Amlodipine Hell.. coming off it.

Hi there - Yes I am a little over 55 days clean from taking Amlodipine.  I am still on Irbesartan 300/25.   I would say that I have good days and then I have "not so great" days.  When I first got off of it, I couldn't believe the difference I felt....no more doom & gloom, swelling in legs & ankles went away, flushing gone & numbness in hands and feet were less, shoulder pain & neck pain also less.  Then after off of it for a week I started getting headaches again and traveling pain starting in my ankle radiating to my knee that was so painful, I was convinced I had a blood clot. Fortunately after a trip to Urgent Care it was not, but I swear it seems like everyday there is a new "something". Yesterday I had such gas & bloating and the pain under my left breast which I know is GERD.  I didn't eat anything that would have warranted such a horrible reaction, but it seems that whatever I eat now, I get this.  I feel that somehow my stomach has permanently been damaged by this drug because I never had these issues before. Also, I get this reoccurring sensation that half of my brain has been affected.  It's a sensation like I am not all there.  I still have random pain in my left jaw and some weird nerve sensation around my lips.  I will say my anxiety appears less, but boy when I was first coming off of it, my anxiety was at an all time high, I also had shortness of breath & felt like I could choke on water. I do think taking magnesium/calcium helped calm me down in that department.  

I was on Amlodipine for 5 years so I can only assume it's going to take awhile for my body to adjust - I will say that people have commented on my overall mood being bett er, so I must have really have been a "Debbie downer" because I still don't feel 100% happy.  Another comment I have heard is that my skin looks better, which while on this horrid drug I developed Rosasea-I think your skin is a telltale sign as to what is going on in your body & mine was at war with this awful drug!  I still have joint pain, but the electric shock in my extremities is gone.  Hope this helps - please keep me posted on how you are getting along - 

Be well -- Debra

These drugs are horrible and after reading comments it really makes you question the medical profession.  Just by accident I came across a site, like this one, only it was med students talking to one another..  Boy was it an eye opener.. most of the posts I couldn't understand as it was medical lingo BUT did hear one student complain about a patient and another wrote to him saying he must protect his medical career above all else.  These comments were prevelant and the way they spoke about patients in general was less than comforting...

I connection with stress, my BP was going out of hand (240 /150). Started with Metropolol (beta blocker) as I also had arrhythmia (heart skipping beats). Did nothing – so I switched to Corodil / Enalapril (ACE)  which lowered my pressure a bit, but gave me unwanted side effects. Then on to Losartan (Angiotensin II blocker).

At some point (+4 years) the pressure was a bit high again, and I added Amlodipine (Calcium blocker) to the list – taking 2.5 mg Amlodipine and 25 mg of Losartan for about 11 months. I did have side effects in forms of constant dizziness, anxiety, pressure around the heart, tinnitus and generally feeling sick 24 hours a day.

In September 2017, I had a 24 hour BP measurer checking my status. A bit too high (150 /95) but normal at night, and my doctor asked me to take 5 mg Amlodipine (instead of 2.5 mg) and continue with 25 mg of Losartan.

After three weeks, I was feeling depressed to a point I could not exist. More tinnitus, pressure on the heart, arrhythmia, flu like condition, sore neck and muscles, unable to walk because of extreme dizziness etc.

I was able to go to the toilet – that’s it.

Now coming off Amlodipine and continuing with Losartan 25 mg/day:

Day 1-4. Extremely depressed, feeling sick, brain fog, flu like symptoms, neck pain. In bed 23 hours a day.

Day 5-6. Less depression, less brain fog, flu like symptoms only 3-4 hours daily. In bed 20 hours a day

Day 7-8. Slightly better, walks outside but still very dizzy, depression and anxiety almost gone, in bed 18 hours a day, sleep improved from 6 to 7 hours

Day 9. Pretty good, although still dizzy most awaken hours, still have anxiety flashes, 15 hours in bed, now sleeping 7.5 hours at night and no nightmares

Day 10. Flu like symptoms, still dizzy to an unacceptable level (Losartan?), headache, 12 hours in bed – 8 hours of good sleep

Regarding the constant dizziness. I don’t think that’s due to the low dose Losartan (25 mg).

Going for an MR scanning soon, in order to check my ears. Heart has been checked and blood work done – no abnormal measures.

In regards to my blood pressure. The first 3-4 days borderline (140/90), since that, my blood pressure has gone down to normal – around 124/78. I don’t know if that’s due to the many hours resting, to the many cups of Roiboos tea or me stopping the sugar intake. I would be satisfied with a BP around 140/90 if I don’t have to take any medication. I hope I can recover fully from not taking Amlodipine.

Best regards,

When this drug came out (Norvasc) I was given samples of it.. it was horrible and so is the Amlodipine.. I'm also weaning down from Metoprolol.. Lopressor was the next drug I got rid of as it gave me my first panic attack ever..The moral of this story is I've been going to a chiropractor to adjust my nervous system and it's working.. you might want to consider that and get off all of these poisons we are taking.... Of course, doctors are not going to blame the drug, (any drug) that is what keeps them in business... Their remedy is at add a drug to counteract the side effect of the last one they prescribed.. Go with you gut Jeff and good health to you..

No change and no light at the end of the tunnel.

Flu like symptoms, big time tinnitus, chest pain, ectopic beats, unbearable dizziness and feeling sick 24/7

I am beginning to think this has nothing to do with Amlodipine