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What Causes Tiredness And Muscle Aches While On Primidone?

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Posted on Tue, 14 Mar 2017
Question: I recently started taking Primidone for essential tremors. I started at a quarter dose for one week & am now taking half a dose once a day in the evenings. I have become uncommonly tired & my muscles ache. Basically I can barely keep going. I will soon be 75 & I thought it was probably just my age, but the change has been too quick. I take bicalutimide, amlodipine, atorvastatin, coumidin, spironolactone, calcium & propanolol. Should I stop taking the Primidone & how quickly?
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Answered by Dr. Olsi Taka (29 minutes later)
Brief Answer:
Read below

Detailed Answer:
I read your question carefully and I understand your concern.

If those manifestations have started with taking Primidone then it may well be the cause. If not or if you have started some other medication recently as well I would consider other causes at first, atorvastatin for example may cause muscle damage with tiredness and muscle aching. So in that case some routine blood tests should be done to check for other metabolic causes.

If Primidone is deemed as the cause and those symptoms are severe enough to affect your quality of life then it should naturally be withdrawn. It should be done in a similar way to the initiation, by reducing gradually. First a quarter of the dose then if symptoms persist interrupted altogether. Since you haven't been using it for long there shouldn't be any withdrawal issues.

I remain at your disposal for other questions.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
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Answered by
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Dr. Olsi Taka

Neurologist

Practicing since :2004

Answered : 3673 Questions

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What Causes Tiredness And Muscle Aches While On Primidone?

Brief Answer: Read below Detailed Answer: I read your question carefully and I understand your concern. If those manifestations have started with taking Primidone then it may well be the cause. If not or if you have started some other medication recently as well I would consider other causes at first, atorvastatin for example may cause muscle damage with tiredness and muscle aching. So in that case some routine blood tests should be done to check for other metabolic causes. If Primidone is deemed as the cause and those symptoms are severe enough to affect your quality of life then it should naturally be withdrawn. It should be done in a similar way to the initiation, by reducing gradually. First a quarter of the dose then if symptoms persist interrupted altogether. Since you haven't been using it for long there shouldn't be any withdrawal issues. I remain at your disposal for other questions.