I have COPD. My doctor put me on 25 mg Metoprolol (Meto) and 10 mg Amlodipine (Amlod). After about 8 days I cut back to 12.5 mg Meto with the 10 mg Amlod because I was having some breathing difficulties, more than the norm, and also because my BPs seemed to go up a little. The drop in Meto seemed to work pretty well. My BPs were running in the 120s and I was very happy with the situation. Then suddenly I started having trouble breathing again. So I cut back to 5 mg Amlod. Breathing improved but BP went up. Is it the combination of Amlod and Meto that is causing the breathing problems? I wish this could be figured out because BPs were so good while on 12.5 mg Metoprolol and 10 mg Amlodipine. But something is causing me to have breathing problems above and beyond what I normally have.
Has anyone experienced breathing problems with Amlodipine?
Question posted by Nikilet on 24 May 2012
Last updated on 21 February 2025 by lgillo
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4 Answers
Amlodipine works great to control my hbp. However I can't take it because it seriously effects my breathing. If I walk 20 ft. I am gasping for air. My Dr. looks at me like I'm crazy for saying Amlodipine causes this but my breathing isn't nearly as bad when I'm not on Amlodipine. My Dr's solution? He switched me to a beta blocker, metoprolol. This did nothing for my hbp and metoprolol is well known for causing shortness of breath. The shortness of breath was still much worse on Amlodipine. It's not your imagination. For some people, Amlodipine does cause severe breathing problems. And shortness of breath is listed as side effects for both amlodipine and metoprolol. As for me? I am switching Dr's. Best of luck finding what works for you.
Hi Nick1961,
I don’t have COPD also, but I have been waking up at 3am and can’t sleep again because it seems that my lungs can’t breathe anymore. I have been taking amlodipine for three months already with no other combination aside from the initial 2 weeks which was combined with losartan.
What were your alternatives from amlodipine that solved your sleeping breathing problem?
Hi, I also have COPD and high blood pressure. I am taking 10 mg of Amlodipine and I was taking 10 mg. of Metoprolol. I was having more breathing problems than usual and also my blood pressure was high. I ended up in ER, the doctor there told me to stop taking the Metoprolo, he said anyone with COPD should not take Metoprolo because it is known to cause breathing problems, but the Amlodipine was alright to take. I have not been short of breath since I stopped taking the Metoprolo. Hope this helps you.
You can read my answer to Mary. I had done quite a bit of research on medications and when my doctor put me on Metoprolol I questioned him because this med is not normally used for people with COPD. I was ignored. This doctor is a very nice man, and I think he is probably a pretty good doctor, but it seems obvious that for whatever reason he is not real inclined to listen to what I tell him.
My choice of doctors is limited because I live in a very small rural community. I have already quit doctoring with a PA I was seeing, who had me on Lisinopril (plus the Amlodipine), and which darned near did put me in the ER. He refused to take me off from this medicine and basically told me if I refused to follow his instructions he would not treat me. I quit taking it because my breathing was so bad I could hardly walk from my bedroom to the bathroom. Then I made an appointment with the doctor I am with now.
Your answer confirms my problems with Metoprolol, altho I do state that my present doctor did take me off the Meto. Now if he'd just listen to me when it comes to the Losartan. I can SEE that cutting the dose in half has worked. So I'll be darned if I'm going back to taking 100 mg a day, having high BP numbers and feeling sick.
I would like to talk with you about your COPD. Is there a different forum that you belong to with this problem?
Hi Nikilet, this is the only forum that I belong to concerning my COPD.
Hi, I have not ever been diagnosed with COPD. My doctor put me on 10mg Amlodipine a while back. I started having breathing problems(60 days of taking the medication) and when I say breathing problems I mean I woke from a dead sleep and could not catch a breath. I tried as hard as I could to grab a breath. Scared me close to death prolly should have died from a heart attack. I did not know the cause and continued to take the drug and the episodes continued.. Long story short I finally figured out it was the Amlodipine doing this to me. I'm glad to be alive. Amlodipine may work for some but it did not work for me.
Hi Nikilet -
I have been on Amlodipine Bestyulate (sp... can't remember how to spell that) long with methotrexate. I can tell you that the Amlo was to control blood high blood pressure. I stabilized after losing a bunch of weight so came off the Amlo because I didn't need it.
But I am curious if you were letting your doctor know that you were having the breathing issues and also cutting back on your meds???
It is hard to say which was causing what but I sure would have your doctor involved here and not mess with your dosing. If he/she thinks you are taking one dose and keeps prescribing that way... how are they going to know what is adversely affecting you? It may be just the wrong medication instead of the dose, for instance.
I hope by now you have contacted your doctor. I am sorry that no one else has seen your question before now who could give you additional insight or thoughts on this. But please, please tell your doctor that something isn't right for you.
I hope you will let us know how you are doing and what the outcome was. I do hope you are also feeling better and have this issue resolved already.
Blessings,
Mary
Thank you, Mary, for your comments. Yes, I did tell the doctor I was having breathing issues. I never told him I had cut the Metoprolol back from 25 mg to 12.5 because the next time I seen him, he took me off it and put me on 100 mg Losartan, along with the 10 mg Amlodipine.
It doesn't do much good to talk to doctors about what is going on when they are convinced that they know it all and you can't possibly be right about what is happening in your own body.
I had the same thing with Losartan. I questionned him starting me right out on the maximum dose and he poo-pooed me. After about 3 weeks I was having some alarming symptoms and my BP was climbing a little every day until I was up in the high 140's, and additionally, my heart rate was running consistently high which it had never been before. I called his office and was told to stay on the full dose and make an appointment to see him.
I refused to keep feeling the way I was feeling without at least seeing if a reduction in the Losartan would help. I decided I'd take my chances and listen to what my own body was telling me, and if I ended up in the emergency room, so be it.
I cut the Losartan pill in half and started taking 50 mg per day. Almost immediately the symptoms stopped or lessened, and my BP started coming down. I have been using 50 mg Losartan and 10 mg Amlodipine now since 8-6. Already by 8-7 my BPs were coming down, and I have felt considerably better. Since 8-14 my BPs have been running consistently really good, my heart rate has been good, and one of the most alarming symptoms I was having has pretty much disappeared.
It doesn't do any good to talk to them if they won't listen. I have not made an appointment because at this time there is no need.
I think you would do better with another doctor if you can find one. You shouldn't be self-medicating like that because honestly, you don't know how that is affecting your body as in blood work not just a BP test. You are on meds for a reason and my concern is just for you. I'm thinking you and that doctor's office just are not getting along... so I would look in another direction. Hopefully you can find another doctor who gets you on the right dose and the right meds. You never know... another doctor might not agree with what you are taking now...
But I also lost a bunch of weight and I cannot tell you how that dropped my blood pressure. I stopped taking the Amlo because of that and I also didn't need to take the lipitor either to help me lose weight. Some doctors call them like they see them... other doctors are a bit more inquisitive and will do some research and patient history delving before prescribing what is "typically" given for people dealing with your medical issues.
Best of luck to you and I hope you have a happy, healthy journey for the best and rest of your life.
Mary
Related topics
chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, amlodipine, metoprolol, doctor, breathing
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