A question or two about your experiences with some prescription drugs

I'm posting this in the Dog House so that it is unsearchable.

I am feeling much better, having been on a leave for a week. I have one week left of medical leave and hope to make the best of it.

My questions concern two prescription drugs, amlodipine (norvasc), which is a Calcuim channel blocker, and ranitidine (Zantac), and H-2 receptor blocker, a type of anti-histamine.

I've been off the Amlodipine for 2 weeks today and yesterday was the first day I noticed I wasn't having any panic attacks and that the blood pressure was back down. I am now on toprol full time again and Renexa. Hope this does the trick.

I was taking Zantac for the allergies along with other antihistamines. Upon some research today, I discover that Zantac is known to cause paranoia when taken in prescription doses. I was taking it sporadically this week but it's been a few days. I'm just on the Benadryl in clear gel caps and prednisone. Feel much better.

I am wondering if anyone has had any experience with these drugs and wouldn't mind sharing that experience here.

Thank You

PS And my doctors decided that my TSH was too low and decreased my synthroid accordingly which caused my TSH to rise to HIGH normal. Before it was very low where the endocrinologist wanted it to be.

I am thinking I might start doctor shopping but in a positive sense. I plan to interview the future possibble doctors and I hope their ego can withstand it.

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Originally Posted by mrspunkysmom

PS And my doctors decided that my TSH was too low and decreased my synthroid accordingly which caused my TSH to rise to HIGH normal. Before it was very low where the endocrinologist wanted it to be.

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I'm not familiar with the meds you asked about.

I don't understand why an endocrinologist would want the TSH to be very low. The high end of the normal range should be a proper point.

I am on amlodipine, 5 mg once a day, to control my blood pressure. My BP was always good until just a few months ago, when it started going high. Since I've been taking the amlodipine, it's back to normal.

I'm confused!! Zantac is used for gastrointestinal issues/disorders.

ETA: I lived on prescription strength Zantac in high dosage for many years, and remained relatively sane.

I thought Zantac was for gastrointestinal issues too. I have had a prescription for it once and it didn't cause me any issues.
I do know that combinations of medications can cause weird and unusual reactions.

I have problems with many blood pressure medicines including amlodipine (norvasc). Amlodipine made me feel nervous and anxious and I no longer take it. I do take a bp med but I can't take a full dose because it makes me feel anxious and short of breath. I've tried proably twelve different ones.

In your post, did you mean xanax which is an anti-anxiety med? or was Zantac the correct med?

When I worked in the Neuro ICU, we used to give ranitidine and cimetidine to patients who were on steroids. To help prevent gastric problems.

Occasionally, one of the patients would develop what we called cimetidine psychosis, - confusion, depression, disorientation, hallucinations. The same types of side effects can present with ranitidine.

apparently, the whole anti-nausea anti-histamine thing is more complicated than that. It did help control the hives but it can cause some paranoia.

And not all hives are the same. I had a biopsy on one to check composition to determine a type of cause.

The research I've read on amlodipine suggests that older women are more likely to have side effects from it. My interpretation after talking with an older friend: Is it age related or because women our age have more than likely been on the drug for a long time. My friend was on it 10 years or more and then started having the bouts of anxiety. She recently (last few months) switched back to her old medicine and is not having any more problems. I noticed a few years back that she was undergoing some changes. She couldn't watch the news because it had negative stories and couldn't deal with other people's negatives.

From the endocrinologists I've seen, the goal is to take the non-functioning one out of the picture. That means remove it surgically or not depend on it to provide the hormone. So I am supposed to get enough thyroxine so that the parathyroid doesn't send the signals to the thyroid to produce the thyroid hormones. For me, depending upon the thyroid leads to growths on my thyroid gland and other problems.

But I do admit that doctors rely too much on the TSH and not enough on the T-3 and T-4 levels and other indicators.

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Originally Posted by Freedom

I'm not familiar with the meds you asked about.

I don't understand why an endocrinologist would want the TSH to be very low. The high end of the normal range should be a proper point.

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My thyroid is very unreliable. And it doesn't take much tinkering to mess me up.

I was hoping (weird, really) to hear from more of you, positive or negative about your experiences. On the other hand, this might mean that most of you don't have these problems or are on something else. Not being sick would be better. :love:

I left off the results of the biopsy. The biopsy showed results indicative of a bug bite or drug allergy. No bug bites so it's some medicine. I've got my meds down to a minimum and I've had only a few reactions, but only when I get overheated. :eek:

I do know that if I visited 100 doctors I would get 99 different medical opinions. ;) It's called a medical PRACTICE for a reason. :D

And what I need to tell my doctors, "I'm not the medical expert, you are, and I do respect that. But I AM the expert on Anne (me) and I DO know what makes me tick. I need you to respect that."

So I noticed years ago that my Arizona friend was changing. She stopped reading the newspaper and wouldn't watch the news or news channels because of the negativity. Then last year she didn't want to hear anything I had to say that wasn't postive. This fall she apparently was having bad panic attacks and someone realized it was the amlodipine. I think she is still a little bothered by the episode. It took a couple of conversations to get to the name of the drug. But we are speaking more often now and she has been a source of support once again. She and her family are moving closer (Fort-Worth) so perhaps it will be a little easier to see her. And talk. I have not asked her if she is watching the news yet. I used to call her to tell her news that she might find interesting. (Like the quake in DC.)

Anyway, for those that responded, Thank You. If anyone finds something about these two drugs, I would like to know.

Haven't heard of amlodipine so can't comment but I was on prescription Zantac for nearly ten years for bleeding ulcers and never had any problems with it. I've kown many people that took it but always for gastrointestinal issues and none of them had any issues either.

I'm sorry you have had an adverse reaction. Please tell your pharmacist about any adverse reactions and also the manufacturer. (Disclaimer: I work for the parent company of the Zantac (TM) manufacturer.) I had never heard of that particular effect for Zantac (tm). Live and learn!

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Originally Posted by smokey the elder

I'm sorry you have had an adverse reaction. Please tell your pharmacist about any adverse reactions and also the manufacturer. (Disclaimer: I work for the parent company of the Zantac (TM) manufacturer.) I had never heard of that particular effect for Zantac (tm). Live and learn!

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I was wondering if perhaps Zantac at full prescription dose or higher could cause paranoia in certain predisposed individuals. Such as I am having a rough time at work and Zantac might enhance those emotions.

The evidence is on the web.