good afternoon Dr.

My question is this: Usually I hear about the thinning of the legs and buttocks also caused by the virus itself, but does not mention anything about pain: I notice in my limbs thinning or loss of muscle which is accompanied by pain that increases with the passage of days, especially in the area of bone, is this normal and what should I do to relieve this pain?

Thank you very much for your responses. Goodbye

Thanks for your question.

Loss of fat under the skin, called lipoatrophy (which is a part of a larger condition called lipodystrophy) is usually not painfull. There may be pain or discomfort due to the lack of "padding" around the bony points of the body like the buttocks, the hips, etc.

Another condition called Peripheral Neuropathy, which often accompanies lipoatrophy, may be causing the feet or hands.

Certain medicines, such as stavudine, didanosine or zidovudine can cause both fat loss and neuropathy. If you are on any of these you should speak to your doctor about making a switch.

Best, Joe