Blood pressure

[Janie03]

I was just curious to know if anyone was having heart palpitations with doxazosin 4mg twice a day and a heavy feeling in the head

Thank you in advance all

[Julieclev08]

Yes I had a heavy feeling in head I didn’t feel right at all .I went bk down to 4mg and went on another tablet x

[Janie03 in reply to Julieclev08]

Thank you so much for your reply. I was fine too on 4mg. Think I’ll have a word with my doctor

[Lizzie25b]

Hi Janie

I made some notes to discuss with my doctor.

I hope this helps.

Noticed side effects

Doxasosin: (daily 8mg)These side effects normally appear within one - two hours of taking medication. Medication split into 2 doses 4 mg morning and evening. 2mg dropped after I noticed blood pressure was a little lower than “my” normal.

- Dizziness when standing up occasionally

- Vertigo when getting out of bed (Stugeron taken)

- Vision strange, slightly unfocused, pressure

- Doctors kept mentioning one pupil slightly larger than the other (17/12/2020)

- Lightheaded when standing too long

- Sudden fainting (only once after standing about 25mins)Ambulance called 17/12/2020

- Feeling of numbness in legs below knees follow by pins and needles this can continue for up to an hour and a half.

- Very cold lower legs and feet

- Suddenly very hot and trembly, I then take clothes off to cool down, anxiety at these moments.

[Janie03 in reply to Lizzie25b]

Oh dear. You seem quite bad. I seem to be ok now. Maybe my body had to get used to the higher dose. I do suffer anxiety so maybe that has something to do with it. My blood pressure still varies a lot though. Thank you for replying. Have you been in touch with your doctor since 17th?

[Lizzie25b in reply to Janie03]

Yes I have and since reduced medication. The information I posted was the events that led up to me questioning the tablets. It took a while to get that bad but as I was on them longer the side effects worsened. These tablets me be ok for some people, not so good for others. My anxiety got bad, easy to blame on the events around us at the moment. Just keep an eye on them. Most of these bad ‘episodes’ started with me getting overheated but in relatively low temperatures. I have had it happen twice since then but didn’t faint and it takes ages for it to go.

I will reduce again in a couple of weeks. Anxiety is a side effect. I didn’t even think the vertigo was connected. If you are unsure a about anything read the leaflet and tell your doctor. I also had to get up a lot to go the loo, which I didn’t before x

[Lizzie25b in reply to Janie03]

Just thought I would post an update. I have reduced medication from 10mg to 3 currently.

I am no longer lightheaded

Vertigo has gone

I don’t have visual disturbance any more

My anxiety is much lower now

Pins and needles have gone

No more fainting!

No more hot flushes

I still have another 3 mg to go but I am am only reducing them by 1mg at at time. My doctor let’s me decide when to reduce now as I was getting really bad side effects for a few weeks after initial reduction. That was 4mg in 2 weeks. Now I feel really good.

The best news is my blood pressure is either in top of the normal range or over very slightly. So lower than when I was on them. Maybe because of anxiety levels going down.

I have just taken my BP and it is 129/71 which is great!!

[peppiblue in reply to Lizzie25b]

hi how you getting on with the lower dose of doxazosin , the doctor wants me to start taking them with my candesartan , bit worried about that , thanks

[Janie03 in reply to peppiblue]

I’m taking 4mg morning and 4mg evening. I changed from atenolol which I had been on for years then suddenly for 5 days had pounding head to then find out from ambulance service my blood pressure was 200/90! Remember being on candesarten too.

[Janie03 in reply to Lizzie25b]

Well done you. Great to hear your good news x

[peppiblue]

do you not get side effects from them anymore

[Janie03 in reply to peppiblue]

At first. Been on these for almost 3 years now

[peppiblue in reply to Janie03]

thanks for your reply ,reading the leaflet puts me in a panic .

[Janie03]

You’re like me. I read things then start panicking. Just keep a diary in how you’re feeling with them

[Port01]

I can sympathise. Am on a whole cocktail of BP drugs and getting all sorts of side effects including those you mention. Sadly I have given up on trying to convince my GP (different one each time and only ever telephone conversation) as to how bad they are so now I am slowly reducing, even stopping some medications and monitoring the effects myself. Doxazosin is one of them and from today I am reducing my 4Mg daily dose to 2Mg and will see the result. BTW my BP is only averaging 132/75. My average Heart rate is in the low 50s which I think is to low.

[Sooz34]

I'm just starting on 2mg Doxazosin as my BP very high on previous Zemtard and Perindopril. Plus just been diagnosed with AV heart block. The Doxazosin made me feel drunk for 3 days when I started it but my BP has fallen to 110/65 and I feel so much better - still taking Perindopril too. Not feeling at all anxious but was relieved to see its not unheard of to feel vertigo and dodgy on my feet lol. Thank you for discussing this as I was so happy to see your experiences x