Carbocisteine & BP

[Lucybird]

Hi everyone,

I was wondering if anyone on carbocisteine has experienced issues to do with their blood pressure?

I recently had what I thought might be a panic attack (my heart was thumping, I felt sick and weak, I go dark spots in my vision) but my doctor thinks it might have been blood pressure related. I'm on tablets for high blood pressure, and, as well as bronchiectasis and asthma, I've had a heart valve replacement and a pacemaker fitted. I have also recently had a decrease in one of my medications and the doctor suggested that it might be this and/or that I've recently started taking carbocisteine. My BP on the day gave a good reading, and I've been generally normal since the incident, but am planning on buying a BP monitor so if it happens again (this is the second 1) I can see if it is my blood pressure, and just to keep a general eye.

When I've read the carbocisteine patient leaflet and looked at the bnf neither list anything to do with BP as a possible side effect so I just wondered if others have come across this as an issue. I'm still not entirely convinced that I did have a panic attack.

[Ergendl]

Hi, Lucybird. I haven't had an issue with carbocisteine but have had all sorts of issues with other meds, and not always problems listed on the information sheet. Wishing you luck as you track down the cause, and hoping it doesn't happen again.

[flicky1]

I haven't experienced any obvious side effects. Hope you get to the bottom of this.

[Spacecat1 in reply to flicky1]

The only thing I have is it dosent work on me. Doctor says I have phelgm at the bottom of my lungs and carbocisteine she bring any mucus up. I hardly cough and hardly ever bring up mucus but do feel something there. Had my head a bowl of hot water with vicks but nothing works so given up on them

[flicky1 in reply to Spacecat1]

Some activities seem to help to bring up more muscous without much trouble - e.e.singing, playing the recorder and swimming. We had a pulmonary physiotherapist specialist (who has published teaching books for physiotherapy students) who visited our Breatheasy group and she talked us through how to bring up phlegm - it seemed much more simple than the usual cycle of breathing thing. To bring up sputum from the bottom of your lungs, just take in a short breath and then do a short huff using your diaphram. This alone started most people in the room automatically coughing up sputum. Hope this helps.

[Lucybird in reply to Spacecat1]

This is what mine is like too, that's why I was put on the carbosistiene, to try and help me getting it up. It does seem to have helped somewhat, but if it is effecting my BP I'm not sure it's worth it.

[barbs47]

Hi Lucy I cannot take carbocisteine as it makes me feel very unwell. I get cold sweats, anxiety and feel very panicky. I was not taking anything else that could have caused this. My doctor tried me on both capsules and liquid and I had the same reaction to both. Hope this helps. Barbs x

[Lucybird in reply to barbs47]

Oh interesting,so it's sort of similar to a panic attack too. I'm monitoring anyway but it's good to see that there might be others effected like this

[Penkman]

Hi Lucy,

I have high blood pressure and take Amlodipine and Ramipril tablets for it which brings it down to 120/80 most of the time.

I started on Carbocisteine for bronchiectasis over a year ago and have had no adverse heart or blood pressure related issues since being on it.

Hope your attacks do not continue but if they do I would advise going back to your GP for further tests.

[mikeadams51]

I’ve been on it for years with no problems. Good luck in indignant the answer

[bobbyfloyd]

I have been on these for years, i find them o k and does not effect my blood pressure but with all tablets they come with side effects, some get side effects others do not, i think if you are having trouble write them down and go back to doctor and keep going back until they find an answer, best of luck

[Lucybird]

Thanks everyone. I've not had anything the same since, so hopefully it was a blip. I have found my heart's been missing a beat a bit more (which was happening prior to change in meds) but I've just started placement 3 weeks ago and I think it may be the rushing around from that.