ramakentesh Posted February 13, 2012 Report Share Posted February 13, 2012 Whoa... No one told me anxiety was a side effect from midodrine... I thought this stuff wasnt supposed to be able to cross the blood brain barrier?First day i was getting migraine auras, second day jitteriness, third day more jitteriness. Took a break from it, felt better. Went back on, first day not bad and less dizzy, second day quesy and jittery again, third day WHOA!!! my mind was racing, I felt kind on edge in the extreme and even kinda emotional (which is usually not me at all). My wife came home from work, took one look at me and told me to get off it straight away. As soon as my last dose wore off I felt like my old self again. ive never felt like that before in my life. That was totally insane - and if that continues I couldnt really live like that at all.it wasnt even like caffeine, it was much more full on.And the other aspect is that after the first day I get very little benefit from it - that is I dont feel any less dizzy. Infact it seems to bring it on for me for the first two hours.Im thinking do I add a beta to calm that side of things down? proceed like the doc wants for a week and end up in a psyche ward? gees...For some reason I thought it would work for me like saline and Id feel great... wasnt to be... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brethor9 Posted February 13, 2012 Report Share Posted February 13, 2012 I couldnt cope with the side effects of midodrine either....I have hyper POTS and it made the hyper stuff way worse. Have had much better luck with Florinef and my MCAD meds I hope you find something that will work for you Rama...its so trial and error....... Bren Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ramakentesh Posted February 13, 2012 Author Report Share Posted February 13, 2012 thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jangle Posted February 13, 2012 Report Share Posted February 13, 2012 The midodrine might not be crossing your blood brain barrier but it is having effects on your sympathetic nervous system which does innervate your brain and can modulate anxiety signal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
McBlonde Posted February 13, 2012 Report Share Posted February 13, 2012 I got awful headaches from Midodrine and none of the benefits. I was sure hoping that it was going to work for you. It seems like we used to hear a lot of success stories from Midodrine, but I wasn't one of those. Do you take Licorice Root with it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
issie Posted February 13, 2012 Report Share Posted February 13, 2012 The midodrine had me crying all over the place too. In places that were public, in the car - every where. And it took a while for me to get over the effects of it. It started me feeling like I would faint. (And I'm not a fainter.) It took a few weeks for the weird side effects to wear off. Sorry, it did a number on you too.Issie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ramakentesh Posted February 14, 2012 Author Report Share Posted February 14, 2012 Ive been on licorice root for two months. Definately helps although isnt enough at the moment to I get me back at work or stop me being dizzy at times in the day.Another one to cross off the list I guess... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ramakentesh Posted February 14, 2012 Author Report Share Posted February 14, 2012 The midodrine might not be crossing your blood brain barrier but it is having effects on your sympathetic nervous system which does innervate your brain and can modulate anxiety signal.yeah i think that is what was happening. whoa!!! Im almost embarrassed about how i was acting on it last night with my wife here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
issie Posted February 14, 2012 Report Share Posted February 14, 2012 At least it wasn't in public - like it was with me. I had to walk around for days crying and everyone saw all those tears and didn't know what to say. I just told them I was reacting to a horrible medicine, that I'll NEVER take again. Hope today is better for you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ramakentesh Posted February 14, 2012 Author Report Share Posted February 14, 2012 you poor thing. I kept myself well inside my house!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trach Posted February 14, 2012 Report Share Posted February 14, 2012 I had read in the past there was a difference in the quality of midodrine depending on the manufacturer. Is Global still considered the best quality manufacturer? I took midodrine first then switched to ProAmatine (non-generic form not manufactured anymore) and experienced less side effects until migraines finally got me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
janiedelite Posted February 14, 2012 Report Share Posted February 14, 2012 I had to take carvedilol with it in order to keep the chest pain and pressure away. It also served to keep the jitteriness down as well. I'm extremely sensitive to any stimulants, so I only take midodrine if my BP is running low and I can't get it up any other way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shoegal Posted February 14, 2012 Report Share Posted February 14, 2012 I've been too scared to try this med but have thought of buying it just so I have it when my BP is super low, but I'm not sure now Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ramakentesh Posted February 14, 2012 Author Report Share Posted February 14, 2012 it works great for many - just not me it seems - perhaps maybe once every now and then only. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chaos Posted February 14, 2012 Report Share Posted February 14, 2012 Personally it's been a real balancing act to try to get the beta blocker and midodrine in sync. My doc's been trying to decrease the propanalol but increased the midodrine significantly last time I saw him. NOT a good combo I'm finding. However, when I first got on the midodrine (2 years ago) it did help me a LOT and even allowed me to get back to work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elfie Posted February 14, 2012 Report Share Posted February 14, 2012 I think it really depends on the person. I know some people just don't tolerate it or never adjust to it, but I had issue with mood-stuff when first trialing it, but that quickly wore off (within a week or week and a half). Unless meds are doing something on the dangerous side or making me suicidal, I try to keep on them for about a week because I've had several I thought I wasn't going to be able to tolerate that my body just needed to adjust to.I'm sorry you had such a bad experience! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ramakentesh Posted February 14, 2012 Author Report Share Posted February 14, 2012 You had that with midodrine and it wore off? mmm Maybe I should get back on the saddle. Can you prepare a padded cell just in case? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elfie Posted February 14, 2012 Report Share Posted February 14, 2012 LMAO-- I have connections, but you would have to come to the States to use my padded cell!I did have mood-related issues on midodrene--- at first I thought I was going crazy, but it did settle down for me within a week or two. I still occasionally will have episodes where I will cry easier or feel a bit more anxious than I would have in a sad/emotional or stressful situation than I would when I am off the midodrene -- but usually only if I am already stressed or am increasing the med (like last week for me- my doc had me practically double my dose-- I wrote a very whiney post here and had a borderline anxious/crying breakdown on someone before I realized why I was feeling "off"). Five days later and I am feeling back to normal and kicking butt with the bit of extra bp boost. Since I have very little or no anxiety off the medication, I can deal with the remaining pretty rare exaggeration of emotion (my initial reaction was pretty strong, similar to what you describe-- but now any occasional symptom is more like the exaggeration of emotions that women can get with hormonal mood swings-- I don't suffer from those much or at all anymore either, but it definitely isn't padded-room worthy). Of course, I am also one of those people that is pretty good at keeping myself calm, even during POTS adrenaline dump anxiety times. I'm allergic to florinef and didn't have improvement on it, so midodrene is one of the few things that has been able to give me partial relief from my dizziness, so I tolerate the additional fatigue, cold hands and feet, and rare "chick/spazz" moments. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ramakentesh Posted February 14, 2012 Author Report Share Posted February 14, 2012 Thanks. Makes me think.Did you notice a big improvement with midodrine because I didnt really I dont think. Not as much as I was expecting anyway.But i was SUPER emotional and im not like that normally at all. Infact my wife sometimes tells me Im as emotional as a rock LOL. What your describing sounds prettymuch like what I experienced. I guess i should just tough it out and keep trying?? The other side effects were fine other than the kinda of quesy feeling id get on the initial dose. When my wife came home she saw the look on my face and instantly knew something was very wrong.I got all teary even a few times and i NEVER do that!!mmm....thanks for the input anyway as what you described sounds very similar. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ramakentesh Posted February 14, 2012 Author Report Share Posted February 14, 2012 I guess what ive got to decide is whether it is worth it - am i getting enough benefit to justify putting myself through that for a while? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elfie Posted February 14, 2012 Report Share Posted February 14, 2012 Nobody can make that decision for you one way or another-- everyone has different tolerances for things and I know that there is a possiblity that you won't adjust to it like I did. It kind of sounds like you naturally being very calm cool and collected when it comes to emotions and being male may make the effects seem more prenounced. I just thought you should know that it is one of the side effects that can go away in a relatively short time (just like the crawly feeling it gives some people, that most docs encourage to try to stick it out because it often goes away on its own-- of course, full-blown anxieties and mood swings are more serious for your mental health than that weird sensation). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
we_don't_look_sick Posted February 14, 2012 Report Share Posted February 14, 2012 Very interesting posts!! I hated midorine. It was the generic, I was put on the medicine after a fail on TTT. I was rescheduled to take the TTT again in 2 wks and told to make sure I took the medicine the morning of the TTT. It is my understanding that; Failing the second test, even with this medication and the severity of my NCS was the reason I was given for needing a pacemaker asap.I was not told of any side effects this med could cause. I was so weak and so very sick; I was ready to die. I didn't want the pacemaker, I was ready to die but my daughters were so busy with college, I could not have a serious conversation with them about how I felt. I continued to feel that way after the pacemaker and was so miserable and regretted the surgery.I felt extreme stomach issues with midorine and hated the constant sick and uneasy feeling I had. I also, had extreme problems doing my job when I returned to work after the surgery.I didn't know about a possible weight gain with midorine until the second tilt test. I asked nurses if a weight gain was a side effect and they asked how much i gained; when I responded 10 lbs; they said lots of patients had said that. It may not be that everyone gains, but something made me gain weight.Reading your posts, maybe the midorine was affecting my mental process as well. When I pass out, my heart stops. The pacemaker is supposed to keep my heart beating. The feeling of 'coming back' after I faint is the sickest feeling I have ever had. I do not want to feel it again; but with the pacemaker I may feel it repeatedly. Interesting to think now that midorine could have been doing more than making me feel sickThanks for posting this!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frugalmama Posted February 14, 2012 Report Share Posted February 14, 2012 I have suffered with migraines for 15 years or so, and usually react very strongly to meds, but I went up to 10mg 3x day of Midodrine, and with the exception of the tingling/shivers, it had absolutely no effect on me (positive or negative...actually nothing). It's so strange that so many folks have such issues with it, and others have none at all! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ramakentesh Posted February 15, 2012 Author Report Share Posted February 15, 2012 deleted Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
issie Posted February 15, 2012 Report Share Posted February 15, 2012 Rama,For which subset - normal flow? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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