Having been stunned by the number of bad experiences folk have had taking Amlodipine I feel the need to make my own contribution.
Two months ago I had Amlodipine added to my current prescription of Irbesartan and Bendroflumethiazide to counteract my raised blood pressure, usually around 110/99. Certainly the Amlodipine made an immediate impact in bringing down my bp to around 120/78 but withing 4 weeks of atking the daily 5mg dose I've developed very uncomfortable gastric problems with the most noticeable side effect being lots of late evening flatulence which is usually more than just wind if you get my drift! I feel my bowel grumbling away, my stomach makes all sorts of noises and my appetite has gone. I only have to eat a couple of slices of toast and I feel like I've stuffed down a huge 3-course meal; bloated and with an uncomfortable feeling. As with many other folk here my Doctor looks at me disbelievingly when I explain what's changed with me but I know my own body and I know when something's not right.
No-one else appears to have reported gastric problems with Amlodipine - is it just me?
I was changed from 10mg Felodipine to 10mg Amlodipine recently, I started taking the Amlodipine a week ago, after just a few days of taking the new tablet when I woke up one morning my stomach felt uncomfortable, when I pressed on it, it was painful. Then the following morning I had stomach ache for a few hours. Six days after starting the new tablets in the evening at 6.30pm I again developed stomach ache, this persisted all evening. I went to bed at 11.30pm with it and then in bed I started to have palpatations, my heart was pounding so much I couldn't sleep. At 2.30am I went downstairs and took my blood pressure, it was higher then my norm.
The following day the left side of my chest was aching. I havn't had palpations for a few years since I was prescribed Sotalol by a Consultant. Also this is the first time in about 25 years I have had a stomach problem, I never even get indigestion. So a week after I have started taking Amlodipine I have reduced my daily dose to 5mg (by halving the tablets), I have informed my Surgery and I am now waiting fot their reply.
I have been on amlodipine for about a year and had none of the side effects reported
i was only on these meds for a short while, whilst on then i felt constantly sick with tingling in arms and legs also couldn,t sleep. with cold hands and feet also felt as if my head was about to explode,ive since been told to stop taking bthem emediately and return to my gp.
I have been taking Amlodipine for the last 6 month. I noticed at the end of the day my ankles were unbelievably bloated and my stomach began swelling. It looked as if I was pregnant.
My story with Amlodipine and severe diarrhea. I was taking the stuff (7.5 mg), with Hydrochlorothiazide, for about 8 months when the first bout set in. I have had this happen with other meds before so as soon as it happened, I stopped the meds. It still took about 3 or 4 weeks for it to go away.
The BP stayed high though so it wasn't long I went right back to it. Two months later, here it is again. Haven’t talked to my doctor, I've been pretty busy. She also seems pretty willy nilly about giving drugs for every little thing, so I'm a little hesitant. For right now I'm just riding it out to see if it will go away before I report it to her and see what she says.
By Severe Diarrhea, I mean almost anything going into my stomach, liquid, food, caused an “outpour.” I have to monitor liquids and foods carefully to make sure I am getting nutrition, water, and electrolytes.
I'm 58, male, haven't had much problem with health or high BP, but about 2 or 3 years ago it shot up and stayed there so I guess I have to deal with it. Working on exercise, nutrition, foods that are supposed the help with BP. So far the results are kind of questionable.
I had a similar experience taking this drug. I took the med at 7pm each evening. I was on 2.5 mil and had grumbling, daily gas with extreme morning gas. I had discomfort all day long and blamed the issues on foods that I was discovering I could no longer eat. I also had a great deal of guttural belching throughout the day. The 3 main issues were GAS, BELCHING, and WIFE #*& ing. I took this drug for 1 1/2 years before I even suspected Amlodipine. It was not until I moved up to 5.0 and experienced great evening pain that prevented long periods of sleep. Finally, my wife got me to go the doctor. I complained of deep stomach pain especially in the evening (2 hrs after taking meds and I still did not suspect this drug), pain under right rib cage, gas, inability to eat many foods. The doctor had me involved in many tests. It was not until I ran out of my meds on vacation and started feeling much better only to have the issues return when I started back up on the med when back from vacation. It took nearly 2 months after stopping this med to feel completely normal for the 1st time in years. My doctor was hesitant to believe that the med was the issue. I actually went back on it again before quitting for good as a test to myself and experienced the same issues as before. I am posting because of the severe pain I experienced and some lack of belief from the doctors who were trying to treat me. I am surprised that I missed so many clues (especially when I moved up to the 5.0) but I was in so much discomfort and feeling down overall for such a long time that I was missing obvious signs. I am literally better now in many ways. I am able to eat foods that I had not been able to eat for 2 years. One last comment is that the one factor that prevented me from discovering the cause earlier was the ability of NEXIUM to deal with many of the symptoms. I could not function without it. I tried several times to get off NEXIUM without success. While off amlodipine on vacation I tried to get off NEXIUM once again and was able but I still did not suspect amlodipine. The fact that the NEXIUM worked was a probable cause that the doctor was hesitant to believe my story. He actually prescribed it for Acid Reflux, when I advised that was not even experiencing acid reflux.
I can identify with everything you've mentioned in the gastric problems. especially embarrasing for me is the late night flatulence which is more than just wind, the bloating ( I've had to buy loose tops and can't wear dresses any more)
It isn't just you, I'm so grateful for your post, I have so many problems with amlodipine that it never occured to me before that the bowel/digestive problems might also be attributed to amlodipine. I'm working at coming off them altogether, doctors are so busy they barely have time to consider that so many health issues can result from one very small pill. I've been very sensitive to presciption meds all of my life and look for natural remedies to manage most complaints, HBP is such a worry which is why I've stuck with the meds Still looking for more natural ways to control it.
I've just answered Gdog, like you I've been struggling with dreadful gastric/digestive problems for two years and hadn't even considered that it might be linked to amlodipine. I suffer with the feeling of my intestine being stuck in my rib cage, soreness and tenderness in that region, inability to eat many foods and most embarrasing of all the day long flatulance. Until two years ago I had never had any problems with my digestion or bowels. The bloating is so bad that I look pregnant and I've never carried weight around the midriff before. Big thanks to both you and GDog for your openess surrounding this problem, it has helped me to understand this problem which has restricted my ability to socialize normally for long enough now.
No, you aren't alone. I have gerd and take issues with finding a PPI that continues to work without side effects after awhile. Just started trying to take the amlodopine again and don't think it's going to work! I took 1/2 a dose about an hour or two, and I am having bad pains, heartburn (even after taking 2 tums), bad face flushing and chest pains felling like built up gas. I also get the stomach grumbling, gas and other stomach issues. It really sucks! I give up trying to take any medicine anymore!! It seems like all generics really cause problems too!! :-(
I have been on 5mlg of amlodipine since 2008 for slight blood pressure and over the course of those years have had a gradual onset of digestive problems resulting in a colonoscopy and gastroscopy which said my stomach and duodenum were OK and that I suffered from dyspepsia/heartburn. Since 2014 I have tried to control the burning in my stomache and mouth by cutting out dairy, wheat and gluten, alcohol, caffeine, sugar - you name it! My doctor recommended antacids which did no good, another specialist in gastroenterology said antacids wouldn't work and I should take laxatives and more bran. I have never been tested for Hpylori or candida or gastritis but the burning sensation has got worse. I am wondering whether to take myself off this medication -so I have gone from IBS symptoms to stomache aches to burning - I wish I had seen the above report 5 years ago.
I've been taking it a while since 2011.Ive been getting really bad stomach cramps here lately.Definately going try something different.
I am halving my tablet from 5mlg to 2.5mil and weaning off - I used to get bad stomach aches which went funnily enough when I had the colonoscopy - I am seeing a new doctor next week and shall be quizzing her closely about this medication!
I'm so glad that I found this forum. I've been experiencing the same symptoms ( painful stomach mainly) while on 10mg amlodipine. Definitely I'll try to cut off this meds from now on, but my only concern is what the alternative prescription for high blood pressure everyone is taking after you stop amlodipine? I need some references to discuss with my doctor. A little advice will be greatly appreciated! Thank you!
I am SO HAPPY I just found this thread!!! I started taking Amlodipine, 2.5mg,3 weeks ago to supplement my Losiniprol. Two weeks ago I started experiencing the most excruciating pain in my stomach just under my right ribs. I tried to deal with it by taking Motrin, but it just kept getting worse! I have been to the ER twice in the last week because I have literally been doubled over in pain. On a scale of 1-10, it was a 20. All of my blood work checked normal. Yet the pain is absolutely unbearable. I feel like I'm being stabbed just under my right rib cage. It's was so painful today the doctor told me I have Gastritis!
I don't have most of the other side affects that others have shared, but the stomach pain is unbearable! And my blood pressure is higher than before. I'm going to stop taking this medicine immediately and will call my Doctor tomorrow!
I have had similar GERD issues using lercanidipine affter trying Amlodipine:
They must have caused the GERD by relaxing the oeophagus action letting acid
splash up. The less you eat the more acide you get.
I know the Doctors try but these BP tabs kill as much a scure. I am glad of this post and as a cure I will try magnesium rich foods- shreeded whaet etc & laxitives. Lets see what comes!!
Hi GDog, I had been on amlodipine for over 10 years. I'm very heath conscious so exercising has always been a daily part of my routine. When I first stated taking amlodipine my ankles became swollen but because I was so active the swelling went away and did not return.
As many users have mentioned, for some users the side effects slowly take over so I did not realize that the pain under my left breast was radiating from near my stomach. Other symptoms I've experienced are, knotting in my lower and upper intestine, burning in stomach, neck/shoulder pain, burning in left arm, and in center of chest. In fact, the pain cause my doctor to think it was my heart so I had a heart cath but there was no problem with my heart.
I'm so thankful for this site because I decided to stop taking the amlodipine and now I feel so much better. Most of the symptoms have subsided
Thanks for sharing your experience with Amlodipine. I was taking it for over 12 years and like you missed many signs that it was the Amlodipine causing many of the symptoms that you mentioned. Also, I never like taking meds so many times I would not take it consistently until about 5 years ago. The gastric problems increased, pain on left side, neck, tingling mostly on left side, chest tightness and many other side effects. I stopped taking it about 2 or 3 months ago and feel alive again. Some doctors seem so surprised that it could be the Amlodipine causing many of the gastrointestinal issues. After reading your comments, it confirms what I discovered from stopping and starting the Amlodipine and finally deciding to stop it for good. Most of the bad effects subsided. I can now eat foods that I had to discontinue while taking it. I'm now focusing on healing my intestinal system. Thanks again!
This is exactly the same experience that I have had and I am just off to the chemist to see if I can be helped with it. I also have abdominal bloating to the point where I have to put on a different pair of jeans on in the evening. As this is the only medication I take it must be Amlopidine that is causing these symptoms.
I have exactly the same symptoms and don’t take any other medication but Amlodipine. Additionally I have abdominal bloating and sweats at night. I am going away but will try they some other BP medication when I come back.