Anyone taking amlodipine besylate for hypertension? Since starting back up on it - at10mg (in addition to irbesartan - at 300mg), I’ve noticed an increased level of fatigue - to the point where I can barely jog 5k. Before resuming it, I was doing about 30mpw at an easy pace and little overall fatigue. BP is still pretty high ~150/80, but it was much worse…
Thoughts or comments?
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I have been taking Amlodipine (5 mg) for several years now after asking to be taken off a beta blocker. I have tolerated it quite well and I don’t feel it affects my athletic performance much if at all. I did notice some fatigue early on but not to the extent you’re describing. I was still able to train but noticed I felt a little run down. I don’t know if I just got used to it or if the effects faded over time but I don’t really notice it any more. My doctor suggested trying a new ACE inhibitor recently but I turned it down for now. I tried one before and got the little cough that is a known side effect. The doctor said the new ACE inhibitors supposedly do not have that side effect. My doctor is a runner and she feels that the ACE inhibitors are the best drug for hypertensive athletes but I’m unwilling to change right now.
Thanks. Hopefully the fatigue will ease off after a time. I have an enlarged heart, probably caused by the excessive hypertension. It has effectively ended my racing career (can’t maintain a high level of intensity for any length of time and now can’t even go slow for any length of time). After being well controlled for years, my current BP levels have the cardiologist baffled. The amlodipine is a trial…
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Thanks. Hopefully the fatigue will ease off after a time. I have an enlarged heart, probably caused by the excessive hypertension. It has effectively ended my racing career (can’t maintain a high level of intensity for any length of time and now can’t even go slow for any length of time). After being well controlled for years, my current BP levels have the cardiologist baffled. The amlodipine is a trial…
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And have you first performed a lifestyle change (mainly diet) before considering these drugs? This is the typical cause outside of rare kidney disease or thyroid problems.
I haven’t had any issues with Amlodipine, other than an upset stomach when I go to bed. I take it along with Ramipril for hypertension, but now I only take Amlodipine in the mornings with food.
I’m wondering if you take statins as well?
When I switched from Lovastatin to atorvastatin (Lipitor) I had massive fatigue, brain fog and started pulling muscles in my quads that I had never previously had an issue with. Turns out these are known side-effects of statins. My solution was to add COq10 which really helped the fatigue, but after reading up on statinsI went off statins for several months (probably not a good idea). My doctor convinced me to go back on Lovastatin, which after some reading operates best under fasting, so I stopped eating after 7pm and take the statin right before bed. I take COq10 with it and again in the mornings. Cholestoral is nicely controlled, and no brain fog, fatigue or muscle issues.
Training is going great.
Edit: Also bp is down to 120/70, some weight loss helped, but as a guy who’s finnished 18 Ironmans including Kona this year, it is unlikely that there is a lot of headroom for a lifestyle change alone being sufficient.
Again thanks for the input. I have no issues with cholesterol at all, if anything it’s low (last blood workup, total: 142, HDL: 57, triglycerides:57, LDL: 74). As for lifestyle, I’m generally healthy, and (for 70ys old) very fit. Up until the past couple of years, I’ve been a consistent FOP age grouper. (Blatant Brag: Since 2007, six Nationals podiums - including two wins). My big concern is my recent fatigue levels and my drug regimen. Especially the Amlodipine. According to the cardiologist my enlarged heart’s inability to pump efficiently has probably caused a significant decline in performance over time, but not the recent severe drop in endurance.
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I have no experience taking amplodipine, just seeing patients who take. I haven not heard anyone complain of fatigue with the drug, but I did find that it is stated as a side effect in ~5% of patients taking it. It does not specifically say fatigue during exercise, just general central nervous system fatigue. If this fatigue you describe is associated with shortness of breath or palpitations talk to you doctor.
Usually amplodipine is titrated up to 10mg and it could be that you are still getting used to it.
Also, out of curiosity do you monitor your heart rate? If so, have you noticed any difference in your heart rate, specifically during exercise? Amplodipine is a Calcium channel blocker and it acts on calcium channels in vessels as well as in the heart, however amplodipine is much more specific to vessels versus the heart.
Thanks Emily,
No shortness of breath or palpitations during exercise, just very tired after a mile or two while running at an easy pace. I do monitor my HR and intentionally keep it down to ~80% of max, (in my aerobic zone). At age 70, my current max is 165-168, but now while running I try to keep it around 130-135 avg. VO2 max is around 150, and I could hold that for 20-30 min pretty easily (as a tempo run). As of a few weeks ago, I’m no longer training for races (when an echo cardiogram showed an enlarged heart). The cardiologist said keep exercising, but keep the intensity down - ie. no more racing. So I cut out high intensity intervals and tempo runs. BTW my resting HR over the past several years is ~45.
I’m not convinced that amlodipine is causing the fatigue, it’s just the change that seems to match the onset of symptoms. I was just curious if anyone else on ST has had any problems with it. I’ve been on my current drug regimen for four weeks now. While my BP has dropped some, it’s still nowhere near normal… So I’m set to see the cardiologist again in a couple of weeks.
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