Strange lumps on my legs and foot, cough since December

No...those are not HIV symptoms. Get tested again in a few months if you are still paranoid about it. It doesn't sound at all like HIV to me.

thank you so much for your response. you may be right.
another symptom I forgot to mention that I've had is oral thrush...or maybe I think I've had it. I've waken up in the morning and looked in the mirror and seen that my tongue has a white coating on it, although i can't see it on any other parts of my mouth, so maybe it's just "morning mouth". and I don't have the greatest oral hygiene anyway..

also I do feel a bit of fatigue-I was going out for a jog last night and I could barely do it. however, i've gained a lot of weight - about 30 or 40 pounds-since November, so maybe I'm just out of shape...I plan to get tested again in April, so I'll see then.

and this lingering cough is annoying. I've taken antihistamines to no effect. I've taken a few antibiotics and they don't seem to work either..I don't know. it just seems like it can't be coincidental seeing as how this all started happening months after that encounter in November. But hopefully you are right and I am just paranoid.

Again, thank you so much for your response!

No problem. Now as for the thrush on your tong...don't freak out but that can be a symptom sometimes. I had that as well.But thrus can be from many many things, hygiene being one of them..You are gaining weight and not dropping the pounds so that is a very VERY good sign that it is not HIV. With HIV you lose weight excessively (usually) and lose your appetite for food. R U eating OK and does it stay down? If so then that is another good sign that it isn't HIV. Do get tested again in April just for peace of mind and then you can put this all behind you. But be cool and keep your head on straight,OK? It isn't a death sentence even if it does come back positive. Believe me when I tell you, there are millions of people living healthy productive long lives with HIV and AIDS. Medication has improved 100% and HIV/AIDS is a manageable virus now. You will be fine, I am sure of it. Keep in touch.
Peace and Love, homerx

I was so paranoid about being HIV+, that I even thought that it had progressed to AIDS in a matter of months! I don't know, but I'm pretty sure that notion is ridiculous..I mean I still go to work and school and such.

Yesterday when I was at work the palms of my hands were slightly white and dry and calloused and I even thought THAT could be a symptom. (BTW they look totally normal now.) Maybe I'm a little bit of a hypochondriac...

I am pretty overweight and although my scale isn't working now (dead battery!) I don't think I am losing weight. Question: When HIV+ people start losing weight, is the weight loss VERY rapid, or barely noticeable at first, or can it vary greatly from person to person? I am assuming you are HIV+; if you don't mind, could you tell me how it was or you?

And I most definitely have NOT lost my appetite for food, so that's a good sign. I have lost almost all of my sex drive though, but maybe that's because I am so scared by the possibility of being HIV+ and don't want to pass it to my partner. Actually, I did have oral sex with my partner a day or two after he found out about the encounter. It was "make-up" sex I guess. (We haven't had any type of sex since.) He hasn't exhibited any symptoms except for recently when he got a cold - but he got the cold from me. However now he is completely fine. I hope to God that if I have it, that I didn't pass it to him. I mean, if I have it, I'm going to just have to handle it, but he shouldn't have to deal with it.

Besides the obvious reasons, I guess I am so scared of being HIV+ because I have never met a HIV+ person before. (Or if I DID meet a HIV+ person, I had no idea they were HIV+!) I was talking to my partner about HIV+ people he has known and he said they were very healthy, happy people. One particular story he told me about a man he knew, a dancer, had me in tears. The man had told him, "Even though I'm sick, I honestly can say I feel better than I ever have in my life." It was so wonderful to hear that - to know that even though people are HIV+, they can still feel great and lead wonderful, fulfilling lives!

Thank you homerx, your responses are MUCH appreciated!!

You are gonna make me cry!...in a good way!
To answer your questions, when HIV people start losing weight it generally is a rapid weight loss. Very.
When I first got sick I lost about 60 lbs in about a month or 2. I had night sweats and couldn't keep any food down. If I could eat it at all it came right back up. I sweated at nite in my sleep to the point that I had to have my sheets changed 3 or 4 times a nite...that sucked the most.
I was down to 25 T cells when I was diagnosed..now I am undetectable!
I started taking my one pill a day..yep, thats all, and exercising and getting rest and eating...I started using Medical Marijuana to give me an appetite and sooth my tummy and help me sleep,etc.That helped 100%.
I bet you have met an HIV+ person and didn't even know it. If you didn't know I was HIV+ then you would never guess...and that goes for almost all the HIV/AIDS people I know. It isn't something you can see anymore like it was in the 80s and mid 90s. That is also why you have to ALWAYS practice safe sex...cuz you cant tell by looking at a person...so be safe,OK?
Take care and keep in touch.
Peace and Love

60 lbs in two months?!?!!! Jeez...that must have been terrible!! I don't think I've lost 5 lbs in 3 months, lol. No night sweats either, in fact my whole life I've never had trouble sleeping and it's stayed that way, and so far I am keep food down. (And eating lots of it.)

So do you feel a whole lot different than you did before you became positive?

I really hope to become healthy and fit again. This is embarassing as hell, but im 5"6 and 250 lbs. I don't look huge like you would expect someone who weighs that much to look.
I've always had weight problems. At my healthiest, a few years ago, i was about 170 lbs and I felt and looked awesome. I hope that even if I am HIV+ I can still get a lot of exercise and get back down to that weight. I'm thinking about starting to go to a gym. (I am female, by the way.)
It's really sad, but I'm only 18, and over the recent years I've gone thru a HELL of a lot - to make a long story short, being homeless with my mom and two brothers for a few years, and being taken away from my mom and put into various foster homes and group homes, lots of horrible stuff mixed within that, and only recently finding stability and happiness. Now I live with my boyfriend, I am employed and I am attending college. I feel really angry at myself for doing what society sees as what a typical "problem child/broken home child" would do by going out and having unsafe sex (which I have NEVER done before - except for with my partner, who I love very much, I haven't had sex with ANYONE). I feel even angrier at myself that this one bad move might result in HIV, but I'm trying to come to terms with that and take care of myself.

Another question: If HIV is detected early, is it easier to treat?

You sound like someone who is not letting HIV control their life, and I think that's awesome!! I hope that I will be able to be as strong as you if my test comes out positive in April. I am quite enjoying our correspondence, its very enlightening, interesting and inspiring.

Yes you're right, you always have to practice safe sex. The boy I was with was extremly healthy and fit, in fact he was in the military. I have not been able to contact him though.

I meant, I'm keeping food down.

To answer your questions...no, I don't feel any different now. When I was really sick I didn't feel like myself at all...I felt horrible all the time 24/7...it really sucked! But those days are gone and I feel great for the most part now...thank God!
Second question...early detection is very important. Yes, it is much MUCH easier to treat if you start taking meds early. If you are diagnosed early, you have a better chance because you still have lots of T cells (fighter cells) and your body will accept the HIV meds better...so yes, early diagnosis is a good thing...
and by the way, just because someone looks healthy and fit and is in the military doesn't mean they are HIV-...you cant tell by looking at someone and the virus can life in you for years and years before you get any symptoms at all so dont judge a book by its cover!!!

thank you so much for your responses! it really, truly means a lot to me. i have no family or friends to turn to - thanks for helping me out and answering all my questions!

I'm definitely going to try to take better care of myself from now on...and I will get tested in April!

again, thank you so so so much!!

Anytime, doll! If I can be of any help at any time just give me a holler,OK? Take good care of yourself (remember, if you don't no one will...your fate is in your hands), get tested, don't worry and be safe always.
One Love
One Heart
homerX

Last night after I got home from work (was DEAD TIRED), and I got into bed, I started to sweat a little, all over my body...nothing severe, but it was a bit uncomfortable. is this anything to worry about? Can the severity of night sweats vary as well?

And it came out negative, again! I feel better about this one because it's been a little over three months since the encounter in late November.

I know I said I would get tested in April but I just decided to do it now. If I get tested again I may actually wait out the whole three months...because I may not be out of the woods yet! I hope that I am though!

I still wonder why I have this cough...It's strange. It's not a terrible cough, but it's still so weird that I would have a cough for so long. And I can't explain the lumps on my legs. I think I will go to the doctor again soon.

I am going to go out with my boyfriend this evening. I'm feeling really good! Peace and love to all!!

I am glad to hear that you are negative. I like that you want to go for another test. It is recommended that one has two tests taken three months apart. The reason being that there are people who are slow progressors. They may contact the virus in January, did a test in March and it was negative and when they did another test in June, they were positive. Two test confirm the results. I am hoping that you remain negative and when you see your doctor please mention all the things you mentioned.

My heart is concerned about the lumps on your legs, the cough, the tiredness and the night sweats. If you do not have HIV, a health professional should be able to tell you what else could be wrong.

My heart goes out for you. All the best - Mson.

Did you do the rapid test where you get the results there and then. Do you mean that you really got tested today?

I really did get tested the day I posted that message (yesterday). Yes, it was the rapid test, the oral one. My boyfriend says I don't need to do another test, but I want to and I am going to. It's scary though. I've done the test twice so far, and it hasn't got any easier to do. But I know that if I happened to contract the virus, the earlier it's detected, the easier it will be to treat! I cannot let fear keep me from taking the test, because I know it will be easier in the long run.

I have really let myself go with my health -terrible, TERRIBLE diet, almost no exercise - so that might be the explanation for some of my problems, like my tiredness. I am carrying waaaaay too much weight for my frame. I am not really humongous and I don't look terrible, but I want to lose 100 lbs. Yep, 100! What with school, work and other things, I don't have time to really exercise, but I'm going to join a gym. I'm excited about that.

I don't know about the night sweats. I haven't had night sweats for a few days now, and when I have had them, they are very very light.

Thank you so much for caring! <3

Dear Missanonymous

I truly feel for you right now. Currently I am waiting on a blood test to get back to me and it is fairly frightening given all of the misinformation out there. Stay strong and safe, good to hear that the first test came back negative

Hi IndexName, thanks so much for the support! I'm sure you'll be ok. I'm saying this just as much as my benefit as for yours - it's definitely scary. But you have to stay strong and take care of yourself.

The day before yesterday, when I was taking that test, the 20 minutes it took to process seemed like forever. I had been very stressed out lately, working a lot, messing up in school, arguing with my boyfriend, and having that test come back negative was wonderful. I'm trying to focus on college now and general self-improvement. Even if I end up being HIV+, I'm not going to die instantly....life goes on.

Just to let everyone know, I am most definitely NOT trying to minimize HIV or AIDS. I am just saying that if I am HIV+ I don't want to let it define me, and I don't want it to define others either.

When I had a persistent cough, I was checked for TB and was positive for it. I was very tired as well.

I understand what you mean when you say you don't want HIV to define you. Most HIV+ people never come to that conclusion. You are smart and I wish you all the best.

It was not until 2002 that I accepted that I had AIDS. 9 years from the time I was told. I went for a total of five tests over time. When I finally accepted I was ill, I started living with the virus. It became a part me. First it was a big part of me but lately AIDS has taken the back bench. There was a time AIDS defined me but not anymore.

Mson.

I am human...that is what defines me...I have AIDS, I had a stroke, sometimes I laugh, sometimes I cry, but I am human first, not a victim of HIV or AIDS...we all have crosses to bare...