Hey, after reading pretty much all the posts regarding people's experiences with Verapamil, i didn't find much reference to the various side effects people experience whilst taking it for long periods of time, apart from the incredibly common ones like constipation, fatigue and tiredness.

I was wondering if anyone else experiences Verapamil side effects like -
-a feeling of pressure in their ears that comes in waves, can be worse some days and better others
-general tightness/tension in their head but whilst remaining largely pain free


After consulting my Dr - I'm beginning a 6 week taper down of Verapamil from 240mg per day, dropping off one 40 mg pil per week as i can no longer tell what i'm feeling is just side effects from Verapamil or whether i'm still actually in a CH cycle that is being masked by Verapamil.


My cycle began slowly in mid October last year and I've been pain free since December after i guess the Verapamil started to take effect and haven't needed to use Sumatriptan since then either.

Since i've been on Verapamil and pain free, my only complaints aside from the lack of energy, tiredness and constipation have been pressure in my ears on the Cluster Side that comes and go's, head tension and just a general discomfort feeling that hasn't changed in nearly 3 months.

This is the first cycle i've had diagnosed as Cluster Headaches, the worst pain wise (when i was feeling the attacks before verapamil anyway), the longest and the first i've taken CH related medication for.

Before this cycle i'd had one episode of them 3 years ago that lasted 2-3 weeks and was ridden out with a lot of Ibruprofen and one i can kinda remember 11 or so years ago that the Dr thought was sinus headaches. So i'm episodic or at least think i still am.

Constipation is easily controlled and it's a minor issue compared to its benefit in blocking Cluster attacks.

Tiredness? May be a result of your blood pressure being depressed; something your doctor can decide.

It has always surprised me how rare a significant drop in BP is reported, especially when considering the massive doses we use as compared to when it's used for it's primary application for heaert/BP issues.

Print the PDF file, below, and use it to discuss options with the doc.

I would not stop taking it, if you have the option, until the present cycle is clearly over. Stopping before can lead to the attacks continuing.

At the moment it seems to come in waves for me, i have a reasonably clear head for 5 or 6 days where i barely notice it (except for a near constant mild tension feeling- which i'm sure is a verapamil side effect), then 1 or 2 days where the pressure sensation crops up more often like i've got to pop my ears every now and then. Coupled with the blocked nose/trigeminal nerve ache up in the nasal/sinus cavity you mention.

I've dropped 1 verapamil pill this week just to see whether the symptoms become more pronounced.

If they stay the same then in 5 days i'll drop another one and see where i am then. If the symptoms become more noticeable then i'm gonna taper up again.

I'm seeing my Neurologist on tuesday now so i'm gonna talk to him about it.

It's very hard to tell what's going on. I recon there is a good chance i'm probably still in a cycle though but it's hard to tell.

Bob Johnson wrote on Mar 19^th, 2014 at 7:12am:


This always surprises me too.

It seems that if someone already has low blood pressure then verapamil will often drop the blood pressure, but for someone with CH and normal or high blood pressure then verapamil does not seem to have a significant impact.

I suspect there is some interesting biochemistry around why this is happening.

Mike NZ wrote on Mar 19^th, 2014 at 9:26pm:


This taper schedule is on my GP's orders (i was dropping each pill with a 7 day interval, it was just the second day of taking one less when i wrote that).

So i'm going to see my Neurologist because the GP doesn't seem to have a lot of experience with CH and i want a second opinion. Saying this, i get most in depth information on the condition and the preventative/abortive drugs on this website. Even the neurologist is a bit bemused by the CH condition.

I don't know if it's a coincidence or psychosomatic but since i've been taking 40mg less, the symptoms i listed above have become very slightly more pronounced.

When CH is gone does your whole head just feel completely normal even when your still on your prevent? Do you just know it's gone?

It's confusing for me because even when i wasn't in full on cluster headache cycle mode i'd wake up with a blocked nose on my left side and have sinusy type symptoms that would come up go all year round but with no cluster headaches.

Well i'm assuming that the sensation that my ears are filling with pressure on my CH side kinda like a less intense version of when you hold your nose and blow is a CH symptom as i never have this feeling otherwise. Ho hum.

im about to start my taper off verapamil. I see my doctor tomorrow. ive been on 180 for a year now, originally my neuro prescribed 240 slow release,  it made me feel like sh@t. when I started batches d3 regime, I tapered down to 180.  I forgot to take my verapamil recently whilst on holiday for 3 days and I started getting headaches, not cluster symptoms, but a regular thumper. I always had lowish blood pressure, and at first I did feel a tad dizzy, but my b/p is around 125 now, so no problems. my first neuro gave me the fast release verapamil, after a few days I couldn't work, had to sit down all the time, constantly dizzy.
so im looking forward to tapering off tomorrow and only being on batches regime. 
im interested in getting my b/p tested tomorrow, because the last few days feel as though its dropped big time.
but overall, no real side effects at all.....
colin

jish wrote on Mar 20^th, 2014 at 6:54am:


I often get a runny nose in the absence of a headache (or continuing long after the headache has resolved). My neurologist believes it is definitely a component of CH that is causing it. However it still mainly occurs within cycles.