Constant muscle spasms / muscle weakness after starting Truvada / Isentress

[Ryoma]

Hi,

I've searched for information on side effects like this to no avail.  Does anyone have any info or insight into what might be happening?   

I started Truvada / Isentress about seven weeks, and a few days started experiencing tightness in my butt and legs.  This gradually expanded to twitching, spasms and weakness in my arms, abdomen, then face, throat, neck, and back.  It's been scary, I'm definitely walking slower due to the weakness in my left leg, my neck and arms hurt, my abdomen and legs seem to shake constantly and I'm even having some trouble speaking and holding up my head.  My doc and I agreed to switch out the Isentress for Reyataz / Norvir a week ago, but absolutely no change in the muscle situation.

More's the pity as other than my muscles seeming to fall apart, I felt great - all the horrible symptoms before I started the meds went away and my VL went down to 83 in just five weeks on the meds...

Thanks Ryoma

[Miss Philicia]

Isentress can cause elevated levels of a muscle enzyme called creatine kinase.  Did your doctor run lab tests for this to see if they were elevated before switching you out?  If it was this, I have no idea how long it takes to work its way out of your body and settle down, as not that many people have had problems with it, though it is a known side effect.

[Assurbanipal]

Hi Ryoma

Sorry you are still having problems with this.  If switching out the Isentress did not work, perhaps the problem is with the Truvada?  Does this description of lactic acidosis sound true to you:

" Lactic acidosis, which can be fatal, and severe liver problems have been reported in people taking nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NRTIs). Contact your doctor immediately if you experience nausea, vomiting, or unusual or unexpected stomach discomfort; weakness and tiredness; shortness of breath; weakness in the arms and legs; yellowing of the skin or eyes; or pain in the upper stomach area."

There's more info on this in the treatments section: 
http://www.aidsmeds.com/archive/Truvada_1584.shtml

Hope you can find an easier regimen.

A

[Ryoma]

Thanks for the responses.  You wouldn't know from the blood work that there was anything wrong with me at all.  My CK levels went up after starting the meds but were still within the normal range.  I had another test the day I switched but haven't gotten those numbers yet.  And I've discussed lactic acidosis with the docs as well, but the only symptom so far is the muscle madness.  No fatigue or nausea / vomiting, which seem to be more of the defining characteristics of it.

So I'm going to the doc again tomorrow to chart the next steps, including switching out the Truvada and/or a complete battery of neuromuscular tests.

[uncertain]

I had many of the same issues you did, so wondering i should switch, hurts so much to sit down!