I'm an HIV+ Male that is currently experiencing a persistant rash on my torso and arms. My current Medication regime is 3TC Abacavir & Nevirapine. VL Counts are below 50 with Cd4 600. Post biopsy, my skin specialist suggests it's an allergic reation to my medication, but which one? I have been itching for almost 6 months. Is this a common side effect for males taking Nevirapine? Should i change medication? Initially I was taking effavrenz but had very bad mental side effects and switched to Nevirapine. Any suggestions would be gratefully recieved.

If you are on no other medications then one of your HIV meds could indeed be causing the rash. I assume that your liver status is OK (nevirapine concern) and that you have no other symptoms suggestive of an abacavir hypersensitivity reaction. If not then switching off one of your HIV meds one at a time might help pin point the offending drug. I would often first switch off the nevirapine (often to a protease inhibitor or a boosted protease inhibitor) and observe for 4-8 weeks. If the rash is not improved then the drug that was stopped was not likely causing the rash and then another one of your drugs can be switched. KH