I know its was amlodipine!

I have been prescribed Amlodipene by my doc. Have been on lisinopril and a diuretic up till now but my b.p.has gone up to 168/ 93 . Have read the comments on this forum and am now really reticent about taking them especially as when I picked up my presc today I had to fill in a form with my phone number so pharmacist can phone me to see how I am on them ? I have never been asked to do this before so am a little worried.Am going of keeping a record of my b.p myself as think to presc a different drug on the strength of one high reading might be a little drastic

Please don't worry about the fact that the pharmacist asked for your phone number - it is apparently a new scheme where you are followed up to see how you are getting on with any newly prescribed medication. It's called the New Medicine Service. You might find that you have no side effects whatsoever with amlodipine, or ones that are acceptable to you. Good luck, I hope they suit you!

I have been taking 5mg Amlopodine tablets now for 3 months now!!. Besides feeling lifeless and without any energy, my heart rate dropped down to 40 Bpm and I have been suffering with Ectopic heartbeats!! . I felt as if I was going to die any minute!!. It was like a nightmare!!. Trouble sleeping,even when I take sleeping tablets!!. Then I noticed something,when I woke every morning my heart rate was normal!!. I found this a bit suspicious!!. I decided to stop taking Amlopodine to see whether they were the cause of my low heart rate and Ectopic heart beats!!. When I walk even a few yards I have noticed my heart rate returns to normal!!.I personally believe from what I have read on my computer that these tablets should have a lot more research done on their effects!!. Why were they banned in Holland?. Please if any one else has had these same side effects ,please let me know!!. I feel sorry for anyone that is or has suffered what I have been going through!!. God help you all!!.

Dear Friends,

Please try Norvasc Brand, which is the original manufacturer's version of this medicine. I have tried this and has less side effects.

There are generic drug versions, like Mylan and I had severe side effect with this one. Some time I have to take half a bill at a time (2.5 mg)

As your doctor and pharmacisit to prescribe Norvasc for a week or two and see how you feel

Hi, I'm 34 yr old male on ramipril 5mg for 3 yrs now due to my bp not dropping I was put on Amlodipine 5mg 3 months ago. The effect it has had on me is disturbing, depression, mood swings, forgetfulness, tiredness to name but a few. I have only pin pointed today that the tablets are the possible cause. Is it possible to just stop taking the tablets until I can see my GP? I'm on a waitlist for an operation which has already been delayed due to my high bp so I don't want that increasing again and effecting my operation again.

Thanks, R

I cannot belive some of the comments on here regarding Amldopine I have been on this now for the last 9 months i am taking the 5mg dose alongside 10mg Ramapril and apart from the first couple of weeks on Amloipine i have had no side effects what ever, My BP is now stable and feel absolutly fine and will contiue until my BP is back to normal

Rob36, I feel your pain - you sound exactly how I felt (and still feel now that I am on lercanidipine, which is related to amlodipine) so I don't blame you for wanting to come off them. Personally, I wouldn't just stop taking them, but it has to be your choice at the end of the day. Just make sure you see your GP as soon as you can. I find if I miss a dose I get a sort of rebound effect and can feel awful, head pulsing, feeling sick etc. So be careful that your bp doesn't shoot up while you are waiting to go on something else. I hope your doctor is amenable to changing your meds as I have found much resistance with the doctors I have seen. Good luck.

Cupcake52, I think you are just one of the lucky ones in that you have no side effects. Long may it continue. Some of us are a bit more sensitive to meds than others though and it can become a nightmare where you feel awful but the doctor simply won't believe you

Thanks for that Flutterby 52, I decided to come off them yesterday, im still on Ramipril so hopefully that will hold the bp at bay, I have an appointment with my doctor on Wednesday Morning first thing. He is a young open minded doctor so with any luck he will help me. The hardest bit at the moment is apologising to family, friends and work mates who have had to deal with zombie Rob for the last few months.

Exactly; your personality changes and you feel you just can't get back to being the person you used to be. I've seriously been close to the edge on several occasions. The problem with bp meds is you can't live without them yet can't live with them if you are unlucky enough to get devastating side effects. It's like being trapped. In fact this has spurred me on to seeing my doc again to ask for another change. He was very reluctant last time so I expect a dressing down. But it's my body! Will have to try to be more assertive Hope your family and friends understand.

The last few months I have been feeling exhausted, tired, sleepy just like when i first started taking amlodopine over 3 years ago (along with ramapril) well........last Friday I went to the doctors, blood pressure was down to average of 111 over 74, lower than normal so Dr said do you want to come of the amlodopine, I said yes also to help stop the excruciating cramp and heartburn which she said was side effects. Stopped taking the tablets on Sat and by Monday I was like a new me !!!!!!!!! I have forgotten what I was like, I am AWAKE I have ENERGY, blood pressure is creeping up to a good place and I have much less cramp, my feet feel great which were a big concern, could hardly walk on them sometimes with swelling and aches and pains. No way am I going back on those drugs. I have just had blood test to check everything is ok and have to wait couple of weeks to see dr again. Fingers crossed my bp stays good and I am healthy. I really do feel the best I have in years. I am hoping my bp has gone down naturally because I have been living a pretty much stress free life for the past year or so .

Hi I've had Hypertension for ten years now and I've been on this drug and 20 mg of Bisoprolol / hydrochlorothiazide, 40mg of olmesartan, 100mg Spironolactone, 50mg of Eplerenone 40mg of Furosemide and 75mg Clopidogrel, 300mg of Levothyrox and 300mg of Quinine and 180mg of Morphine Sulfate SR and 5/10 mg of Oramorph SR for break through pain and out of all these meds I take 10mg of Amlodipine and its the one drug that really affects me the worse.

I've asked the GP and the consultant if I can come off it and they've said no my bp at the moment is 187/124 and never goes down below 165/109 i have tried cutting down but my bp went so high I ended up in hospital with a telling off from the consultant.

I just don't no what else to do !!

Is there a particular reason why your bp is so high ? Cant they replace the amlodopine with an alternative. Some people suggest even trying a different brand of the same drug. Or try a different doctors opinion. My original dr said I would be on these drugs for life. 3 years later I am off one of them already. Although I am still waiting for the blood test results to check I am ok and its natural that my bp has gone down but I still feel perfectly fine one week on.

I have Conn's syndrome and under active thyroid and I have suffered with Atrial tachycardia and chronic pain syndrome and I'm under st Thomas hospital London.

I will be 61 tomorrow and have been on medication for hypertension for 20 years. In the past 12 months it has become worse so my GP wrote to our local hospital asking for advice. I am already on 5 pills - one out of every category! So the first change was to take me off Ramipril and to add Indapamide to the mix. Secondly starting on 1st May I was taken off the Felodipine and started on Amlodipine. I have suffered like most of you with tiredness, no energy etc. but I have also been experiencing low back pain, increased blood sugar (Yes, and me a diabetic), numbness & tingling down my legs into my feet, increased sweating, extremely dry mouth, weight increase, palpitations.

So it is 8 weeks tomorrow since I started Amlodipine and it has taken me all this time to realise that what I have been experiencing is down to the Amlodipine. I Have sat tonight and read this whole thread and am now more convinced with my decision - I am not going to take it tomorrow and see if there is any improvement in the next few days then I will ring my GP later in the week. No one else appeared to have suffered high glucose. I am on oral medication and insulin for my diabetes. Am so glad I found this forum tonight - I will no doubt be back.

I started Amlodipine just 10 days ago - the tiniest children's dose of just 2.5mg, but even so I have developed swollen ankles and frequency of bowel movements - has anyone else on Amlodipine experienced this side effect please?

Frankly when it comes to pills, my body rebels, and I keep away from all of them. I eat very healthily, mostly organic, and I wonder if my body is too sterile to cope with the medications, if that's at all possible!

A bit of background - I have a sole kidney which is not filtering out at 100% and because of my paranoia about not wanting to harm this kidney with any drugs, my GP referred me to a kidney consultant who prescribed the Amlodipine. I tried Ramipril (supposed to be the best BP medication for kidney function) some 7 years ago but became very ill within days so was taken off it. Then tried Candesartan and the first blood test showed raised creatinine so was taken off that.

I do so wish there was a way of controlling high BP without medication.