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I know its was amlodipine!

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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

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  • carol_14206
    carol_14206 Nigel

    Posted

    Hi Nigel, sorry to learn of your probems, but glad you stopped the Amlodopine.  you should continue to get better. Good health to you
    • carol_14206
      carol_14206

      Posted

       P.S. Nigel, read my original post. I had these symptoms plus many more.
  • Tigerboo
    Tigerboo Nigel

    Posted

    This drug is horrendous. Fluid retention all over body especially feet and legs. Got to the point of cramping pains just walking downstairs. Caused low potassium levels, swollen joints, needed to pass urine very frequently, now got a low egfr which has been caused by this drug. Do not touch it with a barge pole. Was on it for 3 years absolute nightmare, only been off it for 3 months and feel a new person.
    • carol_14206
      carol_14206 Tigerboo

      Posted

      Hi Nigel, glad to hear you are better than! I am also on the mend. Hope this discussion reaches other! Good health to you
  • patricia41612
    patricia41612 Nigel

    Posted

    I was on Amlopidine for a short time,  my ankles were swollen, my BP dropped to 116/60, I had no energy and was very dehydrated, the Dr stopped them immediatley

    and since then I have had a variety of pills all have horrific side effects and are not bringing down my BP which is around 180/104   Help My troubles started when my Dr put me on Statins and BP pills for a suspected TIA thats 9 years ago, but I havent been well since. 

    • Guest
      Guest patricia41612

      Posted

      I sympathise Patricia, amlodipine was awful and I eventually stopped taking it about 2 months ago.  I have been on a few BP pills over the past 2 years and have not had a great reduction in BP readings while enduring awful side effects!  Iam researching and trying other methods of reducing BP - I stopped taking irbesartan a few days ago, the side effects were awful.  Its so hard to make people understand how these drugs make us feel - my GP has not been sympathetic. 

      So here I am, no BP meds and I will be monitoring my BP at home and basically getting on with my LIFE!! 

      Wishing you best of luck and good health Patricia   

  • julie74826
    julie74826 Nigel

    Posted

    Good morning Nigel, 

    I have been taking amlodipine 5mg for 8mths and recently stopped 2 weeks ago. My Doctor said it would help with my cholesterol which was up to 5 and also my blood pressure has been up and down. Since taking the amlodipine, I have developed a wheeze and hayfever like symptoms wherby I am not sleeping well as I am not breathing well and I can hear my wheeze. I became concerned only 2 weeks ago and thought I google 'side effects of amlodipine'. Well wheezing and hayfever like symptoms are side effects of amlodipine and also discovered amlodipine is for blood pressure. I'm already on Inibace or what is known also as Cilazapril+Hydrochlorothiazide. I went to my Doctor's surgery and spoke with one of the nurses as I wanted to know what was in my notes.  I'm p*ssed off as this wheezing is annoying and the hayfever. I swim 3-4 times a week, 60-80 lenghts, the pool is 25mtrs. I don't struggle with my breathing or feel tired as I have been swimming for 2 years and technique helps when you have been taught how to breathe properly. I am confident amlodipine has caused the wheezing. I thought the wheezing would have disappeared by now and the hayfever. I hoping the wheezing will be gone within the month but I'm taking amlodipine again and will be speaking to the Doctor again.    

  • Lindybowers
    Lindybowers Nigel

    Posted

    I'm 65 and went off it two days and now back on it.  I'm so dizzy I'm afraid to be alone.  Legs swollen at night time, tingling in legs, leg pain.  I'm a mess.  Lost all my stamina. 
    • sharon34402
      sharon34402 Lindybowers

      Posted

      You need to contact your doctor. Those that are serious side effects. You don't want to fall. Driving and taking showers can be hazardous. I got so dizzy in the shower that I thought I was going to pass out. Sadly, a lot of doctors don't listen to you when you tell them that you are having these issues. I was told that it couldn't possibly be having no side effects from the amlodipine. Why they don't take this drug off the market is beyond me. Too many people are having serious side effects from this drug.

      Good luck. I hope you're feeling better soon. Keep us posted.

      Sharon

    • Lindybowers
      Lindybowers sharon34402

      Posted

      I called the pharmacist.  He looked young and new.  The older pharmacist was not there.  He said BUT ITS ONLY 5 mg.   Aren't we talking about 5 mg?  I began to violently vomit last night.  I renewed the prescription and picked it up at 11:30 AM  but by 1 PM I was swaggering stumbling, unable to function.  I had  to stay on sofa all day.  I heated leftovers around 5 PM - organic whole grain spaghetti & sauce made from garden tomatoes. And a chicken leg I'd baked on Sunday & stored in frig.  By 8 PM I couldn't function, stumbling into kitchen to get a bowl, and proceeded to violently vomit over and over.  At 9 PM I violently vomited stomach juices.  I stumbled into kitchen for a piece of bread that I toasted and cut into little cubes, and poured 2 oz. water.  I nursed myself eating and sipping this for 1/2 hour.  I passed out on sofa and didn't awake until 9 AM.  I've lost 6 lbs. in two days.  I feel unwell.  Normally I stay alone but have had a yard sale over weekend, and made so many trips to the attic, basement, up & down a 100 times the stairs.  Yesterday (wednesday), I had to bring in the last of the items left outside since Saturday as I was too exhausted to do it at the end of the weekend.  Tuesday I spent the entire day at a pre surgical clinic to prepare for tomorrow's D&C in a hospital.  I'll be anestesized.  I think I should cancel the surgery.  I'm praying that I vomited up that  amlodipine.  But I took it at noon and vomited 8 hours later.  I can't put together the dizziness and the vomiting.  I don't know if it was separate causes.  I am calling the doctor right now.  Thank God I can even walk to the computer.    
    • sharon34402
      sharon34402 Lindybowers

      Posted

      This is awful. I think you should cancel surgery.

      Why are doctors and pharmacists so quick to write off side effects from this medication? It really irritates me because who knows your body better then you?

      Take care. Feel better soon. Keep us posted.

      Sharon

  • mcpepper111
    mcpepper111 Nigel

    Posted

    Hi Nigel,

    I know this is an older thread but I just cam across it and wanted to share. I too take Amlopine and I wanted to thank you for your post. I'm a 53 yr old who thought they were doing fairly well considering high BP and COPD.....but I got on linsinopril first and then added the amlodipine too since my BP hadn't dropped, so it was your situation in reverse. I can't think straight, I can't finish a thought or a sentence. I feel uncordinated and I've gotten clumsy which thankfully was something I've never dealt with before. I enter a room and wonder what I'm doing there and most of all I'm tired beyond belief. I was convinced I had ADD and was in the early stages of dementia - but after reading your post I feel hopeful that it's the meds. Thank you again - I'm stopping these today and I'll deal with the high BP until I get the doc to prescribe something else. I can't understand why I couldn't just continue to take the atenolol that I was on, it worked pretty well or least I thought it did - maybe someone told me why I can't take that anymore and I've forgotten because of the amlodipine, LOL!!

    Here's to good health and thanks again,

    Laurina

  • cedric78458
    cedric78458 Nigel

    Posted

    I have shared much of the same experiences. I'm 32. I take alprazonlam for the sleeplessness and axiety. I would very much like to ditch amplodipine. I have identified partially with my GI that my high blood pressure is triggured by acid reflux and stress. I was first on Bystolic and then changed to Amlodipine after a brief hospital stay. 

    What would be the best suggestion for coming off of this med safely. I have heard that it can be harmful to just stop taking this medication.

  • Carlin
    Carlin Nigel

    Posted

    Hey Nigel,

    I just stopped my Amlodipine yesterday against my doctor orders.  I am having alzheimers late stage symptoms after starting this at 10mgs and 40 of lisinopril nearly 2 months ago.  Again I tried to be a 'trooper' and ignore all the obvious symptoms you described.  Then I began having 'acne' and a rash on my face (I am 66) then cysts.  I complained to doc and he returned me to benazepril which I have been taking for years.  My BP was 126 over 72 and now is 149 over 82 with the new meds.  I have stage 3 kidney disease and I feel these drugs are more responsible than not.  I am not overweight and walk 2 miles daily.  The amlodipine caused CRAZY horrible dreams and sleeplessness and leg cramps.  After 48 hours the fog is clearing but my short term memory is still bad.  I hope this is not permanent.  Hang in there.  My nephrologist states "I have given these drugs to hundreds of patients and have never had any complaints..."  In 24 hour of stopping these drugs, I slept well and face is healing...

    • copper8
      copper8 Carlin

      Posted

      Dear Carlin

      my experience is the similar to yours, except that i had chemotherapy for cancer which I think changes the way my body reacts. The amlodipine gave me painful muscle cramps at night at night, the dream complexes and could give joint pains which rotated around the body. the lisonoprill at 40mg is a lunatic amount to prescribe and certainly gave me lots of problems at 10mg levels. The average doctor qualifies as a GP but is not an expert in these drugs.

       Suggest study what you can make by blending vegetable mixes as a thick drink, eg, carrot, pineapple , kale, add lemon, peach , orange juice, plain yoghurt.  These all boost the bodies' immune levels. Its the same answer as treating scurvy in Capt Cooke's days.

      Good luck in the future, take no nonsense from doctors..

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