PAIN AND SWELLING

[micrae]

Is there any other drug out there that will work the same way to open up small blood vessels  like Norvasc but wont have the "bad swelling of legs and feet?"  Anyone, please me know know, looking forward to hearing from you... thank, Michelle

[femmy29]

Hi Michelle,

I'm sorry I couldn't be more help and that the doctor's you have seen haven't been helpful either.  I do know that morphine is an excellent blood vessel dilator, probably the best there is.  EMTs use it as a first line treatment for heart attack patients as it quickly alleviates pain and reduces blood pressure by dilating blood vessels to alleviate pressure off the heart.  I am not sure if Raynaud's causes any pain but if so, it seems like morphine would be a win-win for you.

femmy

[micrae]

thank you for your informatiion -
the norvasc if for having Raynauds and real small blood vessles - taking 10mgs daily..  I'm looking into finding something else to replace Norvasc that doesn't have the bad side effect of the swelling feet. I was just hopping someone might know right off hand, sense the doctors  I've been too, don't seem to know anything..   Thanks, Michelle

[femmy29]

I am also on Norvasc, 5 mg per day.  I also take atenolol which is a beta blocker.  I haven't noticed too much swelling (except in my hands at times) on the 5 mg of Norvasc and I tried 10 mg awhile back but it didn't reduce my blood pressure by much and I was worried about the increased swelling.  However, adding 25 mg of atenolol significantly lowered my blood pressure into the normal range 95% of the time.  I do attribute some of the blood pressure reduction to the opioid medications that I take as well.

There are other calcium channel blockers like Norvasc out there that may not produce as much swelling.  I would talk to your doctor to see if there is a different medication you could try.  You also might want to consider adding a beta blocker like atenolol especially if you have a high pulse rate as this can cause your blood pressure to be higher.

I'm assuming you want a medication that lowers blood pressure without swelling versus one that dilates blood vessels, even though that may be what it does to lower blood pressure, correct?  Have you tried a beta blocker before?  Are there other blood pressure medications that you take?  How well is your blood pressure controlled on your current medications?

femmy