Questions and Answers
My doctor thought it was a penicillin reaction, when it did not go away he sent me to a dermatolgist, she thought it was Tenormin. My doctor took me off of it, and it my rash slowly disappeared.
Then my doctor put me on Cardizen, but I got headaches and my blood pressure got higher, my heart rate rose. He did not really think it was the Tenormin, so he put me back on it, and now my rash is back. My doctor is a wonderful man and he is open to other avenues of information. He said he had no knowledge of such a problem with Tenormin.
I wonder if you have any such information that you could share, or if there is a good alternative to Tenormin.
What you describe is a typical case of developing a hypersensitivy reaction (penicillin reaction) to a foreign substance, in this case, atenalol. This drug is a so-called beta-blocker - one of several with many common properties. Hypersensitivity is not a common side-effect, but not unknown. You should avoid the use of this drug and any other to which there may be a cross sensitivity (your physician or pharmacist will guide you).
You don't mention the medical condition for which you have had these drugs prescribed. Both are commonly used seperately to treat angina, but are also used to treat some cardiac arrythmias. I'll assume the former.
Angina is treatable with several different types of drugs, two of which you mention - the beta-blockers and calcium channel blockers like Cardizen (diltiazem}. A third is the grandaddy of the group, the organic nitrates typified by nitroglycerine. This, and a series of other organic nitrates, have a long history of effectiveness.
I think your cardiologist has a couple of choices - one, go back to basics and try one or other of the nitrates, or, two, try modifying the dosage of diltiazem - therapy should be individualized and generally begins with 30 mg. four times a day up to a maximum of 360 mg.daily, or switching to another calcium channel blocker and titrating its effective and if possible, tolerable dosage.
Best wishes.