Stopping AMLODIPINE ......experience explained .
Posted , 60 users are following.
Hello to everyone ..
I have benefited so much from the posts in the forum .. thanks ... I like to post a simple narration for those who are coming off it and share the experience or nightmare ...
It seems there are those with immediate bad effects with days of taking Am and those whose symtoms develop over months ... as long as 6 mths to even several years ..
I like to think that everyone will have a threshold .. where below that...one always assume is natural aging .. balance issues . Etc etc .... and once the symptoms cross that threshold .. you start to be very miserable and anxious .. so .. it may be that those who like me suffer after 6 mths ... actually have the issues but below the misery threshold.. and start to become bad to worse after 6 mths .....? This also complicated by other medications taken.....?
I think there are 2 groups of side effects .. 1. Primarily due to the drug in the system .. like the mental issues .. brain fog .. memory ... depression .. feelings of doom ...nauseous.. inability to think ... and 2 . Secondary due to the effects of the calcium mechanism altered by the drug itself ..possibly the aches .. pains ... joints.. leg swells.. etc etc etc....more physical stuff..
When Am is stopped ... based on the half like calculations.. it takes approx 12 days to clear the system... mainly most sufferers report an easing of the mental issues ....see a relief of the brain fog etc etc . However .. the physical issues seem to linger on and return on and off for some period of time .. definitely easing off in intensity and frequency .. but tapering off very slowly ...
This is my simple interpretation from the informative inputs and I wonder if there is a general concurence ?
Regards to all....
5 likes, 108 replies
debra16694 Chi000
Posted
Hi Chi000 - so sweet of you to check up on me - well, it's officially 75 days free from Amlodipine. I will say with each passing day I am starting to regain a piece of the person I once was. Coming off the drug it seemed like every week I had to deal with something, but in no way was it as bad as it was on the drug. There are times I question if I will ever be the same vital person I once was with non-stop energy, but maybe that is simply the aging process, as I am now 60. I just noticed this week that my heart palpitations seem to be less frequent & the flushing is no where as intense as it was & mental clarity about 85% restored. I still have digestion issues, but am handling them. I am still on Irbesartan HCTZ 300 and seem to be handling that Ok. I am hoping 6 months off & I will be my old self again. So thankful for this site! Thanks again!
Best,
Debra
Chi000 debra16694
Posted
Real great to hear ... deb...
Just to share.. it's the same here ... but I refuse to take any more meds like painkillers or stomach pills... just bear with the effects and monitor if they are subsiding gradually ... sometimes they do escalate but each time .. it should be less bothersome ... cheers...
Chi000 debra16694
Posted
It 6 months ..... so how are u feeling ...
I am slightly ... so slightly less preoccupied and affected ... hard to say ... maybe .... it weans off slowly ...?
ian_j Chi000
Posted
Hi Chi000,
Just found this site and thread today having researched stopping Amlodipine.
?I have been taking this in combination with another drug for my BP for many years.
?I was not aware of the issues and side effects as I have been suffering from lack of energy and focus and even speaking to my GP having blood tests nothing was found. It was my idea to stop Amlodipine as a suggestion and surprised my GP did not tell me about this years ago as an issue. So 35 days ago I went cold turkey.
?He said it would take up to 6 weeks to get out of my system but I should be OK and just keep a check on my BP as I am taking another medication for hypertension still. However 5 days ago I had a headache that would not shift taking the normal drugs - it's constant and comes in waves of pain and can be severe enough like a migraine every few hours and a stress pain down my neck.
?Went to my GP as I was concerned it was rising BP causing this but it was 138/81 that's OK for my age and normal range and he seemed unconcerned with my headaches.
?I thought it had to do with stopping Amlodipine and reading comments on here confirms this as I was getting worried.
?Not sure how long this will last and as for stomach discomfort I have had mild acid reflux and gone right off drinking white wine.
?Looking forward to getting through this and useful to share experiences.
Ian J
Chi000 ian_j
Posted
Hello ianj
When u stop Amlodipine... it takes 14 days to exit yr body technically .. however .. while you were on the drug ... it alters certain body mechanisms ... it is those mechanisms that causes the side effects and the linger you are on the drug .. it seems it takes longer for any reversal to occur ..
A majority of people on Amlodipine suffers from the side effects but to different degrees .. so if the effects are not severe .. most people attribute to other things like age or other illness... a minority suffer severe effects and some end up in this forum ...
To be fair .. yr GP sees thousands of patients and prescribes thousands of drugs and hence faces thousands of side effects complains .. all they can do is to push u down unless u need ER care or such .. medicine is a touch and go and not absolute..
Unfortunately for Amlodipine ... there are a unique side effects that seems non inter related and yet very severe making u feel very ill ... and all tests and scans will come back ok ...
As I follow this forum .. I am happy to tell u that what u report about this big headache after stopping .. is shared by many here... it seems that if u take the drug anything more than a couple of months to yeares .. it takes some while to go off .. and along the way.. there are these strange headaches... leg and arm pains ... gerd and bloat ... strange giddiness... and many more .. so that's right ....
You should by now clear any mental symptoms like fogging ... memory loss.. but still sometimes feel just ill and depressed....
So Ian ... u r right to stop the drug
Chi000 ian_j
Posted
How are u now after the last couple of weeks ?
marie77443 ian_j
Posted
Wow,oh my,Two weeks off amo,worst drug ever,Im having trouble with the severe pain and stiffness in my upper and lower neck,My B.P has been really good tracking it 3 times a day,plus have really changed my diet to plant based,Brain fog lifted immediately,feel wonderful except for that muscle pain in my head and neck,so annoying,Just very grateful to be off it and that awful depressing feeling of dread was gone within 2 days,When u complain to your dr, They just constantly say ,"ITS NOT THE MED",Yeah ok,God Bless this forum...........Bless you on your journey
marniebirds marie77443
Posted
Good luck on your journey!
jim02851 Chi000
Posted
Hello all.
I would like to relate to other interested folks my experience of Amlodipine, which I will not be taking again.
I only took it for five weeks, this was around 15 months ago. after 4 weeks. I realised I could read a newspaper as usual, but could not interpret or think about what I had read as I went along, also somehow, depth perception with my vision made walking over rough or potholed tracks etc near impossible. I related this to my gp who was unimpressed with this and said keep taking it.... 8 days after that, doing my VAT return, I realised that simple numbers and addition were now impossible, and this had to stop right now. Well, I could not use the phone either, it was beyond me, luckily my wife returned at that point, fixed an appt with any Dr in 1hr. He said stop taking it (which now looks obvious, but wasn't then). Take a break for a week or two, and we will start again. It Was five weeks before I could bring myself to risk more of this. Since this episode I have spoken to perhaps 40 people who have similar interests, and know me in passing, around half use it with few if any side effects. Wish I was one of them, most gave me the impression that they did not believe me, or thought I was overstating my experience (including doc?)
It took five weeks to get clear of this. I have never been so frightened in my life. If I had not had an implant in my ankle which I wanted out, I would not have gone near a doc again. It is beyond my understanding that this is on the market.
I now take indamide & losartan 25mg, Ankle plate now removed (great) .Other than lack of sleep & occasional tinnitus, I am comfortable with this.
I think about this experience most days which makes B.P rocket, hence I am reading & replying to this thead, which I am surprised does not have more users.
I find toast and peanut butter helps buffer the rush I get with the Losartan.
You are not alone, don't take it too far.
Best wishes.
christine_20029 jim02851
Posted
Hi Jim
Well I'm pleased you managed to get off the dreaded Amlodopine and feeling more yourself. I agree though, once you've been through this type of experience it's hard to just dismiss it out of your head. I am in a similar place. I came off the Amlodopine early September. Was on it 9 years without much bother until my bp went up and Dr upped the dose. That's when l realised this was not good for me, lots of side effects, swollen feet, intense anxiety,panic attacks, worse tinnitus, eyesight weird and worse of all a rising fast heart rate. Headaches galore too, and the last two l am still suffering badly from. Have had to go on a Betta blocker for heart and that in itself is poison to me.
Am also on Lostarten for very high blood pressure and am curious to what you said about getting a rush and using toast and peanut butter to alleviate it. Not sure if l have a rush when l take Lostarten unless it's to do with my heart beating extremely fast after I've eaten a meal?
Best wishes.
jim02851 christine_20029
Posted
Hi Christine. Somehow i must have missed your question. I found the first few months of losartan 25mg difficult but not impossible. Around 30-40 mins after taking it (in morning) i got a rush of 'something', it was not adrenaline....but felt like someone had tipped around a pint of petrol into my bloodstream....Took around 1 1/2 hr to disipate. Not desperately unpleasant, in a strange way after a while it made me feel almost like taking another. ( Worse on some brands than others) Fortunately, the local pharmacist asked one day how i was getting on with it.....so i explained. He was surprised i noticed any thing at all, as this was a 'tiny' dose. I later tried 50mg losartan, but would wake at 3am , heart ripping (est 4-5 bpsecond) soaked in sweat after repeated road accidents on ice ! ...so no.He turned out to be a very friendly & helpfull man. I like to talk to other people about this, so now i ask any likely sorts.....a few won't discuss it, but most are well pleased to give me their experiences. one of these explained he found the same, and said "peanut butter". (out of my small sample, two stated they cant take any of the.......) Well i tried it, and it works well, toast and peanut butter, also helps me not to forget. To keep my weight down, i have now switched to Porridge, but i think my system may now be a little more robust......but i would not dare take it without something to eat even now. Amlodipine was seriously bad news for me...NEVER again. Plenty of people won't go near a doc, for fear of this sort of thing. Talk about unexpected consequences ! I take indapamide too with no trouble that i am aware of. Fortunately , i see a lady Doctor who is firm, encouraging, reassuring and i get on well with,...otherwise i think i would still be stuck with metalwork in ankle, or.... .I didn't get headaches with amlodipine, felt like i had one coming,but they didn't materialise. just as well as i don't ever use Paracetamol, it makes me tremble uncontrollably. (All tell me rubbish, you are imagining it ). Usually, i go to aspirin, but not with amlodipine i'm told.Nasty business this, however i do think i may now have an improved sense of humour. Hope you now ok. Best wishes.
chris21802 Chi000
Posted
You nailed it Chi I have had nothing but miserable side effects with amlodipine pain in my muscles pain in my Achilles heel swelling it goes from one foot to the next to the Elbow achiness uneasy on my legs feeling like I'm old I'm only just turned 60 I am trying to wean myself off of this stuff because the doctor said don't do it cold turkey so I take 10 mg a day I'll have to break it down it's miserable just miserable I just don't have a life anymore
kathleen51252 Chi000
Posted
Chi000 kathleen51252
Posted
Hello and welcome ..
Yes.. your conclusions are right .. the gp can accept yr issues as side effects because they are paid to lower yr bp.... and not worry a bout yr leg issues. GPs do come in all shapes and sizes ....
What u need to do is to find another go med to keep it below 140/90 and stop Amlodipine totally ... this alternative should not be another CCB. If u feel much better after that ...see another doc ... tell him u have breathing issues... giddy.... can't walk ... get another go management going..
U are surely not alone ....
debra16694 Chi000
Posted
Hi Chi - Deb here - Since you & I came off Amlodipine about the same time...almost 8 months for me...just wondering how you are doing? I believe I was on it longer than you...I was on it for 5 years. Even though my overall health has improved (able to function) I still am plagued with flushing in my face, empty head feeling and random aches & pains with occasional bloat & GERD. I am trying now to determine if this is the endless “fallout” from this drug or is it my hormones wrecking havoc on my body...I just don’t know. If you are not feeling these symptoms anymore than perhaps it is something else that is causing these issues for me. I had all these side effects & more while taking the drug, but I had hoped they would have disappeared by now & they haven’t - I also suffer from anxiety/panic and occasional shortness of breath which can be all menopause related ailments. I am just trying to get to the bottom of this - if you say you are home free from ailments than I can suspect it’s my hormones - either way, this drug messed me up!!! Ugh!
Chi000 debra16694
Posted
Hello debra... nice to hear from you ...
No! I am not home free.
I am relieved of the many serious side effects . Say maybe 70% .. however I still suffer from daily dips .. the issues of neck aches.. tiredness... insomnia.. anxiety .. running nose .. they are persistent ... in my own view ... the Amlodipine may have caused some anxiety disorder ..
However .. I am also still on betablockers and statins and I am not about to experiment taking them off..
So like you I am treading a fine hole and all I can do is to distract myself but sometimes the mood does go south .... u just feel sick ..
I do not know how or what to do .... sorry ... 😯
debra16694 Chi000
Posted
Dang it Chi! You have been my hope & inspiration throughout this whole ordeal, I was hoping you were going to say you are ailment free & then I could just blame all my issues on menopause - i have a feeling this drug has had irrepable damage on me inparticular...there isn’t a day that I feel like my old self again - I long for the days that I don’t have some “weirdness” going on - thanks for responding Chi - is there a class action suit in the works? This drug totally qualifies - hate how i feel -
debra16694
Posted
Chi - do you have issues with taking Statins? I am not a huge believer - google the “people’s pharmacy” - my husband took statins & all heel broke loose...they were absolute toxic to his body - these RX’s are just poison to our bodies...we need to find better alternatives to heal our bodies -
Chi000 debra16694
Posted
Hello debra ....
It is not so black and white I think ..
Amlodipine does cause issues ... with many patients ... but these manifest into horrendous suffering in a small % of us .. when in combination with some other factor ..
For u .. it may be menopause ..for me ...I think it may be some stress in my business .. so .. I do not think it is permanent .. because many people have disappeared from responding in this forum.... I am sure they are not entirely ok ... but they probably recovered to an extent it does not preoccupy their attention.
What you said:
Overall health has improved (able to function) I still am plagued with flushing in my face, empty head feeling and random aches & pains with occasional bloat & GERD.
You are weary .. yes .. but that is already n improvement and these dips are probably less frequent...
There are lots of people here with more serious issues and incapacitated from daily affairs...
Let's hang on another 3 mths and see how we go ...
debra16694 Chi000
Posted
Hi Chi - Yes, I think you are correct, I do believe that the Amlodipine while taking it & withdrawing from it only amplified my menopause issues. When you look at the 64 symptoms of menopause, almost all could also be side effects from Amlodipine, so you can imagine my confusion when trying to figure out what is causing me to feel this way. Yes, I am able to function now, whereas before, not so much. I also know that when I started taking Amlodipine in 2012, it was the beginning of the most stressful few years of my life, so I do believe stress does make everything worse - I am sorry about your stress in your business, none of it is fun - I hope you can find some relief from your stress. I will try to remain hopeful that with time all these symptoms will be gone & I will be back to my “old me”. Take care & let’s try & check back in in a few months -
Chi000 debra16694
Posted
Hello Deb
Let me give share something here and sis a bit psychological ....
I think you are having symptoms of menopause but the Amlodipine amplifies it masking and making it worse ...
I think I am having stress that is normally overcome but the Amlodipine amplifies it masking it worse..... such that I become in a heighten state of tension and anxiety at times... my business issues are actually fine but I am irritated by small dissatisfaction ....
We are both "weary" because it has dragged on.... cos we would like it to go off ...so even if now .. it is receding .. we still feel obsessed....by it .....
We are both "perplexed" that all these realization come from a forum here and not from our GP.....
We are both distraught that there is no field of medicine that looks into diagnosing and treating side effects ....
We have no choice but wait it out ....!!!
True ?
😦
meles debra16694
Posted