POZ Community Forums

Meds, Mind, Body & Benefits => Lipodystrophy & Metabolic Problems => Topic started by: robbie0517 on July 20, 2007, 11:29:17 pm

Title: Lipoatrophy and leg pain
Post by: robbie0517 on July 20, 2007, 11:29:17 pm
Hello,

I am HIV- but my boyfriend of 8 years is HIV+ since 2001. He started Atripla about a year ago but was on Truvada + Sustiva before that, and Sustiva+Combivir+Viread before that.

I love him very much and have been worried about him the last couple of days. He is complaining of moderate to severe pain in his legs, mainly his thighs.

He suffers from lipoatrophy pretty bad. There is absolutely no fat on his body anywhere. His veins all appear to be on the outside of his body. He is really selfconsience and I wish I could just make it better but I can't.

He especially feels the pain after going up stairs. Does anyone have any idea what might be going on? He has a doctor's appt but not until July 30.

Any help is appreciated. I know you guys are great about helping people, maybe you can help us.

Thank You,
Robbie
Title: Re: Lipoatrophy and leg pain
Post by: aztecan on July 21, 2007, 09:17:05 pm
Hey Robbie,

I've had lipoatrophy for years, but have never experienced pain as a result.

What sort of pain is your boyfriend experiencing? Is it in the joints, in the muscles?

I know my knees don't like it when I overdo, but that is a result of my getting older rather than the HIV or the meds.

Is your boyfriend on any statins like Lipitor? Sometimes they can cause muscle pain.

I think your boyfriend's doc needs to be alerted to this.  Far as I know, Atripla shouldn't be doing this, but who knows?

Keep us updated on what you find out and how your boyfriend is doing.

HUGS,

Mark
Title: Re: Lipoatrophy and leg pain
Post by: GSOgymrat on July 23, 2007, 11:59:35 am
I've never experienced leg pain from lipoatrophy. I think there is something else going on.
Title: Re: Lipoatrophy and leg pain
Post by: aztecan on July 23, 2007, 01:41:30 pm
Not to hijack the thread, but GSO - your photo is really great.

Great smile!

WOOF!

HUGS,

Mark
Title: Re: Lipoatrophy and leg pain
Post by: GSOgymrat on July 23, 2007, 03:27:41 pm
Not to hijack the thread, but GSO - your photo is really great.

Great smile!

WOOF!

HUGS,

Mark


Us bald guys have to stick together!
Title: Re: Lipoatrophy and leg pain
Post by: chm02 on July 27, 2007, 03:36:34 am
It could be neuropathy...
Title: Re: Lipoatrophy and leg pain
Post by: robbie0517 on August 08, 2007, 08:08:46 pm
Well he went to the doctor yesterday and was told that It most likely is from muscle wasting.
Title: Re: Lipoatrophy and leg pain
Post by: newt on August 09, 2007, 03:39:20 am
If the pain is in the feet and perhaps the knees, this can be from loss of fat in the balls of the feet/behind the knees which makes walking painful, therefore perhaps from lipoatrophy.

- matt
Title: Re: Lipoatrophy and leg pain
Post by: J.R.E. on August 10, 2007, 08:31:42 am

Over the last couple months, I have been noticing more pain in the legs, Especially on the bottoms of the feet, when I have all my weight applied, and when I first stand up, or if I have been off my feet for a while. Feels like I am standing on bone, with no cushioning. Also noticing a lot of stiffness in the feet.
( toes )

As far as leg pain, mostly muscle fatigue, type of feeling, but, at the same time, I feel the need to walk more often. If I sit too  long, I will ache,( this is not the normal neuropathy ache) so its best I keep moving. I still enjoy riding the bike, and have no problem peddling.


Ray
Title: Re: Lipoatrophy and leg pain
Post by: robbie0517 on August 27, 2007, 03:22:29 pm
Well he went back to the doctor today and they are now suspecting diabetes. I hope this is not the case, I hate watching him suffer already from the HIV and hope this doesn't get compounded by diabetes.

Is diabetes a risk associated with HIV infection?
Title: Re: Lipoatrophy and leg pain
Post by: Miss Philicia on August 27, 2007, 03:42:31 pm
hmmm... somehow I missed this the first go around.  I definitely have moderate pain the ole foot pads and knees which I've assumed is due to lipo.  The bottom of my feet are where I first noticed problems a decade ago, without of course knowing what as going on.  I always was one to walk barefoot when I was home in the house, and suddenly found it uncomfortable and started having to always at least wear socks.  Then it got worse and went to flip flops (I always was living in old houses with wood floors).  Then I began noticing it in my elbows -- yes elbows.  Even today if I rest my arms on the armrests of my desk chair it will begin to hurt if it's resting right on the bone.  Mind you, if I had a desk chair with padded arm rests I would not notice it, but minimalist Eames chairs do not have this and I refuse to get rid of this chair, so I just try and adjust.

And yes, it eventually got to where I would get tired going up (and maybe even down) stairs at times.  Not excruciating like athritis or anything but it was noticeable.  You know, when you're lab numbers have been in every range and you've been on every HIV med available since the early 90's you learn to just write some things off to the "whatever" category unless they're very bad.  I know for the longest time my fatigue was due to my unsuppressed viral load that went on for over a decade.  This has been controlled in the past year and my fatigue has gone way down.

I also have what I is more lower grade PN but I know what that feels like as opposed to the others.

Anyway robbie, aidsmap does indicated that type II diabetes is seen in 2-10% of HIV sufferers.

http://www.aidsmap.com/cms1032578.asp

Of course, now that I read that I start wondering if that's what I have.  Does this stuff not get checked in normal blood work?  I know nothing about diabetes really.
Title: Re: Lipoatrophy and leg pain
Post by: SteveA on October 26, 2007, 03:44:59 pm
Diabetes isn't a side effect of HIV, it's a side effect of the Lipodistrophy caused by PI's. All the excess fat around your internal organs causes the pancreas to over work itself due to insulin resistance. Eventually it reaches a point where it can no longer keep up with insulin production. How do I know this? Because I just got that diabetes diagnosis just under 4 months ago for the very reasons I've just listed.
Title: Re: Lipoatrophy and leg pain
Post by: minismom on November 21, 2007, 04:50:11 pm
Mini was diagnosed with diabetes in 2004 after being on her recent combo for about 18mths.  It was also 1 mth after she was dx with cp.  PID said it had to do w/ the way her body was reacting to her meds.  She also has leg pain and arm pain. She compensates by walking on her toes w/ her knees bent.  She takes dance classes and one of the dances is done w/ a tamborine.  She stopped half way through the dance and said her arm (holding the tamberine) and her hand (the one "hitting" the tamborine) were both hurting.  She was near tears.  We also got rid of all her cute shoes and she now has nice thick walking shoes w/ inserts in them.  That seems to help some, too, but she also gets tired very easily.

Mini's mom
Title: Re: Lipoatrophy and leg pain
Post by: SteveA on November 23, 2007, 05:10:49 pm
I haven't experienced any leg or arm pain yet other than my developing arthritis which is just normal for my age.  :-X