Ranexa opinions?

@claudia2, I can understand your concern about adding another medication when you already take several. Do you know why your doctor recommended Ranexa and what they are hoping it will help with?

Mayo Clinic has information about Ranexa (ranolazine), including medications that can interact with it. With your long medication list, have you had a chance to review everything you take with your doctor or pharmacist?

- Ranolazine (oral route) – Mayo Clinic
https://www.mayoclinic.org/drugs-supplements/ranolazine-oral-route/description/drg-20069114
There have also been a number of conversations on Connect where members have mentioned Ranexa. You may want to look through some of their experiences while you wait for others to join you here:

- Ranexa discussions on Mayo Clinic Connect
https://connect.mayoclinic.org/search/discussions/
For members who have taken Ranexa, what was it prescribed for and what has your experience been?

@jlharsh I've been taking Ranexa (Ranolazine) for a long time, 10+ years. My cardiologist prescribed it for small vessel disease, which was causing frequent bouts of chest pain. For a long time, I was on 500mg, taken twice a day. A couple of years ago, my cardiologist at Mayo increase that to 1000mg twice a day, due to an increase in chest pain episodes, and it's worked well for me. Can't say I love taking a huge pill twice a day, on top of my other medications, but it's worth it.

I have been on Ranexa since 2013 and it was certainly effective for me and remains so.
Prescribed for small vessel disease or Cardiac Microvascular Disease or also called Cardiac Syndrome X.
MVD is not that well known.
After my stent placement in February 2013 for a 100% block right coronary artery - within just 2 months or so my angina pain returned. My presentation was always jaw, neck, throat (one time left arm) pain.
Ranexa was prescribed - 500 mg. twice a day. The maximum dose is 1000 mg. twice a day. Glad I can be sustained on the lower dose. I never had any side effects from it. Also just a side note - small vessel disease can be systemic. It was also picked up on a CT scan/MRI of my brain. I suffered a concussion in 2019 and still paying the price for that in migraines and occasional head pains which are hard to describe but painful.
Don't be afraid to try it. I am also on a very long list of other medications...and all is well with me.
Good luck in your decision.

@briarrose thank you so much for your information. It gives me hope that it will work for me too. I have to wear a nitro patch too - do you? It would be nice to eliminate at least that.

You are quite welcomed!
No, a nitro patch has never been prescribed for me and obviously not needed. Hopefully it will be discontinued if you decide on the Ranexa.
Again, all the best.