Ramipril

[Kev667]

Hi, I have APS on warfarin and just started ramipril for high blood pressure. My question is I am having the side effect of pins and needles since starting the high blood pressure medication ramipril. Only when I sleep in hands.

I’ll mention to my go doctor but does anyone have any experience in this side effect ? Is it a circulation or nerve side effect. I’m worried that it a blood circulation issue. My blood pressure is stable on the medicine so don’t want to give it up unless I have to . I don’t have a specialist .. just a U.K. GP doctor.

[Ray46]

I have APS, on warfarin and on ramipril (and several other BP meds). I get pins & needles, plus dead arms sometimes, particularly when sleeping. For me it's occasional and I haven't even bothered talking about it with doctor (had way more pressing side effects to talk about...), I hadn't associated it with rampril either.

We are all different and all react differently to medication (from my monitoring across various dose changes I don't think rampiril does much, if anything, for my BP), so giving you any specific advice is largely pointless.

Some of the most helpful advice I got, from one of my consultants, is very general and may be useful though, so (paraphrasing from fragile memory....):

- there are lots of BP drugs [at least six classes I think, and many different drugs in each class, and they may behave differently - I reacted badly to one calcium channel blocker but am fine on a different one]

- you need to find the drug (or combination) that works for you

- change one thing at a time (if at all possible)

- you need to give each drug you try time (in months) to settle in and for your body to get used to it, before you can assess effects and side effects for you

- this [i.e. BP control / medication] is a long term project, think not weeks, but months or years to find your answer, we don't need an answer this week or next week, spend the time and find the right answer

Best advice I ever got on it, hope it is some use to you.

[Kev667 in reply to Ray46]

Thanks Ray! Very useful reading your experience and advice . Thank you very much .

[Hedwig-68]

Hello Kev667? Yes unfortunately it is a side effect of the medication. If it does not ease off after three months of use. Ask your GP to change the meds for Bendroglumethiazide .. quite a mouthful. I find this one really working well. Good luck kind regards Hedwig

[Kev667 in reply to Hedwig-68]

Thank you for your advice . Greatly appreciated.

[Zezes-nan]

Hello Kev667

I'm afraid I can't comment on ramipril as I'm on Lisinopril alongside warfarin, I get occassional pins and needles in my hands but GP wasn't that concerned. I agree with what the others have said give yourself a couple of months then go back to your GP if you're still having issues

[HollyHeski Administrator]

Hi, have no experience with this drug, but just a thought, as I have constant pins and needles, along side dead arms at night, have you had your levels of B12 tested?We are prone to be deficient.

Mine relates to this with TOS too.

Keep your GP in the loop so that your symptoms can be recorded and after a fair trial you can try another type.

[Kev667 in reply to HollyHeski]

Hi, thank you for that. Will flag this up with the Dr

[Kev667]

Thank you for your advice . Greatly appreciated.

[Lure2]

Hi Kev667,

Also be sure your anticoagulation drug is working and that you are in range with your blood (not too sticky not too thin either). I get those symptoms when I am under an INR 0f 3.5.(too sticky) I take other bloodpressuredrugs since several years.

[PepperT]

I don't have experience with these two drugs, however ramipril is one if the cheapest BP drugs on the market and many seem to get prescribed first. My husband was put on ramipril and his dose was gradually stepped up as eventhough his blood pressure was in range his BP nurse wanted it lower. By the time he was on the maximum dose he was feeling very unwell. A friend who worked in a pharmacy told him to get off rampril asap, all his symptoms fitted with the side effects of ramipril, he was changed to candasarton and has not looked back. Just Google the side effects of ramipril, it is shocking.

[Kev667 in reply to PepperT]

Thanks Pepper, Your advice was useful, I was also having horrible panic attacks which I didn’t mention in my post as the Doc said it was unrelated and said it is not a known side effect . After reading your message I demanded to Doc to come off. She switched me to Amlodipine and within a day I felt normal again!!!! No pins and needles and no panic attacks every day . I never had a panic attack until I stayed this medicine a month earlier .Ramipril might work for some , it was horrible poison for me and I didn’t realise it was the medicine making me ill.

I now feel my old self thanks to you !

Thank you so so much for your advice !

[LindaMorrell]

Reason I am writing this is perhaps dont ignore anything, go and get thoroughly checked out, with MRI's Watch out for Inflamation, sticky blood, micro clotting

I have had lots of issues with SLE. APS & now MS.Around 2014 (Already had SLE, APS) but started with racing heart beat (all the time) and high blood pressure, Was put on Telamasartin 4mg

Heart issues started to be diagnosed, major surgery followed with removal of mitral valve and arteries. 2019. Then kidney issues 2020 removal of right kidney. Warfarin had been added to my Aspirin and Telamasartin . I was very numb down onside of my body woke like you with numb arms most mornings and pins and needles would come and go continuously. Drove me nuts.

2019 My then GP changed my BP meds Telamsatrin which I have been on since 2014 to Candestarin

Jump to 2021 my neurologist asked me who changed you from Telamasartin to Candastarin ?

I explain my then GP (sadly left her because I moved). He said that was a clever change , but you need to up the dosage from4mg to 32mg of possible. To stabilise my blood pressure. I got up to 16mg and staying there.

Once they saw all the white matter damage in my brain I was told I had had TIA's

Aspirin saved me for many years, BP tablets continued saving me for a good few more years then warfarin saves me clotting now.

BCell therapy (just started) will hopefully keep me from progressing into mobility issues and hopefully slow down these numbness tingling vibrating issues around my whole body.

Good luck learn heaps, learn from Health Unlocked and be very vigilant and persistent.

in getting a good GP and good specialists who understand

[new2aps]

Hi....what do you mean "vibrating issues" in your body? Also, I have 2 little red dots in my throat that could be peticiae....could this be APS related?.