I know its was amlodipine!

Hi Christine, this site is wonderful and I am so glad that I found it as well!  I have learned a lot about Amlo from the comments posted.  So I am a bit concerned that you have stopped taking a 10mg Amlo dose just suddenly - are you monitoring your BP readings at home??  I have been reducing my Amlo meds over the past month or so because I was worried that my BP would get too high.  Unfortunately my doctor has told me that he will not stop the Amlo because when I was in his surgery last week my BP reading was high so I have been upset about that.  

So for the past week I have reduced my Amlo dose to 2.5mg - half a 5mg tablet - every second day.  This week I have watched my BP reading drop consistently, now down to the low 130's over 80.  

I feel like crying because this shows me that the less my body has to deal with this awful drug, the better it is!! 

So please take care of yourself Christine and let us know how you are going.  Hope you keep enjoying feeling better as you get off this Amlo poison!!    

Hi Christine

I just stopped talking the tablets at 10mg ie amlodipine, and  my ankles stopped swelling and the aches and pains from the back of my knuckles on the LHS travelling over the shoulder muscles to the RHS, steadily dropped away. My BP went very high and blood sugar so I am T2 diabetic. With discussion with friends now cut out all sugar, all but a tiny amount of salt, and most foods like bacon. Am eating raw vegetables as in coleslaw, and putting fruits and veg in a blender to make smoothies. My weight is down 9Kg and feel much more active. BP has dropped using candersarten and one tablet of garlic daily. Garlic is an old established remedy.

  If your doctor will not take you off amlodipine change the doctor or insist on a second opinion.

best wishes

Hi Christine, glad to learn you stopped the Amlodopine. I also had many bad reactions to Amlodopine. Peripheral neuropathy being the worst. I could hardly walk after taking it for four years and thinking my problems were caused by other meds.  I am better now PN, fatigue, weakness forgetfulness and frequent night voidings all improving. Do hope others in trouble from the med find the sight and this thread. Good health to you

Hi carol

i just read your 8 month old post about p neuropathy .   I too suffer from that condition and have a question for you.  After stopping the amlodipine how long did it take for your neuropathy symptoms to improve

thanks

sandy 

Great news, Nigel - well done you!  Haven't tried Lisinopril yet but you are the second person to recommend it on the forum today.  However, if it works the same way as Ramipril (another ACE) I doubt I could take it.  Has your kidney function remained fine on it?  I hope you continue to do well.

the two are exactly the same chemistry, just different brand names.

I f you take lisoprill you are taking ramipril

Hi Mary.

Yep, that'show it gets to you. Give it a forghtnight, if still the same, back to your doc and get it changed, it's not worth persevering as it doesn't get any better, and can get a lot worse.

As you can see, we speak from experience.

Regards

Nigel

GLGL, you're the third person I've come across to be on Amlodipine and to suddenly experience such things as heart block and need a pacemaker.  One is my hubby and the other our next-door neighbour.   I was on Amlodipine for several months but came off it due to very swollen ankles and a red blotchy rash that appeared on my lower legs which became permanent and has been diagnosed as varicose eczema - I think it really messed with my blood vessels.  I remember reading an article written by researchers at Brigham & Women's Hospital in the US saying that Calcium Channel Blockers such as Amlodipine should not be prescribed for women in particular as it had been found to cause a heart problem.  When I mentioned it to my consultant, he replied that that was never confirmed.  No smoke without fire comes to mind.

Mayo Clinic did a great report on the relationship of Calcium Channel Blockers and Beta Blockers AVnode conduction (sinus rhythm).  If you can't find it readily on the Mayo site, do a search on Amlodipine and Bradycardia.  By the way the damage is not reversible that is why a pacemaker is required.  Men are impacted just as much as I am evidence of that fact.

Very interesting reading although distressing for you to have this outcome. A class action against this foul medication cant come quickly enough, it has damaged so many people.

I'll have a look at the Mayo site - a very reliable source of information I know. Bit concerned now having read your comment about Beta Blockers though - Bisoprolol was added to my Losartan a couple of months ago.  Only a tiny dose so far - so not doing anything for my BP - but I'm an extra awkward patient with very high BP that doesn't want to reduce and which is attacking my sole kidney function which itself is already low functioning making BP treatment difficult....aaargh!

You need BP meds that do not harm the kidneys.

http://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/health-topics/kidney-disease/high-blood-pressure-and-kidney-disease/Pages/facts.aspx

Basicly you are seeking meds that are easy on the Kidneys.  I believe Losarten, which you are on, is one of those.  Losarten caused me significant body aches and muscle issues so was pulled off it by my doctor within a couple of months.

Good luck on finding a combination that will work for you.

Many thanks for the link and for your good wishes.  Losartan suits me but is doing nothing for my BP; similar with Bisoprolol.  The consultant advised the GP to increase the dose after monitoring but as my kidney function reduced by a further 4 points within 6 weeks of adding Bisoprolol, the GP doesn't want to increase it but is writing back to the consultant for further advice.  I guess another medication will be tried - Ramipril has already fallen by the wayside as it made me nauseous and gave signs of bringing back a previous inflammatory illness; Candesartan increased my creatinine.  Did I say I was awkward?!!

​Shame the Losartan caused problems for you as according to my pharmacist it is the BP drug with the least reported side effects.  I hope they've found something that suits you now.

I would like you ask your cardiologist about Clonidine.  It works on the brain totally different than the other drugs.  That is what I am on now.  It does have different kind of side effects depending on the dosage you will need.  It is generally prescribed as a use as needed but I was using it three times a day (.05 mg every 8 hours)(half a tablet) and it worked just fine. Now I am on .05mg twice a day. (At night and at mid day and with the health regiment I am on now I think I will be off the med in three or four months.   Please look up Clonidine in your search engine.  Side effect I am having the most trouble with is vivid dreams some are disturbing and dry mouth which is worse at night.  Other side effects are minimal.  I had an issue with leg cramps and constipation which are similar to side effects of other drugs. I now take a magnesium supplement which stopped the cramps and the constipation dead in the tracks however there is left over a heavy leg feeling in the early AM which wares off as soon as I am walking around.

Two years ago my BP hit 185/78.  Started on Amlodipine and Lisinopril.  I had started to take a low dose asprin .81 on my own about two months before that just on my own research.  The Amlodipine knocked me right on my butt after only 30 days.  I decided to keep on the Lisinopril and Asprine.  In one year my BP slowly dropped to 145/74.  Then I read where you can take an Asprine the wrong time of day and it has NO effect on your system.  So my doctore agreed to let me set up my own schedule as follows, in other words I bitched my way into it.

Morning 10mg Lisinopril and 12.5mg Hydrochlorthiazide (diuretic) tablet. 1/2 Asprin (.81mg)

Evening  20mg Lisinopril.  1/2 Asprin (.81)

In six months I'm down 120/64 at age 70.

I moved and had to get a new cardio who had a fit and immediately put me on Amlodipine 5mg again.  I imploded in two weeks.  Swollen legs, ankels, blurred vision, upset stomach, pain everywhere, shortness of breath, sleepless nights, tired all day long.  Couldn't find the kitchen garbage container I had just installed on the back of the pantry door last week.  Threw the stuff out on Wednesday (aft 2 wks) and today is Saturday and I'm starting to feel alive again.  I got another doctors appointment in two weeks...............I can't wait! 

Hi ryan, very interesting post. I am going to take note of your meds , sounds like you are onto the right idea. I took Lisinopril years ago but doctors changed everything when Amlodipine came along. After trying to stick with the awful effects I am not taking any BP meds, I just want to be able to live my life and 'take my chances ' while taking care of myself.

Anyway I am wondering why your new cardiologist 'had a fit' if your BP reading is so good??? Confirms my experience with doctors getting 'anxious ' because they see my BP reading as too high when it is perfectly acceptable to me. Personally I am 'over it' , actual Health Care in my experience has stopped being about genuinely caring for people.

Good luck and good health

Suzanne

You have to be very careful about writing to me Suezan - once I get started, I never know when to stop.  When you go to China and hide under a rock, my letters will still find you. 

My new cardiologist, who I researched for hours and found to be well qualified, seems to have a set program for new patients.  You tell him what your symptoms are and it does not matter what you say he just waits for you to finish and he starts you on his program.  I gave him a spreadsheet showing the first year (after dumping Amlodipine) on Lisinopril and aspirin going (daily) down from the 180's to the 140's. Added the mild diuretic for water retention, adjusted the dosage and split the aspirin. I stopped the chart after a year when we lost out dog and my wife and I were somewhat lost for a year and even moved to get a new start.  This doctor kept reading the damn chart wrong - he was reading it backwards.  He was in a hurry and had patients waiting.  Anyways, my current numbers are in the high 130's.  In the last year, we moved twice, built a new house, my wife is building a new career, I'm a pretty healthy drinker, and I had other personal issues that pushed my numbers up to about 145. Now that everything is settled and we get our two new rescue dogs, I'll be back into the low 130's or high 120's at age 70.  I'm good with that, so is my mother - same numbers - in her 90's.

This doctor went into a rant about being sued for malpractice if he lets we walk around with those numbers and not rescue me.  So he starts me on the same program I started two+ years ago that didn't work, bypassing everything accomplished.  I have some other issues (bad knees so I can't exercise) etc. etc. but they don't count.  He was telling me that recently my numbers were considered good, but now they want old people in the 120 or less no matter what.  Who's they......the drug companies!  Screw em....    I feel good where I'm at and I can make more progress (if I want) without the drugs.

Now be careful if you add a diuretic.  You might get symptoms like gout - kind of a pain - but it helped.  Now with better personal behavior - I wouldn't need that - so it's me on that issue.  

Best thing I ever did.  I split the aspirin up - half in the morning and half in the evening.  What a difference.  Problem is you split a .81 mg. aspirin in half you need a magnifying glass to find the halves. 

I wish you well also.  If anything I have done helps, then my life becomes more worthwhile.  My theory now is most doctors develop a "formula" they try to force all of us in to.  But, we are not all the same.

ryan

 

Very interesting to hear from you ryan. Personally I am not taking any BP meds for now. Not taking BP readings, it was really doing my head in! You have put such a lot of time and research into your meds, seems to be working well for you.

Your writing about the rescue dogs you and your wife have taken on was lovely to read. I hope you are both keeping well.

Anyway I definitely say screw the dtug companies too! Here in Australia doctors seem to be locked in to a system of health care based on prescribing meds to patients rather than engaging with patients as people.

Sue B

I knew there was a simple answer to BP problems.  " Personally I am not taking any BP meds for now. Not taking BP readings,"  

The not taking BP readings is the best answer I've read in a long time.  Got into a minor argument with my cardiologist - he wants me on drugs. Here in the states the drup companines keep track of every perscription and the doctor who ordered it.  Then those doctor's get a commission.  See the problem here?

Kind of neat having a friend in Australia.  Good luck.....