Decreased my cardizem dosage

[wade]

I've been on 240mg of cardizem CD for the past 3 years (mainly because I also have high BP along with HCOM). I noticed that the times I was late or accidentally missed a dose I felt much better than normal. I know it's bad to miss a dose because of potential the potential rebound effect, but sometimes it happens.

Anyways...some potentially good news - I finally convinced my doc to lower my dosage to 180 mg per day to see what happens. (I've been bugging him for some time, but because my body weight is 190lbs he always thought 240mg was necessary).

Based on how I much better I feel after the drug starts to wear off I'm hoping a smaller dose will make a big improvement. Cardizem definately seems to be helping me, I just think I may have been getting too much of it.

I've read that a lot of HCM folks have to do quite a bit of tweaking with their meds to find the right mix...hopefully this is an improvement for me.

[Reenie]

I hope you have continued luck with feeling better on the lower dosage. You're right, it does take a bit of tweaking sometimes.

Reenie

[Laoshur]

Wade, this is an interesting idea and I would like to hear what happens as a result.

Rhoda

[wade]

Well, it's only been a week since I've changed dosages (I used up my old prescription before the new 180mg one kicked in), but I haven't really noticed a difference one way or the other. I'll give it a month or two and post if anything changes.

[Pam Alexson]

Wade,

You are correct , it does take awhile to adjust and to tweak the meds, this can also go on throughout the course of our HCM.

I have been on Dilitiazem HCL 180mgs( equivalent to Cardizem CD) daily off and on for the last 3 years. Most recently I have been back on it for at least several months, Jan 06. I take it for my chest pain issues, which are everyday. This week I finally had to give in and double it after discussing it with my cardiologist.

It is tough making the adjustment, I agree and it has made me feel real yucky this past week but the chest pain is getting under control. My Bp and pulse are holding strong in spite of the doubling and also being on 100mgs of Atenolol two times a day. I am just much more tired and sometimes weird in the head( nothing new there LOL). I must have the medication tolerance of an elephant! My weight has decreased almost 90 pounds since last October and I thought the meds would go down , not up. As you know this is the life of an HCM patient and we all differ and on a rather everchanging pattern.

Hang in there , I hope the decrease in med makes a difference positively for you. Keep us informed.

Pam