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"&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;All drugs have some risk of side effects.\u00A0 While often the majority of people will never develop a significant side effect, it\u2019s important to recognize signs of those side effects so the drug can be changed or stopped altogether.\u00A0&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;When most people think of drug side effects, they may think of nausea or &amp;lt;a href=&amp;quot;https://www.verywell.com/is-my-dizziness-a-side-effect-2488844&amp;quot; data-component=&amp;quot;link&amp;quot; data-source=&amp;quot;inlineLink&amp;quot; data-type=&amp;quot;internalLink&amp;quot; data-ordinal=&amp;quot;1&amp;quot;&amp;gt;dizziness&amp;lt;/a&amp;gt;.\u00A0 But drugs can cause almost anything, including muscle pain and weakness.\u00A0 Here are some of the main medications associated with myopathy, a disorder of muscle.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;strong&amp;gt;Corticosteroids&amp;lt;/strong&amp;gt;&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;People know that taking &amp;lt;a href=&amp;quot;https://www.verywell.com/anabolic-steroids-corticosteroids-difference-190456&amp;quot; data-component=&amp;quot;link&amp;quot; data-source=&amp;quot;inlineLink&amp;quot; data-type=&amp;quot;internalLink&amp;quot; data-ordinal=&amp;quot;2&amp;quot;&amp;gt;anabolic steroids &amp;lt;/a&amp;gt;can cause muscle growth.\u00A0 It may strike them as odd, then, that other steroids such as the corticosteroids prescribed for autoimmune diseases can actually lead to muscle weakness. This may even occur several weeks after the steroids are first given.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Symptoms include gradual weakening and wasting of the thighs and shoulders.\u00A0 Other signs of excess steroids may also appear, such as fragile skin, high blood pressure or osteoporosis.\u00A0 Blood laboratory studies such as creatine kinase are often normal.\u00A0 An &amp;lt;a href=&amp;quot;https://www.verywell.com/how-emg-and-ncss-work-2488641&amp;quot; data-component=&amp;quot;link&amp;quot; data-source=&amp;quot;inlineLink&amp;quot; data-type=&amp;quot;internalLink&amp;quot; data-ordinal=&amp;quot;3&amp;quot;&amp;gt;electromyogram&amp;lt;/a&amp;gt; may also be normal.\u00A0&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;While stopping the medication or at least lowering the dose is the best treatment, it may not be possible if the disease for which the steroids were prescribed is very severe.\u00A0 Physical therapy, good nutrition and exercise can help slow additional muscle wasting.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;strong&amp;gt;Alcohol&amp;lt;/strong&amp;gt;&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Many people forget that alcohol is a drug, though many people have felt its side effects.\u00A0 Fortunately, relatively few are familiar with associated muscle disease.\u00A0 The most dramatic of these is acute alcoholic myopathy, which can occur in settings of chronic heavy alcohol use.\u00A0 The muscles rapidly become painful and weak.\u00A0 Labs will show &amp;lt;a href=&amp;quot;http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/982711-overview&amp;quot; data-component=&amp;quot;link&amp;quot; data-source=&amp;quot;inlineLink&amp;quot; data-type=&amp;quot;externalLink&amp;quot; data-ordinal=&amp;quot;4&amp;quot;&amp;gt;myoglobin in the urine&amp;lt;/a&amp;gt;\u2014if the case is severe, renal failure can also occur.\u00A0 If a biopsy is seen under the microscope, swelling and death of muscle fibers can be observed.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Another form of alcoholic myopathy is relatively painless, but also relatively rapid.\u00A0 In this form, acute &amp;lt;a href=&amp;quot;https://www.verywell.com/understanding-common-blood-tests-and-what-they-mean-3156935&amp;quot; data-component=&amp;quot;link&amp;quot; data-source=&amp;quot;inlineLink&amp;quot; data-type=&amp;quot;internalLink&amp;quot; data-ordinal=&amp;quot;5&amp;quot;&amp;gt;hypokalemic&amp;lt;/a&amp;gt; alcoholic myopathy, blood potassium levels are low, and levels of creatine kinease are very high.\u00A0 Giving potassium can lead to complete recovery within two weeks.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;There is also a more controversial disorder called chronic alcoholic myopathy.\u00A0 This is purported to be painful, with high creatine kinease levels and myoglobinuria, but comes on rather slowly.\u00A0&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;strong&amp;gt;Colchicine&amp;lt;/strong&amp;gt;&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;a href=&amp;quot;https://www.verywell.com/colchicine-10-things-you-should-know-189559&amp;quot; data-component=&amp;quot;link&amp;quot; data-source=&amp;quot;inlineLink&amp;quot; data-type=&amp;quot;internalLink&amp;quot; data-ordinal=&amp;quot;6&amp;quot;&amp;gt;Colchicine&amp;lt;/a&amp;gt; is a medication often used to treat gout.\u00A0 Occasionaly the drug can cause weakness of shoulder and thigh muscles worsening over a few week.\u00A0 The risks are especially high if the kidneys are not working well.\u00A0 Blood laboratory studies will show high creatine kinase levels.\u00A0 Generally, symptoms improve\u00A0 to 6 weeks after stopping colchicine.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;strong&amp;gt;Zidovudine&amp;lt;/strong&amp;gt;&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;The human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) can cause a wide range of &amp;lt;a href=&amp;quot;https://www.verywell.com/infections-of-the-spinal-cord-2488827&amp;quot; data-component=&amp;quot;link&amp;quot; data-source=&amp;quot;inlineLink&amp;quot; data-type=&amp;quot;internalLink&amp;quot; data-ordinal=&amp;quot;7&amp;quot;&amp;gt;neurological problems&amp;lt;/a&amp;gt;, including myopathy.\u00A0 Unfortunately, so can &amp;lt;a href=&amp;quot;https://www.verywell.com/list-of-approved-hiv-antiretroviral-drugs-49309&amp;quot; data-component=&amp;quot;link&amp;quot; data-source=&amp;quot;inlineLink&amp;quot; data-type=&amp;quot;internalLink&amp;quot; data-ordinal=&amp;quot;8&amp;quot;&amp;gt;zidovudine (AZT)&amp;lt;/a&amp;gt;, one of the drugs often used to treat HIV.\u00A0 Symptoms closely mimic HIV associated myositis, with progressive weakness, fatigue, and muscle aches.\u00A0 The range of weakness ranges from mild to severe.\u00A0 Recovery can take several months after stopping the medications.\u00A0&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;strong&amp;gt;Statins (HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors)&amp;lt;/strong&amp;gt;&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;a href=&amp;quot;https://www.verywell.com/the-side-effects-of-statin-drugs-for-cholesterol-698203&amp;quot; data-component=&amp;quot;link&amp;quot; data-source=&amp;quot;inlineLink&amp;quot; data-type=&amp;quot;internalLink&amp;quot; data-ordinal=&amp;quot;9&amp;quot;&amp;gt;Statins&amp;lt;/a&amp;gt; such as simvastatin or lovastatin are very widely prescribed to lower \u201Cbad\u201D cholesterol levels, and are valuable in helping to prevent stroke and heart disease.\u00A0 Usually the drugs are well tolerated, but sometimes they can cause muscle disease.\u00A0 The symptoms vary widely.\u00A0 Generally , problems begin 2 to 3 months after statins are started, but sometimes it may take up to 2 years before side effects develop.\u00A0 The symptoms include muscle aches and weakness.\u00A0 Treatment includes stopping the drug\u2014if symptoms continue several months after stopping the statin, a different diagnosis should be considered.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;strong&amp;gt;Fibric Acid Derivatives (clofibrate, gemfibrozil)&amp;lt;/strong&amp;gt;&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;These medications are often used to treat high levels of triglycerides in the blood, \u00A0but can lead to cramps, weakness and muscle tenderness 2 to 3 months after starting the medication.\u00A0&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;The above lists some of the most common pharmacological culprits behind new myopathy, but is not exclusive. \u00A0In general, if a new symptom develops shortly after starting a medication, the possibility of side effects should be considered.\u00A0&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;strong&amp;gt;Source:&amp;lt;/strong&amp;gt;\u00A0&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Nima Mowzoon, Disorders of Muscle, Neurology Board Review: An Illustrated Study Guide, 2007\u00A0&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
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