Could I be experiencing bone mineral density loss? Please help!

[Coolio_7]

Ok so it been about 7 weeks since I started generic Atripla virady. I noticed that a few days after seeing my ID specialist to get blood work done to see if the meds were working I've been having some weird issues. By the way after only 4 weeks on the meds my viral load went from 59k to about 700 and my CD4 count went from 333 @ 21% to 461 @ 25%.

But a few days after getting my lab results I noticed that one morning I woke up and my wrists were extremely painful. It should be noted that I sleep on my side and tend to bend my wrist inward (curl it) toward my face and lay my face on it. Don't know why but I have woken up before with sore wrist and it usually goes away in a few days after I make a really good effort not to bend my wrist when sleeping. But it has been two weeks and my left wrist seemed to have stopped hurting but the right one still hurts when I bend it 90 degrees down or up. What's more when I bend it up my forearm also hurts as well. I have made a concerted effort not to bend my wrist when I sleep anymore. This has never happened before during the times before I stated meds when I would wake up with a sore wrist from sleeping on it. So should I speak to my doc about this? I'm thinking it could be carpel tunnel but like I mentioned the pain has never lasted this long or traveled to my forearm. It hurts to stand up my hand on my sides ( right hand) or even turn the wheel when I drive.

Then just early last week I started having pain in my left inner thigh groin area. I don't know if I pulled a groin muscle from the cardio I do (I do cardio like 3 times a week for 30 minutes at a time on the elliptical and on the treadmill. I usually do 20 minutes elliptical and 10 mnutes of jogging or usually all elliptical).

But it hurts go turn my thigh or leg outward. If I stand up on my right leg and try to turn my leg leg outward with the knee bend it's painful. The same goes for sitting with my left leg bend and trying to rest it outward on a sofa or chair. This just started early last week and hasn't gotten better. I take centrum ultra for men vitamin daily and I have smart balance milk daily with cheerios or raisin bran or wheaties cereal. I also have a yogurt (yoplait) with breakfast. I can run and walk fine without any pain. It just whatever action that requires turning my left leg outward 45 to 60 degrees or so causes pain. Could this be related to bone mineral density loss since my CD4 count shot up so quickly? And should I give this more time or should I make an appointment to see my doc? I'm not scheduled to see him until the beginning of November for more blood work (labs).

It should be noted that any side effects I had all went away after the first week. I can even eat before I take my pill and have no side effects. Should I be worried about my wrist and inner thigh? Or is this nothing to worry about? Thanks in advance for any advice. I love taking the one pill a day. And would hate to have to change to something else and have to deal with a different set of side effects all over again initially.

By the way I'm male, 34, 5'6" and 150lbs.

Moderators feel free to move this to the correct area if I've post this in the wrong place. Thanks in advance for any advice or help.

[sfpvguy41]

I'm not a doctor so if problems continue and bother you, see your Doc!

But having had bone problems (after 5 years on meds) I doubt that after 7 weeks this would be a problem yet.  The problems you cite sound a lot more like muscles and tendons.  I had problems with carpal tunnel when I used a computer and mouse all day, it turned the hands in at night.  Two suggestions, do stretching excercises, especially before bed, pushing palms together over your stomach to stretch the tendons back many times during the day.  Try an inexpensive hard wrist support at night so they don't bend.  Read up on excercises for your wrists...it helped me a lot.

Again due to motion issues it sounds like you pulled a groin muscle.  If it doesn't improve with rest ask a trainer at the gym, physical therapist or doctor.

One thing I might recommend is drink a lot of water now that you're on meds.  It's good for everything, and if dehydration is an issue with meds and excercise it'll help.  That said look up threads on bone density and take a calcium/vitamin d supplement once or twice daily to help head off bone problems in the future.

There are so many things you wonder about being caused by your meds when you start them, and in my case I'll bet 90%+ were my imagination. Probably true with you too since you said you are not having serious  problems with side effects. I hope those of us who've gotten through it can help you out and you can de-stress...stress makes everything worse!

Good luck.

[Coolio_7]

^^thanks for the feedback. I hope it's just a groin muscle I pulled. I did do some reading and found a nice site about what exercises i can do for my wrist. It seems I've injured the ulnar collateral ligament that is on the small finger side. This is why it hurts to even wave goodbye from side to side or when I turn my wrist toward my thumb it hurts. I'll try the exercises and see if this clears up. Thanks about the water recommendation. I'll definitely try to drink more of it.

Thanks again.

[buginme2]

Doctor Doctor it hurts when I do this......Doctor replies....so dont do that.

If you were not on any meds what would you think these issues/pains would be?  Thats prob what they are.  However, of course it cant hurt to mention them to your doctor or evrn make a special appointment if they continue or ge worse.

[mikeyb39]

I have carpal tunnel in my left hand, but not from meds, but from working on a computer all day.  wrist hurts like hell up the dorsal side of my arm and around my elbow.  taking anti inflammatory for next couple week, but orthopedic says surgery may be in my near future if doesnt get better.