1. Community
  2. Heart Health
  3. Amlodipine

I know its was amlodipine!

Posted , 281 users are following.

Nigel
Nigel

I am a healthy 58 yr old and normally very active. BP was rising over the last year or so to 178/98 and so this Jan my Doc put me on Amlodipine 5mg. Thats when it started. Firstly with a loss of energy, then total loss of stamina, I felt like a Zombie all the time. As the month progressed I started to get forgetful, dizzy spells, very tingly left hand and painful joints all througfh my left side. BP did not drop as fast as hoped so Doc added Lisinopril 2.5mg. Hey... off with the faries now! After two weeks I could not concentrate on anything people were telling me and to the point that I was becoming detached from the real world. And that was only after a couple of weeks on the cocktail. I decided to trial which drug was causing this and first removed the Lisinopril for a few days then swapped over to stopping Amlodipine. Cor.. what a difference. Almost the next day after stopping Amlodipine I started to recover. After just one week people at work are now saying 'welcome back' and I know what they mean. BP not down yet but I am never going near Amlodipine again, its a wrecker!

Has anyone else had anything like my reaction?

42 likes, 815 replies

815 Replies

Prev Next
  • Brighteyes
    Brighteyes

    Edited

    Oh my God! Can I identify 100% with all those people who have been on Amlodipine.

    I was given a cocktail of drugs in May 2009 during hospitalisation.No GP ever truly listened to my cry for help. I was constantly on Lisinopril including high strengths. My BP was frequently upto 230/100? I got accused on not taking the prescribed medication, despite my abnormally high BP. Not once did any doctor send me to a hospital for tests, in the end my son had to call an emergency Dr.

    Whilst in hospital I was given 7 different drugs, now I am down to four, one of which is Amlodipine.

    I have constantly complained to my new GP about my constant fatigue, lack of energy, and I often feel more dead than alive.

    Every single day since May 2009 I have to take several naps. I often feel exhausted even when retiring to bed, and yet when I try to sleep I cannot. I lie awake for several hours before finally dropping off to sleep.

    It is my belief many Doctors do not know enough about drugs prescribed, and their true side effects. As of today I will be taking myself off all medications, but still take my minerals and vitamins which do work far better than NHS drugs. In addition, one can go further into helping themselves more by looking at their diet and lifestyles.

    I have just purchased a set of three books on eating for health and those books can teach me how to eliminate many of the health issues I have accumulated. I will now be looking at my other medications and perhaps read others experiences too. This is a lovely site for helping others.

    • miniimah12125
      miniimah12125 Brighteyes

      Posted

      just read this thread, but if you are still out there, look up Dr. Rath supplements and his books. My husband is on lisinopril, amlodipine and carvedilol. found this thread looking to see which ones are more dangerous than the others, so I can start to eliminate them. Then start him on DR. Rath Healthy Blood Pressure supplements Hope this will help others, I truly believe we need micronutrients that are missing in our diets. All the best.
  • Guest
    Guest

    Posted

    [color=violet]Hi everyone. I am seriously concerned now. I am 35 year old female with SLE, hypertension 160/110, Antiphospholipid syndrome , Reynaud’s etc etc...In total 17 diagnoses!! :o

    My Consultant Rheumatologist wants me to start on Amlodipine 5 mg O.D. She basically thinks that it could be the best choice since I have all the other stuff sad But now reading all your experiences, I am severely reluctant : shock: I am due to my SLE a zombie already when I have a flare. But if I am going to be even worse than a zombie I am not sure what to do??

    I feel sorry for all of you who needed to go through all this. I wish you will find a good alternative so you will be able to live a normal life smile Charlotte x

    • connie68157
      connie68157 Guest

      Posted

      Hi, Mguest. I read over your post and my first thought was that you are entirely too young to have such high blood pressure. I am wondering what is contributing to it. Are you under stress at home or work? If so, maybe you need to talk to someone, like a Good counselor. Do you exercise? Of not, you should at least start walking. Are you overweight? Do you eat too much junk, salt and carbs? If so, change your diet to mostly vegetables and fruit. Do you drink a lot of water? If not. You must stsrt. Cut out the sugary drinks, cola etc. Plus not good to drink a lot of alcohol. You have to get your body in sync !!! All of your organs must work together and you need to provide a healthy environment for them.. I am 57 and alwats been on perfect health. My main problems came from issues I got from doctors. My breast cancer I blame on the HRT that doctor prescribed and not warn me about, etc. All medications mess with me. Of there is a side effect I will pick up on it. I day doctor yourself the best you can and them if a doctor is needed, research them good. Ask friends etc. Many online reviews are deleted unless on Yelp etc. Good luck !!! Godspeed smile

  • chrissy16
    chrissy16

    Edited

    I feel exactly the same. Loss of energy, knees ache, muscle aches all over, bad fatigue and needing to rest all of the time, breathless. I thought it was the radiotherapy I had in June for breast cancer. I did have some fatigue after that, but then my doctor started me on 5mg amlopidine. I felt like a zombie, still do, and do not have any energy and zest for life. I go to bed, maybe sleep but get up very tired. I am seeing my doctor this week for an update and I am going to ask her if I can come off of them. I dont need all of this in my life. I want to live again....... chris
    • margaret01450
      margaret01450 chrissy16

      Posted

      Christ I read your blog and realised I could be you.  Only difference I started the Amlopidine long before the radiotherapy.  My oncologist changed my cancer med last Jan 2016 but no improvement.  I then stopped the new cancer drug for three weeks but no improvement so it must be the Amlodophine.   I did not connect the Amlodophine with this terrible fatigue and muscle aches until I read this thread.  I had bloods drawn today ansd see a new dr. Next week.  Hoping he will listen and consider taking me off them.  I just returned from a road trip to Scotland and it has taken two complete days of sleeping to get over it.  No fun not being able to climb up and down to the beach and on and off the boat trips.  I feel a hundred years old
    • chris21802
      chris21802 chrissy16

      Posted

      I hear you .I feel as old as my clients I care for and there 100 and 98 MT.lower back aches and pains the doctor said well you are overweight I said yes I know that and I know that can contribute to lower back pain but this is different
    • millicent10735
      millicent10735 margaret01450

      Posted

      You should google Amlodipine and breast cancer.  Very scary research studies.  Especially  concerning is for women post-menopausal.  I have been on Amlodipine for about three years and my last mammogram showed a spot. Went back for another mammogram and an ultra sound.  The doctor had a hard time finding the spot on the ultra sound and thought it might be a cyst that had collapsed, she wants me to come back in six months to re-evaluate it.  I immediately told my GP doctor that I was going to stop taking them. He told me he had never heard of any research on this.  I sent him the articles and he said he did not know how soon he will be able to look at them.    I don't want to be involved in anything that possibly can cause cancer.   I had colon cancer eleven years ago. It was caught in time, no chemo/radiation, thank God.   I will see my doctor in a couple of weeks to talk about an alternative to Amlodipine and other calcium bookers.  So  good luck with your doctor.  

    • Oregonjohn-UK
      Oregonjohn-UK millicent10735

      Posted

      A study published in August 2013 suggested that postmenopausal women who took calcium-channel blockers to treat high blood pressure for 10 years or more have a higher risk of breast cancer.

      Now a new, larger study suggests that calcium channel blockers DON’T increase the risk of breast cancer.

      The results of the study were presented on Nov. 19, 2014 at the 2014 American Heart Association Scientific Sessions in Chicago. Read the abstract of “Long Term Use of Calcium Channel Blockers and Risk of Breast Cancer Development.”

      Calcium-channel blockers are a common type of high blood pressure medicine. (Doctors call high blood pressure “hypertension.”) Medicines to treat high blood pressure are the most commonly prescribed types of medicines in the United States. In 2010, about 98 million prescriptions for calcium-channel blockers were filled. Other types of high blood pressure medicines are ACE inhibitors, beta blockers, and diuretics.

      Because high blood pressure is a chronic condition -- meaning it lasts for a long time -- most people who take medicine to treat it take the medicine for a long time.

      Earlier studies have looked for a possible link between high blood pressure medicines and breast cancer risk, but the studies were small and the results were mixed.

      In this new study, researchers at the Intermountain Medical Center in Utah looked at the medical records of women aged 50 to 70 in two databases who had no history of breast cancer. In total, they looked at the records of more than 3,700 women. They compared women taking calcium channel blockers for many years to control high blood pressure to women who weren’t taking calcium channel blockers.

      The two databases were:

      a general population medical records database

      women treated at the Intermountain Cardiac Catheterization Laboratory records database

      The cardiac catheterization lab does tests on the heart, including angiograms, which check the coronary arteries. The lab also does heart valve replacement and other heart procedures.

      In the general population medical records database, the researchers found that women who took calcium channel blockers had a 1.6 times higher risk of breast cancer. This risk is just slightly higher than average and is much smaller than the increase in risk reported in the 2013 study.

      In the cardiac catheterization lab records database, the researchers found that women who took calcium channel blockers had a 50% LOWER risk of breast cancer.

      Because of these wildly different results, the researchers believe that it’s likely that calcium channel blockers aren’t causing the change in breast cancer risk. Instead, it’s probably because the women in the general population medical records database taking calcium channel blockers had other factors that affected their breast cancer risk, including other medicines they might have been taking, smoking, alcohol use, weight, and family history.

      It’s important to know that many of the risk factors for high blood pressure, including:

      being overweight

      not getting enough exercise

      smoking

      drinking alcohol

      are also risk factors for breast cancer.

      If you take a calcium channel blocker to control high blood pressure, the results of this study are reassuring. Still, for the health of your heart and your breasts, it makes sense to minimize the risk factors you can control, including:

      eating a diet that’s low in processed foods and sugar

      avoiding alcohol

      maintaining a healthy weight

      exercising daily

      not smoking

    • AlastairIan
      AlastairIan Oregonjohn-UK

      Posted

      Thank you Oregonjohn for taking the time to report that reassuring message.  Much appreciated
    • millicent10735
      millicent10735 Oregonjohn-UK

      Posted

      Thank you so much for the research information and clarity.  I am very health conscious and also like to be well informed about all meds I take.
  • johnnie
    johnnie

    Edited

    7 years ago my husband went to his GP and asked if he might have Parkinsons . he was told no but given Amlodopine for high BP .. Getting worse much worse he was then diagnosed with Parkinsons . and told that the Parkinsons meds should helpgreatly .. what a joke . now also diagnosed with atrial fibrillation and takes beta blockers and warfarin as well ..

    7 years down the line He cannot breat, has put on 3 stone fluid retention cannot walk . Was told it was from the Parkinsons.

    I went to the GP and told him my concerns about the Amlodopine , I had suggested this a number of times .

    He stopped the Amlodpine and was given Indapamide 5 days ago , he has already lost half a stone is not as breathless and he feels a little stronger .

    I don't know whether to laugh or cry ..

    • tommy39556
      tommy39556 johnnie

      Posted

      JONNY hope you dont mind if ask is your husband still got parkinson's. I HAD a similar diagnosis . still got PD so i do , roughly 3years now . have a post on here . how is your husband now ? any help would be appreciated. TOMMY

  • gogs_4
    gogs_4

    Posted

    I was given amlodopine after I collapsed and spent two days in hospital . I stayed on them for about four weeks, but I felt that I was not in control of my own mind , I was scared , I had feelings that something bad might happen or even worse that I may do something bad .I had to stop them which was a pity as I was getting the most powerful erections that I have ever had , SIGH .
Back to top
Prev Next

Report or request deletion

Thanks for your help!

We want the community to be a useful resource for our users but it is important to remember that the community are not moderated or reviewed by doctors and so you should not rely on opinions or advice given by other users in respect of any healthcare matters. Always speak to your doctor before acting and in cases of emergency seek appropriate medical assistance immediately. Use of the community is subject to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy and steps will be taken to remove posts identified as being in breach of those terms.