Amlodipine - Can anyone help me to find an alternative?

Hi - I am hypertensive and have taken amlodipine for considerable period of time. I've had lot of troubles with this tablet especially water retention on my knees, ankles and face but the problem is none other suits me. I came across a homeopathy medicine 'Viscum Pentarkan" which actually brought my bp back to normal (I have a tendency to go in the range of 220/160). My understanding is it is pure herbal with no known side effect.

I'm not sure if you can buy this in UK. I've seen a homeopathy pharmacy near oxford street in London (I think opposite Selfridges) - if not, you have to procure it from India! The dosage is 15 drops three times a day.

Thanks ajay! I've tried to look it up but there is nothing on it online? I tried some homeopathic medicine before the new drug I'm trying called losartan and no real effect. How annoying!!!!

Hello eitan100, both my husband and myself were on Amlodipine for a while and it didn't work . We were both (at different times) changed to Candersartan. (Amias). My bp was higher than yours at one time and resistant to several other medications as well.

Our bp's are now normal and we don't even know we're on it we feel so good.

It did take a few weeks to settle down to the right dose. After a couple of years we were both able to reduce the initial dose and are now on a low maintenance dose and have regular checkups with no problem.

You may need to give the Amlodipine a bit longer to give it a chance though, three days isn't very long really.

Your gp needs to know if it's not responding and will change you to something else. There are several different type of medications, one will suit you Im sure. Hope you feel better soon and get a good result.

Hi Fanny Jane, thanks so much for your reply! I am actually on Losartan now and no side effects, but nothing has happened, no reduction. I'm going to look your drug up. What are the manin side effects of yours? Thanks again for your reply and glad you're both doing well.

Hello eitan100, well I believe Losartin is in the Sartan family. So it may be very similar.

Bearing in mind my husband and I have both been taking Candersartan for years now I can't rememeber all the side effects. However we did think they were less than the other drugs we tried. As the dose came down any side effects disappeared completely.

A friend of ours is an elderly deep sea diver. Candersartin is the only bp med he is allowed to dive on. It is considered a very good one, my cousin is a gp and swears by it for most people. However it may not suit everyone, like everything else it's a bit of an elimination game until the right one is found.

May I ask you if you are a smoker/drink a lot/needing to lose a bit of weight (arn't we all!) a stressed person in general through work/ or because you don't have any work. You don't need to answer this just have a think about it.

Sometimes the meds do need a bit of help if any of these apply to you. My hubby made a big effort to lose 3 stone and it made a huge difference to him.

Sometimes people need to take two low dose meds at the same time for a while, until the bp lowers and one can be stopped.

You don't say how old you are, we are obviously over 60 and have learned to slow down a bit about life. Not that Mr Fanny Jane is very happy about getting older at all.

Well, hope you are not offended by any part of my answer, it's a bit of a game getting the bp down, but once it starts to come down you will feel better and your body will be able to deal with so much more.

Try and be patient and work with your gp, good luck.

Thanks Fanny Jane!

Well, I'm 36, no drink or smoke. I could lose a stone I suppose. But not massively overweight. I'll ask my GP about increasing the dose on Losartan. Otherwise I may enquire about the one you are taking. Thanks again.

Hello eitan100,

Good to hear you are in good shape. We like a drink occasionally, does us good. My granny lived to 95 and loved a tipple.

Also sorry to hear you are only 36, hope you get a suitable med soon, I'm sure it'll get sorted in the end.

Hi - 18 mths ago I had the misfortune to suffer the disorder polymyalgia rheumatica, the treatment being a steroid called Prednisolone. Unfortunately it will remove calcium leading to osteoporosis so my gp prescribed calcium pills, this soon led to high blood pressure, so Amlodipine was prescribed at 10mg per day. This caused dizziness, severe headache and tiredness, so I stopped taking them and switched to a diuretric. I am a livestock farmer, 58, 16.5 stone, 6ft 7" and pretty fit. Recently my gp persuaded me to try the Amlodipine again because bp was fluctuating, possibly a side effect of reducing the steroid, but same problems, so have come off them again. My bp ranges from 170/100 to 130/74  and I check daily as part of the steroid regime.