Any British People take MIDODRINE?

[persephone]

Professor Mathias has suggested I try this drug. I dont know much about it. went to my GP and asked for it, but they said it isn't licensed in this country. Does that mean I take it as a named patient from a consultant?

[walstib9]

I am trying this. Not helping cognitive though. Will write more later.

[persephone]

I'm pretty miffed because they said it's too dangerous for me to take, and they're worried I mighr sue them if it goes wrong...does anyone know what the heck these people are talking about? I personally think they're just trying to win an award for most awkward and annoying GP ractice in the UK!

[MightyMouse]

Midodrine in NOT dangerous unless you 1) take too much or 2) take it close to bed time, which would provoke "supine hypertension" and could cause a stroke.

However, if your blood pressure is low consistently, then that's what the medication was created for and approved for. It's been approved in the US for at least a decade or so--and I believe the US is much stricter with pharmaceutical approval than in most of Europe.

I took it for many many years without a single bad side effect. Also, it only stays in your system for 4 hours maximum, so if you do start with a low dose and have a bad side effect, it will be completely out of your system rather quickly.

Typical dosing is to take upon waking and then every 4 hours, being sure to take your last dose AT LEAST 4 hours before bed. Also, you can start as low as 2.5 mg, or even 1.25 (half a 2.5 tab). My average dose was 7.5mg every 4 hours, to as much as 12.5.

Maybe if you tell your doctors you'll sign a release saying you're not going to hold them responsible for any side effects you incur, perhaps then they'll give you the medication? BTW, I thought you could get medications without a prescription in much of Europe? Perhaps you might sidestep the doctors on this one as long as you are clear on the instructions for how to use the medication--and tell the docs that you're going ahead without them?

Good luck! Nina

[veg]

I have the same problem - my GP flatly refuses to prescribe it (cited monitoring, and cost), so Consultant writes me a prescription (which he's not happy about, cost) which I get filled at the hospital pharmacy. The downside to this is that I then have to trek into central London to the hospital.

First time I ran out I called the Consultant's sec, who spoke to him and then told me to get my GP to write a prescription. Letters (and faxes) flew back and forth, but then I had a hospital appointment and they wrote me a prescription for 3 months. GP still refuses to prescribe.