Lercanidipine, side effects

[Sleepyholllow]

Hello all,

I have been on lercanidipine 10 mg for approx 3 yrs, but the side effects are really getting to me at this stage, headache, poor sleep, anxiety, gp doesn’t think I should change , he says I have high sensitivity to meds,

Don’t even take readings any more as that stresses me so much,

Does anyone have a similar experience? Any ideas/natural remedies you may have would be great, hoping to try the hibiscus tea

Thanks.

[fizz10]

No I've not experienced any of those and I've been on it for a year. However to ensure an even bp throughout the day, and avoid early morning slump, I take half the dose in the morning and the other half in the evening.

[Sleepyholllow in reply to fizz10]

Thank you fizz10, that might be worth thinking about

[cuore]

I would get a second opinion. You have been on that drug long enough (three years) putting up with its side effects. There are many, many other drugs out there for blood pressure, and among them could be another suitable for you. Some GPs are just too lazy to do the work and research to personalize the drug for the patient and prefer to prescribe the same drug for all his/her patients. Your GP sounds like one of them. Have you tried any other blood pressure drugs?

[Sleepyholllow in reply to cuore]

Thanks for your reply, cuore Yes I find, especially during lockdown, very difficult to communicate with GP, think the stress gets to them too!!

I would very much like to find a drug that doesn’t control my life like this one, the side effects are v difficult,

I’m not sure how much effort gp’s. Put into researching meds for patients.

[cuore in reply to Sleepyholllow]

I don't know if lercanidipine is the only blood pressure medication you've been on. Sometimes as patients, we have to rely on ourselves and do some homework as to what is going on. There are many sites that discuss the different types of blood pressure medications. This is one site that seems quite simple to read.

healthline.com/health/high-...

If you google, there are many other sites. Two address that go into the details of a drug you are taking are drugs.com and rxlist.com. You can look up the side effects that you are getting compared to the posted ones.

Next you might want to ask your GP to consider another class that does not have the side effects that you are experiencing. He/she should cooperate.

[Sleepyholllow in reply to cuore]

Cuore. Thank you for your helpful reply, I was initially on a statin (can’t remember the name). That was even worse, couldn’t tolerate it at all, I believe lercanidipine is a calcium channel blocker, I know I should be more assertive regarding this but am terrified of even worse side effects or bp flying up, it’s a bit of a catch 22 situation! I will check out those websites, my dream would be to get off meds or at least reduce.

Thanks again.

[cuore in reply to Sleepyholllow]

Lercanidipine is a calciium channel blocker of the dihydropyridine type. Those meds that end in "ine" are calcium channel blockers. A good way to be less terrified is to understand what a drug does by going on a site and learning about it. In taking meds to get less side effects, it is better to go on two meds of a lower dose than one med of a higher dose. Good luck to you.

[Sleepyholllow in reply to cuore]

Thank you for that

[robertamy]

I have reactions with all meds like you mention and the doctors keep trying me on them but it just makes my legs hurt and hurt worse daily so i can hardly walk. My blood pressure rockets at the doctors dentists hospitals ques bus journeys planes. I am now trying to vegan it a bit and no doctors drugs. I was fit as a fiddle until they scared me with the saying your blood pressure is high and at your age we should get it down.

[Sleepyholllow in reply to robertamy]

Hello Robertamy,

thank you for your reply.

yes it is v difficult to figure it out, I am 5 years into this diagnosis and still can't find a'medication that suits me, I have a largely vegetarian diet and not overweight so not quite sure what else to do, can somebody tell me if tea/coffee has an actual negative effect on BP as there is conflicting information on line.