Medication caused swollen feet

I'd be very interested in the replies you get Coolgran. I started taking Amlodipine 3 weeks ago and so far haven't had swollen ankles, but maybe I have that to come. I'm only on 5mg per day but suspect that the dosage will be increased on my next prescription.

I had the same problem with Amlodipine but my swelling went down fairly quickly. I would go back to your GP just to make sure you don’t need to change again.

Yes, my medication was changed years ago now to Amlodopine (there was a scare about the medication I was already taking) and my feet swelled up so much I had to buy a pair of bigger shoes so that I could go to work. I could feel the retained water sloshing around my feet as I walked. Awful feeling. I went back to the GP almost straight away, saw a different doctor who seemed puzzled about why I’d been prescribed the Amlodopine when it was known to have unpleasant side effects. I don’t remember the swelling taking long at all to subside and I think I’d probably give it no more than another week before going back to the GP. You don’t say which medication you’re on now.

Thank you for such speedy replies.

The swelling is actually up my legs a bit.

Chewbacca I had no swelling at my Dr appointment after one month. By two months it was evident and by 3 months I was having issues.

Tartlet I was changed to Lercanidipine 10mg.
I've always had very narrow feet and shoes would be always roomy. Not any more. My feet were the fill of the shoes. Fortunately I have several pairs of the Clarks velcro walking sandals and was able to wear this by adjusting the velcro. Yours sounds worse if you could feel the retained water.

It is indeed an awful feeling. When going up stairs, to lift my foot up at the front is a problem as the swelling at the front of the ankle gets in the way. And there's still an indent if I press with my thumb.

I guess I have to give this Lercanidipine a chance, see if the swelling from the Alpodine goes down, and make sure that the Lercanidipine isn't also causing swelling. Another couple of weeks would be enough.

* wear this = wear these

My feet also swell as a side effect of Amlodipine. But the swelling goes down every day. It seems to be worst (although not particularly bad) in the evenings when I am tired.

A side effect of having slightly swollen feet (as well as certain footwear seeming tighter) is that my feet are warmer and I can walk about in bare feet. I haven't done that much for years because my feet were always so cold.

BP's also down, which is the whole point. What I'd like to know is why my BP was high in the first place. I'm not overweight, have never smoked, am physically active, etc. All things they say will improve your BP. So... humph.

I'd be seeing the doctor again , especially if the swelling is going up your leg. Swollen feet could also be because of some cardiac or kidney problems - not just the medication. So stopping the medication wouldn't necessarily stop the swelling. Good luck.

Baggs glad to see that your swelling goes down every day. Mine doesn't. Like you, I never knew why my BP jumped up. It was always a regular 120/80 and then during a routine check was found to be up. The medication quickly brought it back to 120/80 but also brought the swelling.

stella1949 I have had many checks done - cardiac, kidney, liver etc. and all is fine. The cardiac checks were done in particular because my father and brother had/have cardiac issues.
There was never ever an issue of swelling prior to the Amlodipine.

I went on line this morning to make an appointment and..... no appointments available during the two weeks that are on screen ! There will be urgents available at 8.30am when the surgery opens but I doubt I'm an urgent and they will go within a few minutes.

That was a problem for me also when I started on Amlodipine a few years ago. Because of the side effects, the grossly swollen feet and ankles and the fact that it did not work, I was changed to another drug.

I agree, I am sure that cost is a factor.

I had the feet swelling side effect with Amlodipine and needed to have it changed. If you are prescribed Ramipril you may develop an annoying cough - I could not go anywhere without a pack of throat sweets in my bag - so I cam eoff that one too.

Maybe you need a short course of meds which remove fluids especially if the swelling is going up your legs, go to GP as soon as you can, i would be so worried about this i would feel it was a just emergency. You may be retaining fluid for another reason and elsewhere in your body that you are not aware of.

I am on Ramipril but to date have not developed an annoying cough.

I've been on Amlodipine for the last couple of years. It does bring my BP down to acceptable levels but the downside is slight swelling of feet and ankles, sometimes, not every day. I find I can put up with that, but if it was worse, as described by some of you, I'd be back to the surgery to have the prescription reviewed pdq.

When I say going up my legs, it's up to about 4" above my ankles. However this hasn't gone any higher and is reducing.

May I just say that this site is wonderful. Last night I was googling for information and thought ..... Gransnet will be much better. And indeed it is.

I take Amlodipine too, started last October.
I only noticed swollen ankles a few months ago and thought maybe it was the warm weather. Didn't realise it could be a side effect of the drug.
There was a thread about swollen ankles in ?April.

www.gransnet.com/forums/ask_a_gran/1248423-Swollen-ankles

I have been taking Lercandipene ( can never spell it!)
For quite a few years, and yes, it does cause feet to swell, but only in hot weather.The rest of the year I am mostly fine, but the tablet combined with heat is pretty bad.I can feel the fluid and have swollen ankles as well as all over the upper side of the feet.
However, this tablet combined with another one works really well for the hypertension, so I put up with it.
My GP said that if I had a day that was important for feet to look and feel normal in Summer, then not to take the Lerc that particular morning.So that’s what I do, now and then.

Have to add, that I have tried other medications, but had worse side effects than swollen feet in Summer ( and if Summer is cool, then no problem.)

Agree about Ramipril, a cough and a feeling of having to clear my throat constantly, glad not to take that one anymore.

I'm on Amlodopine and my feet and ankles only swell a bit as the day wears on and it disappears overnight. I might mention it at the heart clinic next week. But Amlodopine has been very successful in keeping my blood pressure normal, so I'm a bit reluctant to change it.

It is a cost-saving exercise. The docs have an algorithm to follow starting with the cheapest, regardless of the potential side effects.