD4 380 and VL undetectable. 

With the last 6-7 months he has  developed black marks over his legs. His ID doctor has told him that the marks are most likely pigmentation changes caused by Atripla. He has referred him to a dermatologist, however I am worried that these marks could be Kaposi Sarcoma.  Is it likely that his ID doctor would be able to diagnose this straigh away if this were the case, or does he suspect KS since he has referred him to a dermatologist?

I am worried as it will more than likely take some months before he will get to see a dermatologist.

Also he tells me the doctor is very happy with how his numbers have responsed to to treat ment with CD4 improving by 150 in approx.  12 months. Is this good, I have noticed alot of the other members of this site have achieved improvements of 300-400 in this amount of time?

thanks guys I have found you so helpful since i started using this site.

Title: Re: Black Marks on legs from Meds or could it be KS
Post by: newt on May 29, 2012, 07:21:14 pm

KS should be easily diagnosied on sight, and confirmed with tests, by a dermatologist or experienced HIV doc. KS legions tend to be brown-reddish and raised. Since this could be brusing tis important to get platelets checked (HIV affect platelets which affect blood clotting function and if platelets are not working properly can lead to random brusing).

150 in 12 months is a good CD4 increase. CD4 recovery is a long game.

Good luck

Title: Re: Black Marks on legs from Meds or could it be KS
Post by: deibster on May 30, 2012, 04:36:43 pm

Hi Jeeves, I agree, KS is almost always a Raised lesion. It occurs in people with low CD4s or high VLs. Remember an AIDS diagnosis starts at CD4 200 or less, OR a serious OI, opportunistic infection, like one that keeps you in the hospital for several days, or causes you to be admitted to intensive care.

I was on Zerit, d4t, back around 2000, & lost all of the fat layer under the skin on my forearms & my shins. My skin there tears extremely easily. If I dry my shins roughly, after a shower, I get huge black & blue marks on my shins (almost black). This is from bruising & bleeding under the skin. It is a form of lipodystrophy. Your partner does not have KS; it's a platelet problem like Newt says or a form of lipodystrophy. hugs from Provincetown