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Coming off Amlodipine (9 Days After)

Posted , 7 users are following.

PaulB1950s
PaulB1950s

Hi there, I'm now 8/9 days off amlodipine, Still getting cramps lower legs and feet especially if elevated and then down to the floor. Hoping these will disappear after a period and the dreams closely thereafter. Cramps I could cope with but never had such nightmares, I didn't want to sleep, never mind couldn't. I'll keep posting every couple of days now I've stopped amlodipine and report when cramps stop and dreams stop. Just as a matter of interest my blood pressure whilst resting is constant 120/30 over 75/85 so looks like (at the moment at least) that I didn't need the amlodipine anyway. My mood is still lifting and I feel clearer in my head (not forgetting as much) after the nine days off. Keep you posted

2 likes, 16 replies

16 Replies

  • annabella69561
    annabella69561 PaulB1950s

    Posted

    Hi Paul. i've been prescribed A, but have not taken it yet. I suffer from cramp, right arm ache and (slight) nightmares!  

     Before I take A, I will record all my symtoms and see if they get worse! 

    Let us know how you get on  too Bella x 

    • PaulB1950s
      PaulB1950s annabella69561

      Posted

      Hi Annabella, I've posted another discussion which ties in with this that you may want to follow. Thanks.
    • nannylynn
      nannylynn annabella69561

      Posted

      Hi Annabelle, if you naturally suffer from cramp, try drinking a glass of tonic water just before bedtime, the Quinine in the tonic will stop the cramp. I suffered badly with night cramps, since drinking the tonic water I very rarely get cramp now.
  • copper8
    copper8 PaulB1950s

    Posted

    so how are you getting your blood pressure figures? Thank you for your posting as i am sure I am not alone now in getting these cramps. I have also had problems in remembering short rows of figures...
    • PaulB1950s
      PaulB1950s copper8

      Posted

      Hi, I started on 2.5 Rampiral to control blood pressure after a liver transplant. After a couple of weeks I was prescribed Amlodipine 5mg and about a month later this was raised to 10mg. I remained on this for 20 months. I realised there were issues with cramps lower legs & feet, sometimes my right arm felt like I had pulled a tendon and I was having severe nightmares (but I was alive).

      I kept logs of symptoms & my blood pressure (I recommend this). Consultants don't seem to listen but Gps tend to respond to these or at least mine did.

      What I didn't realise was that I was plodding along with very little enthusiasm for anything, I still did things (I made myself) but there was little joy associated with results.

      This is what has changed in the first instance, I have energy & ideas again and feel clear & bright.  

      I remain on the 2.5mg rampiral & to be honest this seems to be doing the job. I'm not sure why the Amlodipine was started, but it certainly seems unnecessary for me now. 10 days off & BP again this AM 127/76. Still getting cramps but my right arm is easing.

      None of this may apply to you. Drugs work very differently on everyone. Amlodipine may work for some people, but just not me.

       

    • copper8
      copper8 PaulB1950s

      Posted

      Hi Paul

      I had section of the liver after hitting cancer of the colon so we have that area in common. Before the ops for colonic cancer I had several treatments of chemotherapy and the chemicals there in. My feeling is that this has made my body more likely to react to new substances which theroretically should do good. After being diagnosed with high BP I was given ramiprill at 5mg and later at 10mg. When I took the latter consistantly for 10 days I lost all appetite and sat around wondering who was going to die next or how I had messed up my life. Self diagnosing myself as going into depression I told the surgery I was coming off the tablets and picked up immediately. Depression is listed as one of the side effects for ramiprill. My mother has taken it with other pills for 10 years and her doctor has refused to take her off it!

         So I would not use the ramiprill either, or try going with out it for a week or so and monitor yourself

      regards  good health to all

    • PaulB1950s
      PaulB1950s copper8

      Posted

      Hi Friend, sorry forgot to mention I'm getting my readings using a Pro Logic BP meter. I seem to be ok on the small dose of Rampiral, but who knows. I may look at that drug later but ceasing Amlodip[ine seems to be working for the moment.

      Good health to you.

    • al58222
      al58222 PaulB1950s

      Posted

      Thank you for posting your reaction to amlodipine, I too have experienced major problems of leg and foot cramps and shoulder pain I almost had surgery on.  Not one of my doctors told me this could be due to the meds. they have me on and that really ticks me off.  If they are going to prescribe these meds. they should know what it does and what is in it.  Obama in is dubious wisdom is taking us off pain meds. which I need to take for Chronic back pain, and incidentally never had any problems with them and never abused them.  Now since they are taking me off of them has put me on Maloxicam and that drove my BP up to 218/111, then since I couldn't take those, he gave me cortisone shots in my neck and back which did NOTHING for my back and froze my shoulder (viola shoulder surgery) which I lucked out and didn't have it.  Now he wants to give me shots in the spine which I don't think I'm going to do because it CAN cause paralysis.  What is up with medical field today, its beyond dangerous.  

  • nannylynn
    nannylynn PaulB1950s

    Posted

    Hi Paul,

    I was on A for about 2 months. I developed the leg and ankle problems common to this drug. I spent a long time researching A and contacted friends in the Netherlands where it has been banned, one being a hospital sister. I stopped taking A after what I had read and been told. I was very unhappy about the effects it was having. It took about 3 weeks for the swelling and aches to go in my legs and ankles and about 4/5 weeks for me to feel back to my usual self. I did return to the GP even though my BP was pretty good (I took grapeseed extract and still do) this keeps the BP down by about 5 to 8 points. I was then put on Lisinopril which caused me to develop a hacking cough day and night. When I researched L I found that it causes a build up of toxins in the lung. I was fed up with all the side effects of these meds, which were possibly doing me more harm than the raised BP, which in my case was not too bad. I came off all meds for a while and kept taking the grapeseed extract. My BP stayed steady at about 130/85, my GP then put me on Losarton, which I have to say has caused me no problems at all.

    Everyone knows their own body and how they feel. If it is possible to use natural remedies, then I think that is the best way to go but I think it is important to keep a check on your BP. I intend to stop the Losarton as my BP is now averaging 115/75. I will just continue to take the grapeseed extract but keep a close check on BP. Good luck with whatever you decide to do.

    • copper8
      copper8 nannylynn

      Posted

      hi N

      where are you getting the grape seed resin may i ask? just asked H and B and they do not stock it. Apparently there a claims it also helps in dementia so that this might be a whole new topic......

       Is Losarton lithium based, i thoought there were some issues with it?

    • MrsO-UK_Surrey
      MrsO-UK_Surrey copper8

      Posted

      I'm sure nannylynn won't mind me answering here.  It is grape seed extract that she has referred to, not "grapeseed resin".  Holland & Barrett definitely stock grape seed extract - I saw it in my local branch in the south east just a couple of weeks ago and had a discussion about it with a member of staff.

      I can't see any mention anywhere of Losartan containing Lithium; in fact the manufacturers blurb states that Lithium containing medicines should not be taken in combination with losartan without close supervision by your doctor. Special precautionary measures (e.g. blood tests) may be appropriate.  So I think that rules out any likelihood of it being an ingredient in Losartan.  According to my pharmacist, Losartan is the BP medication of which he hears the least complaints about by patients.  I'm fine on it whereas 6 other pills have caused bad side effects;  however, unfortunately it isn't having any effect on my very high BP so another pill, the beta blocker Bisoprolol, has just been added.

    • PaulB1950s
      PaulB1950s nannylynn

      Posted

      I'm always on the lookout for natural remidies rather than meds. Thanks for the info regarding time spans for side effects this is very useful. At present all seems to be ok though. Thanks again. Paul.
    • nannylynn
      nannylynn copper8

      Posted

      I actually got my grapeseed extract originally from H and B. I now get it from Simply Supplements online. I have been using this company for years for other supplements, very reputable.

      Losarton can interact with Lithium. All ARB's remove extra sodium from your blood, this decreases the amount of Lithium your kidneys remove and can possibly cause a high level of Lithium. I ask my GP for a blood test to be on the safe side. That is why I try to find natural remedies. There are no drugs without side effects of some kind.

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