Hi Simon,<\/p>\n
Thank you for your question.<\/p>\n
I am sorry to hear you have been unwell. As your last CD4 count was when you were diagnosed can I assume you have only recently started treatment in the last 2-3 months?<\/p>\n
Everyone has lymph nodes under their arm pits. These nodes collect any infectious material and old immune cells to stop the infection from reaching your vital organs. People with severe infections of any kind often find they get lumps under their arm pits, in their groin and their neck. You body fighting your HIV infection is possibly what is causing these lumps to form.<\/p>\n
You are right that some people with low CD4 counts are more at risk of cancer. However, the figures you gave were a bit high. About 10% of people with HIV get non-HIV-related cancers. If your doctor is not worried about it then it is possible these lumps will clear up on their own once your CD4 count has come back up again.<\/p>\n
The medication you are on should not be the cause of these lumps. If you squeeze them until they discharge and bleed you could end up with more infection and the lumps could get bigger and worse.<\/p>\n
Over the next 3-6 months you should see your viral load decrease to undetectable levels. Your CD4 count may take a little longer to increase. If you find that even when your CD4 count has increased you are still having these lumps then you should talk to your HIV doctor again.<\/p>\n
For more information on starting treatment you should read the i-Base \u2018Introduction to Combination Therapy<\/a>\u2019 guidebook.<\/p>\n