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        New Message Board Archives >> Medications, Treatments, Therapies 2002 >> Verap Side Effects
        
(Message started by: TomM on Mar 16^th, 2002, 10:04am)

Title: Verap Side Effects
Post by TomM on Mar 16^th, 2002, 10:04am

Has anyone had constipation associated with using verap?

My constipation was so bad I was in severe pain in my back and could not walk. I stopped the verap and am on propanalol.

Feedback would be apprciated.

--TomM--

Title: Re: Verap Side Effects
Post by eyes_afire on Mar 16^th, 2002, 10:23am

Constipation is listed as a possible side effect according to my info. I've been on Verapamil (low dose of 120mg) since October and haven't been bricked up ;), but my dose has been doubled because clusters got way out of control on March 3. Since then I've been bricked up, but I think it's due to Ultram, which I might add has been quite useless except for eliminating some pain echoes long after an attack and making me very sleepy. Ultram is too slow and weak to work for a cluster attack.

Title: Re: Verap Side Effects
Post by TomM on Mar 16^th, 2002, 10:33am

I hear you about being bricked up. I could not take it anymore.

I, too, use Ultram and find it usefull for shadows but it also will stuff you up. Great choices: Suffed up or pain!

Thanks for the feedback.

--TomM--

Title: Re: Verap Side Effects
Post by Marc on Mar 16^th, 2002, 12:04pm

Hi Tom,

Yes, you found one of the most common side effects of Verapamil! Many, many folks have had that problem with Verapamil too.

I've been taking 360mg+ per day for over 1-1/2 years but have been lucky not to have that side effect. (Maybe it's all the beer drinking helping me out ;D )

Hope you can get pain free.

Title: Re: Verap Side Effects
Post by Bob_P on Mar 16^th, 2002, 12:59pm

I'm ok at 240mg.

At 360mg things start to slow down.

At 480mg I come to a screeching halt and blow up bigger than drummer.

The only thing that helps is the old fasioned laxatives. The ones with phenothalene. None of this new gentle stuff. You could also ask your doc for something. The stuff they give you before they snake the hose up your butt to look at your innards will really get things rolling.

Title: Re: Verap Side Effects
Post by Ueli on Mar 16^th, 2002, 8:51pm

Constipation is a common side effect from Verapamil, especially at the amount clusterheads take it.

However, if you don't wait for the total block up, maybe you can handle it by some simple household remedies:

Dried plums (for me, 2 or 3 a day will do the trick)
Cooked apples (by example in the form of apple pie)
Bruised linseed, a spoonful mixed with the breakfast cereals or a yoghurt. (note: the whole seed are not digestible)
and of course, good old castor oil ;-)

Re: Propranolol
This is a beta blocker that has a good record as a preventative for migraines. However, as a preventative for CH it is far less successful than Verapamil. Therefore, I would only switch if rather drastic treatments of the constipation fail.

PFNAD's
Ueli

Title: Re: Verap Side Effects
Post by SusanM on Mar 17^th, 2002, 9:32pm

Try taking docusate (comes in 50mg & 100mg) capsules for constispation. You take it twice a day...it's a stool softener and works for the verapamil and pain med problems!!!

Re: the Ultram, I took that last year during my cycle...beware..beware..beware....when you stop taking it, please taper off slowly....it is addicting, you don't find this off until you stop taking it. Actually, there are ongoing lawsuits to change it to a controlled substance because of this. I was a wreck for two weeks. I will never take that again, wasn't worth what I went through. Funny though, my doc (not seeing her anymore) wanted to give me more meds to stop the severe withdrawl symptoms..but I said no..didn't want to put anything else in my body, it was dealing with enough...and didn't want to risk another "addiction". It helps to drink lots and lots of chamomille tea for the withdrawl anxiety!!

SusanM

Title: Re: Verap Side Effects
Post by SusanM on Mar 17^th, 2002, 9:33pm