DILTIAZAM

[heartmatters1]

My husband, who also has AF (persistent), has recently had his beta blocker changed from Bisoprolol to Diltiazam, as he wasn’t doing too well on it. His consultant said he could suffer with swollen feet on these - well he wasn’t joking! He has been on them now two weeks & his feet, ankles & legs are huge. Can hardly get any footwear on. He managed to speak to consultants secretary yesterday, who spoke to consultant. She said that she would be writing to his GP today to advise him of different medication to prescribe for him.

Has anyone out there had similar problems on this drug? He is so fed up!

Ally

[sleeksheep]

I am on diltiazem cd 240mg , when I first started on them this was a side effect I noticed but it only happened when I was taking atorvastatin 10mg . Once I cut the dose down the swelling went away - I now dont take any statin and have no problems with diltiazem.

[heartmatters1 in reply to sleeksheep]

Statin is one drug he doesn’t take, so can’t blame that one, but it could be interacting with other medication he takes. I hope they sort him out soon Thanks for your reply.

Best wishes

[BobD Volunteer]

Diltiazem is a calcium channel blocker not a beta blocker and these can do that. My notes contain a warning NOT to prescribe calcium channel blockers for this very reason. We are of course all different and some people are happy on them.

[heartmatters1 in reply to BobD]

Interesting Bob. I have just looked at the leaflet, which came with them. I am confused as it states that it is used for treating angina & hypertension. He does have high blood pressure, which he takes medication for, but not Angina. I sometimes wonder if they know what they are doing! He’s just got to wait now to hear from his GP following a letter from his consultant about changing it to something else. Meanwhile he is living in one pair of shoes he can just about get on etc. 😫

Best wishes.

[sleeksheep in reply to heartmatters1]

He does have high blood pressure, which he takes medication for

I forgot about that one , I was taking perindopril and changed to telmisarton ( ACE inhibitor to a ARB (angiotensin-receptor blockers) at the same time as I dropped the statin - and I think it was a suspect for swollen feet also.( reacting with diltiazem )

I only ever got "little pillows" on top of the arch , not really that noticeable but felt weird.

[heartmatters1 in reply to sleeksheep]

I really think some medications react with each other & undo what the other is prescribed for. He is on a diuretic, which has now been proved useless because of the Diltizam. He is hoping to hear from his GP today or we will be knocking on doors! He can’t carry on as he is.

Ally

[sleeksheep in reply to heartmatters1]

My Dr. suggested I stop the statin as she thought with some of my blood tests there was a contrary reaction going on with my liver tests and its quite startling the difference in 90 days after stopping and swapping the perindopril ( that was at my request after the BMJ associated perindopril with lung cancer susceptibility - my mother and grandmother both died of lung cancer )

bmj.com/content/363/bmj.k4209

So which one was the main culprit I will never know .

[heartmatters1 in reply to sleeksheep]

It certainly is a minefield & one hopes that they get it right - after all we are putting strong chemicals into our bodies. We trust them to get it right, but who knows? Trial & error comes to mind.

Best wishes

[Hidden]

As has been said, all AF drugs seem to effect people differently. Like you, I changed from Bisoprolol to Diltiazem over 3 years ago and have no regrets. My dose is 120mgs and I have not had any problems with swollen feet etc but I know this can be one of the more common side effects.....

[cassie46]

I am on Diltiazem 180mg and Nebivolol (was on Bisoprolol). I have not had any fluid retention while taking it but it is one of the side effects. I was monitored when I first started it as I have heart failure as well and can be prone to fluid retention. I hope your husband gets it sorted soon, I would have thought that his consultant could have phoned his GP to give him a different drug to get it sorted quickly. Hopefully he will also be given a diurectric (furosemide) as well to help get rid of the fluid. When I first had heart failure I had severe fluid retention and I know the feeling of not being able to get your shoes on, for about a month before it was sorted I only had an old pair of shoes that I could wear they were a very wide fitting I had bought by mistake and forgot to take back. I had been using them for gardening for ages so they were rather scruffy and marked!!!!

Cassie

[heartmatters1 in reply to cassie46]

Thanks Cassie. It was the heart failure clinic which he went to & was prescribed the Diltiazam. He has been on furosemide for a long time as he is prone to fluid retention, but this made the condition worse! Hopefully he will hear from his GP today, or we will be knocking on doors.

Ally

[solarjdo69]

I have been taking Diltiezem 240mg twice a day and hace weane dto just 1 a day. Definitely causes swelling for me. I found that taking Hawthorn Berry capsules 800mg 2-3 times a day helps a lot to relieve the swelling.

[Hidden]

Hello sorry to hear this it must be awful. I've been on Diltiazem since January but have not had the problem you discribe in fact it is the drug I've had the least problem with as I have suffered with awful side effects with all the other blood pressure tablets I've been put on. Good luck hope it gets changed soon.

[heartmatters1 in reply to Hidden]

Thanks. Everyone reacts differently- it’s finding the right one I guess.