5 replies to this topic

[shady]

I was injured in Aug 2007 and have, luckily, only experienced a couple of episodes of slight dysreflexia. For the past few night I have been sweating badly round my neck and shoulders, hair, sheet and pillow wet etc. Last night, it went a stage further and I experienced tingling up my neck and into my face.
My question is, at what point do people take a nifedipine??

[Edinburgh Colin]

shady, on 13 February 2011 - 01:27 PM, said:

I was injured in Aug 2007 and have, luckily, only experienced a couple of episodes of slight dysreflexia. For the past few night I have been sweating badly round my neck and shoulders, hair, sheet and pillow wet etc. Last night, it went a stage further and I experienced tingling up my neck and into my face.
My question is, at what point do people take a nifedipine??

I would be really cautions about taking that. If you do you need to be calling a doctor at the same time or heading for the ER.

You really should know what your Blood Pressure is before taking it as it will dramatically reduce that to avoid you having a heart attack or stroke. When I've been given it (both times by nurses in Hospital) my BP had exceeded 200 / 110 and was rising, it dropped by about 30% in 10 minutes so as you can see it's really dramatic.


You should be feeling really crashing headaches as well if you are getting into heavy AD territory. Firstly I'd sit up and breathe properly, drink some water and try and look for the cause. If it's at night is your bladder too full, catheter blocked or kinked, are you constipated, do you suffer spasms and are you taking any sleep medication that keeps you asleep when the pain or other stimulus would be waking you up?

Be really cautions about taking it and call the doctor or spinal nurse if you can to discuss your symptoms, especially if they are not present during the day.

Hopefully some of the other wise owls in here will pitch in with info for you very soon.

[shady]

Thanks Edinburgh Colin. Was wondering about the BP issue. Mine was naturally low pre injury and obviously its even lower now. Must admit I havent experienced crushing headaches. I did have spasms last night but think they were part and parcel of, rather than the cause to be honest.
I suspect the cause is consipation although it cant be severe. However, as you flagged up, they are not present during the day.
Its one of those things of which you dont recognise the symptoms until you've experienced it!

Edited by shady, 13 February 2011 - 02:26 PM.

[roo]

hi there ,,1st of all has your doc prescribed the drugs nefedepine .

if so did he not advise you at which stage to take them........

i suffer from dysreflexia and mine is caused by to much spasm in the bladder which gives me reaaly banging headache and my blood pressure goes threw the roof.when it happens.

i self medicate my own nefedepine when this happens {with instructions on how to take and when from my spinal doctor from southport spinal unit uk and this is what he said}

as soon has i start getting the banging head i must take 10mg of nefedepine {dont swallow CHEW the capsual till all dissolved in mouth the drug works quicker chewing the capsual}

within 10 mins the headache as gone and i start feeling better.....

right and for the scary part the doc did stress that they had 1 patient that died in 2009 at southport for not taking the nefedepine when blood pressure was high and had the banging headache.he just thought the headache would just go away soon what it did do is ruptured a blood vessel in is brain from which he died .

SO IF THE DOC HAS NOT ADVISED YOU ON DOSAGE AND WHEN TO TAKE GET YER ARSE TO A SPINAL UNIT FOR A CHECK UP NOW ...

[shady]

Thanks Roo.
I was prescribed 10mg as and when needed by my GP on advise from my spinal nurse.

[roo]

no probs you may be right have a good clear out and you may start feeling alot better,,,
take care
roo