[Question #1434] O.C.D HIV I think...
95 months ago
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Edward W. Hook M.D.
95 months ago
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Welcome to our Forum. I am pleased that you have found our comments helpful. Your current question is a bit difficult to follow. I will do my best to answer but if my reply is not clear, please feel free to provide clarifying information and ask again.
As I understand it you are concerned about HIV. Back over 10 years ago you had condom protected rectal sex and unprotected oral sex. After that you were tested for HIV on several occasions and had negative tests (Is this correct or have you not been tested for HIV?). Since 2005 your exposures have been protected sex with female commercial sex workers and sex with your regular female partner. In 2011 you read on the internet about the skin rashes of HIV and this has caused you to be concerned. You have been seen by doctors on several occasions and tested for other problems but not HIV. You continue to be worried that you skin rash, which has been attributed to shaving, may be related to HIV.
Assuming my summary above is correct, I have several comments:
1. The rash of recently acquired HIV lasts only a few days and then resolves. it does not recur. Thus any persistent or recurring rash that you have would not be due to recently acquired HIV.
2. There are other chronic rashes related to HIV which can be longstanding but these rashes do not come and go and are easily recognized. If the doctors who saw you did not think your rash was due to HIV, it probably was not. If it was likely, they would have suggested an HIV test.
As for skin rashes associated with shaving, folliculitis is a common problem and this may be what is going on.
Thus for you I have three suggestions:
1. If you have not been tested recently, I suggest that you get an HIV test. It is most unlikely that you have HIV and a single test will provide reliable results. I anticipate that the result of testing will be negative. following one negative test, there is NO reason for further HIV testing
2. For your OCD, stay off the internet. There is much misinformation there which may mislead you.
3. Also for your OCD, your chances of working through this without help are small. I suggest that you go on and seek the help of a trained counselor or mental health professional. OCD is challenging to deal with and few patients succeed in working through it without help.
I hope these comments are helpful to you. EWH
95 months ago
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Edward W. Hook M.D.
95 months ago
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95 months ago
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Edward W. Hook M.D.
95 months ago
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Final answers
1. If my pointing out that you are paranoid does not help you, and being seen by other health professionals who are not concerned about HIV has not helped you in the past, then what you need is not medical advice but the help of a mental health professional who can help you address your unwarranted fears. If you had HIV for 6 or more years, it is likely that you would have become sick by now.
2. Given your history of exposures and fears, testing for HIV is reasonable. I am confident that your test will be negative. When it is, I urge you to accept/believe the result.
3. You have said that your doctors do not agree with you that you have a dermatitis. You should discuss this with your doctor, not with a distant on-line service.
4. Yes, if you test I anticipate you will find that you do not have HIV. Given your concerns, there is no reason not to test. Testing will not change whether or not you have HIV. IA negative test would prove that you do not and in the very unlikely event that your test was positive, the result would give you the opportunity to seek the highly effective treatment that is available. Given your statements, the only thing that does not make sense is for you not to test.
I hope my comments have helped you. This is the final response as part of this thread. In addition, further, repetitive, anxiety-driven posts will be closed without answers. Take care. EWH