HIV AND Syphilis?? Fuckkkk....

[VersatileBreeder]

Just when things started calming down with having coped with being poz and getting on meds... This happens....

One month ago today, an old fuck bud I used to play safe with when I was neg (he's poz/undetectable) hit me up and wanted to play. We flip fucked. I got a text from him this morning that said he's so sorry but he got a call from his doctor yesterday that his latest blood work showed positive for syphilis and I need to go get tested. I did a little self exam this morning and noticed what looks like a blood blister on my thigh about six inches or so away from my shaft.... First thought is possibly a chancre?

So I'm not really freaking out... I know I have to get tested and have it taken care of ASAP. I know it's a couple of penicillin shots in the ass. Question is- is syphilis any more of a worry for poz guys than neg guys? Or any more difficult to treat?

It's just such a pain in the ass (literally) and so embarrassing that I have to go to a clinic and tell them I'm poz AND had a syph exposure. I'll be expecting lots of lecture and judgment from the doctors. Any thoughts?

[GermanFucker]

One month ago today, an old fuck bud I used to play safe with when I was neg (he's poz/undetectable) hit me up and wanted to play. We flip fucked. I got a text from him this morning that said he's so sorry but he got a call from his doctor yesterday that his latest blood work showed positive for syphilis and I need to go get tested. I did a little self exam this morning and noticed what looks like a blood blister on my thigh about six inches or so away from my shaft.... First thought is possibly a chancre?

Speaking from personal experience: That doesn't quite sound like syphillis. Syph bacteria usually prefer to enter the body trough softer tissue than normal skin, e.g. mucous membranes in the mouth or rectum or the head of your penis, so that's the first place I'd look for chancres.

Also, a chancre doesn't feel like a blister, but rather hard like a frozen pea trapped under your skin with a herpes sore on top. But then again, a chancre takes some time to develop.

So I'm not really freaking out... I know I have to get tested and have it taken care of ASAP. I know it's a couple of penicillin shots in the ass. Question is- is syphilis any more of a worry for poz guys than neg guys? Or any more difficult to treat?

Speaking from book knowlegde: I depends on the condition of your immune system. If that's severely compromised it can be more of a problem. Otherwise it should be similar, if caught early. In any case, th difference in treatement between poz and neg should not be as big as between a fresh syphillis and an old one (or even neurosyphillis).

So you might get three shots over three weeks instead of a single dose. That's really no big deal. If your doctor knows what he's doing, the injection is relatively painless and usually there should be no side effects (I didn't have any, but no guarantees)

However if you waited for months or years, you'd have to stay in hospital hooked up to infusions.

With syphillis the golden rule is: The earlier you catch it, the more harmless it is.

It's just such a pain in the ass (literally) and so embarrassing that I have to go to a clinic and tell them I'm poz AND had a syph exposure. I'll be expecting lots of lecture and judgment from the doctors. Any thoughts?

First of all: You can get syph even while practicing safer / saf"ish" sex. If someone has a chancre in his mouth and gives you a blowjob, you'll most likely get it. Also: A doctor has sworn an oath to treat and heal you to the best of his ability. Judgement should have no place in a doctor's office.

If you should get a preachy doctor, always keep in mind that this kind of situation means that HE is failing at his job, not you.

[GermanFucker]

One month ago today, an old fuck bud I used to play safe with when I was neg (he's poz/undetectable) hit me up and wanted to play. We flip fucked. I got a text from him this morning that said he's so sorry but he got a call from his doctor yesterday that his latest blood work showed positive for syphilis and I need to go get tested. I did a little self exam this morning and noticed what looks like a blood blister on my thigh about six inches or so away from my shaft.... First thought is possibly a chancre?

Speaking from personal experience: That doesn't quite sound like syphillis. Syph bacteria usually prefer to enter the body trough softer tissue than normal skin, e.g. mucous membranes in the mouth or rectum or the head of your penis, so that's the first place I'd look for chancres.

Also, a chancre doesn't feel like a blister, but rather hard like a frozen pea trapped under your skin with a herpes sore on top. But then again, a chancre takes some time to develop.

So I'm not really freaking out... I know I have to get tested and have it taken care of ASAP. I know it's a couple of penicillin shots in the ass. Question is- is syphilis any more of a worry for poz guys than neg guys? Or any more difficult to treat?

Speaking from book knowlegde: I depends on the condition of your immune system. If that's severely compromised it can be more of a problem. Otherwise it should be similar, if caught early. In any case, th difference in treatement between poz and neg should not be as big as between a fresh syphillis and an old one (or even neurosyphillis).

So you might get three shots over three weeks instead of a single dose. That's really no big deal. If your doctor knows what he's doing, the injection is relatively painless and usually there should be no side effects (I didn't have any, but no guarantees)

However if you waited for months or years, you'd have to stay in hospital hooked up to infusions.

With syphillis the golden rule is: The earlier you catch it, the more harmless it is.

It's just such a pain in the ass (literally) and so embarrassing that I have to go to a clinic and tell them I'm poz AND had a syph exposure. I'll be expecting lots of lecture and judgment from the doctors. Any thoughts?

First of all: You can get syph even while practicing safer / saf"ish" sex. If someone has a chancre in his mouth and gives you a blowjob, you'll most likely get it. Also: A doctor has sworn an oath to treat and heal you to the best of his ability. Judgement should have no place in a doctor's office.

If you should get a preachy doctor, always keep in mind that this kind of situation means that HE is failing at his job, not you.

[PunkBear]

I had a concurrent fresh HIV and syph infection two years back (actually, the syphilis helped me catch the HIV very early because the two of them drove my immune system down so fast I developed oral thrush), and even with the dual stress of then-untreated HIV and the syphilis it cleared up quickly and easily.

So you might get three shots over three weeks instead of a single dose. That's really no big deal. If your doctor knows what he's doing, the injection is relatively painless and usually there should be no side effects (I didn't have any, but no guarantees)

One potential side effect independent of HIV status is the possibility of developing a Jarisch-Herxheimer reaction, where the body reacts to the toxins released by the dead syph bacteria; basically you feel like shit for a few hours but it should be managable.

[GermanFucker]

First of all sorry for the double post, wasn't my fault, the site had hiccups. Mods feel free to edit it out.

One potential side effect independent of HIV status is the possibility of developing a Jarisch-Herxheimer reaction, where the body reacts to the toxins released by the dead syph bacteria; basically you feel like shit for a few hours but it should be managable.

You're completely right, forgot about that, as I had no problems at all. If the doctor thinks there's a risk of a severe Herxheimer reaction he'll usually ask you to stay at the doctor's office for a bit so he can monitor your symptoms. You should plan your day's schedule accordingly.

But again: The earlier it's caught, the fewer bacteria -> i.e. the fewer problems with a Herxheimer reaction. So for all those who think they might have caught the syph: GET TESTED.

[VersatileBreeder]

Speaking from personal experience: That doesn't quite sound like syphillis. Syph bacteria usually prefer to enter the body trough softer tissue than normal skin, e.g. mucous membranes in the mouth or rectum or the head of your penis, so that's the first place I'd look for chancres.

Also, a chancre doesn't feel like a blister, but rather hard like a frozen pea trapped under your skin with a herpes sore on top. But then again, a chancre takes some time to develop.

Speaking from book knowlegde: I depends on the condition of your immune system. If that's severely compromised it can be more of a problem. Otherwise it should be similar, if caught early. In any case, th difference in treatement between poz and neg should not be as big as between a fresh syphillis and an old one (or even neurosyphillis).

So you might get three shots over three weeks instead of a single dose. That's really no big deal. If your doctor knows what he's doing, the injection is relatively painless and usually there should be no side effects (I didn't have any, but no guarantees)

However if you waited for months or years, you'd have to stay in hospital hooked up to infusions.

With syphillis the golden rule is: The earlier you catch it, the more harmless it is.

First of all: You can get syph even while practicing safer / saf"ish" sex. If someone has a chancre in his mouth and gives you a blowjob, you'll most likely get it. Also: A doctor has sworn an oath to treat and heal you to the best of his ability. Judgement should have no place in a doctor's office.

If you should get a preachy doctor, always keep in mind that this kind of situation means that HE is failing at his job, not you.

GermanFucker, I took another look at this sore today. I'm not trying to self-diagnose, but it looks VERY suspect to me. It is kind of a dark, hard nodule like sore and it looks like it opened up on top. I get ingrown hairs here and there, but they look nothing like this. I know that syphilis is easily transmitted, easily caught, but also easily treated. I am going to go under the assumption that it is syph. If it's not, then great. But I am going to hit at this issue with the expectation that it is and that I have to get it taken care of.

As for my immune system, my last bloodwork was done in February. I'm sure I am due for another round of bloodwork now that it is three months later. When my labs were done back then, the CD4 count was 700, which my doctor said was good for a new diagnosed case. Assuming that my CD4 hasn't dropped immensely since then (I'm guessing I would have started noticing if it did), I would say my immune system is still in pretty good shape. Since we are just a month into it (and this is probably the earliest it could be detected), I would say I'm hitting it at a good time.

I'm familiar with the four stages of syphilis. I have seen pictures of people with secondary syphilis. It's not pretty. The last thing I need right now is to walk around with a rash covering my whole body. I'll stick with the one chancre that will eventually go away. And of course the VERY LAST thing I need is to ignore this and let it go to stage four syphilis. Manageable HIV would seem like a walk in the park at that point.

Also about my doctor- so far, I have had a good relationship with him. He is regarded as one of the top docs in the area for HIV treatment. He hasn't come across as preachy to me by this point. I am wondering if I should set an appointment with him to have this taken care of, or should I go to an STD clinic to have this taken care of instead. It will probably be at least a week until I can get an appointment with my doc, but I know I can go to a clinic somewhere local any time. It's not MY doctor I am worried about being preachy, it's these other docs and clinicians I would encounter at one of the walk-in clinics.

I would feel better under the care of my doctor, but I am not sure if I should wait the week or so to see him, or rather, go to a clinic ASAP. Thoughts?

[VersatileBreeder]

I had a concurrent fresh HIV and syph infection two years back (actually, the syphilis helped me catch the HIV very early because the two of them drove my immune system down so fast I developed oral thrush), and even with the dual stress of then-untreated HIV and the syphilis it cleared up quickly and easily.

One potential side effect independent of HIV status is the possibility of developing a Jarisch-Herxheimer reaction, where the body reacts to the toxins released by the dead syph bacteria; basically you feel like shit for a few hours but it should be managable.

PunkBear, sorry to hear you got hit with the double-whammy two years ago with both syph and HIV. Sounds like you got through it well though.

I have heard of this Herxheimer reaction. Basically what you said- you feel like shit for a night and it goes away. I think it's very rare that it gets any worse than that.

I actually JUST started meds for HIV. Literally took my first Stribild pill this morning. I guess at this point, since I am treating this and Stribild is known for driving viral load down very fast, I should be in better shape to get the penicillin shots done by the time the tests are done for the syph.

[wood]

So I'm not really freaking out... I know I have to get tested and have it taken care of ASAP. I know it's a couple of penicillin shots in the ass. Question is- is syphilis any more of a worry for poz guys than neg guys? Or any more difficult to treat?

It's just such a pain in the ass (literally) and so embarrassing that I have to go to a clinic and tell them I'm poz AND had a syph exposure. I'll be expecting lots of lecture and judgment from the doctors. Any thoughts?

Just go get treated, not need to worry about judgement, and your immune system is perfectly fine to deal with such an event. Just go get it treated and be on your way.

[TigerMilner]

Man you are really a lot like me it seems. I got syphillis two years ago right after starting meds. It is not a big deal to diagnose and the treatment is a cure. I would not say the shots are painless, I don't like needles. And my butt was sore as hell for days after the shots. But then that is all. If I were you I'd go to the clinic rather than your regular doctor unless you can get in with your ID specialist. Mine is awesome. No judgement and no attitude. I did go to an "AIDS" activist clinic who were basically condom pushers. The director asked me why was I seeing an expensive Immunologist when they were free? I told him straight up that the immunologist made me feel like I was going to be OK while his agency made me feel like a dirty whore. He had no come back. Point is, if you get attitude or bad information, find another doctor.

[VersatileBreeder]

Man you are really a lot like me it seems. I got syphillis two years ago right after starting meds. It is not a big deal to diagnose and the treatment is a cure. I would not say the shots are painless, I don't like needles. And my butt was sore as hell for days after the shots. But then that is all. If I were you I'd go to the clinic rather than your regular doctor unless you can get in with your ID specialist. Mine is awesome. No judgement and no attitude. I did go to an "AIDS" activist clinic who were basically condom pushers. The director asked me why was I seeing an expensive Immunologist when they were free? I told him straight up that the immunologist made me feel like I was going to be OK while his agency made me feel like a dirty whore. He had no come back. Point is, if you get attitude or bad information, find another doctor.

Tiger, I'm not really sweating it. I just wasn't sure if there were any complications that could arise with having this is conjunction with HIV. I'm not worried about the shots. I'm not crazy about needles either, but I have a pretty high threshold for pain. I tried making an appointment with my ID specialist today but I kept getting an answering service, which is unusual. I will try them again tomorrow. I would much rather go to him than a clinic, even though the clinic is free. For the same reason you stated- I'd rather go somewhere I am treated like a person and not some dirty whore. Anyway, cost isn't going to be a deterring factor for me in this case. I just got a new health insurance policy that is awesome- 0 deductible, $25 specialist co-pay and free blood work. So if $25 will make the difference in the experience, it's worth it for me.

[drscorpio]

Last summer, I was diagnosed with secondary syphilis. I assume the initial chancre was internal. I never had any idea I was sick until I broke out in a rash. Even that was complicated by the fact that I had been clearing brush in our yard the week before, so there was no thought it was syphilis until the rash spread to my palms. Apparently that is a clear indicator of the disease.

I got injected with penicillin, and it all cleared up in a week or so.

The Jarisch-Herxheimer reaction is incredibly painful although it only lasts a few hours. It didn't help that I wasn't told about it until after the fact, so I had no idea what was happening.

[rawhawk]

The Jarisch-Herxheimer reaction is incredibly painful although it only lasts a few hours. It didn't help that I wasn't told about it until after the fact, so I had no idea what was happening.

I was lucky my syph infection was detected having discharge which was linked to both gono and chlam. So I had the worst stage having the antibiotic for those which made the reaction to the three following injections of penicillin much less painful...

[tin]

I recently had a rather nasty run in with Syphilis and ended up in the hospital because of it. It hit my liver, spread/progressed to secondary syphilis really fast (I had both primary and secondary symptoms).

My BF on the other hand - only had the sore on his penis, 3 shots of penicillin later - he's fine, I'm still dealing with recovery from the number it did on my liver. I'm on meds, he's not - my CD4 count is in the high 500s, but mc CD4/CD8 ratio is pretty much 'normal'. His in the high 800s.

My response to it was a rare/exceptional case - and had the doctors stumped for a while. I was admitted to the hospital due to high liver enzymes (over 2,000) - it wasn't until a few days later when I broke out in the body rash and the sore on my penis became visible that they tested for syphilis and figured out what was going on.

[Guest JizzDumpWI]

Poptronic, so buddy, what's the verdict?

[bottom_gewillig]

When i had syph, only the first injection gave 2 days of pain, the next injections were painless. It has been 8 years ago now, and it is still visible in the blood, but not active anymore. Good to cure, not a problem (i think) if you start the treatment well in time. No worries, just go visit your doctor ;-)