Keith Roach, M.D., syndicated columnist

DEAR DR. ROACH: I have high blood pressure, and I hope that you can advise me. For 10 years, I have suffered with terrible leg cramps in one or both calves. I visited numerous doctors in order to learn what the cause was. Not one practitioner questioned the blood pressure medicine that I had been taking: amlodipine. My research showed that in very few cases cramping resulted. My cardiologist won’t believe that amlodipine causes this cramping and he is insisting that I go back to using amlodipine ….

I began to experiment. Very gradually, I cut down this medication, and almost immediately, the cramping disappeared. Each time I went back to the amlodipine, the cramping returned. I also use benazepril, which causes me no problems. My doctor added carvedilol, and is increasing the dosage, but so far it isn’t helping the blood pressure go down.

Have you ever heard of this happening? — H.S.

ANSWER: Muscle cramps are extremely common in people with or without blood pressure problems, and I have not had a person with cramps that went away on stopping amlodipine. The fact that they came back when you restarted it, however, is pretty strong evidence that the amlodipine may be causing it in you.

The cardiologist still has many other options. Amlodipine as a calcium channel blocker and is generally very effective at lowering blood pressure. There are other calcium blockers that might not have the same side effect, and the cardiologist might try one related to amlodipine (like nifedipine) or unrelated (like diltiazem).

There are other classes of medicines, such as diuretics, which can also be used.

Editor’s note: Dr. Roach regrets that he is unable to answer individual letters, but will incorporate them in the column whenever possible. Readers may email questions to ToYourGoodHealth@med.cornell.edu or send mail to 628 Virginia Dr., Orlando, FL 32803.