Bisoprolol side effects and withdrawal nightmare
Posted , 5 users are following.
I have had a total nightmare both on and off this drug. I was prescribed it by my G P for high blood pressure after trying two other medications which gave me intolerable side effects. I took this drug for 27days. The first week I suffered from headaches which subsided. I thought then that this drug was going to work for me. Then the pounding heart started. it was so loud in my head and shook my whole body. I could not sleep. I toughed it out for another week but started to feel very nauseous. Every time I ate I had adrenalin rush for and hour and had to remain seated until it had calmed down. Then one evening I had a very painful arrhythmia which thence continued throughout the night and the next night I had several episodes. I managed to get an emergency appointment with my G P who agreed there was something not right with my heart but did not correlate it with the bisoprolol. He referred me to a cardiologist who scheduled tests. He asked me to remain on the bisoprolol until after the tests had been performed. I tried but continued to develop more painful and worrying symptoms. I started to shake violently, I had an internal tremor, had a feeling of being strangled and I also began getting a very painful upper abdomen, through the area of the liver. This grew considerably worse over several days until the pain was unbearable and an ambulance was called. After numerous tests they found nothing wrong and sent me home but advised I ceased taking the bisoprolol because I was experiencing too many side effects. I queried whether it should be titred down but was told there was no problem on such a small dose. I was on 2.5mg per day.
The withdrawal horror then began. Racing heart rate, adrenalin surges, violent shaking and tremors. The acute abdominal pain went after two days but I had a very sore abdomen for two weeks and my stomach would become very swollen. I had only a very few incidents of arrhythmia again. The strangling feeling remained and got worse. I was pretty much house bound as any activity caused a surge of adrenalin. I gradually have been able to do more gentle activity, very slow walking etc but find if I do anything more exertive I have several days afterwards which are unbearably difficult and painful. The pain seems to be random around my body, but more concerning across the chest, neck, left back and arm. Two days ago I had such pain through my chest and neck that I went to A&E again. Once again they did numerous tests and found nothing. Two consultants then accused me of making all these symptoms up as well as the side effects I had suffered from on all the tablets that I had been taking, denying that even the side effects listed on the leaflets were real. I have been deemed a time waster. I was totally gobsmacked. There was nothing left to say.
I'm sure there's still a rough road ahead for me but I'm not relying on the medical profession for any help in the future.
0 likes, 8 replies
john55871 helen51670
Posted
i started bisoprolol 3 years ago and feel like death, only on low dose 1.25 but feel so ill so going to stop cold turkey and a certain the problems that will.cause. 9
helen51670 john55871
Posted
Good luck with stopping your medication. it's 4 months since I've not taken mine and have been through a lot of pain, feelings of anxiety and hypersensivity to adrenalin. I only got through it with the determination to get better, forcing myself to walk out the feeling of adrenalin and suffering the pain aftermath. I am now not yet pain free but feeling nearly myself again. I still have a tremor which comes and goes. I'm hoping that another few months and I'll be back to my normal.
i hope you don't suffer too much, but keep a positive attitude through your ordeal.
jackson93746 helen51670
Posted
hey Helen did you happen to have ache type pains in your legs at all ? i was inly only bisoprolol for 2 weeks then just came off it straight away as it made me feel pretty horrible and am currently day 16 off them . Ive had pretty wild aches and pain around my legs hips and lower back and very weak overall feelings like not being able to so much activity without feeling absolutely rooted and being bed bound but thankfully i have had no racing heart or massive adrenaline surges. Did you have weakness and muscle aches ? kind of feels like flu without the fever
thanks jackson
helen51670 jackson93746
Posted
hi Jackson. I've not had any aches below the waist, but had feeling of exhaustion. All my aches and pains have been in the torso and head, still continuing after 4 months off the drug, but I feel they are slowly getting less. I do know that there is another member on this site, Marwaan, who has been suffering for over two years from leg pains. I think bisoprolol, being able to block nerve transmissions, has somehow behaved differently in certain individuals and caused other random effects causing pain. I could be wrong, but I'm afraid it's only a matter of endurance to let your body heal itself and get back to its original state. I wish you well, and soon.
chantelle9788 helen51670
Edited
hi ive come off bisoprolol too im day 5, im having a lot of anxiety which is quite scary but from what im reading a lot of people do. did you taper off or just stop?
helen51670 chantelle9788
Posted
because of the severe side effects I was suffering, I had to stop immediately. I was told by a cardiologist that most people will have about 5 to 7 days feeling anxious as the drug is vacating all the beta receptors in your nerves. in my experience, it goes on for a lot longer than that. I'm 4 months off the drug and the severe anxiety only subsided about a month ago. I still have a feeling of low anxiety most days but found going for short walks helps to burn off the adrenalin and calm me down for a while. hang in there and be brave. things will get better.
chantelle9788 helen51670
Posted
thank you im going to keep going and hopefully come out if it the other side. if it wasnt for the anxiety i would be ok. i cant believe they give this drug to people it should be banned
helen51670 chantelle9788
Edited
The best way to try to inform the medics is to complete a yellow card on the MHRA website. Even better if your doctor completes it. It's easy to do, just Google yellow card and the link will come up. It's only by many users of this medication providing their feedback of adverse effects, will any further review of the safety of this drug be made. Make sure withdrawal effects are also included as there isn't a specific question about the time after you stop taking it.
I wish you a speedy recovery.