I have been prescribed Felodipine for blood pressure issues. I’ve previously been on 2.5 mg but a week ago the doctor doubled my dosage. And my left leg has swelled considerably. Leg swelling is a known and common side-effect of Felodipine, affecting more than 1 in 10 according to the notes. But why is only my left leg swelling?
Another data point, I had the same issue with another blood pressure medication, amlodipine. It affected my left leg about 4 or 5 times the amount it affected my right leg. I assumed that it had something to do with the heart being on the left side, but I couldn’t quite make out how that made a difference.
Since then my doctor changed me to something else because the amlodipine was not so effective on my blood pressure. After a couple of weeks the swelling has gone completely.
Yeah, Amlodipine sucked. Avoid Clonidine, as well, if you can.
I’d see your Dr. about the swelling.
I was on amlodipine. It made me absent-minded and constipated.
Ah, good point. I wonder if it is relevant.
I have an appointment.
I’d consider unilateral leg swelling to be a possible deep vein thrombosis (blood clot in your leg) before I’d think it was a side effect of your calcium channel blocker, frankly.
If you have any chest pains, shortness of breath, or significant pain in that leg, I’d suggest considering emergency evaluation. Blood clots that break off and travel to the lungs can be fatal. I generally recommend that complaints like this get emergent evaluation. It might only be a one in ten chance that it’s a clot rather than something harmless like drug effect, but that’s still a significant risk.
No pain. My leg was mildly swollen on the amlopidine. I’ll visit the doctor on Monday.
My doc saw my legs and didn’t seem concerned about the amount of swelling. The swelling was mostly in the ankle and the top of the foot, if that makes any difference.
If you and your doc are both cool with it, I am too. 
Same here.
Is this a common side-effect of amlodipine? I use it daily. I haven’t noticed being absent-minded any more that might be expected, given that I’m an aging old fart. But I regularly engage in recreational activities on weekends that require utmost alertness, so that concerns me.
^Parkour? At your age? 
How weird… I am having the exact same issue, left ankle and top of foot swelling. The bad thing for me is right now, I am without a doctor, mine retired end of Aug. I guessI need to find another…
Seems I forgot to post the follow-up. The doctor reduced my Felodipine back to 2.5 mg and prescribed me an anti-swelling medicine - Bendro-something - which has worked very nicely.