Hydralazine Instead Of Amlodipine -- Aquitaine's New Med

[carronstar]

Has anyone switched from Amlodipine to Hydralazine/Apresoline?

 

This is the drug we are switching her to due to her gingival hyperplasia that they believe is a side effect from the Amlodipine.

 

What I have found on line all seems to be from the 80's.

 

All week I have been worried that since she is on what is supposed to the the best med for her issue, any other med will be "less good" and we may head downhill from here. Her last blood tests were really good so I the thought of going downhill is terrifying.

 

I fear that there is a serious dental extraction surgery in her near future. Perhaps with no teeth, the gums won't swell?

[kudzu]

Cannot help you with the switch but want to comment on something. You mentioned. "All week I have been worried that since she is on what is supposed to the the best med for her issue, any other med will be "less good" and we may head downhill from here. Her last blood tests were really good so I the thought of going downhill is terrifying." On one level I understand what you mean & would likely worry the same thing. But there is another way to look at this. Sometimes good is good enough. More good or less good may not be appreciably different, depending on the patient & the condition.

 

The best med is the one that effectively treats the targeted problem without or at least with the minimal adverse reactions. If hydralazine can effectively do that then in this case something that might be "less good" may still be plenty good enough. Know what I mean?

 

Good luck. Hope it does the trick for Aquitaine.

[carronstar]

I do know what you mean. I keep reminding myself that the only thing I need the drug to do is work.

 

On the plus side, the swelling on her gum has gone down enough that I can see her teeth again. Not all the way down but that probably won't change until we get the Amlodipine out of her system. Thankfully, even though it never seems to do any good, she is used to having me in her mouth on a daily basis so she is good about letting me check in there.