Let's take a minute to talk about your medication. 

This is verapamil. You should take it as directed by your doctor, at the same time each day with food. It's an 'extended release' tablet, so swallow it whole and don't crush or chew it. 

Verapamil treats high blood pressure. Controlling high blood pressure helps protect you from having a heart attack, stroke, kidney failure and loss of vision. It has other uses too, like controlling a type of chest pain called 'angina'. 

It's usually tolerated well, but some side effects can occur. At first, you could feel dizzy, and standing slowly after sitting or lying down can reduce this. You may feel tired, so wait until you know how it affects you before you do activities that require you to be alert, like driving. It can also cause constipation, nausea or headaches. These effects are normal if they are mild and should go away. If these or other side effects become reasons you want to stop taking this medicine, please talk to your doctor or pharmacist. 

It's normal if you see the empty tablet in your stool. 

In rare cases, serious side effects can occur, so call your doctor right away if you notice unusual changes to your body, like a very slow heartbeat or shortness of breath. 

To reduce side effects, you should ask your doctor or pharmacist before taking new medicines, and before drinking alcohol or grapefruit juice. 

For best results, plan ahead for refills, and follow your doctor's advice for checking your blood pressure and heart rate at home.