nightmare stress dreams -spikes b.p verapamil ccb

[EFT56]

I have been on verapamil at 120mg daily for about 8 years now , about 5months ago I started getting nightmares and waking up with spikes in b.p (high readings)  when I sat upright for a few mins ,the b.p dropped rapid to normal levels- I also had internal like tremors in my legs and back kind of vibration like feelings when this happens but sitting up right awake stopped them in seconds to mins.  my cardio doctor who I saw meny times as I complained about it over and over, refused to take me off the verapamil -and gave me clondine  hcl at night half pill to take with the verapamil. its been working fine for months, but now im getting dry eyes and mouth  and my upper swells up on one side upper lip -though the b.p is down -but dreams are back again and are stressfull dreams going on.. its insane really.. as iv gone off and on the clonidine and taken diffrent stress mood pills to try and stop it.. but nothing yet !  the verapamil I belive is the problem -  and I can't just get off it without weening off slow .. and getting onto something new or diffrent -  btw I had back problems and had to take vicodin a few times - belive it or not ,this stopped the nightmares and I slept all night in peace ,woke up no spikes in b.p ??  but who wants to take that stuff !  so you can sleep.   it seems, no doctors really know what to do -  and the fact out of 4 cardio doctors iv been to and primary doctors ,they all refuse to ween me off the verapamil ccb .  my question is - is there anything one can take natural or otherwise to counter act the nightmare effects of verapamil or any ccb drug !  so I can sleep in peace and not have these stress dreams or spiked night mares  with wake ups -with ultra high b.p readings.  
in the day time 5am to 12midnight im fine b.p wise no spikes that im aware of -  b.p runs between 136 -84  p  78 to 72 bpm .  though I feel like junk on the meds - tired and lots of twisting muscular pains off and on and headaches..
and dry mouth , so I drink alot of water -   is there a lack of chemical understanding of drugs ,of most doctors today?  and isn't it normal to change medications after 4 to 5 years on that drug ,to another medication .. so this wont happen.  or you dont get the untold side effects of these drugs - the ones no one tells you about !! being on them so long !!    thanks to whom ever responds to this..  

[EFT56]

I just got back from the ER. cant tell you how meny times iv been into them ! countless - got good help and care right away ! but the cardio doctor put me on some liquid beta blocker that didnt help and gave me chest pains, and then gas bloating problems happend where I was in pain for 4hours straight ! on came gas x and zantac and then he gives a clonidine - after I told him im alergic to beta blockers and cant take them , and can't tollerate clonidine at all. its like almost they dont listen to what you tell them! or care ,they are Gods of the healing world - know it alls !  well iv been pain now for 2days from gas bloating and muscular spasums  vicodin wont help !  I massage it and then end up burping loud and belching like a fool .. but it helps - I just read online how long clonidine lasts and the other med  48hours they said .. and my system is slow as heck !  - im ready to give it up and turn from bp meds totaly and go onto natural healing
cures ! gosh anything is better than suffering like this !   iv always prayed to God to please if I die let it be the hand on God that takes me , and not the hand of Man.   as I can no longer trust Doctors of today !   they guess and play God too much..  its money and no longer care !  the oath they took is gone !    our only hope is God and natural meds if we can find one that works.   iv been on these meds since the early 1980s  and
they are all crap !   they do more harm than good -  and Iv found more doctors today lie than tell the truth !    I belive you about the old people put on list to die ! as when your over 50 - your done !!  and most hospitals or insurance companys wont spend a dime on you if your sick !  they go so far and stop !   routine work only-  they wont go the extra step to help a person in need.  and let you sit and die !   and wont care !
thats the way I see it ..  im 57  and since iv been 48 its been happeing to me more and more !   we pay high prices for insurance and get less and less .. and the mediacations we get are all crap fast track tested , and made in china or india now.. and most have fillers in the pills we dont know of .  found so far are wall paper  newspapers crushed  and paint chips and led and plaster board crushed -  from both countrys found already
and we get them at our local pharm depts ..  its a wonder people are not up in arms about it .. and sueing the fda and goverment !  to stop buying these pills and make them here in the usa .. and fix the fda so it works ..  cheap sobs.  

[bigkev414]

I take atenalol for  high BP and SVT's and have the same problems you have been having. It slows my heart rate which is my main problem,  but I have blood pressure spikes, the wierdest most horrible technicolour dreams imaginable, and everything you mentioned. It also makes me wheezy, nausea, extremely tired and lethargic, thick headed and forgetful. I can't remember when (years) I had a nice, peaceful dream free sleep. Everything aches too, and I am constantly 'drunk' feeling, and have vertigo attacks. My blood pressure spikes go to 200/130, and stay up for hours and hours and I just shake and have sweats' massive adrenaline rushes and feelings of terror. The doctors answer -- take MORE tenormin. I sympathise and fully understand exactly what's happening to you, but it seems like all the beta blockers and blood pressure meds have these side affects. Anxiety and panic attacks they say.......come back in two weeks and we'll see how your blood pressure is then. NEXT PLEASE.......................Sorry I can't help, but I'm now 67 and have been having this crap for 20 years and have now been placed mentally on the 'die you old pest' you've been here long enough.

[EFT56]

thanks for your posting back to me.. interesting reading !  
with me I think its mostly doctors that dont know medications well enough, and guess ! the kind that are routine doctors for the $$ money not the paitent !   pill pushers -  treat the symptoms not the problems.  its very upsetting to me, as I pay alot of money for health insurance now, and im on 4 b.p meds now .. due to a simple problem that could be corrected easy.  as I get nightmares and spiked blood pressure at night from stress dreams as well - it all started with one drug -ccb verapamil  - iv been on it too long over 8years !  yet when I ask to be taken off it ,and put on something totaly diffrent - im refused.  instead doc gives me another drug to take clonidine - to take with the verapamil at night -  another ban aid fixer upper job !    well  then he changes my dieuretic to lasex  to stop swelling in ankles due to verapamil  as upped the doseage on that too !   from 80mg to 140mg  daily  plus 40mg at night time with clonidine .  woopee !   well I spent about 4nights on the internet and reading and found all interact one way or another .. and well -  its a wonder im alive !    
I intened to stop the lasex first and go back to a normal dieuretic drug  - and cutt down on the verapamil slowly ..  and as well see where my b.p goes daily and nightly.

what I get is what happens with most people on verapamil and any ccbs type of drug
shortness of breath and tightness of upper chest and bloating belly conditions
when ever you try and become active , I normal go up a flight of steps fast.. now I can't  I make to 8 or 9step and im just out of breath ! and have to stop and rest a few mins .then can go on slow.   iv been in the ER 4times for this stuff   and nothing found ?
had test after test done ..same old thing .. nothing found .. normal ?    Lord forbid If i ask to get off or switch verapamil to another drug !!  out of the circle of drugs iv been on since the 80s ..  lol..  they wont do it !    
and it upsets me to no end !!    they have wrecked my life !  and caused me harm ,and now have made me into a weak worthless pile of junk ,that at times cant do anything normal without a stop and go type deal .

so guess I have to fix it myself and play the guessing game myself .. due to wacky doctors that dont understand medications and interactions or side effects or allergic reactions !

but one thing I have to say - back in the 80s when I first started these drugs ccbs - is when it started !   when on other drugs I dont get it .. im fine and can run a mile without getting out of breath or any chest pains at all.    yet take a ccb  and your cooked stick a fork in me ,im done !!   thanks to the doctors who dont care and who are routine types
I belive most doctors today are not certified or have a degree in pharm !   so why allow them to hand out drugs ?  if they dont understand about them or know side effects or interactions ..  its just stupid ..  oh well.  sorry I ragged about it ...lol .  
time to pray about it !  

[Me967]

I'm glad you don't have Diabetes.  I do but it's almost like pre-diabetes as my levels stay around 110-150.  So I watch what I eat and how often.  The glucose tolerance test spikes 240+ though after 3 hours so they call it diabetes.

They done the food and respiratory allergy test on me and I'm good there.  Maybe with you it was something you were allergic to.  It's great news yet surprising about the diuretic.  Glad to hear it helped though.  My diuretic pill don't stop the pitting edema; but, seemed to help with my BP and HR.  
Though lately my BP has been running 162/102 and HR 113 as a average at rest.  I'm debating on having my doctor increase my BP meds in January.  Trying to hold out until then for the new year deductible.

As for the feeling in the chest it is mainly a sunken feeling for me.  Sometimes I feel the tight grips though it's just a couple times a day and I've became used to them.  I only worry sometimes when they last for more than a couple minutes.  When this happens alot it causes chest pressure, pain in my neck, shoulder/shoulders, left arm and upper back (shoulder blade area).  So for me it's a little different.
The body spasms and pains for me are all over and mainly in the early fall and winter months.  It feeling like shocks of electricity running threw my body causing pain everywhere.  I've questioned FM.  I've never been tested for it though.  It might be a thought for you.

I don't have gerd (that I know of) but do sleep upright in a recliner at night in which seems to help with the coughing.  
For me it's not the pills because these issues some of the main reasons why I starting going to a doctor 7 years ago.  Since they have waxed and weaned; but, now are all getting worse again.
I have just taken zanaflex and flexoral for the pains.  As I said before I try not to take them more than I have too; but, when I do they help to let me function as some days I cannot w/o them.  I get maybe 90 pills/year.  

Your user friendly medication made me laugh.....I've been looking for the magic cure all pill also.  I asked my doctor and she said she couldn't find one for herself either.  lol

Anyhow sorry I just got back to you on this.  Best of wishes....Amy.

[EFT56]

not to worry, I have been checked for diabetes meny times.  I found out a few things that im allergic to and cause problems one was my dieuretic pill it cause night time jitters internal shakeing upon waking up suddenly and it wouldnt stop afterwords for about 30mins - I got off the dieuretic totaly now and belive it or not it stopped dead cold. and also stopped swelling of ankles and lower legs - hard to belive it !  im now looking into a problem iv got, that hits with verapamil ccb and bystolic combo -daytime only - where it cause's a locking feeling of muscular spasums in the upper chest area ,and shoulders and sometimes neck area and lower back -and sides mid sections and then bloats the belly jutts it outwords with gas !  its insane as its like a long term side effect that is untold - I get this everytime I try and do something active or sometimes just sitting its like stress feeling and it hits me !  iv tryed all sorts of calming meds and wont help at all. doctors dont know what it is .. iv had every test under the sun done on my heart and cardio system including a pet scan and ct scans recently.. no blockage found they say !  so im now trying to ween off the bystoic drug as its a very low dose and see if that helps stop it .  or go low doseage on the verapmil like 60mg  to see if that helps .
what does help is vicodin  and also muscular relaxors   I was told it could Gerd as I have reflux sometimes bad.. iv been to the ER twice for it or more.. and its never my heart always medications and side effects they tell me .. but never do I get a cardio doctor willing to change the medications to something brand new .. iv never taken before  to try on me ?   so I suffer -  so there is my story sad but true..    I also have melanoma  and swollen lympnodes in my left leg.. that could be part of the problem too!  but this happend before that was discovered ..  so I blame the medications for it
has to be !   I just wish someone would put a user friendly medication out for b.p  no side effects !    God knows it would sell !!!!!!!    

[Me967]

So sorry I should have watched w/o commenting on this.  Wish I could delete my comment so you might get an answer on this.  Bumping.

[Me967]

I'm sorry I can't help you with your problem; nevertheless, I can relate to it.  
I've been on lopressor, lipitor, diazide/ maxide for my high blood pressure and edema issues.  Other pills for other issues.
Though I do have spikes during the daytime too.... at night between ~2-7 AM can be one nightmare after the other.  At times I feel like I'm going to literally have a heart attack.  Sometimes it even makes me sick when it gets too high.  It will slow down a bit and I'll drift back to sleep only to be in yet another horrible nightmare.
I experimented one night by sleeping during the daytime and staying up at night and found that I had those spikes between the same hours (even without dreaming).   As for muscle spasms with me they are horrible threw out my whole body, (mainly during the colder months).  I also get the massive headaches off and on and I'm always thirsty too, though I've chalked that up to diabetes.  (The only thing that worked for me with the spasms was quinine water or muscle relaxants....Though I try not to take them often, they did help a little with most of my issues).

I hope that someone can answer this question for you or give you a good lead.  Sorry I could just relate and not have an answer.  Best of wishes.  I've been trying to figure this out for years and it's getting worse.  If you find out please let me know.    (HUGS)