A few weeks ago, I went to the doctors for treatment of thrush. I have been on mycelex for three weeks and I don't think it has gone away. It seems, on the back of my tounge white patches are still there. But I'm not sure if it's how my tounge looks normally, or what. I also have red dots on the front of my tounge. Since November, I have been extrememly worried that i have been infected with HIV. I got tested and when i went to the doctors in December, and it came back negative. I haven't been with anyone sexually since May of 1998, over a year and a half ago. I don't think I have any other symptoms of HIV infection. Is it safe to assume that if I'm getting thrush, that HIV would be detectable in my blood? And also, can thrush be caused or prolonged by smoking?

Please answer... I am worried

First of all, it would be helpful to know what your diagnosis of thrush was based on. If you only had white areas on your tongue I would be suspect of the diagnosis of thrush. If your last risky encounter was in May of 1998 and you had a negative HIV test in December of 1999, I would not suspect HIV as a potential cause. Remember though, there are several other potential causes of candidiasis (thrush) including but not limited to use of steroid asthma inhalers, systemic corticosteroids such as prednisone, broad spectrum antibiotic use, uncontrolled diabetes, etc. Also, there has been many occasions where coated tongue is confused with thrush and is associated with smoking.

Is smoking associated with prolonged bouts of candidiasis? Whereas smoking has been identified as a risk factor for the development of candidiasis in people already at risk (see above comment on potential causes of thrush), smoking should not influence the efficacy of the treatment you were on.

Hope this helps!

DR