Hot Prickly/Tingly Feet After Med Change

[Londonguy]

Hi all,

About a month ago I switched from Atripla to Intelence and Truvada.  After two years on Atripla the foggy headedness and mood swings were seriously affecting my ability to enjoy life.  I was a bit wary of my doctors suggestion to switch to Intelence because I know it's fairly new but he said I could take it once a day so I thought I'd give it a shot.

Well everything has mostly been fine, probably the least side effects I've had on starting new treatment.  But it's no exaggeration to say that, within a couple of days of starting my feet have been having periods of feeling tingly/prickly, hot and a bit sore.  I've never really had this before and it's pretty annoying.  I spoke to my doctor about it today and he said any peripheral neuropathy caused by treatment would usually take months to develop, and that he'd take some tests to look for vitamin deficiencies. I know the Intelence won't have suddenly done a number on my nerves within a few days of starting.  But it's continued for nigh on a month, it very obviously gets more frequent at night, and I never had any problems with my feet before.

I'm not sure whether to worry or not 

[newt]

The patient info for Intelence says (I quote):

Other common side effects of INTELENCE® include tingling or pain in hands or feet and numbness.

"Classic" HIV drug related peripheral neuropathy shows up with the old 'd' drugs (d4T, ddC, ddI), and is down to the drugs basically stripping away the nerve. This indeed shows after months not days.

But there are plenty of other forms of paresthesia (ie tingling), some of which relate to inflammation caused by immune activation, and changes in vascular function (blood flow). Since NNRTIs seem to cause activation of a part of the immune system called cytokines, the tingling may not be "classic" peripheral neuropathy.

B12 vitamin deficiency test is a good idea, but in the end, if all else is well, it's the Intelence.

It's a new drug, and the side effects are not completely known yet.

Did he suggest pain killers or anything?

- matt

[surf18]

i had that tingly feeling on verimune.

[Londonguy]

Thanks for the reply.  No my doctor didn't suggest pain killers, though to be fair I wouldn't say I'm in pain most of the time exactly, it's just annoying.  The only time I've really been in pain is last week when I was commuting home while the tube was on strike and I had to do a fair amount of walking.  And I swear my feet felt like they were on fire, I actually had to sit down.  That isn't normal for me at all.  I've also noticed I get less issues at the weekend, when I do less walking, than during the week.  When I get home from work my feet tend to tingle and prickle most noticably.

I don't know how to feel really.  I guess I'll wait to see my blood results are ok, both in terms of B12 and viral load.  If it stayed like this I could probably deal with it; better than GI issues or psychological issues.  My worry is just that it'll progress to something worse.

[numbersguy82]

Hey Londonguy,
I started Truvada back in Sept and had the same reaction. It was a tingliness in my arms and fingers. It felt almost like I was being misted with water... very sensitive. The side-effect lasted for about 2 weeks, and since then I am happy to report that it is no longer an issue. I asked my doc and she echoed what newt pointed out and that it was a common side effect, and probably nothing more. I don't have any deficiencies except my iron was low. I do take a b12 supplement, but its not anything my doc has asked me to take.

I'd say allow the two weeks period for side-effects to subside and then go from there.

[Nevergivingup]

Hi Longdonguy
About a year ago I had this same issue and I am on isentress and truvada. The numbness and burning got so bad I couldnt sleep. So I started talking to my ID doc and he said lets wait and see if it goes away it never went away just got worse.

So after a few months he started me on Lyrica 75mg twice a day. I take it at night because that is when it gets bad. Lyrica helps alot but makes me high but its better then having the burning, the numbness I could tolerate but the burning was driving me crazy and thaht is a very short drive. If it doesnt improve ask your doc about Lyrica it works for me.`

[Lido]

Hallo
I would like to wish everybody Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. Hope 2011 will be a bright year for us.

I just switched medicines from Reyataz, Norvir and Truvada to Stocrin and Truvada last month. I have this hot prickly and tringly pains in my feet and the pains go up to my knees. This is very worse at night and when i wake up in the morning you can see blood veins sticking out. I also feel very tired.
Is there anyone on this medication and what are the experiences. Am waiting for the doctors appointment which might be after the holidays.
Lido

[Inchlingblue]

Hallo
I would like to wish everybody Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. Hope 2011 will be a bright year for us.

I just switched medicines from Reyataz, Norvir and Truvada to Stocrin and Truvada last month. I have this hot prickly and tringly pains in my feet and the pains go up to my knees. This is very worse at night and when i wake up in the morning you can see blood veins sticking out. I also feel very tired.
Is there anyone on this medication and what are the experiences. Am waiting for the doctors appointment which might be after the holidays.
Lido

You would get more responses if you started a thread of your own. In the meantime, Stocrin and Truvada is the same as Atripla so you could always do a search on here for "Atripla feet" for example and see if anything comes up.