Amlodipine and Blood Sugars

[Rachox]

I have been on Amlodipine and Ramipril for a number of years for my blood pressure. Since being diagnosed Type 2, going low carb and loosing a chunk of weight my BP had come down to the point when I was getting dizzy if I stood up quickly. After a week of home monitoring with an average BP of 124/77 my GP agreed I could stop the Amlodipine. That was three weeks ago. I have been monitoring my BP every day and since stopping it my BP is averaging 127/77 so just a tiny rise. However the main point of this post is that I’d read that Amlodipine can raise blood sugars in Type 2s. I never knew if that was true for me as I was on Amlodipine before my type 2 diagnosis. That was why I wanted to drop the Amlodipine rather than the Ramipril, plus Ramipril has kidney protecting qualities. Anyway my average blood sugars are down, so far March is showing an average of 5.4 down from February’s 5.5 and we’re only half way through March! Several times a week I’m getting 4s now in the evenings where before 4s were a rarity! I’m seeing my GP next Tuesday and am hoping I can stay off Amlodipine. I’m not sure when he’ll want my next HbA1c but I’m hoping May 3 months after my last and if my HbA1c has gone down further I’m going to ask to drop one of my Metformin. I think he’ll agree as he said those immortal words at my last appointment that he didn’t want my HbA1c to go much lower!
Just thought this might be interesting to any other Type 2s on Amlodipine.

 

[Guzzler]

Fingers crossed for you, lass.

 

[ringi]

Remember the temperature, for example, can change BG a little, the level of changes you are now trying to track are very hard to separate from random noise. It is even hard to know if your last 3 HbA1c results are truly different from each other….. But they are clearly all very good results.

If you are interested in the stats, this covers some of it.

 

[Rachox]

Remember the temperature, for example, can change BG a little, the level of changes you are now trying to track are very hard to separate from random noise. It is even hard to know if your last 3 HbA1c results are truly different from each other….. But they are clearly all very good results.

If you are interested in the stats, this covers some of it.

Thanks for your reply. Yes the drop is small but I think significant in that it coincides on my records exactly with my stopping Amlodipine. I’ll watch the video tomorrow or I’ll be up past my bedtime if I watch it now! Thanks for complimenting my results.

 

[Robbity]

Good luck @Racxhox,but you should have no problem with reducing/stopping the metformin with those results!

Re Amlodipine: My GP decided to add it to my Valasartan last autumn after I had a rather high BP result when he tested me at my last checkup - and in spite of knowing that this does happen at the surgery, and that low carbing had reduced my levels.

It was a blooiming nightmare as not only did it send my glusoce levels crazy - I've seen some of the highest levels ever, but other side effects are water retention/swollen ankles and rashes, and they were aware of the fact that I'd got oedema - badly in one leg, which had also caused resultant weepy itchy rashes and blistering, I stopped taking it as I'd also just had my flu jab, and thought that might be part of the problem with glucose levels, though I'd not previously see aything like the increase I was getting, But when I started again I had exactly the same results, so eventually stopped after trying for another month to manage. I also found that a couple of hours after taking it, I felt really ill and dizzy - bad enough to end up having to lie down for a couple of hours.before I could actually function again.

My glucose levels are only now just coming back to where I had them prior to starting with the Amlodipine and I've felt so bad and depressed - and unable go out as I still can't get any shoes on due to the lasted oedema - that i've not yet gone back to see the GP. I won over statins, but I just can't cope with a possible battle over the Amlodipine at the moment though I think Ive got enough evidence to well and truly justify refusal!

Sorry about the long sorry saga...

Robbity

 

[Rachox]

Good luck @Racxhox,but you should have no problem with reducing/stopping the metformin with those results!

Re Amlodipine: My GP decided to add it to my Valasartan last autumn after I had a rather high BP result when he tested me at my last checkup - and in spite of knowing that this does happen at the surgery, and that low carbing had reduced my levels.

It was a blooiming nightmare as not only did it send my glusoce levels crazy - I've seen some of the highest levels ever, but other side effects are water retention/swollen ankles and rashes, and they were aware of the fact that I'd got oedema - badly in one leg, which had also caused resultant weepy itchy rashes and blistering, I stopped taking it as I'd also just had my flu jab, and thought that might be part of the problem with glucose levels, though I'd not previously see aything like the increase I was getting, But when I started again I had exactly the same results, so eventually stopped after trying for another month to manage. I also found that a couple of hours after taking it, I felt really ill and dizzy - bad enough to end up having to lie down for a couple of hours.before I could actually function again.

My glucose levels are only now just coming back to where I had them prior to starting with the Amlodipine and I've felt so bad and depressed - and unable go out as I still can't get any shoes on due to the lasted oedema - that i've not yet gone back to see the GP. I won over statins, but I just can't cope with a possible battle over the Amlodipine at the moment though I think Ive got enough evidence to well and truly justify refusal!

Sorry about the long sorry saga...

Robbity

Oh poor you what a drawn out experience you’ve had with Amlodipine. Luckily I’ve had no side effects other than the possible higher blood sugar levels. Surely if they need you on some BP meds they could try something else. I say if, as home monitoring has been essential for me. I don’t feel nervous at the Drs but my BP is definitely affected by white coat syndrome and results in higher readings at the surgery. I hope you can get this all sorted out soon.

 

[chrissy55]

Don't understand why doctors give us the blood pressure tablet. I've just been taken off it this week and I feel much better already. My blood pressure was110/62 so still had to ask to come off it. I just went for it and low and behold the nurse and doctor said I could come off it. Think we need to be a bit more confident in ourselves and not just 'keep taking the tablets I'm going to speak up more I was on them about 16years. Feel liberated!

 

[archersuz]

I had terrible problems with Amlodipine. My feet and legs felt like the skin was bursting open like over cooked sausages! I then started on lacidipine which is from the same family but kinder! I managed on that for about a year, but with weight loss and an overall improvement in fitness, I was able to come off it as I too was feeling dizzy etc due to low blood pressure. My BG levels dropped and I now see more 4's than I ever did before. My next HbA1c is in 2 weeks so I'll see the real difference then hopefully.

 

[archersuz]

but I just can't cope with a possible battle over the Amlodipine at the moment though I think Ive got enough evidence to well and truly justify refusal!

Ask your GP if you can try lacidipine instead. Same family of drugs, fewer side effects.

 

[Robbity]

Ask your GP if you can try lacidipine instead. Same family of drugs, fewer side effects.

Thanks - but I'm already on one blood pressure med and I don't really want another particularly as my BP has come right down to what I'd consider reasonable levels since i started LCHF and recently I had a couple of quite scary lows. My GP also knows I get the high BP "white coat syndrome" at the surgery as he suggested I get a monitor to check at home and we compared results at a previous check up!

Robbity

PS and off topic - I used to do a bit of (target) archery many years ago...

 

[Rachox]

Thanks - but I'm already on one blood pressure med and I don't really want another particularly as my BP has come right down to what I'd consider reasonable levels since i started LCHF and recently I had a couple of quite scary lows. My GP also knows I get the high BP "white coat syndrome" at the surgery as he suggested I get a monitor to check at home and we compared results at a previous check up!

Robbity

PS and off topic - I used to do a bit of (target) archery many years ago...

I routinely take a daily BP readings at home on my own monitor for a week leading up to any non urgent appt. I did it only yesterday at my asthma review with a nurse I hadn’t met before. She didn’t bat an eye lid when I produced my note from my bag!

 

[james11]

I came off ramipril as it was always causing me pancreas pain...the consultant got out his medicines book and looked it up and said it was known to give this effect...no pancreas pain since i stopped it...he put me on amlodopine instead. ..lol..doesnt seem to give me any problems that ive noticed

 

[AtkinsMo]

I would like to recommend an app, if you have a tablet or smart phone. It is called IBP, I think it is a paid for app but it is cheap. My doctor loves it. It shown him all my readings, averages, graphs etc. I take my BP regularly, at the moment I’m taking it almost daily, only because my hubby is checking his daily, but mostly I check it weekly. My GP never checks it himself, just accepts my readings and as a result have been off all blood pressure meds for some years now. And I’m glad to be rid of them.

 

[Struma]

I use this, very pleased with it.

 

[PenguinMum]

I know this a very old thread but I would like to rap in to @Rachox and @Robbity2 and their experience and indeed anyone else. I have had dangerously high BP (constantly 165 to 188 over 80 over a week of logging for GP. A month ago she put me on Amlopodene 5mg but my BG esp my FBG are raised by 1 point or more. At the time I asked her about it raising BG and she said the only issue could be swolen ankles which I don’t have. I was interested that @james11 (not sure still member on here) mentioned Ramipril caused pancreatic pain which would be another issue since my distal pancretectomy 10 years ago I have pancreatic insufficiency.
I KNOW you can’t really advise a medical way forward but I would be interested to hear of your experiences as though I feel my BP needs addressing I don’t want it to be at the cost of poor BG if I can help it. Thanks in advance.

 

[Rachox]

Hi @PenguinMum thanks for the tag and sorry to hear about your BP problems. When originally posted this thread I was taking Amlodipine and Ramipril, I stopped the Amlodipine and did indeed see a small lowering of my blood sugars. I remain on Ramipril albeit at a smaller dose, and that along with weight loss and maintaining a low carb diet my BP remains at normal levels. I haven’t experienced any of the pancreatic pain that James mentions.
I hope you can settle on a treatment that is effective for you in controlling both BP and BS levels