Guest guest Posted September 18, 2006 Report Share Posted September 18, 2006 Procardia and Adalat are brand names for nifedipine. Nitroglycerin and isosorbide dinitrate are similar to each other. They're called nitrates or beta blockers. All of the above are labeled for angina (heart pain) but can also be used for achalasia. Re: Re: Digest Number 2708 > > > > In fact, it is not licensed or officially approved for > achalasia > in the U.S. either. My son's gastroenterologist called it an > " off-label use. " But doctors often prescribe drugs for uses > that > are not found on the label. > > in Lancaster, PA > >> >> The more I have read this weekend the more I thinkmaybe I >> should >> have taken the perscription to Nifedipine. >> >> It was the assessment nurse who told me that the drug had not >> been >> licenced in this country for Achalasia but licenced in America >> and >> many use it. >> >> Pippa Northamptonshire >> >> > > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 26, 2007 Report Share Posted May 26, 2007 Hi- My son uses them when he has spasms.ONLY AS NEEDED-NEVER HEARD OF TAKING THEM SEVERAL TIMES A DAY. What is the benifit of that? My son just swallows it as he feels a spasm coming on and usually it knocks them out within about 15 minutes or so or makes them more tollerable. Tonia > > I have just started taking the 10mg dosage, and it really seems to > work well. Researching through the old posts here, I can see that some > people couldn't swallow them, but I do (they taste terrible if opened > & squeezed under tongue - tried that) > > I think they work even when just touching the E - I just wanted to let > you know my experience and hear anyone elses. It seems to take about > 40 minutes to work after swallowing and lasts for 1 hour or 1.5 hrs > after that. Last night I had italian food at a restaurant (tortellini > in red sauce,some olives and garlic bread) I ate slowly and drank red > wine (first restaurant meal in 3 months with zero regurg). > > Originally I only wanted to take it once a day but now I find I need > it two or three times. > > Are there others here who take it an if so, what is your experience if > you don't mind sharing? I'm particularly interested to know if it will > keep working or do you build a tolerance and also how many times per > day do you take it? I'm afraid to take it 3x/day. My friend who is an > md said to expect puffy feet & ankles?! Has anyone had that? > > On another note, I went to bed last night without " emptying my E " and > for the first time had water come out my nose - even with wedge pillow > - wierd! > > Thanks in advance for your reply, > Donn > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 26, 2007 Report Share Posted May 26, 2007 Hi Tonia - that's interesting - how often does he end up taking them? Like once or twice per day? Does he have any side effects? The instructions on my bottle say to take three times a day, 1/2 hour before meals. They really help immensely. hmmmm, Take care Donna > > > > I have just started taking the 10mg dosage, and it really seems to > > work well. Researching through the old posts here, I can see that > some > > people couldn't swallow them, but I do (they taste terrible if > opened > > & squeezed under tongue - tried that) > > > > I think they work even when just touching the E - I just wanted to > let > > you know my experience and hear anyone elses. It seems to take > about > > 40 minutes to work after swallowing and lasts for 1 hour or 1.5 hrs > > after that. Last night I had italian food at a restaurant > (tortellini > > in red sauce,some olives and garlic bread) I ate slowly and drank > red > > wine (first restaurant meal in 3 months with zero regurg). > > > > Originally I only wanted to take it once a day but now I find I > need > > it two or three times. > > > > Are there others here who take it an if so, what is your > experience if > > you don't mind sharing? I'm particularly interested to know if it > will > > keep working or do you build a tolerance and also how many times > per > > day do you take it? I'm afraid to take it 3x/day. My friend who is > an > > md said to expect puffy feet & ankles?! Has anyone had that? > > > > On another note, I went to bed last night without " emptying my E " > and > > for the first time had water come out my nose - even with wedge > pillow > > - wierd! > > > > Thanks in advance for your reply, > > Donn > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 29, 2007 Report Share Posted May 29, 2007 Interesting, I didn't realize the Procardia I had was nifedipine. My biggest achalasia problem is w/ nighttime spasms. I have the time release procardia meant to last for hours....and it does absolutely nothing for me (aside from making me flush and jittery). Is it ok, to pop these capsules under the tongue? I'd like to try this on a dire " nothing else works " evening spent w/ a spasm. Isn't it lovely? Thanks for any advice. -Seth ps BTW, I had a lap heller myotomy at Massachusetts General Hospital w/ Dr. Rattner....excellent surgeon who I'd highly recommend. > > > > > > Unfortunately you cannot rely upon the experiences of any one > person or > > group of people when inquiring about experiences with nifedipine, > since what > > happened to one person cannot be an indication of what will happen > with another. > > Certainly you can gain some insight though. > > > > I understand the need to take it 2 to 3 times a day, being the > number of > > meals you have and the need to take it before each meal to aide > digestion. As > > you know, there are 2 categories of need for nifedipine - to relax > the LES and > > ease the passage of food thru the esophagus into the stomach, and to > > " deactivate " the painful spasms. > > > > While we all have a different tolerance to the bad taste of a > nifedipine > > capsule opened under the tongue, and to the side effects of it, we > are pretty > > much in agreement that it works real fast when dissolved under the > tongue, > > compared to 40 minutes reported by Donna. Especially crucial > when fighting > > spasms. > > > > Donna, in answer to your question, I can't tell you if it will > continue to > > work. In my case when the dilatations stopped helping me, I used the > > nifedipine capsules before each meal to help me, which it did, but > the successful use > > of it possibly hid the fact that my esophagus was continuing to worsen > > without my knowing it, leading to a Heller Myotomy that perhaps > should have been > > done years earlier, and my esophagus might have been in better shape > today if > > not for waiting longer. The operation was scheduled when it was > discovered > > that my esophagus was assuming a sigmoid shape, not due to my > inability to > > eat. The hope back then (1982 - 1991) was to try to avoid having > an open > > myotomy. Sometimes you just have to bite the bullet (before it > bites you back). > > > > With the very high cost of drugs, even with insurance plans I am > going to > > make a suggestion that will save somebody some big dollars. I'm > sure I am not > > " discovering America " with this suggestion. While I take > nifedipine on a > > when needed basis for spasms and difficulty eating, my prescription > is written > > as " Nifedipine 20mg Cap, Take one Capsule every three hours as > needed as > > directed. " Qty filled: 360. Refills 2. " At the time, I was on a > drug plan where > > it cost me $5.00. I am still working off that initial > prescription, nearly > > two years ago, with plenty more yet to be used. As far as potency > issues, > > they either still work, or the " placebo effect " makes them still > work. > > > > Donna, there used to be times when I would have reguritations such > as yours > > regardless of how propped up I was. Isn't it strange that despite > sleeping > > upright, the food and/or liquids fight gravity and come up, whereas > " gravity " > > is usually our friend in helping the food and liquid go down. > Certainly, it > > is a very good idea to always attempt to clear our esophagus before > going to > > sleep. Its like the gift that keeps giving otherwise. > > > > > > > > In a message dated 5/26/2007 2:23:06 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time, > > freyascloak@ writes: > > > > > > > > > > I have just started taking the 10mg dosage, and it really seems to > > work well. Researching through the old posts here, I can see that some > > people couldn't swallow them, but I do (they taste terrible if opened > > & squeezed under tongue - tried that) > > > > I think they work even when just touching the E - I just wanted to let > > you know my experience and hear anyone elses. It seems to take about > > 40 minutes to work after swallowing and lasts for 1 hour or 1.5 hrs > > after that. Last night I had italian food at a restaurant (tortellini > > in red sauce,some olives and garlic bread) I ate slowly and drank red > > wine (first restaurant meal in 3 months with zero regurg). > > > > Originally I only wanted to take it once a day but now I find I need > > it two or three times. > > > > Are there others here who take it an if so, what is your experience if > > you don't mind sharing? I'm particularly interested to know if it will > > keep working or do you build a tolerance and also how many times per > > day do you take it? I'm afraid to take it 3x/day. My friend who is an > > md said to expect puffy feet & ankles?! Has anyone had that? > > > > On another note, I went to bed last night without " emptying my E " and > > for the first time had water come out my nose - even with wedge pillow > > - wierd! > > > > Thanks in advance for your reply, > > Donn > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > ************************************** See what's free at > http://www.aol.com. > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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