Amlodipine Side Effects - Doctors in Denial
Posted , 19 users are following.
Why on earth are GPs in this country still prescribing this drug when it has been withdrawn for human use in other countries? I was given this medication a few years ago in addition to Losartan and Bendroflumethiazide for hypertension. It did seem to bring blood pressure down a bit more but for some time now the dentist has noticed an increase in gingival overgrowth on one side of the mouth. He mentioned that it was probably something to do with medication and after a lot of research on the net I found many articles about links between GO and amlodipine use. Of course the makers list this side effect as 'rare' but one study in hospitals in India concluded the risk as being 31% and another advised that all physicians should be aware of this serious side effect. Apparantly, when used by vets it has had the same drastic effect on dogs and cats. Now there has been a warning issued to medical practices about the combination of Amlodipine and statins which hardly inspires confidence. Well I've stopped taking Amlodipine anyway and hopefully the problem will disipate in time as it seems to in most cases.
1 like, 19 replies
deborah53662 douglas21840
Posted
I read an article stating amilodipine had been banned in some countries. I have come to the conclusion whatever medications we take have their ndividual side effects on the body over time. I took amilodipine for 5 years along with bisoperol and ramipril, the side effects crept up on me ncluding hair loss which was the final straw to come off it. It was replaced by indapamide 2.5mg which took my blood pressure to the lowest it had been in a few years. I am now noticing though thinning of my hair again after 8taking it for about 8 months, and I am always tired. GPs don't seem to want to listen when one complains of the side effects, I can only assume they give us the cheaper drug first see how we take to it. I tried to stop taking the amilodipine but after a month my blood pressure was rising and the usual headache surfaced. It's a hard call because without the medication we are at risk of strokes ect, so I am thinking it's the worst of two evils really we cannot win. Hope you have got your medicines sorted with no nasty side effects. Kind regards Deborah
karen78573 deborah53662
Posted
Morning deborah53662 Your spot on we can't win either way! We are damned if we do take them & damned if we don't, I've been on Ramipril from 2014 in July if I remember tightly then was changed the following year in May as I suddenly developed fromblems with my lower legs which swelled itched & was very painful standing on my feet it felt like my left shin was going to snap in half. So the Dr at the hospital said I must stop taking them as they are the cause but our GP surgery said he doesn't think so. So I came off them then went back on them & the same horrid symptoms appeared again, I went & saw another Doc & he prescribed Ramipril Ramipril😟Then not long after taking them I started taking them I started getting symptoms, so yep we are in hell on earth with these nasty side effect of certain medications! Your right🙂
deborah53662 karen78573
Posted
To be honest Karen I have given up hope of ever feeling the way I did before the blood pressure medication. I am constantly fatigued I have also put a lot of weight on since changing from amilodipine and I am constantly getting urine infections. You mention pain in your lower limbs I had that especially in my feet and then they began swelling, I had a hysterectomy around the same time 5 years ago and I now suffer from osteoporosis and I will not ,take those medications they are killers if people read into the side effects from them it's very scary and very comman to get many of them including cancer of the oesophagus. So it seems we are at the mercy of our GP and you have to hope you get a good one who will actually listen to you. I have booked to go see my GP in a weeks time because tho I hate going and rarely do I am fed up of feeling half of a person at 56 I am thinking god what will I be like in n 10 years if I feel like this now. Hope you and all the others who have suffered from these damn drugs find a better solution but we are in a catch 22 situation because you cannot come off the medications n once on it and I did try get of one tablet very slowly but to no avail I had to start on another one to replace the amilodipine . Kind regards Debbie
cpwood deborah53662
Posted
A small glass of cranberry juice will normally prevent those urinary infections. I use the 50/50 or the Lite and haven't had a problem in ages.
deborah53662 cpwood
Posted
Hi, I have tried this along with many other herbal remedies the consultant said I was prone to the infections everything was healthy so I think in my own thoughts I am seeking my if any foods trigger it as I had a bad attack after drinking almond milk and I am thinking back. Had another one after eating nuts so it may be a coincidence I will see. Thank you for your suggestion though I will try anything at this moment in time but the blood pressure tablets can be sorted there are so many on the market and I'm guessing the most expensive won't have the horrible side effects. Kind regards Debbie
Gillian_68 karen78573
Posted
Karen,
Don't take Ramipril again. I was on it, I was nearly crippled on the horrid things. I had severe pain in my legs and feet, I could hardly walk. I opted to come off them and go back to my high BP, than have it reduced and suffer debilitating pain. I actually feel ok, although my BP is back up. I'll try something natural before I try docs pills again. 🙁
deborah53662 Gillian_68
Posted
I have taken ramipril for over 5 years with no problems we are all,different in how the meds affect us or not, but please don't just abruptly stop taking blood pressure medication it needs to be done slowly and supervised by a GP otherwise even nastier things can happen health wise. I have tried many remedies like flaxsee oil and other things but they haven't taken it down sufficiently and heart attacks strokes ect are a high risk factor with high blood pressure too not to mention headaches which not everyone gets but that's what took me to the doctors and my arm going numb. There are lots of medicines to try and find one that suits so people must not give up hope kind regards Debbie
Bayliner douglas21840
Posted
Amlodipine is a calcium blocker...Norvasc is one of the names used also...I do believe that it is a widely used high pressure drug.In general, if possible should be avoided because of severe side affects. That said, beet juice, orderless garlic, milled flax seed, grape juice, fish oil, and other less offensive alternatives may be able to be substituted and the high pressure drug DOSE gradually reduced. However, with that said, I see no information that Amlodipine is banned in ANY country, including the Netherlands..If you find any info showing that it has been banned in a certain country please post the link...but I can not find any evidence.
Best Wishes and good Luck
steve40953 Bayliner
Posted
My concern with Amlodipine is changes in mood and depression. Mentioned it to my Dr's and they look at me like I have two heads. Periodically I stopped it for a day or two and the feeling subsides. Something really bad about this medicine. Here is the ban link https://allhealthpost.com/amlodipine-banned-in-holland/
Bayliner steve40953
Posted
WanderingMind Bayliner
Posted
Amlodipine is certainly not banned in Netherlands. I live in Amsterdam and am currently on prescribed Amlodipine for high blood pressure. I find sideeffects to be minimal so far. Certainly better than the Losartankalium which is my initial medication.
MrsO-UK_Surrey douglas21840
Edited
RHGB MrsO-UK_Surrey
Posted
I second Mrs.O, amlodipine has never beend banned, that rumour about the Netherlands keeps cropping up. However, I am another that through personal experience does not think that amlodipine is right, there are too many people with too many symptoms. Nearly everyone gets oedema and diuretics do not counter this. I have tried felodipine and again, after awhile the same symptoms come back, including venous eczema, which isn't particulary pleasant.
I think all CCBs present a problem and I have stopped taking them. Before someone warns me about the risks of doing that, I am totally aware, already having had a brain haemorrhage (stroke). I take a beta blocker and a diuretic (diuretics also help HBP) and measure my BP at home daily.
My pharmacist (I collect my medications from a well know hight st. chemist) has called me in for my yearly update next week and she seems far more interested in my medication welfare than my GP. So I shall be having a chat with her.
MrsO-UK_Surrey RHGB
Posted
robert25274 douglas21840
Edited
MrsO-UK Surrey is quite correct, Amlodipine has not been banned anywhere. Several of the original patents expired and it is now available under generic names in certain countries; Amlodipine remains on the WHO's list of essential medications.
The biggest European study of high blood pressure ever undertaken (the Anglo-Scandinavian Cardiac Outcomes Trial) found that Amplodipine or Coversyl are far more effective than other drugs typically used to treat high blood pressure. They suggested that if just half of those treated for high blood pressure in the UK were switched to Amplodipine or Coversyl, over 5 years there would be 35,000 fewer deaths from heart disease, close to 40,000 fewer strokes, 100,000 fewer cardiac incidents, and 90,000 fewer high blood pressure patients would go on to develop diabetes.
While some of the side effects of this drug are certainly unpleasant, and unfortunately a small number have suffered real harm while taking them. People who suffer side effects from them are still in the minority with many more benefiting from them.
Paracetamol can be highly toxic to certain individuals, there have been a number of accidental deaths from paracetamol poisoning, and many more have died as a result of taking just a modest overdose. Yet most people don't give Paracetamol a second thought when they reach for them to soothe minor aches and pains. Then again, there are no rumour mills online driving people to distraction over the bottle of paracetamol in their cupboard.
paul40508 robert25274
Edited
I am sorry you have suffered side effects from amlodipine.
I have been using it for 10 months andwith no problems and it has really sorted my bp. I also have a work colleague who takes stronger dose and also has no problems.