Amlodipine and Dizziness: What Users Say (Page 3)

• Dr ...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• February 28, 2022

For High Blood Pressure "Horrible side effects including premature ventricular complexes (PVCs), cough, insomnia, and dizziness. My PVC burden was excessive at 30 to 50% when taking amlodipine. It is effective at treating high blood pressure, but at what cost? PVC-induced cardiomyopathy??? There must be some pretty good propaganda about this drug, ignorance, carelessness, or all of the above because physicians almost invariably deny the side effects and ignore patient concerns of a LISTED SIDE EFFECT!! Wonder if this will be the subject of some late-night legal commercial someday."

• Anonymous
• Taken for less than 1 month
• September 19, 2022

For High Blood Pressure "This drug was absolute hell for me. Only on it for a week, and although it did lower blood pressure, the side effects were bad! Didn't feel safe to drive, other side effects were brain fog, dizziness, and anxiety. The list goes on. Never suffered from a panic attack or anxiety in my life, but thought I was going to lose my grip on functioning while on this medicine."

• LMc...
• January 9, 2012

For High Blood Pressure "I started Amlodipine/Besylate in August of 2011. I switched from lisinopril as I was having severe allergic reactions. Now I'm on this new medication and I have been feeling unusual at times. I feel very dizzy, swelling in my hands, feet, and throat area. I've had a throat infection, and sometimes I feel like I'm limited in my speech. I'm experiencing tingling in my hands and feet at times. It's annoying. My blood pressure is lowering now because I've increased my exercise, but sometimes I'm not able to drive home because of the dizziness. I've had one crazy episode when I took a multivitamin. I felt my heart beating so fast, and I could literally hear it through my ears. I was unable to pay attention and was jittery and cold."

• sca...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• October 26, 2021

For High Blood Pressure "About a year ago, I started having some high blood pressure issues. My cardiologist put me on a 2.5 dose. After about 8 months, my blood pressure was actually not going down, so my doctor added another 2.5 to be taken 2 times a day. I did notice my ankles were a little swollen, I knew that was one effect. I started my second pill in February, and soon after, I noticed more side effects. My feet for a couple of nights were so fat that you couldn't see my toes! Soon after, I noticed flushing in my arms and chest, tingling in my arms, inner body tremors, ringing in my ears, going to the bathroom 3-4 times at night, red eyelids, chills, sweating, dry mouth, right leg burning, weird dreams, sick to my stomach, discharge, sharp icepick headaches, dizziness, and HR was up and down! I was back and forth to the doctor 5 times for about 2 months trying to find out if I had some sort of infection going on. I took myself off 90 days ago, only inner body tremors are left! All were caused by amlodipine! WALK AWAY!"

• Chr...
• October 11, 2017

For High Blood Pressure "Was prescribed Amlodipine 10 mg/daily for high blood pressure. Within 2 weeks, developed panic attacks and pins and needles in the chest. In the 3rd week, developed severe insomnia - not able to sleep more than 4 hours nightly, was woken up each night by heart rate jumping to 100+ beats a minute and not being able to catch my breath. In the 4th week, developed pain in the left leg and noticed a raised vein in the same leg, developed a ganglion cyst in the wrist, and at this point, the dizziness was awful from morning to night. BP levels were good, so I didn't want to give up, but the side effects were getting worse. In the 5th week, went to the doctor, was told that the symptoms that I listed could not be caused by this pill. So wrong!"

• SBa...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• October 1, 2019

For High Blood Pressure "Following a massive BP spike and a history of high blood pressure, I started on 5 mg three weeks ago. From day one, I had a blinding, debilitating headache, but on a positive note, my BP was dropping. In the second week, the headache eased, but chest and stomach pain, leg cramps, left leg swelling, fatigue, and dizziness became increasingly worse. After three blackout falls (two very bad), the doctor advised me to stop immediately. Three days off it and now no pains and steadier, but I have worrying arrhythmia. To its credit, it has dropped my BP. I was happy to take it and ride out any side effects, but the impact was too great for me. Clearly, this medicine does work for some, though. Lifestyle, diet, and careful consideration to any meds."

• pud...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• February 16, 2020

For High Blood Pressure "I took one tablet of amlodipine besylate on Wednesday morning. Seven hours later, I noticed pink tissue going down the toilet when I peed. I stopped taking it. Blood with the urine lasted until Friday. (I noticed a few small flecks of red on Friday, too.) A higher BP reading due to stress had led to the doctor prescribing this extra prescription. One of my stressors is white coat syndrome. Now, he wants me to visit a urologist. My other side effects were less output of urine and less frequent urination. I had 3 loose stools on Thursday. Weakness and pain in the legs on Friday. Most dizziness and all other symptoms gone by Saturday. On Saturday, I was feeling much better."

• mpt...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• April 4, 2019

For High Blood Pressure "I am 62 years of age, Black male, 6-1, 215 lbs, athletic. Was put on Amlodipine 5 mgs 3 years ago, just increased to 10 mgs one week ago. I have been having to get up in the night several times to pee, which is something new since increasing to 10 mgs. I noticed someone’s comments below having the same issue and said two cardiologists looked at him weird as if that couldn’t happen... well, it does! Have also had side effects of dizziness and feeling in my chest as if I have indigestion. Told doctor about the feeling of lethargy, he had me take a blood test for vitamin D levels, and mine were low so now I take Vitamin D, it helps."

• Wch...
• January 4, 2012

For High Blood Pressure "I'm a 47-year-old male that takes 5 mg Amlodipine in combination with 20 mg Lisinopril. The two medicines are fairly effective at keeping my blood pressure at around 116/65, but the side effects with both are miserable. I get lightheadedness and sudden dizzy spells constantly. There has got to be a better solution. I felt fine with high blood pressure and now feel a lot worse."

• Ser...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• August 12, 2022

For High Blood Pressure "Primary physician prescribed amlodipine 2.5 MG (and said I could start out at 1/2 dose to begin) for moderate high blood pressure. After taking amlodipine for 5 days, I stopped. The reaction to the drug was similar to a reaction I had to lithium (called serotonin sensitivity). On amlodipine, my vision was distorted (not blurry). I lost my balance. At night, my sleep was filled with bizarre/frightening dreams. My hands and feet swelled, tingled, and itched. I had cramps in my calf muscles. The worst part was the blistering headache that never stopped. I woke up feeling anxious, angry, and scared...went to bed feeling the same. The doctor wanted to lower my blood pressure. Instead, it had gone up rather high over what it was when I started taking amlodipine. After the 5th day, I stopped amlodipine and took an anti-anxiety drug I've used for anxiety attacks. I used my inhaler daily. I researched/bo alternative remedies for high BP. In just two weeks, I brought my BP down to normal and even below on most days."

• Sun...
• July 6, 2019

For High Blood Pressure "10 for lowering blood pressure, 2 for other side effects. I have been on amlodipine for about 10 months. I was on another medication for anxiety but got off. When I got off, I started having side effects such as hot flashes, irritability, nausea, muscle pain, dizziness, continued constipation, and not being able to sleep. I decided to look up the side effects of amlodipine and found out that the side effects were not from getting off of the anxiety medicine but from the amlodipine. I am about to wean myself off of this drug and take the one I have been on for years alone that does not give me side effects but does not lower my pressure by itself."

• Anonymous
• September 16, 2009

For High Blood Pressure "Taking it for three weeks. Lowered the bottom number of my blood pressure almost too low. The average now is 116/63. It caused some dizziness, light-headedness, and a little shortness of breath. It also slowed my pulse down. Good medicine, but I don't want dizziness."

• Fed...
• April 29, 2021

For High Blood Pressure "These are my side effects. It began with twitching and cramping in my arm and became debilitated with muscle weakness, couldn't even raise my arms to shampoo my hair. I had burning bladder, burning and stinging sensation on skin, deep eardrum pain, eye swelling and redness and burning. Feet cramping in the middle of the night. Skin ulcers, dry skin on face, burning in my esophagus, lack of coordination, shivering, anxiety. The most overwhelming one is the muscle and nerve issues. I've been to the emergency room 6 times, to a neurologist, a cardiologist, an ENT, a gastroenterologist, and to my GP and had dozens of tests: MRI, CT scan, EGD, blood work, EEG, urinalysis. All of it has destroyed 4 months of my life. I finally put the pieces together. It all began after I started this drug. I have had my cardiologist take me off 3 days ago. I can't wait for it to leave my system. This has been horrible!"

• Fla...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• January 30, 2017

For High Blood Pressure "63-year-old female with hypertension. I have been on Atacand 8-16 mg for about 8 years. A doctor I have never seen before put me on this to start 2.5 mg each day and take it with the Atacand. I have been taking it for about 6 weeks, and after reading about all the side effects, which I have some of: extreme tiredness, flushes, sweating, dizziness, tingling in the soles of my feet, arms, and fingers, weakness, headaches, and irritability. I feel spaced out and terrible, and I am not taking it anymore. I am going to go back and see my normal doctor. I am annoyed that the doctor who put me on this did not warn me about the side effects!"

• can...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• October 1, 2022

For High Blood Pressure "I have been using an ACE inhibitor drug for many years, but now it is no longer enough to lower my elevated diastolic blood pressure. My doctor prescribed the addition of a 2.5 mg Amlodipine pill daily. With Amlodipine, I experience heart pounding in the chest, tummy and ears, face flushing, mild headache, dizziness. What is worse is increasing diastolic blood pressure and heart rate. So this drug is useless because it worsens my condition. It is the second time that I tried this drug in the last three years."

• Joh...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• May 24, 2021

For High Blood Pressure "So for whatever apparent reason, my doctor prescribed me amlodipine 5 mg only because my blood pressure was 145 over 87, which is not a bad blood pressure. So I started taking the blood pressure medication, it didn't really make any difference whatsoever, just lowered it just by a little. But then, after several months, I started noticing changes in my body: my anxiety was going higher, my heart rate was going fast, constant lightheadedness and dizziness, the feeling like I want to pass out. So I kept telling my doctor after so many visits to the ER, and my doctor was just telling me that can be many causes, so basically avoiding the subject. After a while, I just got fed up with it. I just started doing my exercises, and I started feeling better."

• Moa...
• November 25, 2018

For High Blood Pressure "I have been prehypertensive for 5 years. Once my BP started to be in the hypertensive range, I started taking 5 mg of Amlodipine. It caused severe dizziness, headache, fatigue, and drowsiness. I had to go to the hospital to rule out MI or other conditions related to the brain. Running drastically reduced my BP to a range of 70/40 mm of Hg. This medicine has a long half-life. I stopped Amlodipine."

• Anonymous
• Taken for less than 1 month
• February 5, 2022

For High Blood Pressure "Put on 5 mg Amlodipine 3 weeks ago. Side effects are dizziness, headaches, and pulsing ringing in ears. Taken to A&E and taken off the drug. Doc read out every side effect of this horrible drug, and it seems I had all! Been off them now for 4 days and feel better, but my ears are still ringing and burning. Never again and am not in a hurry to try a different drug."

• Har...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• March 14, 2022

For High Blood Pressure "New primary care doctor said metoprolol wasn’t doing anything for me; made heart rate too low, and prescribed amlodipine 5 mg. On first day after taking, I had a taste in mouth like metallic shavings, only way I can describe it. Never felt dizzy or lightheaded, but heart started beating really fast. BP didn’t lower, actually got higher along with heart rate. Woke up in the middle of the night with heart thudding each night I was on it. Had to get up and walk around the house trying to calm myself, felt as if I might have a heart attack. It caused severe anxiety, aggravation, and agitation. And I was on it for only 6 days! Doctor had me stop taking it and has me monitoring BP, etc. for now as it works its way out of my system. Evidently, there is some ingredient in the makeup of this drug that my system can’t tolerate. At current time, I feel as if I’m having withdrawals from some kind of drugs. Started this March 3, stopped on 8th."

• BBD...
• February 19, 2022

For High Blood Pressure "Been taking amlodipine 2.5 for about a week. I’m not dizzy or anything like that, but after I take it, my heart feels like it’s gonna pop out of my chest. I feel really short of breath when doing anything, even laying down. This med is awful. My doctor says it’s anxiety. I’ve never suffered from anxiety in my life. Feels like I’m wired. Awful feeling."

• Nor...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• May 14, 2019

For High Blood Pressure "I just started taking amlodipine last week for high blood pressure. I take it at night before bed to avoid the dizziness. I haven't experienced any swelling, but other side effects I've had are heartburn, vision changes, nausea, higher than normal BP, bloating, and constipation, lots of flushing over my entire body. Occasionally, asthma-like symptoms. I use a CPAP for sleep apnea, am diabetic, hypothyroid, Ankylosing Spondylitis, so I take Humira and Meloxicam. I have occasional chest pain and palpitations."

• Ros...
• November 3, 2017

For High Blood Pressure "I was put on a 5 mg dosage on a Friday. By Monday, I was contacting my doctor, telling her that I could not take the side effects: migraine-level headaches, lightheadedness, dizziness, racing heart. I suffer from Graves' disease and hypertension. This medication made me worse. Would not recommend it at all."

• Ali...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• April 27, 2019

For High Blood Pressure "I've been on amlodipine 5 mg for high BP. The first time I was on them, I only lasted a week. Side effects: itchy skin, dizziness, and headaches. This time, I've been on them for a month: dizziness, headaches, not sleeping, itchy skin, and fatigue."

• Cli...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• April 19, 2022

For High Blood Pressure "I had taken it for about 20 days. I have the most painful headache I have ever had, and I quit taking it 3 days ago. I had other side effect responses as well: swelling, blue toes, and dizziness, but this headache is unbearable! I don't know what to do."

• Muf...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• September 7, 2018

For High Blood Pressure "Where do I begin! I have been taking 5 mg for about a year and a half now. My BP readings have been around 135/80 to 140/85. At first, I only experienced the flushing, slight headaches, then came the dizziness. A year later, my knees started hurting, shortness of breath for no reason, my hip started killing me, numbness in my limbs. I tried to stop taking it, but my BP shot right up. It's like, what do you do?! All BP medicines cause some sort of side effects. My Dr. put me on Atenolol, and that seems to be working so far, but we'll see."