Blood pressure meds causing neuropathy

[irish]

I have had a very busy year with all kinds of illness and tests, surgeries, hospitalizations, etc. One thing that has been such a troublesome thing is something that no doctor could figure out. I am going to try to explain it because I would hate for anyone else to have to suffer with it. I was put on Losarten about 2 years ago to help save my kidneys cause I am diabetic. Around March of 2018 I started having neuropathy in my hands and fingers.. Still hurts to keyboard. I also had increasing pain up to my elbows plus the really weird symptoms of salty hands and fingers. Weird I know. I could feel the grains of salt on my hands and it would hurt and itch. I licked my fingers and they were so salty. I even could see salt crystals on my hands.

Now I have had all the kidney function tests which are normal and had doctors sort of wracking their brain to figure this out. I had spinal fusion in neck in Nov 2017 ands carpal tunnel/ulnar release in april 2018. Now I have a lot of neuropathy and who knows what is related to any of the other issues, BUT, this has been a real problem and painful, etc. I was changed from Losarten to Amlodipine  blood pressure med in July. It seemed like my hands were getting worse and I was getting a little "screechy" at times. I was in the hospital in December for gram negative sepsis which is infection in the blood. About the 3rd day I noticed that my hands were not hurting much. I just figured it was from all the IV fluids that I was getting until.....I found out they had not given me my amlodipine at all since I was admitted as my blood pressure was so low.

I talked to my new internist who is older and seems really smart. I told him the story and he had me stop that med and see what happened. He had a plausible reason for my side effect. It has been about 10 days and my hands are quite a bit better. I figured out about 4 months ago that when my hands bother me bad I put on the vinyl gloves that Walmart sells. They are 50 in a box for 4-5$. This is so weird also but my hands improve immensely when I have the gloves on. I wear them all night  and sleep good. MY new doctor explained why the pressure of the gloves helped decrease the neuropathy. He made sense but I can't repeat it. He is also an old medical school professor and loves to teach.

Sooooo, if you have any pain of any kind always stop and research your medications and see if a change might help. So many times our medications can make us sick. Get your doctor in on the journey also cause they benefit from learning more about drugs. Also, remember that many times it can be a combination of things that can cause some symptoms. I have diabetes, carpal tunnel surgery twice in one hand and to do 2nd surgery on the other hand pretty soon....Ortho says my carpal tunnel is from my sjogrens. Plus I had the spinal fusion in C4C5. So could be combination of all of these. If I can get some relief without adding another medication I am happy. Good luck all. Irish

[Carolina]

Yes, Irish! 

I Googled Amiodipine side effects and way down the list  is Peripheral Neuropathy.

https://www.webmd.com/drugs/2/drug-5891/amlodipine-oral/details/list-sideeffects

We are so often victims of the 'rare' side effects.

Wishing you better times!

Regards, Elaine

[Deb 27]

Hi Irish, I am glad you figured out what it was that was bothering you. I hope that doesn't happen with many other medications for you.  I have many intolerances to meds and it makes things so difficult when you need to take medication.  Good luck!!