Bill K,
If you have a reaction to a medication, it should not be continued. I would advise you to see an allergist as some of your reaction in your initial story does not seem perfectly consistent with it being from the norvasc.
good luck
Your advice is very similar to what my GP said yesterday.
Interestingly, I am currently suspecting my dry-cleaning, of all things! The start of my rashes are very coincidently timed with my needing to wear pressed dress shirts/ties at work for presentations. However, the rashes seem to hang on for days once they are established.
I am avoiding any dry-cleaned shirts for a couple of weeks and I am going to see if my skin clears up. I'll report back either way, as it might be of some benefit to other readers/posters who believe that they are reacting to calcium-channel blockers.
If it is contact with dry cleaning chemicals, I'll consider it a blessing, as the Diltiazem I was switched over to seems to be easier to tolerate than the Norvasc I was originally prescribed!
Well, it's 3 days later and my rashes and hives are just about 100% gone. So what was thought to be a possible drug interaction with calcium channel blockers was most probably an allergic reaction to dry cleaning chemicals and/or the starch in my shirts.
All is well so far on the vasospasm front as well. Feeling great!
For those who may have actual alergic reactions to Ca channel blockers..... magnesium is a "natural" calcium channel blocker with no side effects (except at very high doses). May be word discussing with your MD.
good luck