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Alternatives to Amlodipine?

Posted , 30 users are following.

Jani_G
Jani_G

H,i im so glad i found this forum. I was prescribed this drug, 5mg daily, 7 weeks ago for very high blood pressure after having a 24 hour b.p. monitor and have been going downhill ever since. For the last week I have been almost crippled with very swollen feet, ankles and lower leg, which ache all the time and have sharp pains traveling up the back of my legs. Work has been a nightmare ( I have to stand for seven hours a day with one half hour break). Walking is very painful too. Not only that but i feel so tired all the time and I'm getting depressed now. My stomach is upset and a feeling of nausea is present most of the time. I have tried to get an appt with my doctor who has been on leave and is now booked up for 3 weeks! the last 3 visits to the docs have all been with "other" doctors at the practice who do not know my history and it was one of these who prescribed amlodipine in the first place. I don't even know if this drug is working to bring down the blood pressure as have not been checked but told to wait 6 to 8 weeks after the first dose. I really dont want to see any doc who is available, I want to see MY doctor, but 3 weeks more of this and i will be in the funny farm so it looks like I will have to take my chances with whoever is available. I would like to be a bit knowlegable about what else i could be taking instead because after reading some of the posts on here Im sure that it is THIS drug that is having such a bad effect on my health. Any suggestions would be gratefully recieved. I am also on Iron tabs, Norethisterone and have just finished a course of 6 Zoladex implants, one every 28 days for another condition but havent had any adverse reactions from any of these in the past.. Thanks to anyone who can help.

6 likes, 31 replies

31 Replies

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  • Hitch
    Hitch Jani_G

    Posted

    I know this may sound uninformed and even stuipd.

    But I have a couple of issues with this whole High Blood Pressure.

    1st.

    It is my understanding that 1/2 of people over 50 have High Blood Pressure.

    Almost ALL of people over 60 have :"High Blood Pressure."

    Maybe that is "the way it is suppose to be"

    "Things" in the body don't work as well as they once did. Will NEVER AGAIN. and WILL CONTINUE TO GET WORSE.

    Maybe this is our bodies NATURAL reaction to this situation.

    And trying to "Artificially" lower it is actually MORE DAMAGEING then leaving it alone.

     

    • Jani_G
      Jani_G Hitch

      Posted

      Thanku for your reply Hitch, you could be right, I am 53! I didnt have my bp checked for years until last year when another medical condition raised its head and they decided  to check me over. It could be a natural aging process but with bp of  between 180/130 going to 210/140 I was told this was very high and needed to be brought down. We trust our doctors to be doing the best for us but are they?
    • Guest
      Guest Hitch

      Posted

      Hitch - I have been thinking the same thing recently.  High Blood pressure is commonly diagnosed among over-50's and also younger than that.  All the poisonous medication my doctor has put me on over the past 12 months - Amlo, Physiotens, etc, have NOT made any difference in lowering my BP and the side effects are still with me even though I stopped taking those types of meds nearly 2 months ago. 

      So- my high blood pressure doesnt want to come down through the use of meds.  I am sure there are other more natural and effective measures we can take.  I think high BP runs in my family.  

      What did doctors and people do 100, or 50 years ago, before these medications were around.  Well, sure, people died from BP-related problems but I cannot try to 'artificially lower' my BP and have quality of life.  Thanks Hitch.

      Sue B 

    • cafin8me
      cafin8me Jani_G

      Posted

      I know it's been a year since your post, but I'm saying this in case anyone else reads the above advice. I understand the thought that "natural is best," and of course it is. But when your blood pressure is getting into the 210/140 range, it is putting you in stroke territory. My husband suddenly experienced blood pressure issues after never having them. He SHOULD have gone on something to get it down while he worked on diet an exercise. PS: He ended up paralyzed from the chin down and it cost him his wonderful piano-playing ability. Yeah, work on the natural end, but also don't gamble with your life. Because no side effect he has now is as bad as not being able to play the piano and walk.
    • xizziz
      xizziz Hitch

      Posted

      I know I'm a bit late in this discussion smile  I would disagree.  I am almost 64, my blood pressure had been rising but my doctor would not prescribe blood pressure medication.  As a result I suffered a subarachnoid hemorrhage and now have a clip on an aneurysm - almost died during this.  I am still here and I was put on amlodopine - the drug was absolute crap and had horrible side effects - pain in the chest, really bad tinnitus - headaches, leg pain - was on this for about 2 months when I told my doctor I wanted off.  My brother had been taking Lisinopril/ hydrochlorothiazide for a lot of years and I thought why not.  The amlodipine didn't hardly lower the blood pressure.  After only 1 day on the Lisinopril/ hydrochlorothiazide, my blood pressure was within normal ranges - right around 120/80.  I feel so much better and I have only been on this drug for around 4 days - but I am so glad I switched.  I do not want another burst aneurysm - high blood pressure is the leading cause for these.  I was 63 when I had this surgery and miraculously survived with no horrible brain damage.  Lowering your blood pressure will definitely save your life and also make you feel better.  Good luck everyone.

    • victoria_41872
      victoria_41872 Hitch

      Posted

      It's like saying that because chances of having cancer increases with age it should be the way it is and not treat it! I've had high blood pressure since I was a child and this is how my body does it. I am 41 and yea it did get worse and I tolerate it less with age but still. I hope conditions are addressed regardless of age...

    • Lonna
      Lonna Jani_G

      Posted

      high blood preasure KILLS YOU, I did not have it then I did, and it is very very dangerous, dont mess around woith it
  • annie255
    annie255 Jani_G

    Posted

    Sorry to hear of your problems and I am sure that having read the postings on this forum you are in no doubt that it is the medication.

    I sympathise too with the problems having to see different GPs, sadly this seems to have become the norm. I had this problem and what I would do was to book with my 'own' GP even though it was often a few weeks before I could see him so even though I might have had to visit the surgery and see others there in between, at least I got to talk things over with him.  He knew my history, and this can make a big difference.

    Back to your question of what other drugs are available, well there are a number of them, and I think I am correct in saying there are 4/5 main types which act in different ways. (You can look them up on this website) I have had a number of others all with varying 'bad' side effects. My latest is an alpha blocker Doxazosin. Out of all this is the one with the least side effects for me. BUT I hasten to add that different people react differently to them. HOWEVER  Amlodopine seems to be the one that nearly everyone has problems with.

    • Jani_G
      Jani_G annie255

      Posted

      Thanx Annie, I will check through the website and look at the lists. Am going to go to the docs on monday and see whoever but will take your advice and book with my doc for three weeks time anyway smile
    • ian21671
      ian21671 annie255

      Posted

      Doxazosin is one of those that can ahve sc ary side effects like postural hypotension, i.e. you'd have to crouch down to get some blood into your brain, otherwise you can't stand or walk.It is not dangeorus, just annoying. This means that the drug can lower your blood pressure  to extremely low values. This is another example for the difference between patients since you are not experiencing this particular symptom with Doxazosin.
  • The_Conductor
    The_Conductor Jani_G

    Posted

    HI Jani

    Sorry to hear about your issues with Amlodioine. I too was on this poison they call a medicine. I had many of the sides you’re talking about, including angina like symptoms, problems with my memory & eyesight. I also spoke to my doctor about these sides, but was told they would go away & perhaps it wasn’t caused by the Amlodopine. It seems to me, doctors don’t like to be told the meds they are giving us, can make us worse than our original complaint.

    I was on 10mg & the higher the dose the worse the sides. Just look on the pages of this site and you’ll see what I mean.

    I’d been on it for three months and said enough. I followed the advice that a doctor gave to another person on this site, (I think it was) which was to take the tablet every other day for two weeks & stop. It worked for me. You’ll need to be monitoring your blood pressure during this withdrawal as your blood pressure could become higher than they were when you started.

    Before I started Amlodipine, I had BP as high as 190/110. Whilst on the Amlodipine it came down a bit, but not normal levels. My average  now is in the low 140s over 70, it can go as low as 122/59.

    I’ve been a diabetic for 35 years. One of the main complications is hypertension, due to arterial & heart issues. How did I do it? A lot of research looking at other peoples research led me to:

    Magnesium glycinate powder 300mg twice a day (I now sleep like a baby)

    Coenzyme Q10 100mg twice a day (Ubiquinol soft gels, best for absorbtion)

    Vitamin D3 20000iu (people without knowledge say it’s too high because the daily recommendation is 400ius daily. Studies have shown this is woefully low. If you went walking for half an hour on a sunny day, your body would produce 10000-20000ius of D3 in half an hour) How can 400ius be enough.

    Omega 3 Fish Oil 1000mg (not containing soya)

    If you don’t drink milk take some calcium. It works with the D3 & Magnesium

    Vitamin B-Complex (get a good one don’t get from a high street shop)

    Vitamin E mixed tocopherols 400ius

    A note of caution: magnesium and Amlodipine don’t seem to mix. Check out Amlodipine interactions on the net. I had to wait until I was off the amlodipine before taking magnesium.

    There are many scientific studies to be found on the Internet, regarding all the supplements I’ve mentioned. There is a mountain of data. So look it up and don’t take my word for it.

    It took a good month and a bit for it all to kick in, but hey, here I am Amlodipine free with BP that’s getting lower and lower week by week. I can hardly believe it.

    Here’s some bad news. If you’re the kind of person who likes cakes, sugar, bread & all things carbs. You’ll need to cut down. High levels of insulin due to high sugar and carbohydrates intake are damaging to the cardiovascular system. I don’t eat any of this stuff now. Don’t get me wrong, if I was 100% healthy, I’d be in there. A few weeks ago I could hardly walk. I can now.

    Final note...

    Honestly, most doctors would rather have you stay on this medicine. They would never recommend what I’ve just mentioned. They must play it safe.

    I’m glad I did not…    This stuff (Amlodipine) is banned in Holland for good reason.

     

    TC

    • Jani_G
      Jani_G The_Conductor

      Posted

      Thanku for your advice, Im not diabetic but I will certainly look into my diet as yes i do have quite a lot of carbs. I do drink milk tho, and had considered the fish oil. I need to get off this drug and will take a look at the data you mention concerning the the vitamins too. My bp has been  ranging from around 180/130 to 210/140
    • mykejake
      mykejake The_Conductor

      Posted

      Hi Conductor,

      i recently change medical facilities and my new doctor immediately put me on this Amlodipine, and i can say, i hate it! Drowzy, sleepy from the time taken (evening hours) til mid-afternoon. I've repeatly explain i to my professional medical examiner that in my line of work i cant take this drug, but he's only concern that i'll adjust and is my bp lowering. 

      thank you for providing an alternative choice, as i do believe the right herb can and will rid our body of toxin elements.

    • myra66176
      myra66176 The_Conductor

      Posted

      Thanks for the advice. I am trying to help my on get off the dangerous drugs. Amlodipine is the one.

      Can you email me about

      alternative to the drug?

    • Lonna
      Lonna The_Conductor

      Posted

      When I was on Low Carb, and walking about 20 min 4 times a week  I lost weight and was not on the stinking Amlocipine, due to a injury and illness, I was off awhile when I tried to get my DOT physical for school bus, my blood preassure was jumping so high ( never had this before ) I could not pass for 3 months . The Amiocipine brought it down, I was also put on (LISINOPRAL AND METOPROLOL ) THEY DID NOT keep preasure down, it jumped 2 days after being off, I took one smaller dose of AMLODIPINE  this morning just now with a atkins shake, just to see if I could get my body to settle down a bit, I most likly will start getting NAUSEOUS soon. ( still looking for a replacement, will call doctor when they open, ( think I am going to have to call heart doctor ) to find a replacement. My doctor messes around to much!!!!!!  Lower carb, or the high low carb program, possibly when we get our wieight and health in control, seems to be key, to not only high blood pressure both cancer and diabetes, my husband dropped his meds 2xs, we are trying to get back on the day after the 4th, and watching it until then, ( for hamburgers and such even out, we just dump our hamburger and fixings in a side salad, you dont miss the bread. HYVEE food stores have good low carb alteritives, low alternitive milk is FLAX SEED MILK, love it. there is quick carb for a low carb flour , amazon, and eat all the veggies you want, it did not slow my weight loss. Need to get back on. Exersise my daughter in wheelchair, she lost 50lbs with out exersise, I feel better walking, I lost 60lbs just walking about 20 min 4xs a week. I also would increase speed in parking lots, and run to mail box, if you get a chance just make a run for it, even just half min. when walking about every 1/8th mile, switch speed. Really works for short exersise times.   NEED ANY HELP I CAN FINDING A ALTERNITIVE TO AMLODIPINE, making me sick so I can funtion and now, sick with out it, HELP
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