Cardozin XL 4mg prolonged-slow release (Doxazosin)

I was taking 2 mg of Doxazosin from Sept 13 to middle November. All ok for 2 months then I had difficulty swallowing and then shortness of breath. Gradually at first but in first week of November started to have shortness of breath for 2 or 3 hrs. Then one morning at 2 am I awoke with difficulty breathing. Very frightening. I sat for about 6 hrs and finally I started to breath a bit better. I stopped the taking of the tablet that morning and saw Doctor next day. I said I have stopped the tablet. The doctor said ok and would keep monitoring my BP. 155/85. Not bad. Ever since stopping the tablet for first week I continued having side effects. All listed in the tablet side effects. I have flu symptoms from the day I stopped the tablet. After 5 days the flu disappears but comes back again after 3 or 4 days. and lasts for about 5 days. For the last 2 months until now I have the same flu symptoms. I worked out from the blogs from the internet that I have an allergy. I have seen the Doc 3 times up till now and she says the flu should go eventually.

Thanks for replying, it certainly seems as if it was a very frightening experience, and worrying to hear as it did not happen for a couple of months. One assumes that after that amount of time any reactions would have already been apparent.

I have not experienced any flu like symptoms, but the insomnia and anxiety are really draining and deliberating, apart from the other side effects. The dry mouth also seems to come on late evening and last through the night and early morning!!

I just wonder how many BP meds. there can be to try?

Hi, I have been on several BP meds now, over quite a few years, and have suffered with each one. I feel like I have little quality of life now, and, like you, wonder what is going to happen and where this all will lead. I am frightened, to be honest. I started on Lisinopril, and after a while I started to get bad reactions from that along with a constant hacking cough. My doctor was pretty nasty with me when I told her what was happening and belittled me in the surgery, saying the problem was me, not the medication. She eventually took me off lisinopril and put me on amlodipine 10mg. Needless to say I got the most awful swollen legs and feet, plus I started to feel just generally ill all the while, and very dreamlike and detached from everything. Thenj I had a lovely dose of depression on top of that too

I had to tell my gp and she was almost apopleptic when I told her how I felt. She was so awful that I rang PALS. They advised me to change doctors as she had a reputation for this kind of thing. My new surgery put me onto a huge dose of propranolol, and while my swollen legs became perfectly normal I suffered hallucinations at night, where I was seeing people in my room and having horrid dreams. Plus tummy problems. So, again on to a new doctor, but at the same surgery. This one didn't agree with beta blockers and put me on doxazosin 4mg and persuaded me to try amlodipine again. I am now in the position of feeling dreadful every day, and not knowing what is causing what. If I try to cut down even slightly on my meds my blood pressure goes through the roof and I feel terrible. I cannot win. I need something, yet everything makes me ill. The only thing left is one of the ARB's, but they are cousins of the ACE inhibitors like lisinopril, so will that make me react too? I often feel like throwing the towel in, but what makes it worse is the attituded of doctors. Most of them dismiss my feelings and throw them on the rubbish heap. I am just desperate.

I truly hope you find the answer to your problems, and that you have more understanding doctors than I have experienced. Good luck!

It seems you have really been suffering, and like me it seems all the different meds. do not suit. I refused to continue or go back on Amlodipine because of the severe side effects, but all of the others are problematic. Diruetics have resulted in sudden sodium drops, so these are a nono.

Am now on Doxazosin and apart from anxiety/panic attacks, dry mouth and a general feeling of being unwell first thing, have not had the same dramatic side effects of the others.

HOWEVER did a blood test again yesterday, and received a call from doctors surgery this afternoon by the receptionist to tell me Dr had called in to surgery and asked her to phone through my results to me as he thought I would be pleased with them. Mainly because my kidney function was increased to 73% - it had been dropping. Feeling really elated, and then.....another call from doctors, this time one of the other doctors there to inform me hospital had informed them my potassium level was up to 6.5.c ause for concern and wanted me to do ECG. Won't bore you with mundane details but because nurse finishing work at a certain time, have got to wait until tomorrow to have it done. I am sure I do not need to spell it out how worried I am and how I do not know how I will sleep (if at al tonight)..

I have read that sometimes it is how the blood is taken that can give spurious results. This was the case yesterday. I have very tiny veins and the nurse had 2 attempts to get the sample, resulting in prolonged tourniquet time, and also me having to clench my fist for ages.

Of course it could just be the new med. again in which case what will they put me on next.

What a nightmare I was born without veins too and hate having blood tests because of the number of times it takes for them to get anything. I can well understand your worries, but I hope things will be ok. I read that doxazosin doesn't tend to affect potassium levels, but who knows; we're all different. I hope you manage to get some sleep tonight, good luck with your ECG.

Had ECG done and Dr was there to look at the results. Said everything was okay. Obviously not sure what is causing the high potassium levels and told to cut back on the high pot. foods. Seeing specialist next week so he said that he might want to repeat some of the tests. He said to continue on Doxizosin for time being, so whilst I have read it can affect pot. levels it is not common, so you were right in what you said. Greatly relieved ECG okay but very worried about what is causing these high pot. readings.