Bad muscle pain / body aches?

1

Anyone else ever experience this?

About 3rd week into adding Glumetza to my Victoza shots I began having discomfort in my calves, shins, and feet. But only at night when I elevated my legs to watch tv, or in bed. I would have to rub/shake/swing my legs to get comfort. More of an annoyance, a "... hmmm, that's odd..." type of thing.

Thought it might have been Restless Leg Syndrome, but over the next week it was all day, not just when elevated and had moved to also be uncomfortable in hamstrings, back, and buttocks.

Over the next week or so it's gone from an annoyance to actual pain that's keeping me from falling asleep, and very fatigued.

Read online in several places that Metformin (at one time) was thought to trigger Lacti Acidosis, which has muscle pain as a known symptom.

As mentioned in a previous post, have tried everything from BenGay and Quercitine to heating pads and hydrocodone. NOTHING eliminates the pain; the hydrocodone does help 100%, but from what I understand is an opiate, doesn't act on the pain, just tricks the brain into not caring about the pain, and highly addictive.

I've restricted myself to only taking 1 hydrocodone a day, and that's at night so I can sleep. Would be happier taking none.

Have appt to see my doc day after tomrw., but an curious to know if any one else has run into these muscle pains, and if so, what on EARTH did you do to resolve them?

2

I had minor muscle pains and cramps in my lower legs for a couple of months. In the winter it got worse. I thought with my neuropathy perhaps my legs were getting too cold and I didn't know it, so I always kept an extra blanket on them. This spring and summer, however, it got really bad. My legs would go totally stiff, from my feet to my hips, and stay that way for about 30 seconds, then they'd just release. This would happen 3 or 4 times a night and it's frightening. The next day my leg muscles would be stiff and sore, as if I'd had too much exercise. My doctor told me to try magnesium, all that did was make my blood pressure very, very low. Since metformin is the only drug I take, as an experiment I stopped taking it. Within 2 days the symptoms went away. I still get a twinge once in a while, but not those horrible cramps I had. The doctor was amused when I suggested lactic acidosis. The list of other symptoms she sent me for lactic acidosis are not things I suffered from, but it seems highly suspicious that just stopping the metformin also stopped the problem.

3

Do you take a statin? I was suffering from 'beaten up syndrome' several months ago and saw my GP. He suggested that my simvastatin was causing the problem so we discontinued it. The symptoms abated almost immediately. My pain was all over and not restricted to my legs, however.

4

I have never taken statins, maybe AngieMel though?

5

are your blood sugars coming down? it's very common for many of us who had high blood sugars initially to get a lot of muscle cramping pain, etc...especially in the legs when our blood sugars start to 'normalize' it's even stated on the vial of insulins; intermittent neuropathy. i used the same thing, tylenol, heating pads, bengay, tonic water (no drugs though). I'm a type 1 but my endo told me when diagnosed, "it's gonna feel much worse before it gets better."

6

I know this is going to just sound whacked, but the discomfort you are having could be a really good thing. It could be a sign you are "healing." Your blood sugars have been very high and it is possible that you have neuropathy where your nerves in your legs have been damaged. And you didn't feel anything until they started to get better with your improved blood sugars. So now as your feeling returns, you are feeling pain. It is appropriate to see your doctor about whether one of the drugs to help such as Neurotonin or Lyrica, but please don't stop the metformin. Lactic Acidosis is very rare and the symptoms of leg pain are not consistent with Lactic Acidosis.

Please keep up the good work in bringing your blood sugars under control, that is the key to good health.