Meet the Other Phone. Only the apps you allow.

Meet the Other Phone.
Only the apps you allow.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

General health

Mumsnet doesn't verify the qualifications of users. If you have medical concerns, please consult a healthcare professional.

Raynauds - Nifedipine (UK)

2 replies

Beaubird83 · 17/05/2019 22:51

I was diagnosed with raynauds about 5 years ago, only getting the symptoms in my feet.
Apart from when I was pregnant, I was taking 20mg Adalat 3 times a day.
Bayer have now stopped making Adalat completely, and my chemist has been struggling to get Nifedipine at all. My last prescription was in Spanish packaging! They advised me that they were now no longer able to get Nifedipine at all and to ask the docs to prescribe something else instead.
I’m now on Coracten SR, 20mg twice a day. I’m used to the immediate release and so switching to slow release seems to be having quite an effect. Been taking the slow release for four days now. It’s still Nifedipine but just different release.
Been at work this evening and felt really unwell, like when you have a sickness bug and get the sweats and lightheadedness. It does come in waves too, but I feel generally just really groggy.

Has anybody else in the UK had issues with getting immediate release Nifedipine? I know I’m only 4 days in but I don’t feel the slow release is working as well as the immediate used to!

OP posts:
HarryTheSteppenwolf · 18/05/2019 10:43

If immediate-release nifedipine isn't available your doctor might be able to try an immediate-release formulation of a different dihydropyridine calcium channel blocker (nicardipine, amlodipine or felodipine). Immediate-release nifedipine is the only drug licenced in the UK for treatment of Reynaud's; all others - including modified-release nifedipine - are used "off-label", so the doctor has to make a conscious and informed decision to use them.

Interestingly, when I first started taking amlodipine for hypertension the first thing I noticed was that my fingers were freezing cold all the time.

HarryTheSteppenwolf · 18/05/2019 10:47

There aren't any other immediate-release nifedipine preparations licensed in the UK. See medicines.necsu.nhs.uk/adalat-supply-issues/.

New posts on this thread. Refresh page