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

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  • Posted

    Ive recently stopped taking amlodipine after three months due to palpitations, swelling in my neck, soar throat and more. I have been on it before, when I stopped that time, two months after I had heart block, Im sure it was the  Amlodipine even though ide stopped it two months before.
  • Posted

    Hi Chi, It was thanks to people on this forum that I came off Amlodopine and realised it was not my body and mind deteriorating 'naturally' (many people I have spoken to think it is due to their age) but the drug that was doing it to me. I am also off everything now. When I came off it, I checked back to when I was on it and the BP levels were no different whether I was on or off it - all that misery for nothing. Half a lemon juice in hot water every morning is helpful, plenty of beetroot, cider vinegar, potassium supplements - anything which might help. Plenty of exercise and keep off too much alcohol. My friends still needs her medication although her leg has swollen up like a balloon after only a month on her new pills. Can anyone recommend a BP pill which has least side effects?Thank you for sharing your experiences everyone. 

    • Posted

      Hi Meles

      I think the bp need to be taken over a 3 mth period before any conclusion can be made ...

      I have tried 3 mths free of fried foods and salt.... yes.... a big challenge... and the bp dropped to below 110/70. So u need to be careful cos some of us fall into the "diet" category where our intake causes high bp ... and our minds cannot wean off the food habits we adopted...

    • Posted

      Hi Memes, I have been on Five Point milligrams of amlodipine and 2.5. I have had nothing but problems. My neck is stiff in the back which gives me headaches in the front. Swells up my knee, lower back pain and now my face muscles are twitching I feel unsteady on my legs they feel weak as if they won't hold me up and I keep telling my doctor stupid idiot doesn't listen

  • Posted

    Hello there everyone, I only took this Am for 14 days, it came about because of a bout of Vertigo and being at the Hos they took my BP. I connected the VER with the HBP but I was wrong they are not connected other than BP can rise because of head spinning but it is negligable. I had mental issues, I had severe aches in my legs, despite being an ardent exercise loving geek, waves of wooziness, unclear thinking and talking, anxiety attacks and the like. But when I started getting angry, bitchy and not listening to my wife, I stopped, cold turkey. It was anything but a pleasant time the next few weeks. Yesterday I was in Singapore and spoke to a doctor, told him the whole story. Because my BP was high ( it never was stable anytime over the 14 days I took it) he said I should take something, so he gave me some Cozaar. I have to say I am in no way enclined to start on any drug again. I am seriously considering going natures way and managed beyond belief to import some Holistic Alistrol from Canada a few weeks back. I,ll stay in touch, give it a week or two and see how it goes. When I heard Cozaar also has side effects it put me right off.
  • Posted

    Hi Chi000

    My husband's has just started on Amplodipine for about 5 days but we're trying to go the natural row of omega 3 tablets instead.

    He's measured 155/100 thereabouts.

    Could anyone advise on how to stop Amplodipine to switch to Omega 3?

    Please and thank you!

    • Posted

      Hello Sarah. Lovely name by the way same as my mothers. As to advice in stopping AM I simply stopped, decided on a Friday evening its enough. There's a rake of info on the web about stopping direct as well as weaning yourself off it. I suppose only a doctor can decide, but even doctors are at odds on how to go about it.

      I believe others on the site simply stopped and I did the same. I never touched any other meds afterwards, I had bought sometime earlier some ALISTROL from Canada which is a natural supplement with no side effects. After a month of taking it my blood flow had become a lot better and when I did check my BP it was 128/77. After my experiences with AM I can state I will never take  any BP lowering meds again, I cant believe they sell the stuff. I hope this is of some help. Regards Thomas.

    • Posted

      Hello .... sarah .. no .. u cant do that .. u got it all wring .. omega 3 works over a very long period of time and is synthetic and does not exactly replace fatty fish ....

      U have to stick with amlodipine at least for 4 weeks .. any issues go back to yr doc ...

      Measure his BP daily same time and watch if amlodipine brings it down ..

      Mean time .. cut all salt and sugar and food out of a box .. if u really serious

  • Posted

    My Father, who was prescribed this drug for elevated blood pressure earlier this year by his GP, is also a victim of the horrendous side effects and withdrawal symptoms many of you have been describing, but, he has found great comfort and assurance from this forum knowing he is not alone, at the same time sympathizing with the battles many of you are facing. In some ways, this forum has been like a new drug to my Father, but without the terrible side effects AMLODIPINE has to offer. We will ensure our GP, who prescribed him this drug, ispresented with these facts, and will direct him to this forum.

    In the GP's defence, I dont think the perilous side effects of AMLODIPINE have been commonly made known, that wouldn't be in the best interest of the pharmaceutical companies. The pharmaceutical industry is not a health industry at all, it is an investment business. 

    ON A PERSONAL NOTE: The pharmaceutical industry portrays itself as an industry that is fighting to prevent and eliminate diseases. But behind the scenes it is extorting millions of pounds by bribing health professionals by promising commission on their drugs if prescribed. Doctors now routinely prescribe drugs that may have dangerous side effects, when many people could improve their health with less costly and dangerous steps, such as exercise and natural foods. Medical professionals have been accepting various benefits from the pharmaceutical industry for decades

    Fuelled by greed, they relentlessly pursue wealth, the health and well-being of the people being prescribed their drugs is at the very least, a secondary concern. I am, therefore, going to make it my primary objective to ensure that as many people and doctors as possible, are made aware of AMLODIPINE. I wish everyone here a speedy rehabilitation. Thank you so very much for this Forum.

  • Posted

    hello ,

    I have been taking amlodipine 5mg daily sine the 27 th September.

    iwant to stop taking it as the side effects are not good. Can I just stop or do i need to take a lower dose for a few days etc .

    thanks

    Patricia

  • Posted

    HI !

    I have been taking Amlode 5mg since 27th September and have been experiencing side effects for about a week , I didn't join up the dots until I read the leaflet re side effects . I want to stop taking it , can I just stop ? It's poison !!!

    • Posted

      hello digger

      yes .. u can stop immediately .... however you cannot stop it permanently with finding an alternative with yr doc...

      you will notice with days u feel better and yr bp may even drop

      ..... however .. this bnp will get elevated again after 2 weeks or so ...it applies whenever u change medication .. reaction period ..

      hope thiis helps

  • Posted

    Hi there. Well i can tell you that i was told to stop immediately, and to take a break of perhaps two weeks. I had been taking the amlodipine for about five weeks....i felt very good before i started, after five weeks i was unable to use the phone or to drive. It took 5-6 weeks before i was more or less normal again, posibly six months before i was completely free.How any responsible person is able to give this to anybody defeats me. It is simply a disgrace. Research half lives, you will find it may take rather longer to disipate than is sugested here.I am aware however that for some at least ,it works well with no difficulties. I have made it abundantly clear that i will not take this again-regardless of the consequences. You will find that there will be no effort whatsoever to report your "unusual " side effects.Tell them as you feel, but leave it a while untill you feel more normal. You may be VERY angry before .Best wishes. You are by no means alone.

    • Posted

      Thanks for the info Jim . I read the leaflet re - side effects but didnt join up the dots re my own symptoms until a few days ago . I felt fit and healthy until a few weeks ago , gardening , minding the granchildren , pilates classes etc .

      I will most definitely NOT be taking this poison again .

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