[Question #13253] HIV seroconversion

1 months ago

Hello. I noticed a small bump under my armpit this morning. It's a little sore, smaller than a pea, and slightly raised from the skin. I'm wondering if this could be a swollen lymph node due to HIV seroconversion. If so it would be 20 days from the time that I got that tattoo that I reached out to you about a week ago. I'm just having a hard time telling a lymph node from a regular bump. I don't have any other symptoms. Can you please let me know what you think.

H. Hunter Handsfield, MD

1 months ago

Welcome back, but I'm sorry you felt the need.

I have read your two recent interaction with Dr. Hook and agree with his evaluation and advice. You continue to overreact to a zero risk situation in regard to HIV. Swollen lymph nodes are under the skin, not "slightly raised" from it; and a single lymph node would never be the first or only symptom of HIV anyway. Almost certainly this is some sort of minor skin irritation, folliculitis, pimple, or something like that.

You should entirely ignore this and any other symptoms you may experience in the next few weeks. That's right, ignore everything no matter how typical for new HIV infection they may seem to be. Half of all newly infected people have no symptoms; and even when typical symptoms are present, almost always HIV is not the cause -- because every HIV symptom is much more common with other medical conditions, mostly not serious. The ONLY ways to be sure you don't have HIV are 1) to understand and believe you were not at risk; and 2) if you continue to worry, get tested for HIV. Testing is the ONLY way to know for sure whether or not someone has HIV.

So no more comments or questions here about your exposure or any symptoms you have now or in the future. OK? If you decide to be tested, it's OK to let us know the result. If you do that, you can be sure of the result being negative.

HHH, MD

---
---

1 months ago

Ok.. I just had my friend look at it and she said that she can see like three little small like pimples under my arm. She said it looks like some type of irritation. If you think that this is no cause for concern then we may can close this case.

1 months ago

I guess my question is I saw one little pimple that was slightly raised and a little tender and my friend pointed out two more right next to it that I wasn't aware of in which she said looks like some type of irritation to her. My question is does three small pimples instead of one change your initial assessment.

H. Hunter Handsfield, MD

1 months ago

If you read and understood my reply above, the answer to this question should be obvious. I also asked you to post "no more comments or questions here about your exposure or any symptoms you have now or in the future." Of course three pimples does not suggest HIV and does not change my advice.

Any more questions about symptoms will not be answered and the thread will be closed without further comment.

---