Hi just wondering if anyone has tried nifedipine for EM (burning and erythema) and what effect it has/had? I know it is prescribed for raynaulds (which I also have) and is sometimes effective in em too. Thanks
I tried it and it made my flushing worse
As I said earlier, I do not take drugs as they do not suit me. Nifedipine was one of the worst. this is just me, of course.
Lyn, Cape Town
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Me too. Tried a sister sodium channel blocker (vasodilator) and flared the three months I was on it. My toes were more swollen than ever. Not for me. Propanolol (vasoconstrictor) works better for me (the opposite effect-not good for Raynauds though, which I also have). I'm willing to experiment. So....it's worth a try. I did.
Yes our Daughter tried this and it made the flares worse unfortunately, however this condition is different for everyone.
I was taking Nifedipine for 10 years before EM. Unfortunately stopping made no difference. I tried again 2 years after and it made EM symptoms worse.
I was recently admitted to hospital due to having peripheral arterial disease and a lot of ulcers on my feet and legs going higher up my legs. Without being informed I was prescribed Nifedipine. The problem was that due to generic drugs they are different colours and sizes depending on the manufacturer so I didn't suspect there had been an addition.
I had a dreadful time. It was only when I got home and sorted out my medication that I became aware I had been taking this. Whilst in hospital my EM was far worse and I also had the most awful tremors, jerking my whole body and my arthritis was a lot worse stiffened joints etc. My blood pressure was extremely low. Not being told I was on them I could easily have had grapefruit juice, which you are not supposed to have.
On Saturday evening I discharged myself as I felt so bad, thank goodness I did as all these things have now gone back to normal. I did request that I self medicate, but was refused even though I was prepared to sign to do this and the medication I took in with me was locked away. I know that I missed a lot of my normal things, or was given them at the wrong time and with or without food incorrectly.
I can't remember where now, but somewhere on the internet I found a website that said that one of the side effects it can cause is EM!
Darnit! This is what my dermatologist has just prescribed for me! I don’t think I can take much worse right now!
Kate,
I to have Raynaud’s and that medicine made me hurt so bad my entire body from head to toe was like the worst sunburn ever it sent me to the ER. I dnt recommend it at all, hope this is helpful.
I wonder if there are cases where Nifedipine or other calcium channel blockers will initially make someone worse before they get better? For example, if someone has Raynaud’s + EM, the Raynaud’s could be so relieved to get the calcium channel blocker => blood vessels dilate => the EM becomes worse before the body has a chance to stabilize.
I know that J. Cohen has written somewhere that you’ll know immediately whether you’ll benefit from these types of drugs … but I wonder if this is a hard rule … how much time do ppl think is long enough to give Nifedipine, etc, a chance?
I tried Amlodipine (another calcium channel blocker, longer-acting than nifedipine) for only a couple of days, and stopped because I thought things were going south, but I’m wondering if I should have given it more time.
(On that note, I’m curious why nifedipine is prescribed more often for EM than amlodipine it seems? And does the timing of the nifedipine dose matter at all when it comes to evening flares?)
Thank you for any thoughts.