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I have been placed on Ranexa 500 mg daily for angina and since it's so new in the market, I'm afraid of taking it. I get back pain (below left shoulder blade when exercising) in the past this was my primary symptom with my cardiac episodes. But the what if's are driving me crazy. What if it's just a back pain. I'm a small woman (4'11" 115 lbs) and the large dose is of concern, also. Any advice, ladies??
Thanks sooooooo much!
Sue
Exercise Arrhythmia Surgery Cardizem Back pain Asthenia Imdur Beta blockers Angina Constipation Pain Pacemaker Stent Norvasc
Sue,
I am a prinzmetal gal, and take 90mg Imdur daily along with 1,000mg Ranexa twice a day. I started at 500x2 but it didn't stop the angina at night. I finally have some relief. I believe 500mg is the smallest dose, but you could always cut it in half. I am on no CCB to go with that because of my low blood pressure.
When you investigate any drug about side effects that list can be frightening. I know there are some bad things said about Ranexa, but I have not experienced them (except for maybe the constipation, which could also be from my MS or both!:-))
Be well,
Laura
check out the ranexa.com site - click that you are a medical person and it will let you in. Read all about it there....
Thanks Laura,
I also have extremely low blood pressure due to high doses of beta blockers for arrhythmia (80's/50's most days..my high's are 90's/60's). The fatigue is a drag:-(
Sue
The doctor put me on Ranexa for spasms, but when he realized that the dose was so large ( and I am already constipated from my other meds) he suggested cutting it. The pharmacist said this medication can not be cut and must be taken whole. The cardiologist then changed his mind. He thought that 500 mg. would be too much for me. I don't know if this is any help, I would check with my pharmacist and doctor. Kareno
Thanks Kareno..
That's something I needed to know.
Sue
Hi Sue,
I have been taking ranexa for about 6 mo. i take 1 tab in the morn. and 2 tabs at nite. and it has helped my angina alot. i haven't had any side effects that i can tell course i am on so many different meds but if it helps i figure why not take it so i can feel better. and it does help just wanted to let you know
(((((hugs))))
terry
I am not even familiar with RENEXA ouch someone educate me here is this a calcium channel blocker combo..
Mromo,
No ranexa is not a CCB but it is an anti-angina med... you can read about it at
ranexa.com
on the first page it will ask if you are a medical professional, just click yes and it will let you in the site to learn more.
Be well,
Laura
Dear south127,
I decided against Renexa, because it is so new. I take Best pill/Worst Pill and the advice was to wait 5-7 years before using it. There is no other drug to compare it to. There has to be long studies to really know what affect it will have on one.
Hi Sue:
I have been on Ranexa now for over 9 months for microvascular disease & angina. My cardio told me that I can take up to 2000 mg a day but find that 500 mg in the a.m. and 500 mg in the p.m. seem to do the trick. If I find I'm in trouble, I take an extra one. But like most who have posted, the constipation has been my side effect. It is always hard to tell which one is the one causing the most problem when you swallow handfuls of pills everyday.
Trade offs to being alive !!!!!!!
Marilyn
Thanks ladies, for all your input. It's feel like you're damned if you do....and damned if you don't!
Hope your weekend has been a good one! Mine has. I love the Florida sunshine and I got to see my 7 yo old granddaughter in an Irish dance competition. She got 1st place 3 times and 3rd once. I'm so blessed!
Hugs to all.
I went for a second opinion to some top notch docs, and when I asked about taking Ranexa, neither of the doctors I saw recommended it, although my cardiologist had. They said it isn't as effective over time. Not sure if this helps, but l am finding if the reason I am taking a medic. outweighs the side effects, I'll take it, and I stay off of the new drugs. I still feel like I was a guinea pig with the coated stents.
Best advice I got was trust your gut reaction and intuition. good luck,
Lauren
I'm so paranoid about everything it's hard to always trust my gut instinct. I had medicated coated stents also and the first one restenosed within 5 months. My second one is already has 30%. I eat right, exercise loyally and still nothing seems to work. I try to remain optimistic, but the fear is a constant companion.
Thanks Lauren for sharing your insights.
Here is one more vote for Renexa. 500mg 2x daily for the last 6 mos. Tried everything else and it's the only angina med to give me some relief. Like you, my pain is under the shoulder blade. Amazing that we are all on so many meds we can't tell about which cause side effects. At least I know Renexa doesn't cause the sever headaches I had on other angina meds. I use Nitroquick when the Renexa doesn't keep the angina under control. That is more and more these days as my angina is much worse when I get cold. Anyone else have problems with more pain when cold? I mean walking thru the frozen food section at the grocery kind of cold. I take a jacket to the grocery!
Blessings & Hugs - Terric
I have severe spasms and was placed on Ranexa and it did not do a thing. The tried and true method is Calcium Channel Blockers- such as Norvasc or Cardizem- It takes patience and combinations of the meds to work effectively. Loook for other spasm triggers such as hormones and food.
Teric, The frozen food aisle is the worse for me but the refrigerator section is a close second. By the time I get to the checkout I am totally miserable. I'm sorry to hear you suffer that way too.
Everyone else, CCB would be so good to be able to take instead of the Ranexa, but some of us can't.... my blood pressure runs 90/60 and I can't afford to depress it even more. Hence the ranexa + imdur combo for me. There are too many drugs and too many choice and I'm thankful there are!!!
Be well everyone,
Laura
I just started takeing ranexa 500 mg twice a day,i am 81 yrs.old have had three heart attacks since 1980 CABGx4 in1983,CABGx2 in1992 Stent for Aortic Aneurysm(stomach lower)and 3-17-09 angaingram revealed 5 bypasses had failed and one artery was about 80% blocked stent was put in at blocked area.I still suffer with angina which is almost disableing at this time hope this drug works,Dr.has me on other meds.along with ranexa,cold air is hard to take,i do cover my mouth and nose when i have to go outside which is not often just to Drs.office.Any advise would be appreciated,thank you.
I finally quit Ranexa due to nausea. I wish you the best - each medication works differently on different people. You have had your share of challenges. Let us know how it works for you.
Hugs,
Sue
I was put on ranexa for my angina, back in April, 09, I was on 500 mgs./day dose. After taking it for about two weeks, I started to have a lot of pain on my right shoulder and neck; it was so painful that I used all kinds of ointments and a heating pad trying to relieve the pain; I also used pain killers, but it just wouldn't go away. It lasted about 2 weeks and all of a sudden the pain went away,but I couldn't move my arm; all of a sudden too, my right shoulder was frozen. My orthopedist says that since they cannot do an MRI because of my pacemaker, he has to do exploratory surgery on my shoulder, but he is almost certain that I have something torn on my shoulder,and he doesn't believe that it was caused by the "Ranexa" drug. ( I had already told my situation to my cardiologist and even though he doesn't believe it was caused by ranexa either, he stoped the medication anyway). I don't remember at all getting hurt anywhere on my shoulder. I have a 99.9% conviction that it was caused by the medicine because I read the Ranexa informational pamphlet that comes with the drug company samples, about some svere side effects caused by this drug, including asthenia and many other severe conditions. Am I making any sense?, or it's just my imagination and my shoulder condition, just came by itself all of a sudden. Please give some information and/or advise about the subject. Thank you so much.
Hi South 127
I was about your size when all this started and had the same symptoms as you it seems. My only complaint was what I thought was a swollen bursa sack in my left shoulder which was a lot worse when it is cold. Sometimes sharp pain but almost always there as a dull roar. OK, it wasn't that painful when I was in bed.
Apparently, I had been suffering from Angina for about 3 years and misdiagnosed by orthopedic and gp.
After a Cardiac Calcium Test and a score of 1391 out of a high score of 400. Yes that's right a triple. I went to my first Cardio appointment, catherization as the Cardic Calcium Test showed 7 blockages. Like you I'm pretty small and my veins/arteries are to small to get stents into so I'm a sort of walking time bomb.
They tried all types of meds on me for Angina (pain in left rear shoulder, under blade) so many caused terrible headaches. Finally Renexa. I started on 500mg twice daily and last year raised to 1000mg twice daily. I really helps and I haven't seen any ill effects except to my bank account. My insurance company considers this med experimental for Angina. So I've been paying the $340.00 per month for 60 1000mg Renexa for about 18 months because I think it is helping. Renexa and keeping my chest warm! Can't do the frozen food section of the grocery without some Angina or a sweater. Finally bought a battery operated vest that's not bad looking!
Dr. told me the 500mg is a baby dose and going to 1000 mg 2 times daily has really helped. No adverse side effects for me.
By the way I'm in Dallas area and I see your in the South. Send me a personal message please.
Hugs Terric
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