Annoying pins & Needles / Circulation & Back / Abdominal Cramping

[tplmc1964]

I will be going in for my first set of comparison labs next week. Currently on Atripla, this is the first visit to see how the numbers now compare ( 60 days ) to my first diagnosis numbers. Then, (Dec.8, 2009) CD4 = 300 VL 48,000.

I realize that most of us especially in the early stages of HIV have a number of aches and pains so I'm more curious if others have had something similar to me, so I can properly address it with my Dr. The first started out mild and infrequent but has become almost chronic - Pins / needles in my arms, hands, legs. Almost always occurs during sleep (not in odd positions?) and sitting too long, (office especially, twice lead to a charlie horse in my upper right thigh) Usually once up and about these symptoms go away and I'm not bothered by them unless as I say, I stay seated in one place too long but again, standing, walking it off seems to fix it. Anyone experience this? What were the causes for you? I've read everything from B12 deficiency to really scary stuff I don't want to know about. I am a pack a day smoker, I had a history of heavy drinking, but a nondrinker for about a year now. (both were mentioned in other forums as possible contributors?)

Second a to me a little more alarming and more frequent is a jabbing pain just above my belt line on right side, and same area, but in front. It's not chronic, some days not at all. But occurs often enough to make me wonder what is causing this? Especially because it feels more muscle related than organ related, the pain is more surface, (not skin, but muscle area) it's not deeply internal. Doesn't seem to matter what I eat, drink, do...etc. I've had and still have several O.I. including yeast/fungal infection which was treated, some light patches remain on my skin, but pretty much gone. I had sweating and occasional fever right at diagnosis, but maybe experienced this once since then.

I do have high blood pressure and I'm of course extremely anxious / nervous about finding out where I stand VL and CD4 wise this week.

I know, I sound like a big whiner - but hearing if others had or have similar issues and may have some history to share help me from jumping off the deep end. I tend to think the worst, and find out otherwise. Although lately, I've thought differently and found out the worst was true. Thanks to all who have held my hand these last two months, I'll be sure to post my results, good or bad. Any advice on this other stuff, really appreciated.

Thanks! 

[phildinftlaudy]

Hi tplmc1964- yes, HIV does seem to bring about its on little nuances to say the least.  I was diagnosed in 09/08 with 610 cd4 and 590 vl.  a few months after being diagnosed started getting pain in my abdomen area.  CAT scan showed it to be enlarged spleen.  Dr. said that is normal body response as spleen is something like a large lymph node and works to battle infections - part of immune system.  I have also heard and read from others that stomach cds are the ones hit the hardest early on.  I also got diagnosed with GERD shortly after being diagnosed.  I can no longer eat chili -- otherwise I end up violently ill and at the ER --- never had that problem.  The pins and needles for me and hotness as well as foot falling asleep started happening a few months ago -- Dr. says it appears to be perinpheral neuropathy.  I started Atripla 12/04, haven't had too many side effects; abdominal cramps have subsided; and haven't been getting too many pins and needle experiences.  Hope this info shows that u are not alone.  Always best to let ur doctor know whats going on with u -- even if it seems insignificant -- like i said, this HIV has its own little way of causing changes in our body -- some more pronounced than others --- oh, and i'm also experiencing the nice redistribution of fat to my stomach (in a strange way) which has me undoing my belt and sitting in my office with the pants unbuttoned (which is what got me in this mess in the first place  :-)  )

[tplmc1964]

Okay, LOL on that last comment, thanks I needed the laugh. I didn't mention that but I too have the exact same redistribution, I'm due to give birth any day now. I do think the weight gain can be controlled with diet and some sit ups, (someone else posted this problem and had good results just watching bad foods and doing crunches) I can deal with a belly, think of all those poor guys in the early days and some even now that have facial wasting. Sorry about the GERD, that had to be scary. I can't deal with saturated fats anymore, but fortunately I had obvious symptoms, stopped eating fatty foods and my bathroom visits went back to normal...I still gained weight, but I like my carbs. 

Thanks for replying about the rest, makes perfect sense, never considered the spleen. I will definitely discuss all of this with my doc and I'm sure she'll run another round of tests, but since I was infected with HIV for about two years and never knew it because I believed I was fine and never got tested, even if the results are not what I want to hear, better to find out early. Looks like we both started Atripla on almost the same day? As nervous as I am about receiving my first round of labs, I've heard so much good about this med - deep down, I'm really hopeful for improved results.

Yes HIV does cause a plethora of symptoms, I can't wait for all or at least most of these to stop. Just seems like every day, another pain somewhere, darkened skin on my face, bags under my eyes, dandruff. etc. Prior to this, although I enjoyed my partying, I was rarely if ever sick. So...guess I'm especially intolerant of what to most are just minor annoyances. I've read some pretty scary stories here, all had happy endings but so many have been so sick from this. If one more idiot shrugs this off as "just a chronic illness, no big deal" he's going down for the count.

Thanks again for the reply and yea made me feel better to know someone else had / has some similar problems. For what it's worth, I have a pair of dress pants that have this hidden elastic waste? God send. Now I just need longer belts.

Be well - Great to meet you.

Tim

[phildinftlaudy]

Thanks Tim - nice meeting you also.  Yeah, check with ur doc - because it may be the spleen thing.  I started the Atripla on 12/4/09 and by 12/29/09 my labs had went to 540 cd4 and 60 vl.  I had just gotten a new belt a few months back but need to get a bigger one and u are right about the hiddenn elastic -- i have one pair of dress pants like that and will eventually try to change out my whole wardrobe for those  --- Best to u as well.  Look forward to hearing more from u and to hear what u find out about the cramps and tingling/needles.

[Ann]

Tim,

Your spleen is on the left side, so pain on your right side wouldn't be spleen-related. It sounds more like your gall bladder - gall bladder pain doesn't usually feel too "deep". Talk to your doc about this.

Ann

[phildinftlaudy]

Thanks Ann --- i just had a friend who was suffering with gall bladder problems and ur right, the pain was intense but wasn't deep.  My pain from my spleen enlargement was predominantly on the left side but did radiant to the center and right.  When the dr. pressed on the left I could feel the intensity there.

[Hellraiser]

I've had my gallbladder out, if it were this he would know.  It feels like an amazingly intense stabbing pain right below your right ribs.  You can't get comfortable at all and it would be the ONLY thing you could concentrate on.  It's also mostly painful after eating spicy or greasy foods and late at night or after overeating.

[tplmc1964]

Thanks for the replies everyone - It's a guessing game until the doc pokes at me and runs some tests. My mother had gall stones for years, she went undiagnosed (back in the 60's) because her pain was in her mid back. She's pass away many years ago, but she often described that it was deep and in some cases literally dropped her to the floor. She said giving birth was less painful. Finally another Dr. did different tests and X-rays, sure enough, she had surgery and never had the pain again.

This just doesn't seem to have much rhyme or reason, doesn't occur after anything specific, and as I mentioned it's not deep, it feels like it's just beneath the skin, just above my hip. It occurs here frequently but I've had it on the left side, and quite a bit on my lower back on the right side - all just above the belt line area, and feels like jabbing, it's not sustained and doesn't last for hours. The lower back is a little different, more like an ache. No nausea, vomiting. Diarrhea has been under control for weeks now. It's a big "who knows?" Since my next Dr. appt. is less than a week, and this is more annoying than anything I'll just bring it up then, and post the prognosis when I learn it. I do need to have my liver and kidney's checked. I think I mentioned I have been a heavy drinker for about twenty years. Even though it was beer, it was still alcohol and may have taken a toll on either or both organs. Basically, as much as I don't want to know, I'd rather have everything looked at and ruled out or in than to say nothing and let something that may be serious become worse. One thing I do realize is that as well as I take care of myself now, what I did to my body when I was neg. young and healthy could be taking it's toll on me now and be completely unrelated to HIV.

I welcome anyone elses thoughts, and again thanks to those who did reply. I'll post the outcome.

Thanks,

Tim

[phildinftlaudy]

Definitely keep us informed Tim - because as u can see, it could b any number of things.  When I got my enlarged spleen diagnosis, they also saw two spots on my liver, but further checking showed that they were nothing to be concerned with (more like internal birthmarks).  I, like u, was also a heavy drinker --- I have slowed down considerably (like a Corona  or two every now and then).  I also had Hep A back in 2001 (way before pos diagnosis) and was hospitalized 8 days; and had non-sympomatic acute Hep B (we think back in 2003) -- so my body has been thru a few things - particularly my liver.  But, let ur dr. check u out, let him/her know ur concerns, symptoms and go from there.  Thanks for sharing as every post is appreciated.

[Inchlingblue]

I get the same pins and needles thing, started to get it even before I started meds and with decent numbers. It isn't that bad and doesn't happen all the time and I find that it gets better with exercise so I have not even mentioned it to my doctor. I assume it's a mild form of peripheral neuropathy.

My doctor does a nerve conductivity test to all his HIV patients and mine came back normal, which indicates that if it is PN, as mentioned above, it's mild.

I had slight gall bladder issues (now relieved through diet and other things I do), and as HR says, it's right below the ribs on the right side so if your discomfort is right above the hip I doubt it's gall bladder. The appendix is in that lower right area. There's really no way to know for sure unless they do tests, such as a sonogram.

Keep us posted.