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Suggest Treatment For Muscle Spasms In Thigh And Knee Area
Posted on
Wed, 2 Sep 2015
Medically reviewed by
Ask A Doctor - 24x7 Medical Review Team
Wed, 2 Sep 2015
Answered on
Tue, 22 Sep 2015
Last reviewed on
Question : Hi I have been taking Losartan and Atenolol for many years. My heart doctor took me off the Atenolol and put me on AmLOPidine Besylate 5mg and Hydrochlorothiazide 23 mg. My blood pressure stayed around the same 143/69-70. I began having muscle pains especially in my left groin and thigh area so my doctor told me to stop the Atorvastatin in case it was the problem. Then everything in the thigh area and knees hurt so bad I had to go to pain management. My ortho Doctor thinks it is all hip related. Now I seem to be having bowel issues ( pale stools and Diarrhrea) which am having blood work done today. Is it possible that all these symptoms are being caused by the change in my blood pressure medicine. By the way, I just started back on the atorvastatin two weeks ago after being off it for 2 months. Please help. I am miserable. Thank you
Brief Answer:
rare possible side effects
Detailed Answer:
HI, thanks for using healthcare magic
Pain can radiate from the hip to involve the thighs and knees so it is possible that the pain in these areas are related to the problems with the hip.
Amlodipine can be associated with muscle aches but it is a very rare side effect, occurring in less than 2% (less than 2 out of 100 ) of persons who use this medication, joint pain occurs in 0.1 to 1% of persons ( 1 out of 1000 to 1 out of 100).
This means that though amlodipine is a possible source of pain, it is not likely, other causes would need to be considered first.
In terms of the diarrhea, again this is a rare possible side effect, occurring in less than 1% of persons so again other causes would need to be ruled out.
Acute (recent onset) diarrhea is most often due to infection either viral or bacterial. Treatment is mainly fluid management , use of probiotics to help restore the bowel and possibly meds (Eg lomotil , peptobismol etc)
A stool sample to the lab can identify the cause if due to infection.
If it continues beyond 4 weeks then it is called chronic diarrhea and other causes would need to be considered eg irritable bowel, high level of thyroid hormone, inflammatory bowel disease, food allergy/sensitivity
If other causes have been ruled out then it may be the medication and it should be discontinued to see if this would help.
If the pain continued after the atorvastatin was stopped then this is not likely the cause.
I hope this helps, feel free to ask any other questions
rare possible side effects
Detailed Answer:
HI, thanks for using healthcare magic
Pain can radiate from the hip to involve the thighs and knees so it is possible that the pain in these areas are related to the problems with the hip.
Amlodipine can be associated with muscle aches but it is a very rare side effect, occurring in less than 2% (less than 2 out of 100 ) of persons who use this medication, joint pain occurs in 0.1 to 1% of persons ( 1 out of 1000 to 1 out of 100).
This means that though amlodipine is a possible source of pain, it is not likely, other causes would need to be considered first.
In terms of the diarrhea, again this is a rare possible side effect, occurring in less than 1% of persons so again other causes would need to be ruled out.
Acute (recent onset) diarrhea is most often due to infection either viral or bacterial. Treatment is mainly fluid management , use of probiotics to help restore the bowel and possibly meds (Eg lomotil , peptobismol etc)
A stool sample to the lab can identify the cause if due to infection.
If it continues beyond 4 weeks then it is called chronic diarrhea and other causes would need to be considered eg irritable bowel, high level of thyroid hormone, inflammatory bowel disease, food allergy/sensitivity
If other causes have been ruled out then it may be the medication and it should be discontinued to see if this would help.
If the pain continued after the atorvastatin was stopped then this is not likely the cause.
I hope this helps, feel free to ask any other questions
Note: For further queries related to coronary artery disease and prevention, click here.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Answered by
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