Swollen ankles and shins

[Chumma]

Can anyone help me to get rid of this swelling?I’m amlopidine 10mg daily. Thank you.

[Celtic]

Hello Chumma, if you think it is the Amlodipine that is causing the swelling, ask your Dr to change it to another blood pressure medication. It caused lasting damage to my lower legs and I wish I’d stopped it sooner.

[Chumma in reply to Celtic]

Hi Celtic. Thank for the reply. It’s not really too bad at the moment but deffo something that’s noticeable. I’ve been on amlopidine for about 4 months now and the leaflet says it should be “short lived” side effect. The medication has lowered by blood pressure so I’m reluctant to come off it? Maybe I should speak to my GP. Thanks again.

[Celtic in reply to Chumma]

I was prescribed Amlodipine on two separate occasions some years apart. The first time it was prescribed by a GP and it caused very swollen ankles which made walking uncomfortable, particularly on stairs and was changed to another medication. It left me with inflammation and red blotches on one of my lower legs. I tried it the second time just to appease my renal consultant and tried to stick it out for a few months to my next appointment. On seeing the redness and swelling on both lower legs the consultant immediately stopped the Amlodipine but the damage became permanent, with him admitting that it will now never improve.

Amlodipine does seem to be very effective at reducing high BP which is obviously why it is appears to be flavour of the month with GPS at the moment.

Lots of good luck wishes if you do decide to persevere with it and I hope you have a better time than I had.

[springcross]

Hi Chumma. I have the same problem as you but I'm on 5 mg along with 2.5 mg Ramipril. I was on Amlodipine for seven months from last July and had to stop due to swollen lower legs, ankles and feet. I haven't found an alternative that works as well for my BP so I don't know what I am going to do either.

[cuore]

you do not say whether you are on any other blood pressure medication nor if you started at 10 mg which is the higher dose. In my research I have found that there should be less side effects if one were to take lower doses of two or more medications than a higher dose of one. it would take me too long to locate these articles. When my GP increased my dosage of Amlodipine from 5mg to 10 mg right after my second ablation, I immediately went into 6 days of arrhythmia. You might want to discuss with your GP whether lowering the dose would help. I am taking 5mg Amlodipine plus plus 20 mg Olmesartan rather than 10 mg Amlodipine.

[Tugela]

Gosh i am struggling 1 week later. Am on 5mg now but don't feel so good... breathless and tightness in my chest at times. My 1 leg is getting better but the other one is still weeping and now getting huge blisters in it. I can't see my doc which is frustrating me.... he tells me to keep my legs up.... sick of it now ... chumma i really hope you can sort this out .. it's horrible xxx

[Morgan]

I was put on amlodipine when I was first diagnosed and after a month or so of breathlessness and ankle swelling was changed to Candesartan, together with Bendrofluemethzide and Doxazozin and have had stable blood pressure for 15 years. There are so many different types of medication out there and one or a combination should help you.

[Chumma]

Thanks everyone, and good morning! I was started on 5mg and then increased to 10mg. I am also on Lisinopril 20mg daily. I am “only” 51 and to think I have to put up with swollen ankles and a bit on the shins is making me feel a bit maudlin, but I’ll get over it. I have put some weight on since the lockdown as well. I have gotten a belly as well so no doubts it’s the perfect storm, as they say! I definitely know it is the amlopidine that is causing the swelling as it wasn’t really there before hand, well not as much anyway. Thanks again !

[lettingoffsteam in reply to Chumma]

I'm on 5mg of amlodipine along with 5mg of ramipril and have swollen ankles.When I was diagnosed my bp was super high and I was on 10mg amlodipine with the 5mg ramipril.My ankles and legs were very swollen then..so swollen that an insect bite turned nasty and I got cellulitis....not great.This symptom is a well known one with amlodipine.Perhaps another calcium channel blocker would be better for you.

[Blistersnbliss]

I have had problems of dry cough with Ramipril and a swollen ankle with amlodipine.

I changed both. Now I am now lercanidipine ( which works slightly different to amodopine) and candesartan. This combination is working fine for me. Do check with the GP.

[Hedgehoglady]

Hi Chumma,

I had exactly the same problem as you when my medication was increased to 10mg Amlodolpine. My doctor then reduced my dose back down to 5mg and this has solved the problem. It did take a couple of weeks for the swelling to go down though. I do still occasionally get swollen ankles and feet in hot weather but not all the time as I did before. I try harder to eat potassium rich foods such as bananas daily and my blood pressure has remained at an acceptable level (approx. 117/70) on the lower dose. I would have a word with your GP and see what they advise. It is good to know about other people's experiences which you can also discuss with them to help you reach a decision together.

Good luck and hope you get a resolution.

[Chumma in reply to Hedgehoglady]

Hi Hedgehoglady

I am still on the 10mg amlodipine as well as the 20mg lisinopril. I called the nurse and she said she wants me to give her 5 days worth of BP readings and then she is going to look at adding another BP pill that is good for reducing the swelling, she did say the name of the pill but I can’t remember what it was. I have had high BP for quite sometime (years) it seems quite resistant to medication although the amlodipine seems to have made some headway to getting it lowered. I don’t like the idea of taking more medication but I need to have a good BP reading so guess I don’t have much choice. I am quite a young 51 year old male, I’m heavier than I want to be but nothing too bad- I am young in outlook so don’t like the idea of having swollen ankles at my age.

[Hedgehoglady]

Yes, I know how you feel Chumma. I am about the same age as you and really didn't want to be taking more medication than absolutely necessary (or any in fact) but at the end of the day high blood pressure can have extremely serious consequences can't it. I do notice my ankles are more swollen in the hot weather, even on 5mg Amlodopine dose. I did read that several medications at a lower dosage can be better for lowering blood pressure without the side effects so that might help but if you have had trouble for several years I guess you have tried various things already!

I have been lucky in that I have managed reduce my medication to 5mg Amlodopine alone now, which I really didn't think would be possible. I am not over weight (just have unlucky gene's I think) but have found keeping up the exercise and healthy eating has helped a bit. I am a bit of a natural worrier and stress about things so that is probably my biggest problem. Don't think I'll change that now though, lol!

Anyway, good luck and hope you get things sorted. Hope your ankles aren't even more swollen now that the lovely warm weather has returned!

[Chumma in reply to Hedgehoglady]

Good afternoon!

It is only really in the last 2 years that I have made an effort to address my high readings- I guess I was of the mind that I’m not getting any symptoms so all must be ok-very bad attitude to have. Anyway, I have made a proper effort since the beginning of this year to put that right. They thought I might have white coat syndrome but they said even allowing for that , my readings are still too high. I shall let you know what they put me on to see if folks know anything about it. 😃

[Hedgehoglady]

Yes, you do need to keep it in check, as there are rarely any symptoms with high blood pressure as I am sure you know and without wanting to sound alarmist that's why it is often referred to as the "silent killer".

I am sure the set of readings you take yourself will be more accurate and they can prescribe you some alternative medication that agrees with you better. Apparently I have white coat syndrome too (as do many other people). My reading are always so much higher in the surgery than at home so you are not alone! I never conciously feel the least bit anxious about going to the surgery, having my BP taken and hearing the results though, so it's strange, and I also work in healthcare for goodness sake!

I am sure there will be people on here that will have experienced taking whatever they prescribe for you. Try not to worry about it too much though, that will probably make your readings even worse! 😉 Good luck with it all and glad you are getting yourself sorted now.