Breastfeeding will also benefit both you and your baby. If you notice that your baby is not feeding as well as usual, or seems unusually sleepy, or if you have any other concerns about your baby, talk to your health visitor or midwife as soon as possible. Read about high blood pressure in pregnancy.
For more information about how verapamil and other calcium channel blockers can affect you in pregnancy, read this leaflet on the Best Use of Medicines in Pregnancy BUMPs website. Taking verapamil with other medicines that lower your blood pressure can sometimes lower it too much. This may make you feel dizzy or faint. If this happens to you, tell your doctor, as they may need to change your dose. Tell your doctor if you are taking any of these medicines before starting verapamil:.
St John's wort a herbal remedy for depression can affect the way verapamil works. Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you're taking any other medicines, including herbal medicines, vitamins or supplements. If you have high blood pressure , these medicines work by blocking calcium going into muscles in the heart and blood vessels.
Muscles need calcium to contract, so when you block the calcium, it makes the muscles relax. This lowers your blood pressure and makes it easier for your heart to pump blood around your body. In angina , verapamil works by improving the blood supply to your heart. Angina is chest pain that comes on when not enough blood gets to the muscles of the heart.
It usually happens because the arteries to the heart have become hardened and narrowed. Verapamil widens the arteries so more oxygen gets to the heart which prevents chest pain.
For an irregular heart rhythm, verapamil works by slowing down your heart rate as well as improving the blood supply to your heart.
Verapamil starts to work on the day you start taking it, but it may take a couple of weeks to reach full effect. If you're taking verapamil for high blood pressure or an irregular heart rhythm you may not have had any symptoms before. If this is the case, you may not feel any different when you take it. However the medicine is still working and it's important to keep taking it. Your doctor will check to see how well it is working. If you're taking it for angina, you may still get some chest pain until the verapamil starts working fully.
Make sure you have your medicine spray or tablets for treating angina attacks with you all the time and use it if you need to. Talk to your doctor if your chest pain does not get any better after a couple of weeks. If it gets worse, tell your doctor straight away.
Usually, treatment with verapamil is long term, even for the rest of your life. Stopping verapamil may cause your blood pressure to rise and this may increase your risk of a heart attack or stroke. If you're bothered by side effects, talk to your doctor. They may be able to prescribe a different medicine for you.
There are several other calcium channel blockers that can be used for high blood pressure such as:. There are also lots of other types of medicines to lower your blood pressure. They work in a different way to calcium channel blockers and include:. If you're under 55, you'll usually be offered an ACE inhibitor or an angiotensin receptor blocker. If you're 55 or older, or you're any age and of African Caribbean or black African origin, you'll usually be offered a calcium channel blocker. If you cannot take verapamil or other calcium channel blockers because of side effects, you may be able to switch to another medicine.
Your doctor will advise which one is best for you depending on your age, ethnicity and medical history. Many people need to take a combination of medicines for high blood pressure. There are other calcium channel blockers that can help with angina symptoms, such as:. There are also other medicines used to prevent angina attacks. They include:.
These medicines work in different ways so it's difficult to say whether one is better than the other. If verapamil does not work for you, you may be able to switch to another medicine. Your doctor will be able to decide which medicine is best for you. Some people may need to take a combination of medicines to control their angina symptoms. Diltiazem is another calcium channel blocker that can be used for irregular heart rhythms arrhythmias. Some other medicines which are used for arrhythmias and help control heart rate include:.
These medicines all work differently and side effects can vary. Your doctor will be able to recommend the best medicine for your particular type of arrhythmia. You may need to try a few different medicines before you find a combination that controls your symptoms but does not cause side effects. Paracetamol is the best painkiller to take while you're taking verapamil. If paracetamol does not work, try ibuprofen.
Talk to your doctor if you need to take painkillers more than a few times a week. However, some hormonal methods of contraception, such as the combined pill and contraceptive patch , are not usually recommended for women with high blood pressure.
Talk to your doctor if you're taking combined hormonal contraceptives. There's no clear evidence to suggest that taking verapamil will reduce fertility in either men or women. Talk to your doctor if you're having problems getting pregnant while taking verapamil. Speak to your doctor if you're trying for a baby as they may want to review your treatment. Yes, you can usually drink alcohol with verapamil. Follow the directions on your prescription label carefully, and ask your doctor or pharmacist to explain any part you do not understand.
Take verapamil exactly as directed. Do not take more or less of it or take it more often than prescribed by your doctor. Swallow the extended-release tablets and capsules whole. Do not chew or crush them. Ask your pharmacist if the tablets may be split in half, as the instructions vary by product. If you can not swallow the extended-release capsules you may carefully open the capsule and sprinkle the entire contents onto a spoonful of applesauce.
The applesauce should not be hot, and it should be soft enough to be swallowed without chewing. Swallow the applesauce immediately without chewing, and then drink a glass of cool water to make sure that you have swallowed all of the medicine. Do not store the mixture for future use. Verapamil controls arrhythmias, high blood pressure, and angina but does not cure these conditions.
Continue to take verapamil even if you feel well. Do not stop taking verapamil without talking to your doctor. Verapamil is also sometimes used to treat certain other heart problems. Talk to your doctor about the risks of using this medication for your condition. This medication is sometimes prescribed for other uses; ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information. Talk to your doctor about eating grapefruit or drinking grapefruit juice while taking this medicine.
Take the missed dose as soon as you remember it. However, if it is almost time for the next dose, skip the missed dose and continue your regular dosing schedule. Do not take a double dose to make up for a missed one. Mayo Clinic does not endorse companies or products. Advertising revenue supports our not-for-profit mission. Any use of this site constitutes your agreement to the Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy linked below.
This site complies with the HONcode standard for trustworthy health information: verify here. This content does not have an English version. This content does not have an Arabic version. See more conditions. Drugs and Supplements Verapamil Oral Route. If you are taking the extended-release tablets, you may sometimes notice what looks like a tablet in your stool. This is the empty tablet shell that is left after the medicine has been absorbed.
The dose of this medicine will be different for different patients. Follow your doctor's orders or the directions on the label. The following information includes only the average doses of this medicine. If your dose is different, do not change it unless your doctor tells you to do so. The amount of medicine that you take depends on the strength of the medicine. Also, the number of doses you take each day, the time allowed between doses, and the length of time you take the medicine depend on the medical problem for which you are using the medicine.
If you miss a dose of this medicine, take it as soon as possible. However, if it is almost time for your next dose, skip the missed dose and go back to your regular dosing schedule. Do not double doses. Store the medicine in a closed container at room temperature, away from heat, moisture, and direct light.
Keep from freezing. It is very important that your doctor check your progress at regular visits to make sure this medicine is working properly and to check for unwanted effects. Low blood pressure hypotension may occur while taking this medicine. Check with your doctor right away if you have the following symptoms: blurred vision; confusion; severe dizziness, faintness, or lightheadedness when getting up from a lying or sitting position suddenly; sweating; or unusual tiredness or weakness.
While you are taking this medicine be careful to limit the amount of alcohol that you drink. Alcohol increases dizziness and drowsiness and also lowers blood pressure. Along with its needed effects, a medicine may cause some unwanted effects. Although not all of these side effects may occur, if they do occur they may need medical attention. Some side effects may occur that usually do not need medical attention.
These side effects may go away during treatment as your body adjusts to the medicine. Also, your health care professional may be able to tell you about ways to prevent or reduce some of these side effects.
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