Dear Doctor, I have selected you as the person who could provide me with the best answer. I am 26 years old. Since last 64 days I am having strange skin rashes and dry skin. After one month of getting rashes my lymph node started to swell and it was difficult to move my joints too. I feel that my fingers are swollen too. I did test for HIV after 9 days of exposure and again got tested on 35 th day. It was negative. Beside these I also did a rapid test with 4 th generation kit on 63 day and the test was negative. My symptoms are killing me and I am so scared. I do not know what to do. I went to dermatologist and she did a allergy test which was OK according to her. She also thought that it was a viral infection looking on the rashes but it is always increasing and never going down. I do not know how to get rid of this. Do you think I am really infected. When I has sex I had condom but I dont know if there was any accident. Please do suggest me what I need to do.

To be honest, I think this is something else completely. I would get a 3 month HIV antibody test just to close the book on that one but I would be more concerned about syphilis. Hepatitis C can also cause rashes but your exposure sounds all wrong (it also sounds wrong for HIV).

You need a more comprehensive work up. I would see teh care of a good general internal medicine physician.

DW