Amlodipine

[Gemini]

My OH's surgery has asked her to go on this blood pressure drug as her readings were a little high. They seem OK at the monthly hospital checks so I'm not convinced to be honest.
Anyway they are proposing amlodipine.
She is concerned as her friend had a bad reaction to this drug.

I said I would ask if anyone here had experience of this drug.
Thanks.

[Oma]

I have been on them for quite a few years,
I took my Drs advice and take them on a night,
I have never had any bad reactions in fact they helped my BP a lot,
I was taking them on a morning till my Dr asked when I was taking them and said they recommend night time ,
So I take them at 9pm

I suppose like any drug there are people who don't react well to them ,
It is trial and error really isn't it .

[Daisy]

Gem, I wonder sometimes if GPs over-medicate. Is it possible the treatment she's on could raise her BP a bit? Just a thought and worth asking her Consultant if slightly raised BP is a known side effect of treatment.

I have just looked this drug up - I'd never heard of it before - and it's what's known as a Calcium Channel Blocker. I've no idea what that is, but given that OH is on several other drugs, I would check with her Consultant that there is no conflict. I think it pays to be cautious with mixing medications.

[Nanto2girls]

I have been taking these for about 8 years and never had a problem with them.

[Gemini]

Thanks everyone I have told OH and she feels reassured. Knowing two friends who didn't get on with it had made her reluctant. Everyone reacts differently to every drug. You just have try.

Daisy, that's very good advice.
We had already decided it should be discussed at yesterday's appointment.
OH asked the nurse who went off to ask and was told it was fine to take with her existing meds

[Daisy]

Gem, I'm glad your OH (and you) were able to get reassurance about the drug compatibility.

Oma and Nanto, it's reassuring to hear you have had no bad reactions to the drug.

I was very worried about taking the steroid Dexamethasone because my DS1 had had such a bad reaction to it, but it's fine. Admittedly I'm taking a lot less than he was, but I've had no serious reactions. to it.

[Gemini]

OH got on fine with this initially then developed a few side effects. Her GP changed her drug and she seems fine on the new one.

[Nanto2girls]

Glad the new drug seems to suit your OH.

[Daisy]

Gem, sometimes it's trial and error. I'm glad your OH is fine with the latest drug.

I've had discussions with the surgery about the results of a recent blood test which was part of my annual hypertension review. They were a bit concerned about one of the results, but when I checked with the consultant he said my results were excellent, so I asked him to put that in the clinical letter to the surgery. The surgery were comparing results with 12 months ago, but the hospital are looking at monthly figures and everything fluctuates a little bit from month to month. Sometimes the hardest thing is to get different medics to talk to each other!