I know its was amlodipine!

Hi,

I was on Losartan first for about 6 months, I started on 50mg, when that wasn't regulating the BP my doctor sent me to a cardiologist who upped the doses to 100mg. That didn't work and I started complaining about my back spasms and lower back pain. The cardiologist changed it to Amlodipine besylate 2.5mg. At first my back pain seemed to be going away after switching the meds. But after the second week on the new med the back spasms and pain got worst and the BP was still not getting better. Even after I told the cardiologist that the BP was still out of control she said to keep taking the doses. I researched on the internet about hypertension and what I could do to improve it.

I came across a lot of research and documentation on magnesium and a book titled The Magnesium Solution for High Blood Pressure by Jay S Cohen, MD. I dropped the Amlodipine and started taking the Magnesium supplements, my BP is almost normal after 3 days, and my back pain and spasms are getting better each day. With the Amlodipine, I was also getting swollen ankles, sensitive teeth and constipation.

 

I am on Ramilpril 10mg and Amlodipine 10mg, I have recently had the Amlodipine increased from 5mg to 10mg and I have found that I am getting very tired from about 3pm onwards which is very unsual for me.  Prior to this I would go to be about 11pm ish and be up at 6am with no issues, I am now in bed asleep by 9pm, still up at 6 feeling like I have not slept and am really tired by 3pm...

BP has dropped, there is still room for improvement but it's better than it was.

HI Nigel

just reading your post - I know it's been there a while and I hope by now everything has settled down for you. My experience of taking Amlodipine was almost identical to yours and I was off in a little world of my own - once drove through a red traffic light and another time stopped at a pelican crossing then just sat there like a zombie. I think my partner thought I'd really lost it. Within a day of stopping Amlodipine it was as though I came out of a fog and back into the real world. Told my GP about the effects - he didn't seem particularly bothered but I am now on Ramipril and that suits me fine. 

HI Everyone,

I suffered from Amlodipine for over a year and reached as tage where i was completely bed ridden. After stopping amlodipine things have improved and I have started to work again but I still have muscle pain / fatigue to a lesser extent. 

Any idea how long will I it take for me to be "Normal". 

Its been nearly a month now I havent touched amlodipine.

Is there something I can do to speed this process up? 

Nigel is 100% correct. I wish i had found out that Norvasc is very close to anti-depressants i can't take like Lexapro. Upon the 1st dose of Norvasc 5mg in the hospital, post MI no blockage, low LDL, basically no medical reason other than stress/genetics, I noticed depersonalization much as described but worse, depression that hurt, pain everywhere, loss of drive, sudden spells of insane anger & hostility, very similar to any anti-depressant ever tried on me. I have temporal lobe siezure disorder via TBI. My moods, behaviors, even my "fight/flight" have no control by themselves. I need to take a benzo & as it turns out, that is the very same thing that prevents these types of vasospasms. Within the 7-8 day mark of this Norvasc, I have the entire hospital staff completely terrified, my own mother was ready to litterly run out of the house, I was ready to snap to Lord know's what end. I CAN NOT for the safety of the puplic, myself & the world, take any tetra or tricyclic anti-depressants or thier "realitives" period! When will Dr's. listen to the patient? I warned them. I called & asked them all, even the pharamacist when I noticed these changes & they all said it was not the med. So after it finished "peaking" around 8pm, I was able to look up Norvasc in great detail only to discover it does have these effects in 1% of people, me I'm always in that 1%. Docs I've had know this about me. The "new" ones go by the book & not by what my chemistry is. Cardiology did want to consult nuero prior to giving me a statin or this med & decided to skip that due to my behavior. HMMM, they caused it by giving me the Norvasc! Had they kept me in, called a neuro shirnk in, that drug would not have been given. In fact, increasing my Klonopin from .5 x2/day back to 1mg x2/day was the "key", since I completely stopped all alcohol several months ago. My blood cells returned to normal & my benzo was too low. ETOH acts much the same as a vasodiolator, hence masked a problem. Norvasc should be re-evaluatd for safety & doctors educated to not just hand this med out like candy. Makes you wonder how the guy in TX went on a shooting spree after being in the hospital for something & had rages when he came out. 3 days later he goes on a spree randomly shooting for no reason until he got gunned down. No "illicit" drugs in his system, no alcohol, military backround, but otherwise no history of crime or violence. Norvasc effects serotonin, so if you have a problem with serotonin in general, do not take this. If you have phsyc issues bio or event related, do not take this without extensive monitoring. I stopped today & feel 100% better, stable & no snapping. No chest pain either. I have nitro if needed, but 1mg xanax works longer, acts almost as quick if chewed & is 100% effective at stopping the vasospasm as was the 1mg of Ativan given via IV this last attack 2 days ago in the hospital after discharge & while on Norvasc. Insidently, this attack happened shortly after a text that would annoy most but tossed me into a killer rage. Benzo's are not for everyone as nor is this Norvasc. I'm sure it helps plenty without this hypersensitivity, just be careful & if you "feel" like you not yourself, you're not & it is Norvasc.

I know I am replying to a post over a year ago but wanted to comment.

1. My grandmother is on this stuff and she was diagnosed with moderate alzheimers.  I think part of this issue is the amlodiphine she is taking.

2. My blood pressure was crazy a couple of months ago so a new doctor I saw prescribed the Amlodiphine for me.  I seemed to be doing ok on the 10mg but was finding that I was becoming extremely tired this past week.  In fact one day, all I could do is lay on the couch and sleep for 12 hours. So, I put the facts together and took myself off of the stuff.  I am not sleeping as well but overall at least I feel better and have some energy.

I definitely do not recommend this medicine. The lisiniprol seems to be a better choice. Also, Lorsartan isn't too bad but you need to pay attention to the bottom number so it doesn't get too low.

For me, I'll take the chance living with the higher blood pressure over feeling lethargic all of the time.

Hi......I'm wondering if anyone has had any positive effects from this drug since there is nothing but negative results here. I am to start taking this drug tomorrow.  Along with my synthroid 125 and Protonix for GERD.  Y'all have me scared.  Also noticed that most of you are men.  I am a 58 year old female.  Perhaps the side effects won't be so bad I am hoping.  I was on Losartan 50mg for yrs with no problem until the last 5 months of pure hell with that one.  Don't know why it turned on me.

Anybody out there have anything good to say about Amlodipine Besylate 5mg???