amlodipine?

Hi. RE: The Yellow Card procedure. I have reported side effects to them using this procedure several times now. Each time they have responded by email ( other options are available ) and commented on my complaints. They will also contact the GP on your behalf if you want them to and you can also use it to complain about a specific GP etc. You can also keep it completely anonymous if you prefer to.

After the last time I used it to inform them about the side effects I was suffering which I could only assume was a result of the Aml, the GP treated me like royalty the next time I went to see him and fell over himself to discuss my condition / review the meds. etc. So I think they had contacted him! It made a difference anyway.

At least I am free of that awful oedema around the ankles which can lead to leg ulcers which are horrendous and virtually incurable. Also no sign of the runny nose and tickly cough which I lived with for almost two years. All gone, within less than two weeks of stopping Amlodipine and Ramipril.

Good luck to anyone struggling to get the GP's to prescribe the right medication for their condition. They receive enormous salaries and should put aside greed for more in the interest of providing the best and most appropriate care for their patients, at whatever cost.

Hi laura thanks for your detailed reply . I have to agree with every thing you have said. I will wait for my reply now from the yellow card and let you know how it all went. Thanks.

Hi Len7, I'll be interested in finding out what response you get from the Yellow Card procedure. Might also be worth mentioning to your GP that you have contacted them regarding your unpleasant side effects. If nothing else, I can guarantee that it will make him / her sit up and notice you!

If you read the paper insert in the tabs box which reports side effects from some of these meds, it's just incredible that they were ever licensed to be prescribed!

When it lists incidences of really unpleasand and debilitating side effects reported for example on "1 in 10 patients" - that, in my opinion is a totally unacceptable percentage ! Even 1 in 100, 1 in 1000 - if that person is YOU, then it truly is a dreadful indictment of that medication. If you do some in-depth research ( thank heavens for Dr. Google ;-) ) you will also discover how recently some of these cheap meds have been released and prescribed for patients. Therefore they have no means of knowing or even accurately predicting what the long term effects of taking them might be.

A very murky area and nowadays I don't care how senior the GP or consultant or NHS person is, I damn well challenge them, make them take their time to answer my questions and fully explain what and why they are telling me to take this or that particular medication. In fact, I occasionally demand that they climb down from their lofty perch and treat me as a thinking, intelligent sentient being. Some of them aren't too good at that and resent being challenged.

I never used to be so direct but I've had such an appalling experience at a local hospital where ( in my opinion, although they won't admit it, even though the evidence speaks for itself ) their negligence caused me to become totally, irreversibly blind in one eye.

Stick to your principles and demand that you get the best possible medication for your condition. Good luck with it!

I have been taking amlodipine for around 2 years, as my blood pressure was high, it went higher so they put me on ramapril as well. doctor ordered blood tests but could not find the cause. I was 60 at the time. after going to the surgery, feeling like a hypocondriac as they couldnt find anything wrong. I had 2 episodes of brain malfunctions, or siezures, as in having memory los, the first time it happened, i went to the doctor and she thought I had beginnings of alzheimers and advised me to see someone privately as it woul take too long on nhs! The second episode I just started talking gobbledygook to my husband, I have no memory of this. But my daughter came to the surgery and insisted I be seen straight away by a neurologist, I was sent that day had a ct scan which revealed I had 2 brain tumours, and was admitted that night. A week later 1 was removed, I still have the other one, which they monitor with mri every 6 months. luckily they are benign, but the high blood pressure was caused by the tumour pressing on my brain, Anyway, that was a year ago i have not been feeling any beter, in fact worse and have been back to docs numerous times ( feeling like a hypocondriac again). Got taken off ramapril. but have really bad aching, joint pain, tiredness, itching, numbness in hands on waking, very hot on a night, sleeplessness, irritability, sneezing fits So it occured to me it might be tablets,. I decided to read contra indications, and lo and behold I have most of them! So last tablet this morning! see how I get on, but I have lost faith al together in our GP's Will monitor my BP as I have a monitor at home, I am praying this is the problem and I get my life back.

Best of luck to you Barbara. I had a really bad reaction on Amlopodine. I was on it for 6 weeks and gradually getting worse. So bad that I couldn't work. I stopped them 4 days ago and I can now think straight. Aches and pains still there but less so, still a slight fever day and night and still need 4 hours sleep during the day. I am hoping this will improve over the next week or so.

I have been given another tablet from my doctors and will start taking that next week every other day. I am on very minimal doses of these tablets 2.5mg as I sometimes have a bad reaction to medication.

I have been on Ramipril for about a year now and have found some side effercts with those. Nothing to Aml but they gave me terrible nightmares. I hope your health improves. Thankfully we have forums and can support one another.

It will be interesting to see how you feel after a few days.

Good luck.

Ginette

Hi Ginett, I have been off Amlodipine a week now, I feel much better, more energy, less aching joints, my mood is so much better, my husband has noticed that! I have been monitoring my BP twice a day, and its better than it was on the tablets! it is normal now. Hope you get as well as I feel now

Babs

Thanks. I will let you know. Blood pressure is lower now and I am hoping although not in te normal range will be better than it was on medication. When I get more energy back I shall start gentle exercise as I think that is probably the bast way forward.

Ginette

Hi len7,

I have the empty feeling in my chest as well. Along with the buring and tingling arms and legs and muscle cramps. I've taken Amlodipine for 2 years, almost killed me then, but my dr said I had to stay on it. Quit it cold turkey at the advise of new Dr and now I'm just as sick as I was when I started. Does anyone know how long it takes to get rid of these side effects or will they ever go away? I wish I understood exactly what these drugs do to your body to poison us so much?

Hi Michele 20247, I can tell you my experience with amlodipine, it all started shortly after taking them ,bones and muscles hurting feeling laboured all the time hardly any sleep did not want to do anything. after stoping them a few days I started to notice the difference more or less right away its been a few months now, and I am still finding improvementsall the time . I was on them about 2 and a half years and I did not know what was happening to me. if it is amlodipine that's been causing your symptoms you should start seeing a bit of a difference quite soon, problem is there are other drugs that can give you problems getting the balance right can take some time to find out what is right for you. having an understanding doctor can make all the difference. I hope you get yourself sorted out soon I know how miserable it can make you feel. all the best.......Len 7

Michele , I forget to mention my chest felt empty for about 6 weeks

Hi len7,

Yes, the emptiness in my chest was very noticeable since I was outside working in the yard all day burning muscles and all. Chest felt empty...hollow. I didn't know what to think! I also quit Simvastain since it's no longer needed and I quit smoking as well. So my body is having a fit! All in all though I'm convinced it's the Amlodipine that is causing my symptoms since upon starting it made me so sick and when stopping I'm having the same results. My doctor thinks I'm nuts so he's no help. He's one of these 'if he can't see it, it doesn't exist.' kind of Dr's. So no help there. I guess you and I will have to support each other through this journey and get better together. I am waiting to get some samples of a special vitamin with Vit B's to help with the neuropathy. Will let you know what becomes of it. It's supposed to help with the damaged nerve endings from the Amlodipine.

Best Wishes len7.....let's keep in touch! Helps when you have someone who is going through the same thing.

Michele

Hi Michele. it do sound like the amlodipine is what was giving you problems, when you first come off it for about 2 to 3 weeks that empty feeling in your chest then it should start to subside. I was on simvastatin I had a few problems with that, so now I am on atorvastatin I have no problems with that. hope we can get our lives back on track soon, look after your self.....Len 7

I sympathise sooo much.  I have tried most of the ca antagonists but amlodipine caused more side effects than the others, such as:  nausea, unbearable alteration of taste (bitter), dizziness.  To summarise: I feel dreadful.  If I don´t take them, blood pressure shoots up.  I am taking them in combination with Olmesartan which, on its own, has no effects, only side effects.

Is there a clever duck out there who knows a solution??

I was also put on amlodipine for blood pressure. Yes it worked but the side effects are awful. I kept showing the doctor a brown staining on my legs. I even asked the doctor if it could be a side effect. My legs are now a mess I am off amlodipine and being monitored re my blood pressure. I am told veins are no longer treated on the NHS yet this all came because I was put on the tablets. I had terrible cramps in my legs. My legs have brown,yellow, red staining from my knees down and look disgusting. Why, why why do doctors not take you off the tablet the minute these side effects start to appear? Why are doctors still using this drug?

This is very disconcerting. I am a 53 year old man and I "used" to be very healthy. I have tried many BP drugs and found that I could not tolerate for one reason or the other. My Doctor prescribed Amlodipine and I started taking it. This is a sneaky drug in that I really felt no ill side affects when I started taking it. In the last few years I have gained almost 40 lbs even though I really do maintain a pretty health diet. I have no energy, feel unsteady many times when standing up and or walking, have serious joint and lower leg pain with edema issues, and anxiety issues which I never dealt with before

I thought these were just age induced issues until I overheard someone talking about the ills of Amlodipine.

I know I can not stop taking this prescription cold turkey, and I seriously do need to control the issue. I was wondering if it is allowed to direct me to any alternatives other than pharmaceuticals? I know I have as good a doctor as anybody else, but he pushes the scripts just like any other.