My derm wants me to try Mexiletine. Not sure the dose he’ll suggest I start at, but just wondering if anyone with both Raynaud’s and EM has tried it and what your response was/is like. I didn’t respond well to nifedipine and I’m pretty nervous about the Mexiletine triggering more swelling and flares.
I can’t see a situation in which mexiletine would cause more swelling and flares seeing as it dampens sympathetic flow. What I would be more concerned about is getting cleared by a cardiologist (via EKG) prior to starting the treatment due to mexiletine having an anti-arrhythmic effect. I personally have been taking it for 1.5 years (200mg B.I.D.) and haven’t had any side effects and it helps my flares quite a bit.
Thanks, Joe. Yeah, I’ll be getting an EKG and he’ll monitor me carefully. I’ve finally learned how to not just connect myself with an attentive and intelligent doctor but I know now how to assert myself through this, especially when it comes to meds and side effects. I’m very prone/sensitive to these treatments. Appreciate your feedback, and anything else you think of, I’d love to hear it. Take care.
Monkey - good luck. You can maybe talk to doctor about titrating up slowly to help with your concerns. In the beginning, it actually did cause some vasodilation/heat for me. Eventually things shifted and it was cooling things down and not causing vasodilation at all. Maybe it took a while to interrupt the nerve firing. It ended up not quite working out for me but wanted to share my experience.
I am really sensitive to anything opening blood vessels at all, though. I think most people do not notice any vasodilation with mexiletine.
Hope it works for you!
Good luck Monkey, please keep us posted on your progress.
I have mild EM/Raynaud’s and going through treatment trial/error now, depending on how things progress, I may need to consider mexiletine as well.