Maybe all my symptoms were caused by Amlodipine

Hi Bill - I am so happy that you got some relief after coming off the Amlodipine.  It is so scary the symptoms that you experienced, I know first hand because I experienced the same.  Everyday I would wake up with that dark impending doom cloud over me and then the panic and anxiety would start all while experiencing drop to my knees pulsating hot flushing and blurry vision that would then end in a bloody migraine.  On good days I would just go from the couch to bed to couch.  Oh what a way to live!  I actually am thankful that my GP ramped up my dose to 10 mg & then switched my other B/P RX, because if I had not had that little chat with the pharmacist, I would still be experiencing the symptoms and being in a depressed state of mind.  I will caution you that coming off the Amlodipine, you still may have some side effects, but they ease up and I do believe it depends on how long you were on the nasty drug...I don't believe you were on for too long,  so you should be fine.  It's a really bad drug for some, others not so much, but for those who suffer from the side effects it's debilitating - wishing you good health!

Thanks Debra, I still have the nervous stomach at this moment and feeling of panic and I don't know if you will get this but the occasional stomach feeling of like suddenly dropping in a rollercoaster, it's horrible, the main thing that prompted me to evaluate it was the recent missed heartbeat thud that has developed, scared the s..t out of me.

I to have the flushes and have some really nasty headaches usually as soon as I get out of bed they start and last all day, they have died down a bit recently but I still get a sharp stab now and again just to let me know they are still around.

How anyone can function like this is beyond me, I hate tablets at the best of times and usually ride out illness but when you get diagnosed with high BP things change, I have never took this many tablets in my life!

I am working on the healthy lifestyle and watching what I eat and introducing spinach and beetroot, I cut out salt as soon as I was diagnosed, I have had a bit of a carefree lifestyle and basically eat, drank and done what I wanted but things have now changed and I think completely differently.

Here's to the next few days cold turkey and I will see how it pans out,

Thanks for the kind words and support.

Hi Bill - Yes, there is nothing like having a health scare freak the living daylights out of you - I only wish I would have been more proactive when my symptoms started rather than accepting the menopause/anxiety/Rosasea diagnosis. My skin even reacted to what was going on in my body.  It's interesting that since I have been off the Amlodipine, I have very few Rosasea outbreaks anymore.  

I am also trying to maintain a healthier lifestyle, eating less meat, more veggies etc. I think through this journey, I have realized that above everything, the way I deal with stress has to change and that the importance of self-care like massages & acupuncture & meditation are key in keeping my stress down.  After educating myself a bit more about B/P, I do believe that Drs are over prescribing medication in certain cases.  There are a lot of factors that are involved for what is a good B/P for you  etc. Obviously, no body should be walking around with dangerously high blood pressure, but maybe there is another way than just piling more RX's on top of RX's. 

I never experienced the stomach discomfort you describe, mine was all about horrible GERD/GAS/BLOATING, but I did have & continue to have my share of skipped beats of the heart...it is so frightening. The tingling in my hands & feet & the lightening bolt twinges in my calves with swelling & rash have all disappeared.  I still have some muscles aches in my neck & shoulders, but I am hoping they will finally go away.  I am 60 plus days off the "A", but was on it for 5 years.  It's been a very unpleasant last couple of years, looking forward to taking back my life - 

Well 5 days in and the skipped heartbeats have all but stopped, my BP on rising is a little higher for a couple of hours but evens out later on, even my walking and active BP is lower and not critical, 150/95 peak and level out to around 130/90 so I think the stress of feeling so ill was making it higher.

I will report back over the next few days as it comes out of my system, I have a GP appt on Monday where I will report my findings but for now I am on the mend and feeling more myself, so much more energy it's great.

I will not take this poison ever again.

Oh Bill that is great news! I agree with you, my B/P was higher on Amlodipine then now that I am off.  I think your body goes into adrenal/stress rush mode when your body isn't functioning well & is off balance.  I think the biggest takeaway from this whole horrible drug thing is, aside from feeling better, I think we can all become bigger advocates for our bodies and never again will I just take a drug for something without researching EVERYTHING about it.  My guinea pig days are over! I suggest you read everything that people have posted on this forum in the way of supplements  & lifestyle changes, also recognize that a little elevated B/P may just be your norm for your age, genetics etc. I personally would rather risk having a little elevated B/P than ever living the zombie lifestyle again & I didn't even have low readings on the dumb drug!

Take care, wishing you great health!

Hi Debra

Zombie lifestyle is the perfect way to put it, as you said I would also rather have elevated BP than live like that!

I felt great yesterday to a point I was on the go and overdid it a bit and ended up in a bit of a panic with racing pulse and flushed face, must learn to take baby steps and ease myself back into it, this poison isn't all out of my system yet another week should do it.

Had a great nights sleep though and my BP today even on rising is in the 130-90 range so it's definitely stabilising, I agree I think the state of panic and anxiety being on that poison was releasing adrenaline and upping my BP.

I am in my late forties so I don't think my BP now is especially high for my age but will still like it to get into the normal range but I am not going to punish myself too much to do it, have noticed though my pulse has gone from a resting 85 to mid 70's which is good.

I even treated myself to a couple of beers last night which I haven't done for weeks or months, very odd feeling, made me want to sleep lol.

Thanks for you support and I will be back after my GP appt to see what he says, my doctor is pretty good at listening and he isn't the one that put me on the AM so will see what he thinks about it and if he agrees.

Cheers

Hi Bill and everyone on this forum.

Like you l am now off the dreaded Amlodopine, in my case 20 days. I was on them though for 9 years which is a pretty long time to be suffering the terrible side effects. I am by no means right yet and possibly won't be for a while. Last week l had the most horrendous headache which began around 10pm. I tried to sleep it off but became so unwell had to ring 111 for advice in the early hours. I ended up in hospital having to have 2 scans, x-ray s and blood tests. Dr thinks it could be because my sodium levels were well below what they should be. They had originally thought it was a bleed on the brain which was a scary thought. Was kept in for 3 nights to keep check on me. My blood pressure was on the high side and still is. The Canderstartin l take doesn't seem to be keeping it under control.

I still feel ill from the side effects of Amlodopine, panic attacks, nervous and doom and gloom feeling on a daily basis. I would like to know when l can expect a little relief from all this. I still feel like a zombie and my head is up in the clouds whilst my heart rate is still racing even though l take a Betta blocker to counteract this. Wish l could see the end of the rainbow.

Dear Christine by the way that's my name too nice name LOL anyway I want to tell you that I've been on amlodipine for many years and I am miserable it makes me causes gout I had a little bit in my foot and then it moved somewhere else and now it's in my toe and I'm achy do you know that in the Netherlands it's illegal they don't even sell amlodipine a person would like to just take myself off of it I'm so tired of feeling sick my legs are uneasy I feel like I could fall down quite easily not steady or sturdy on my legs my ankles hurt

Hi Chris.

Yes l did read that Amlodopine was banned in the Netherlands. Strange then that it's still being prescribed here but not strange that people are suffering unnecessarily. Drs don't listen mostly, best bet is to speak to a friendly pharmacists, they know more about the drugs issued.

Am sorry you are still having big problems with pain. I am lucky l suppose that l don't have actual pain but the other side effects are as bad in their own way. I never feel well and can't enjoy life as l should.

Nice name by the way.

Hi Christi - yes, coming off Amlodipine is no easy cakewalk.  I am going on 75 days plus off of it & I still have days with residual side effects.  I went a whole week of intense  GERD/BLOATING/GAS, this week it seems to be hot flashes with flushing.  I am still battling with anxiety & panic attacks but all I can say Is they are way better than when I was on the drug.  I remember I had a whopper of a headache about a month off the drug as well.  There could be a lot of things at play here, we don't know whether this drug messed with our adrenal glands, hormones etc.  All I can tell you is with each passing day it appears to get better, but there still appears to be residual effects...give it time.  I believe the other drug you are on is only a diuretic, and really shouldn't be giving you those side effects...,my bet it's the Amlodipine withdrawals.  I always had neck pain on the right side of my neck while on the drug, this week it really hurt, go figure? I will say what left immediately was the fog and overall dread of seeing the glass half empty. Ugh! Hate this drug! Wishing you good health!

Hi Christi

Feel for you. It's awful how the Amlodopine makes us so depressed. I am the same, don't know what to do with myself and still having panic attacks at night. Last night my stomach was bloated and l couldn't breathe properly. It woke me twice along with rapid heart rate. Funnily enough I'd had a good day that day.

I ended up in hospital last week as woke with an horrendous headache in the early hours. Never had a head like it. Drs thought I'd had a bleed or aneurysm on the brain but after 2 scans and lots of tests it was a relief to find that wasn't the case. Was kept in for 3 nights but am still experiencing headaches but nowhere near as bad.

I look forward to the day as no doubt we all are on this site, to actually feeling back to myself.

Best of luck when you see the Dr.