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
PCviking Chi000
Posted
I took Am for years. I stopped Am just over 6 months ago. I would encourage anyone taking it, getting off of it or just curious to get a good blood pressure monitoring device. They cost less than taking your spouse out for dinner and are an investment worth way more than they cost. Shortly after stopping the Am, my blood pressure had a resting high. Now, it's lower than it was when I was taking the Am. The aches and pains have subsided and my vision has improved. They don't tell you that Am causes systemic inflammation that rapidly accelerates the aging process. Today, I feel younger and healthier than I have in years. Study for yourselves what Am and prescription meds do to your arteries and cells in general. Then study natural alternatives. Stop the processed foods, super sweets, eat celery, use coconut oil, get turmeric in your daily routine and develop a general taste for anti-inflammatory eating. You will feel better, probably loose some weight and wonder why your doctor didn't go as strong in prescribing better eating, than in forcing meds. Hmmm.... follow the money, eh? Our bodies truly are organic machines and you become what you consume. Bon Appetit.
PCviking
Posted
It's been a year now since I stopped taking the Am. I feel better than I have in years. My blood pressure now is consistently what it was (at the doctor's office) when I was taking the Am. That is when I abruptly stop what I am doing to take a blood pressure reading. When I'm completely relaxed, the reading can be almost twenty points lower. My energy has returned. I feel healthier than I have in years. I feel normal. To anyone who is reading this: incorporate a teaspoon of turmeric into your daily diet and make it a study to learn about the mechanics of vitamins, minerals and anti-inflammatory eating. Yes, you can live without the Am and you can eat yourself to health. Cheers!
Forest1234 Chi000
Posted
Been on 5mg amlodipine for about 6 months..Went to docs complaining of neck/head pain.Bp was still high so upped the dose.Only on for a few days and felt awful.Confused state at times,depressed.Could not work.Couldnt think straight.Went and seen another doc who stopped meds and put me on a diuretic.Amlodipine was worse drug for side effects.Dont suffer,change doctor,and lifestylle if you can.
jim02851 Chi000
Posted
Hello there. I too got a lot of benefit from these pages. Regarding your question on a general concurence , very broadly perhaps, but i think you might need to update the 12 days to clear. I was still unable to think straight 5 weeks after stopping, after 6 weeks i was recovering fast. I know nothing about this sort of thing, but i am still staggered at this being available, let alone prescribed by professionals. If they are unable to do better than this, i'm surprised they bother taking BP at all. There is a name for this, but i won't mention it here.Certainly, it suits some......from my limited research this might be one in four.. i do not call that "well tolerated". I am still angry 2 yrs later.
I wonder if you all noticed the news article a while back about the ex chief executive of the nhs, and his stopping taking another well known drug, but that was for high chloresterol.Looks like that changed his mind rather too.
This all needs to be brought into daylight, not hidden away. (this is not a full list of side effects)....Sound familiar ? The rest i suspect were thought to be not in the public interest.
Moderate that out if you like, but it needs saying.
Very best wishes to all.
Chi000 jim02851
Posted
hello Jim
i think it is best to share our experience in simple language for the benefit of all .. so i will do so here ...
generally .. if u have no issues with Amlodipine ... watch out because it can come quite some time after starting this med ..
if you stop taking .. it takes 12 days for the drug to exit and thats purely technical .. there is lot about the mechanism not understood .. most of us still suffer lingering effects month and months after ..
so are the effects permanent .. we all dont know but from my experience .. it changes and wears off ... but there are no absolute...
i am sure there are some who got off completely and let this forum
....and so who after a period still have some of the lingering issues..
what can we do .. distract ourselves .. meditate .. yoga.... family support activities .. and finally .. dont come back into this forum ...😁😁😁
jim02851 Chi000
Posted
Just out of interest, i dropped by this forum again, mainly to see if any more were suffering badly. I'm still happy on indapamide/ losartan 25mg.......Strangely, if you remember, since i had metalwork removed from ankle BP has dropped slowly and steadily to 172/74 average for today, which baffles them all (except me, as it was v uncomfortable.)
Are we all in the uk ? You have maybe 9mins with a doc, -find one you can get on with.
Best wishes and strength to all. Jim.
debbie00308 jim02851
Posted
Sounds as f you have isolated systolic hypertention. Your systolic is too high.Have you tried taking a good Magnesium and COQ 10? I'm using both and hope to get off this Am someday. From U.S. Hope all goes well for you.
jim02851
Posted
Appologies, i intended to write 122/74 - didn't have my specs !
bernie11764 Chi000
Posted
I'm 5 days cold turkey off Am. I took for 6 months after vertigo where bp went high. I also take losartian. Currently I have lost 30 pounds and bp was running 117 /75. Working with my Dr I stopped and this morning had the worse headache and bp was 170/101. She wants me to track my bp for a week. I do not want to take Am ever again. Too many side effects. Dizziness, memory fog, anxiety and always tired. Even tho bp is high i feel better. As anyone experienced this and will my bp go back down? Thanks.
bernie11764 Chi000
Posted
Six days of Am cold turkey. Major neck and headaches. Left eye is also bloodshot. Is this normal?
debbie00308 bernie11764
Posted
It is dangerous to come off from a calcium channel blocker cold turkey. Amlodipine is a ccb, you could go into hypertensive rebound. That is when you come off a blood pressure medicine cold turkey that should be weaned off slowly and your blood pressure could become even more higher then usual and go out of control. Is your Dr aware of you stopping? You should lower the dose slowly. Check your blood pressure, you may need to call your Dr or go on a lower dose but you should have at least another blood pressure medicine to replace it while weaning off this. Good luck.
bernie11764 debbie00308
Posted
Thanks Debbie. My Doctor is aware and I'm keeping track of my bp readings this week. I go back to the Doctor this Thursday. I'm also on losatrin. I just can not believe they ever gave me this medicine.
jim02851 bernie11764
Posted
Hi bernie11764. I see you also use losartan. Do yourself a favour and record the manufacturer of each pack you take. I find that some are easier than others. A month ago i had a refill i simply could not handle,so i took it back to pharmacy and insited on a different one.....of course i had no idea which ones i had taken in the past without any trouble and almost unbelievably......they keep no record, you just get whichever is nearest. All the same major component, but many ways of forming the pill.....i found antifreeze does not suit me at all. you think i'm joking i'm sure, but check out the information sheet for yourself. I have no medical training whatsoever.
ti76071 Chi000
Posted
hello everyone i also have some issues going on with amlodipine i hope you all are feeling much better i have been off the drug for 4 weeks now and still suffer neck and shoulder pain starting to feel it is permanent came across this forum and instantly dropped my anxiety does anyone have an estimated time that the pain will go away still very uncomfortable and of course the dr says its not the drug
DeeMcPine Chi000
Posted
I know this is an old topic but since I've been taken off of Amlodipine I'm looking for answers.
I was hospitalized a little over a year ago with extremely high blood pressure and it took them a bit to stabilize it.
I left the hospital with prescriptions for Amlodipine, Lisinopril, Hydrochlorothiazide, and Potassium as well as Magnesium, vitamins, and a statin for cholesterol.
I'm very active. Never noticed any ill effects until recently. I'd experience dizziness, and then sudden feelings of just dropping, like I may faint. That could happen sitting or standing. Overall, I felt like I was in a fog: lightheaded most of the time, unsure, and not myself.
Once I had fainting feeling and checked and my BP was high. I went to an urgent care facility, got antibiotics for a slight ear infection, they found I have two arrhythmias. Felt I'd faint a couple days later, went to the ER. Blood enzymes good so no heart attack and my BP was ok in both arms. Nothing seemed wrong there. But the doctor said to stop the BP meds unless my BP went to 140.
Went to my doctor and she stopped Amlodipine, Hydrocholoro, and Potassium cold turkey.
I was given instructions to take the Lisinopril if at 140 for 3 times during the day, to stop it if below 100.
I gradually would have long periods of feeling like myself again. Then on episode of possibly very high BP, but found my monitor was not accurate.
Today I am struggling. I was told to double up the Lisinopril to 20. Yesterday my BP went to 99 so I called the doctor about how to take the meds. I was told if it goes to 110 to take the 20. I only took 10 because it was 105 and then 114. This morning it was 128 and then 96. And I've been feeling just icky. Lightheaded and not myself again.
Sorry for the long vent. I guess I'm just asking if anyone has had a similar experience. On Lisinopril or similar, quit Amlodipine cold turkey, feeling lightheaded and sick and had their BP swing up and down.
Thanks.