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Lizzie2
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Need Urgent Verap Advice
« on: Feb 11th, 2004, 11:19am » |
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OK so I had had some really low blood pressure/pulse problems on 960mg of verapamil a day, so my neuro's office cut it back to 720/day. I had been doing fine on that, but then today I woke up with the same symptoms of the blood pressure. My BP this morning has been running 61/50, 68/45...the latest one was 75/52...half the time my monitor can't even register a pulse, but at one point pulse was 44. I have thrown up 4 times and put another call into the headache center...is this something worth going to the ER for or should i just ride it out until it comes back up on its own? I feel AWFUL.  However, last time I went to the ER...they didn't do anything...just made me wait it out.
Any advice? Thanks, Lizzie
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kissmyglass
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Re: Need Urgent Verap Advice
« Reply #1 on: Feb 11th, 2004, 11:46am » |
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I'd go to the ER...dont sound right... better to be safe....
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Racer1_NC
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Re: Need Urgent Verap Advice
« Reply #2 on: Feb 11th, 2004, 11:48am » |
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I can tell you what I'd do......I go to the ER. That level of BP is not something to fool with.
Bill
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Lizzie2
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Re: Need Urgent Verap Advice
« Reply #3 on: Feb 11th, 2004, 12:08pm » |
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Thanks you guys. The nurse from the headache center called me back, and she's going to talk to my doc at lunch and call back with what he wants me to do. I just got sick for time #5....I hope they call again soon... Thanks
Lizz
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Lizzie2
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Update
« Reply #4 on: Feb 11th, 2004, 1:29pm » |
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Update...it's up to 94/68 and pulse is in the 70s...doc still hasn't called back yet, but i have the feeling the verap just needs to go out of my system. now i will hope they will cut back on the dose some more...this is the 3rd time of this, and it's getting old!
Lizz
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Lizzie2
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Re: Need Urgent Verap Advice
« Reply #5 on: Feb 11th, 2004, 2:41pm » |
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And one more update....doc's office just called and said that so long as it is helping the headaches somewhat that i should try to tolerate the 720mg dose...so we're not going to do anything.
they act like there are no other cluster meds besides verapamil. obviously, i'm not clicking with it...and they seem not to realize there's at least a page long list of other meds that are effective for clusters...i really hope that i can work out some way to afford the new neuro i'm seeing next week...because the current one is wearing on my nerves!
Lizz
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Racer1_NC
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Re: Need Urgent Verap Advice
« Reply #6 on: Feb 11th, 2004, 2:53pm » |
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A new neuro is in order here..........big time.
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broomhilda
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Re: Need Urgent Verap Advice
« Reply #7 on: Feb 11th, 2004, 5:28pm » |
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Oh Lizzie, I sure hope you feel better soon!  I am sure someone here can give you some great ips and advice, and hope you get better help and support out there!
Thinking of you!
Andrea 
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henzey
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Re: Need Urgent Verap Advice
« Reply #8 on: Feb 11th, 2004, 6:06pm » |
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Lizzie: please please do see a new doctor soon. I am really concerned for you so please let us know how this works out. I do NOT take Verapamil for the same reason...I already have blood pressure around 105/70 so it is not considered a good option for me. There are other options so please get some new help on this.
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t_h_b
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Re: Need Urgent Verap Advice
« Reply #9 on: Feb 11th, 2004, 6:54pm » |
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Your BP was very low but in general you can't rely on automatic sphygmomanometers. Low BP is a symptom of verapamil toxicity and it can also cause other cardiac symptoms. At the least, make sure that your heart is generally okay (see your general practice MD not your neurologist for that). Verapamil can also interact with other medications like cardiac drugs and lithium.
If it took three hours for your neurologist to get in touch with you, that's a problem that you should discuss with him or her.
If you end up going to the ER please don't drive yourself! I'm not trying to insult you but I know someone who drove himself to the ER during a heart attack--even called in on his cell phone to the ER to let them know he was coming in with one so they could be ready for him.
Hope you feel better SOON.
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No, it's not a headache--it's a Stage Ten Primary Chronic Periodic Idiopathic Trigeminovascular Cephalalgic Crisis.
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Prense
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Re: Need Urgent Verap Advice
« Reply #10 on: Feb 11th, 2004, 6:57pm » |
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I am assuming that you progressed up to this dosage... If so, why wasn't the low BP discovered before now? 960 mg is a lot to be taking and should be monitored. 480mg is about the highest that many GPs will even prescribe from what I have experienced. Even if you come off of it completely, you will need to taper down somewhat.
Remember, the attacks will not directly kill you, but how you cope and the meds you take easily can.
I will never hesitate in replacing a neuro if things don't seem right.
Chris
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Lizzie2
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Re: Need Urgent Verap Advice
« Reply #11 on: Feb 11th, 2004, 7:30pm » |
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Hi thanks for the ideas/support/suggestions.
When I first went up to 960mg, I had this problem twice before I went back down to 720 mg. I have, strangely, been fine on 720mg for 2 weeks now...and then today I get this attack. We are a little irritated that the doctor's attitude is that so long it is helping the headaches, then I should try to cope with the side effects. OK so my head will feel better but my heart will get screwed up. To me, that is a rediculous tradeoff, because like you said, Prense...the headaches won't kill us, but the meds very well can.
I am going to see a new doctor next Wednesday in New Jersey. As of right now, he doesn't take my insurance so it is just a 2nd opinion. Even if he just gives me some ideas to take back to my current neuro...I think it will be of some help. Or maybe ideas so that I can just work with my family doc instead of hassling with the jerk neuro.
THB..to answer your question about their calling back habits. I called for the first time around 10:30am or so...they said they'd call me back. Normally they do their calling back in the afternoon, and they obviously didn't think my call was urgent enough...so around 11-ish, my mom called them on their emergency line. I got the first call back from the nurse at 11:45...and then she said she had to talk to the doc, so she didn't call me back again until around 2. I just thought it was rediculous that nobody called me back when my mom had called them on their emergency line. And then they didn't even have a suggestion...just "keep taking it and try to deal with the side effects..." That's so dumb.
They have been irritating me for a long time..and this is kind of the last straw. I VERY much look forward to my new appt next week. In the meantime, if I have another attack of these side effects...I'm going straight to my GP and saying screw the neuro.
Thanks again for the advice and support!
Lizzie
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Prense
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Re: Need Urgent Verap Advice
« Reply #12 on: Feb 11th, 2004, 9:52pm » |
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on Feb 11th, 2004, 7:30pm, chronic_chic wrote:| I have, strangely, been fine on 720mg for 2 weeks now...and then today I get this attack. |
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Any chance this may be blood sugar related? Just tossing out ideas...
Chris
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Lizzie2
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Re: Need Urgent Verap Advice
« Reply #13 on: Feb 12th, 2004, 5:54pm » |
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Hey Chris,
I don't *think* it is blood sugar related, but I have had a couple of issues with blood sugar...mostly related to being on prednisone. The prednisone turns me into a temporary insulin dependent diabetic. But my blood sugar always readjusts to normal when I go off the steroids.
If it happens again, I'm gonna go to my GP and maybe get some more blood tests done just to make sure it isn't something strange not caused by the med. But we're pretty sure right now it's from the verapamil. Who knows!
Lizzie
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t_h_b
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Re: Need Urgent Verap Advice
« Reply #14 on: Feb 12th, 2004, 6:04pm » |
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on Feb 11th, 2004, 7:30pm, chronic_chic wrote:
THB..to answer your question about their calling back habits. I called for the first time around 10:30am or so...they said they'd call me back. Normally they do their calling back in the afternoon, and they obviously didn't think my call was urgent enough...so around 11-ish, my mom called them on their emergency line. I got the first call back from the nurse at 11:45...and then she said she had to talk to the doc, so she didn't call me back again until around 2. I just thought it was rediculous that nobody called me back when my mom had called them on their emergency line. And then they didn't even have a suggestion...just "keep taking it and try to deal with the side effects..." That's so dumb.
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If the above was what happened when you told them this:
Quote:| My BP this morning has been running 61/50, 68/45...the latest one was 75/52...half the time my monitor can't even register a pulse, but at one point pulse was 44. |
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then that is unacceptable and you should consider talking to your physician about it even if you don't see him or her anymore to prevent it from happening to someone else. Likely the MD is unaware of this or the liability issue alone would cause him to do something about it.
Thomas
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| « Last Edit: Feb 12th, 2004, 6:04pm by t_h_b » |
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No, it's not a headache--it's a Stage Ten Primary Chronic Periodic Idiopathic Trigeminovascular Cephalalgic Crisis.
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Lizzie2
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Re: Need Urgent Verap Advice
« Reply #15 on: Feb 12th, 2004, 6:20pm » |
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That's true...Good call. My parents are so pissed at him right now for telling me to keep taking it and just deal with the side effects. Who wants to deal with endless vomiting and the horrible feelings of extremely low BP and heart rate?? NOT ME! I didn't take the verapamil at all yesterday, and this morning I took my morning dose of 360mg. I'm a little nervous taking it right now because I'm really afraid of having yet another problem with it, but I'm going to keep a very close eye on it...not that I need to keep an eye on it...when it wants to get me, it does...regardless of the monitoring I do! Nobody should have to put up with the rediculous behaviour exhibited by the headache center yesterday!
Lizzie
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Renee
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Re: Need Urgent Verap Advice
« Reply #16 on: Feb 12th, 2004, 9:17pm » |
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CC,
I too have normally very low bp. My neuro put me on verap and i didn't even get to 240mg before my bp dropped to zilch and i got disoriented, nauseous, confused, lost inside a store and then couldn't find my truck once i found the door. Once my friend got to the truck after checking out, I had a bruise on my forehead and I have no idea how or what I did to bruise my head.
Long story short...verap and already low bp dropped my bp to dangerous levels and I was immediately told by my neuro to quit taking it.
I hope this helps
Renee
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KandyKane
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Re: Need Urgent Verap Advice
« Reply #17 on: Feb 16th, 2004, 3:37am » |
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Okay, I have always had very low BP. i'm talking as low as 74/50. On my last visit to the neoro, he didn't even take my BP and prescribed Verapamil. I haven't taken it, and now I'm not sure if I will..
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Prense
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Re: Need Urgent Verap Advice
« Reply #18 on: Feb 16th, 2004, 9:08am » |
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on Feb 16th, 2004, 3:37am, KandyKane wrote:| i'm talking as low as 74/50. |
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I would make damn sure he knows this first.
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