The ccb my mom takes is verapamil 240 and it is quite inexpensive. She was taking 120 mg of verapamil with clonidine .01 3 or 54 x daily. Today, the dr. prescribed clonidine .02 3x day and 240 mg. We just took her bp and it was 120/70. The only side effect she had with verapamil was a slight headache and swelling ankles. That lasted for a few days in the beginning, but she takes a diuretic on those days.
Clonidine can cause drowsiness, but it lowers bp within 15 minutes and it helps her to sleep better at nite. Oh yes, verapamil also caused her nightmares at nite in the beginning.