Calcium Channel Blockers

[Jack54]

Can you stop CCBs abruptly? I have been on a fast acting CCB for about 9 months (felodipine 10 mg). I despise this class of medicines. I do not have a good cardiologist at all (a real chucklehead). According to the medical literature I should not be taking CCBs.

I have substituted a long acting CCB starting last night (amlidine (sp), but at .5 mg.

What does anyone think? I also doubled my beta blocker, atenolol from 50 to 100mg. Going to watch BP and heart rate.

[EFT56]

CCB's  warrning posted in U.K.  online and on past BBC news sites !  
Cancer risks !   Doctors were told not perscribe CCB's  anymore in the u.k.  due to the risk found.

also more bad news in the u.k.  beta blockers - BBC news and a few uk web sites for medical.
Doctors were told do not perscribe Beta blockers ,unless needed !  and only for short term or limited
use only.  no long term use !  due to adverse side effects and problems from the medications.

I also had big problems with CCB's  took procardia xl  for about six months - didnt work to lower b.p
but did cause a case of palipations to happen.  (long term use/ over six months)  

Iv been on Beta blockers since - cant deal with the adverse side effects anymore, getting off them
asap! ! and trying Natural meds instead .  

I also had a dumbell cardiologist test me out (hmo type )  he guessed at everything! and never asked me a single question about me?  didnt read or look into my medical records  ( I had the files with me)
it was all routine  to him.. but not to me!   - walked out the door on him , in middle of testing !

went to another cardiologist in the group.. another buckethead !   where do they get these idiots from?  

[annelm]

can I still take Fosamax (calcium) with amlidine which is Calcium channel blocker?
I'm taking up vascoride for my hypertension.& amlidine for just few days , but I'm experiencing
irregularity in my normal breathing. any comments on the matter ...pls.

[canihelp]

several years ago, my husband was working out of town for a few years & I traveled with him.  We landed in Indianopolis, Indiana for about 6 months, and I saw a group of Cardiologists there, as I was having more PVCs during that time.  I got a great doctor (in my opinion).  He put a monitor on me for several days to see exactly what we were dealing with.  I had my records with me, so he could see my past also.  He ran EKGs, blood tests and adjusted my beta blocker dose ( i was taking too much in my doses & it made it ineffective) .  He did warn me (i'm sure--off record) to be careful which CARDIO GROUP to use for like Ablation or anything invasive like that-- if I ever was told I needed it.  He didn't think so, neither has any one else so far.  When I told him what city I lived in, he told me they were not on the list of the top 10 with great reputations for heart procedures.  That was some 7 years ago, and maybe my city is now, as they have a bunch (Chattanooga).  But he said Indianapolis is one of the tops, as well as several others.

I mentioned that to say, it could be worth you time to gather up ALL your records. (by law they have to give them to you upon request) and go to another cardiology group for their opinion.  All the tests you have had run should not have to be re-run if they were recent. (like treadmill) (in my opinion).

A good internal medicine doctor is great to work along with the cardiologist on some things in your body the C. may not be treating.  My C. doesn't like to treat ANYTHING else, even if it makes the PVCs worse.   He won't even prescribe Klonopin or anything--tells me to get it from another Dr.  I guess he's too busy to treat the whole system.

keep on being assertive & searching.  It's YOUR body & you know it best!

[Jack54]

Thanks so much for your information. These CCBs are causing extreme edema. 17.4% of peeps who take CCBs (felodipine or brand name Plendil) experience edema.

I am swelling up like a balloon! Yes I know that doubling the BB is likely to cause perturbations (wild swings) in my BP and HR for a couple of days. My punkinhead cardio asked me to double the BB earlier this year for no reason, other than to protect my heart. So I am really going by what he said.

Yes there are about 17 cardiologist in this group. I have seen a lot of them. The one I want to switch to is much further away with the rest of the cardio group. The goober I have now is the only cardio of this group at a small "satellite"  office (little town I live in).

Earlier this year I had to do a stress test for clearance for sinus surgery. I had taken a BB the night before. I forgot about this med, but goober should have asked me. Long story short I liked to have croaked trying to reach a hr of 154, with the BB in me....The nurse had to get behind me and hold me to keep the tmill from slinging me off!

The rest of the docs are much farther away.

Thanks so much for your advice.

[Jack54]

Yes dear, all you say does make sense. Hey, I lived in Chatanooga for a couple of years back in 1978 -almost 1980. I was in training with the nuclear plant people.

Thanks again. I am heading for Denver tomorrow for 11 days. I do hate so bad to go. My wife has to be examined by the National Jewish Medical & Research Hospital (I think I have mentioned this, lol). They are #1 in treating respiratory probs. Please take care.

[canihelp]

have you considered changing cardiologist.  Even within the same group, they allow you to change.  I did it once within my group.
Be careful self medicating yourself.  If you take too large dose of Beta Blockers it can actually make the arrythmias worse (so said my Cardiologist).  It's good you think for yourself though.  Keep searching and talking to your doctor-- or a new one until you get it right!!  I have no experience with Calcium Channel blockers.  Lots of luck.  Hang in there

[Jack54]

Ah Ha! I was looking for you this morning and also your medical degree :). You would not believe what I am going through, medicine wise. The CC gave me a list of what they wanted me to take....Express scripts wouldn't fill a couple w/o the doc's approval for special need or whatever...

The CC doc didn't explain anything to me. He just didn't include the fast acting CCB. He prescribed a slow acting, which I am taking. I was in a great hurry to catch a flight home, while being discharged!!! Ah this is a mess.

All I want to do is control my BP and HR and need an ACEI (because I have had a mi), which after taking for 3 years became allergic too (the infamous cough. They tried me on ARBs and I couldn't handle them. Then my puddinhead cardio put me on this fast acting CCB, which is worse than a long acting that the CC doc prescribed.

I am leaving for Denver Monday for 12 days. My wife is going to be tested at the National Jewish Medical & Research hospital for respiratory problems. She had lung surgery earlier this year.

None of this makes no sense at all. I am too disturbed about it to be coherent!