Ramipril

Posted , 4 users are following.

I have been on this medication for over a year now. In July of this year (1 year since i started taking this med), I started getting night cramps and pain in my righ hip, knee about 6 months after taking it. The Dr's though it was Sciatica as i have experienced this in the past. But i have been goin to Physio and Massage Therapy with not much relief at all. I have had x-rays done on my knee to see if it may be Arthritis but his came back clear. I told my physician that i read Ramipril could cause Joint and Muscle pain and could it be from the meds, he said no you have been on it for over a year, if you were going to experiece pain from the meds it would have happened sooner. Funny thing is i never had this kind of pain before. Anyone else have the hip/knee paid?

1 like, 5 replies

5 Replies

  • Posted

    Sorry should be hip/knee pain, not paid.
  • Posted

    I had been taking Ramipril for about 5 years but was taken off suddenly due to having a stuck kidney stone. Within 2 days I felt 5 years younger as the following side effects just stopped (I had assumed they were just due to my age - 59!). 1) Night cramps. 2) Painful and stiff finger and knee joints. 3) aching muscles. 4) Long term cough. 5) Cold extremities. 6) Irritability and depression. 7) Lack of energy. I had not realised how much the medication had degraded my life as the side effect had creapt up on me as the dosage had bwen in creased overy time. None of the symproms has returned over the last 2 months since I stopped taking it.
  • Posted

    Have you or your doctor considered PMR,that is Polymyalgia Rhumatica.This condition can be caused by taking Ramipril over a lenghy period. I  took it for approximately six months before I began to feel unwell,aching joints,numb fingers,lethargy. I went back to the doctor and he simply diagnosed my hand as Carpel Tunnel Syndrome and I susequently had an operation on my right hand. It wasn't until I went to a Chiropractor in a last desperate effort to ease my aching joints that he mentioned PMR. I had never heard of it prior to this but he suggested I go back to my doctor and demand a blood test specifically for PMR.Like you I was dismissed with the answer that I had previous blood tests and PMR hadn't shown up so I didn't have it. However I persisted because I felt so unwell,he again took a blood test which was negative but instead put me on a small daily dose of Steroids. My doctor informed me that if it was PMR the steroids would work almost immediately. I took the first tablets of steroids and within hours the effect was amazing,I started to return to normal,the aches in my joints,shoulders and neck disappeared. Unfortunately I am left with taking a daily quantity of steroids that I may be able to reduce as time goes on.So my advice is to stop the Ramipril and insist that your doctor considers PMR.Even if a blood test is negative like mine,it doesn't necessarily mean you havn't developed it and the test is a simple course of steroids.

                                                               Hope this will help you and the very best of luck.  

  • Posted

    Hi...Yes have everything you have and more want to come off them.  Apart from muscle cramps in legs and joints problem with knee cant sleep at night dry mouth up most of the night drinking cups of tea....thinning of hair.....cant climb stairs and cant walk from from the pain in my legs.
    • Posted

      Hi, I was initially fearful that my blood pressure would jump up but luckily I was in hospital when they took me off, so my blood pressure was being monitored regularly and it did not go up. I looked on the internet to see what problems I would have suddenly stopping and only found lots of people that had similar unpleasant side effects. I am just pleased that my circumstances permitted me to experience the relief from the side-effects as I would not have attributed them to the medication. I also started looking at the whole issue of high blood pressure and came to the conclusion that it is not really a problem unless it is very high. I have made a personal decision to avoid this sort of medication. I would not wish to advise others on their medication but I would encourage them to investigate the pros and cons so that they could make an informed decision for themselves. Kind regards.

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