Verapamil SR Questions

[amyshields]

After tapering off Toprol (50 mg/daily), I am struggling with a lot of chest pain, sob, fatigue ... again. I had about a week where I felt good but now I feel rotten again.

Called and spoke with the nurse at my cardiologists office. She talked to dr., called me back and informed me that he now wants to put me on Verapamil SR (240 mg/daily).

Does anyone have experience with this medication? If so, what side effects did you have ... what are your thoughts? I have taken a calcium channel blocker before and did not have sucess. Crossing my fingers on this one. I feel a bit like a lab rat lately :(

[Largehearted]

Amy.

I take Verapamil SR 120 a day. I have no serious side effects that I am aware of. If anything I might have to make sure I get enough liquids due to a tinge of lightheadedness from time to time. On a positive note, my heart does not seem to beat as forcefully and I have less chest pain and SOB. And I like only needing to take it once a day.

Everyone reacts differently to meds. Some people do well on Verapamil while others do not. Hopefully you will have no problems.

Peace,

Leon

[Pam Alexson]

Amy,

I had a difficult time with calcium channel blockers before my myectomy;felt like my head would pop off, a lot of pressure in my breathing and overall did not feel well. I had tried verapamil and dilitiazem. After the obstruction was removed those feelings did not appear when I was put back on them.. The only issue that was very bad was more constipation with the verapamil. I seem to tolerate Dilitiazem better and my colon likes it better and it does not therefore antagonize my diverticulosis. The once a day seems to do the trick. I also take a high doseage of beta blocker with the CCB.

I hope this helps.

Pam

[Sarah]

we've all been through it. i've taken almost every drug there is to take.

if calcium channel blockers didn't work for you before, you should talk to your doctor about starting on a small dose and working up to more in case you have serious side effects.

i take whopping huge doses of beta-blocker without too much trouble, but a regular dose of ccb and i'm on the floor without any blood pressure.

s

[amyshields]

Thanks everyone :) I have taken dose #2 of the verapamil this morning... no relief from my chest pain yet. It has made it very hard to sleep for 2 nights now - grrr!

I was on diltiazem (sp?) pre-myectomy and it did cause a lot of trouble with constipation. In fact, that is why my cardio at the time (I have a diff. dr. now) took me off the calcium channel blocker and put me on a beta blocker.

My husband tells me to be patient as the pharmacist (a work associate of his) assured him I would feel much better in a couple of days. Hanging on here ...

[Lisa Salberg]

Amy,
have you talked to your doctor about this chest pain?

Lisa

[amyshields]

Lisa, I called the dr. yesterday specifically about the chest pain. I didn't talk directly to the dr. but to two different nurses. The second nurse did call the dr. and he directed me to start this medication.

I know this is a silly question for some but, at what point do I get REALLY concerned about chest pain? I feel so lost ... and that my dr. doesn't see a sense of urgency. Good grief! He is suposed to be the best cardiologist for a HCM patient in my city!

[Lisa Salberg]

Chest pain can often times be more annoying then real trouble in HCM. If you feel th pain is too intense you should go to the ER and make sure you are not having NON HCM chest pain...i.e. an MI (heart attack).
Also make sure you are drinking enough fluids and your BP is up - if your BP is running low you may want to have a salty snack to help bump it up.

Hang in there!
Lisa

[Pam Alexson]

Amy ,

I understand exactly where you are speaking from.. Chest pain can be very difficult to qualify in regards to degree , intensity, duration and therefore seriousness. My own family often is telling me to seek out the ER. If I followed this advise I would have a room of my own.

In saying this there certainly are times that I suffer too much. It is very hard to say what is too much because it is entirely individual and a personal experience, ongoing and something some of us live with on a very regular basis. The daily rigors of chest pain seem to blunt our judgement to pain in general, at least that is my personal take on it. I also always wonder what may be happening on a cumulative basis as far as ischemia/ scarring and fibrous tissue and for those who heard my question to Dr Seidman while we were at the conference, it is of current concern to me.

This all being said, I think that it is very important that you impress to your doctor the seriousness of your pain and suffering . If he is not responding to helping and being more empathetic directly, as opposed to speaking through his nurses , then maybe it is time to get another opinion, or at least be perfectly candid with him about how you have relayed this here to us. I think we sometimes can blunt the seriousness of what we are trying to convey to our doctors because we have become good at suffering or even because we feel a little better when we are talking to them for the moment.

I know I use a lot of avoidance and denial about my chest pain and am not sure that that is the right course to take for the big picture.

Never hesitate to try and get your word across . You have done an excellent job here.. I hear your message loud and clear.. now just take it to the next level.

Let us know how you do .

Pam

[amyshields]

I have to say, what would I do without these boards?? You are all such a tremendous source of information and support! I often feel adrift at sea with HCM (others just don't get it, do they?) but I know I can come here and be understood. So, THANK YOU!!!

Pam, you hit the nail on the head in terms of what damage may be occuring when I ignore chest pain. I wonder about this myself ... have no answers.

The situation with my Dr. is a long story but, I think he did NOT hear me at the last appointment. I will see his P.A. this coming Tuesday. The nurse told me on the phone that I will have an EKG then, too. Gee, nice to know ;) Nurse also said that Dr. said it was his plan to start me on Verapamil after I was off the Toprol. Ummm... that is not the impression I got at the last appointment so Dr. and I are going to have to have a "heart to heart". Apparently he has mistaken me for someone who is not extremely pro-active and involved in their own care. Sorry, a bit of a vent there, huh?

So, I forge ahead with Verapamil. This is day 3 ... still having chest pain, etc. Life does go on ... sometimes dragging us behind it (wink, wink).

[delfam]

Amy,

I have chest pains alot and was put on 480mg of verapamil in the morning and in the evening 50mg of Toprol XL. Talk to your doctor and let them know. I did and we now are put on the dose.