Calcium channel blockers

[3killeens]

Hi all ,just asking for information on calcium channel blockers ,been taken off bisoprolol after successful ablation but my doctor is struggling to control my high blood pressure have already increased my candasartan to 16mg but hasn't reduced it so they have suggested the calcium channel blockers any information please as I dont want to go back to what it was like on bisoprolol when it was an effort to do anything ,now I am back walking around the park every evening I am worried in case I will go back to how I was before and have no energy to do anything ,thanks in advance ,brenda

[BobD Volunteer]

For me calcium channel blockers were a disaster as my legs swelled up so badly I could not get shoes on. We are all different of course so you may be fine. I am on losartan and indapymide.

[3killeens in reply to BobD]

Thank you Bob !

[Hidden]

Just to offer some balance, calcium channel blockers have worked well for me. No swollen legs or ankles and none of the lethargy that I experienced with Bisoprolol so from my experience, well worth trying.

[3killeens in reply to Hidden]

Thank you FlapJack

[daved525]

I was prescribed diltiazem for rate control after having a strong negative reaction to metoprolol—no energy, even with small dose. Diltiazem worked well for me, in small doses. As Bob said, everyone is different. Hope it works for you.

[Enjoy]

Losartan doing a good job for me and the big fat feet with diltiazem now only slightly fat feet.

[Hidden]

I take Felodipine as a calcium channel blocker. So much better than Bisoprolol

[Thomps95]

I'm on 10 mg of verapamil (5 mg in the morning, 5 at night) and I have no significant side effects. Initially, maybe for a few months, I felt a bit dragged out, and on bad days I thought: I can't live like this with no energy or motivation - but over time I got used to the medication and those feelings went away, and now I have plenty of energy. My worry was long-term effects of taking calcium channel blockers ... but what I've read so far is that, if anything, CCBs have protective effects on age-related diseases:

Long-term calcium channel blockers is associated with:

(a) reduced risk for Parkinson's disease;

(b) reduced risk of prostate cancer;

(c) reduced risk of dementia;

(d) *NO* increased risk of cancer (a concern raised in the 90s). This includes breast cancer which was previously thought to be a concern.

[KMRobbo]

Was on verapamil 120mg slight exercise intolerance, no other effects.

Then was put on diltiazem 200mg ,(with flecainide as my AF had gone worse) exercise intolerance, brain fog, tiredness (but nowhere near as bad as bisoprolol for me) . I tried 120mg for several weeks and it was much better for all 3 symptoms but owing to an issue that resulted in a&e I was put back on 200mg (I think wrongly). The diltiazem symptoms seemed to get worse over time. I tolerated them as i had an ablation planned . Now I am off all drugs.

If i had to have a rate control then I would have the diltiazem before the 2 beta blockers I tried : bisoprolol and Atenolol.

[Mike11]

I used to use verapamil and the only problem was leg swelling. However this was easily controlled by raising my legs at night by stuffing a duvet under the bottom end of the mattress.

However I would suggest you try ramapril first to lower your BP as not all ACE inhibitors work in quite the same manner.

[Denise-]

My bp was far too high and my GP suggested I take 3.75 bisopropol at night. It's worked and no tiredness in the day. Down side is my dreams but that doesn't happen to everybody. Feeling so much better.

[Feemcc]

Hi I am finding them better than Bisoporol...I am on Diltiazem and not as tired

[Kingsley09]

I cannot take beta blockers so am on verapamil which has been very good for my bp and afib but recently I’ve been having mild afib more often I did say to my dr I’d read verapramil can make afib worse and she said every tablet for your heart can make it better or worse. But also when I was first diagnosed with afib 3 years ago the cardiologist said afib is progressive so for me it could be that and not the verapramil and if they can all do that I can’t see much point of changing

[beardy_chris]

I think Bisoprolol caused depression for me. Diltiazem was so much better! It felt like I'd got my life back.

[Heartfelt46]

Bisoprolol worked for a number of years but when I started to feel as thoughI was walking through concrete it was time to rethink. I read about ccb’s and talked to Consultant, Ok with him if I wanted to give them a try. Well, within a week I was a different woman, I was invigorised!(is that a real word?) I only get the swollen ankles when I am in a hot country but I can live with that. So for me a definite yes.