Yesterday my doctor told me to double my diltiazem from 120mg to 240 mg for my AF..This morning my hips and knees were sore when walking. Tonight I went to stand up and i felt i was going to pass out . Im also in arrhythmia right now and litely short breathed at rest.
Should i take the 240 mg tonight or go back to 120mg. I cant get hold of my gp at this time of day. I suppose i could phone national healhline.
I hope you are OK now? If anything like this happens again dial 111 and ask for advice.
All the best.
Thanks so much for your reply Des. I am ok now and more relaxed. Its so disconcerting when these things happen. My doc also changed tabs a few weeks ago and she said would see me in 2 months !! Huh ,i had to go in and find a doc because those tabs were upsetting, so when i daw the doc on monday i said ,no more 2 month gaps when messing with meds please. They are all so busy i guess. I will see how i am tomorrow and go see her if i am in the same situation.
Hope everything settles down for you.
I hope you will see your doctor today - let us know how you get on?
I was told to increase bisoprolol from 1.25mg/day to twice that several weeks ago. I've seen no overall change except an even lower heart rate and reduced energy. so I am thinking of asking to reduce it again.
I might be wrong, and individual cases will differ, but I gather these drugs are for symptom relief only and if they don't achieve that, I wonder what point there is in taking them.
Steve
That is quite a high dose of Diltazem I am on 180mg slow release and have been for 8 years. I would have thought your GP would have tried 180 first. Which brand of Diltaizem are you taking I am on Viazem xl. Some of the other brands I cannot take as they have similar side effects to what you have described. I had to use two of the other brands when Viazem had production problems a few years ago and was not available for 2 months, the first one I had to stop within 2 days I felt awful, the 2nd I could tolerate but was glad to get back on Viazem. I know Zemtard was one of them but can not remember the other one at the mo.
Biggest side effect for me was dizziness. It took a few days to calm down when I first started the drug. Probably the same for the doubling of your dose. Give it a few days and if not better, call the doctor, maybe 180 mg will be better.
My mum is 88, on angitil SR - 120 mg dilitiazem. She's been very tired on it but also had her prescription for spironalactone reduced at the same time so no idea. They have appointments with a cardiac nurse every 2 weeks once seen by cardiologist. This is NHS so slightly better, on occasion the nurse has said stop the meds and we can call whenever. Downside is, if the nurse isn't sure or not willing to feedback issues to the doc, you're stuck. Still sounds better than your situation. Clearly large COVID appointment/referrals backlog but can't complain.
Diltiazem 120mg
Side effects 
Diltiazem and side effects
Update - Bisoprolol to Diltiazem
