Have just started on ramipril - anyone else taking the same drug and had any unwanted side effects.

[poole_odyssey]

I Have been on amitriptlyine and nortrip which turn me in to a zombie. Then the sr changed me over to sodium valporate. After three weeks on SV I started feeling like a zombie again. The GP now has me on ramirpril 5mg first thing in a morning and 200mg SV at night. m struggling to wake upin a morning and feel drained and lethargic most of the day. All I want to do is spend all day in bed. Thankfully I have a dog which makes me get out of bed.

Anyone any suggestions?

[tina1950]

i am not sure what you have been given ramipril for? I didn't know this was a migraine medication. I was on ramipril for high bp, from low dose to high dose it made no difference to my bp. I had few side effects however, I have now been prescribed a diuretic called indamamide 1.5mg which has lowered my bp quite a lot to an acceptable level. the SV is i think for migraine? I have vertigo which I am looking into --maybe caused by migraine , though i do not have migraine as I did some years ago with an aura which lasted around 20 minutes , I used to drink lucozade and take just paracetamol then.

Some years ago at the time I had migraine I developed high bp and I was give a beta blocker for this , whilst i took the beta blocker I had no migraine or headaches for the 2-3 years I was taking it. The SV sounds a very potent drug and probably why you are lathargic, I believe the effects wear off after a couple of weeks as the dug settles in, well that is what my cousin has told me. However I was given a similar serotonin uptaker like SV once and could not tolerate them at all they made me feel very unwell. I hope this may help Tina

[oldtrout48]

I don't know anything about ramipril in relation to migraine?

I took sodium valporate for 18/12 and it did reduce my migraines significantly.

However some thoughts..

1 - Despite what they tell you it is a powerful drug in terms of s/e's and sedation and I started on a tiny dose - eg 50mg twice a day and gradually increased the dose until i think i was evenytually on 500mg bd. It needs to be a big dose to work on migraines. The aim was 600mg bd -but i just couldn't get there.

Gradually means 50mg increases and 3 weeks to a month between increases.

2 There are 2 types of SV - Straight sodium valporate - which you need to take twice a day and the long acting with a slightly different drug in it -which you take once a day. The long acting caused me to be a zombie -check what you have and ask specifically for the plain version.

3 - Once i was on a high dose I got on with it ok -except...it makes your hair curly. It might not bother you but i already have curly hair so after the 18/12 I had tight, frizzy corkscrew hair and i couldn't tolerate that any longer as it was ruined!! It has taken me another 18/12 to grow it out again.

4 Also when i visited the National migraine centre, they siad they would not have kept me on SV for so long and I started to wean off. Which also has to be done VERY slowly or massive migraines. Took 9 months to reduce and stop. Other than that . SV got me through coping with a very stress 18/12 of a post grad course i couldn't have managed if i had migraines all the time!

[poole_odyssey]

Hello

Thank you both for replying to me.

Ramipril from what I understand is a failry new drug for migraines. I understand it works similar to propanolol - which I can not take as I have raynauds.

Am fairly convined its the SV thats making me drowsy/zombie. I have manged to get a telephone appointment with the dr tomorrow so I will ask him if I can be dropped on to low dosage of the SV and slowly build up to the required amount. If it takes a few weeks to get to the right dosage then so be it.

I have not been to work for a couple of months with all this going on and I would like to get back to being as 'normal' as I can be and function the way I did before.

The SV I only take before I go to bed at night.

Curly hair - I have long curly hair so hope it wont give me too many more curls but can only wait and see.

Thank you both - I appreciate you both replying

[fusspot72]

I have only encountered patients on Ramipril to protect kidney function in those with high blood pressure but did effects remain similar. Most initially complain of dizziness, mild nausea, headaches that improved after a few weeks. I did see some who had to stop treatment due to a very annoying persistent cough. Patient.co.uk is an excellent website used by GPs to provide truthful, clear information. Good luck.

[honeybee33]

i have it for high blood pressure i had dizzyness and a little nausea but only for a litlle while the longer your on the they subside