Verapimil.

[ETHEL103]

Evening everyone.I have been issued with verapamil for high blood pressure today as in my gps office today it was really high.My question is does anyone here take Verapimil for bp and what dose please.I was taken off this immediately after my ablation in May.

[Hidden]

With the caveat that I’m not medically qualified. I don’t take it for bp, I take it for an arrhythmia: it can be used as an alternative to beta blockers for SVT and AF, possibly other arrhythmias, too. Which would explain why they took you off it after the ablation, as ablation is intended to cure the underlying condition requiring medication in the first place. The dose I take is the lowest possible at 120mg a day, but 120mg up to three times a day can be given for arrhythmia. According to the BNF, the normal dose for hypertension is 240-480mg a day in 2 or 3 divided doses. Hope that helps.

[ETHEL103 in reply to Hidden]

Thank-you.I have to start at 40 for a couple of days then twice a day and three a day taking BP twice a day for 2 weeks .

[deniseinmilden in reply to Hidden]

Exactly my experience 30 years ago.Good to hear what the BNF says.

[Wellington19]

I took verapamil for years before my valve replacement, be careful of side effects, constipation, if male developing breasts.

[HBaaBaa]

I take Verapamil for an arrhythmia but it has also helped to lower my elevated BP too. I am on 40mg, three times per day.

[ETHEL103 in reply to HBaaBaa]

Yes I took this when I had my arrhythmia and it did work on bp as well so I'm hopeful.The only thing that concerns me is my heart rate was higher at the time but since my ablation it's OK during the day but at night in the forties .Watchful waiting me thinks.

[Hidden]

With respect, if you have any queries about any medication you have been given you should discuss them with your prescribing health professional (GP?) who will have access to all of your medical records and should then have prescribed accordingly. People on here have no access to your records and as we are all different with different medical histories their experiences may be unrelated to your situation.

[ETHEL103 in reply to Hidden]

Well yes I get that but this forum is for sharing experiences. My gp is great but I can't have an infinite time with him.Lovely helpful people on here and we all know what we should do.

[jerry12953 in reply to Hidden]

Sometimes within the medical profession the left hand doesn't know what the right hand is doing. It seems a fair response to ask what other people's experiences are.😀

[ETHEL103 in reply to jerry12953]

Thank-you.

[Hidden in reply to jerry12953]

But at least those in a position to prescribe medication are medically qualified unlike the vast majority on this forum, who only have opinions based on their own medical history or something they have read on tinterweb.. And as far as advice or experiences about medication is concerned, if I had a real concern about medication, I would much rather trust the opinion of someone who is a medical professional rather than someone who I know absolutely nothing about who apparently happens to have a similar medical condition to me and shares a place on this forum. The consequences of acting on information about medication provided by enthusiastic amateurs could have serious consequences if that information is incorrect, misleading or misinterpreted, and indeed that is why there are Community Guidelines which cover this.

[jerry12953 in reply to Hidden]

I'm NOT a conspiracy theorist but I have less than 100% confidence in the workings of the medical profession. Shall I leave it at that or would you like an example?

[Hidden in reply to jerry12953]

There will be few who have complete confidence in the workings of the medical profession. I certainly don't. However the point here is about whose opinion and judgement do you trust the most. And unqualified layman or a professional? I have made my choice, as no doubt have you. So no need to provide any examples.