Can I stop taking amlodipine 2.5 mg without a dr?

[metalman13]

I've been on these meds since May 2020 and have not even been seen by a doctor yet. I am having breathing issues,I know use an inhaler daily, pain in neck and back. I had neck surgery in 2019 and had no issues until a month ago when out of nowhere I kept getting pain and tingling in my neck and back. Been trying to contact my doctor for over a week and still heard nothing. Is it safe to stop taking Amlodipine 2.5mg on my own?

[springcross]

I wouldn't advise you to stop taking medication without speaking to your GP first. You could ring 111 and ask their advice, make sure you tell them that you've been trying to contact your GP but that you've heard nothing in a week. Explain about your operation and the tingling you are now experiencing and that it is concerning you but don't stop your med until you are advised to do so. Good luck with it metalman and let us know how you get on. x

[Happyrosie]

Hello metalman. Presumably you were prescribed this medication because your blood pressure was high. Please read the advice given on the website of the Blood Pressure Association for background advice about medication, if you haven’t already,

You don’t say what your pressures were before this was prescribed and what they are now.

I expect you’ve made as much as possible of the lifestyle changes that are recommended for treating high BP.

I think it would be wrong for us on this website to advise you whether or not to stop, and I think that you should persist in trying to talk to a health professional about this. At the very least, call into your pharmacist Tomorrow to discuss.

Getting hold of doctors isn’t always easy and you have my sympathies but you deserve to have some kind of consultation in my view.

Do let us know how you get on.

[rocket999]

I've taken myself off one of my blood pressure meds twice without asking my GP, both times because of side effects which disappeared quickly. This led to much better conversations with GPs who seem in my experience very reluctant to do anything other than look at the numbers. Side effects can have a much bigger effect on quality of life than some GPs seem to realise. Be very careful though - high blood pressure is a killer and you need to be measuring your own pressures regularly and be cautious in your approach.

[Ukafirst]

You need to get advice PDQ! Be firm to get to your doc, suspecting serious side affects. The drug takes some time to clear the system when you do stop. I had side affects after just one 5mg dose and within an hour, and they didnt clear for 2 wks! A dangerous drug for those who have negative response to it and should definitely be monitored closely.😊

[Camorro]

I'm not a doctor but hard to see that any relationship between your amlodipine and your ailments!

[Hidden]

I think you would do yourself a big favour in reading the fact sheet and the side effects for any medication you take.

[GaryP5780]

Metalman13 - as has already been stated, I don't think anyone on the forum would advise you to come off your meds. You do need to get advice form your GP.

You can definitely make a difference for your own situation with lifestyle, diet and exercise changes. I have found that for myself and continue to see improvements not only in my BP results but generally. Don't try and self diagnose too much - that can be a cause of stress and increase the sense that there are side effects to your meds. Get yourself a BP machine if you don't have one for monitoring purposes. - Good luck

[Ropa511]

Have an honest conversation with your Doctor and explore the options together....they are quite use to dealing with these situations, and would rather you were honest about how your meds make you feel rather than you stop taking them without discussing it first.

At the end of the day it is your decision and your decision alone whether to take any medication or not....and the role of your GP is not to give you orders, but to work with you as an individual to help you reach an informed decision about the options for managing your blood pressure with all the pros and cons of each option.

Having said that Amlodopine 2.5 is a very low dose so it should be no problem if you do decide to stop....and if side effects are serious it may be advisable to do so immediately.

Speak to your pharmacist/GP on that one

You can then explore with your GP if its worth trying other classes of medication that you may tolerate better, or if you would be better off without meds for now.

[metalman13]

Went off amlodipine about 6 weeks ago do to side effects and my blood pressure is lower now than while taking the meds. I was always around 140-50/80-90 while on the meds and the last 3 weeks I've been steady at 115-20/65-75 and the side effects are finally gone. I can finally breath again and the chest pains and cough are gone. Please do your research before being put on any type of BP medication as it may be as simple as diet and exercise.