Bisprolol withdrawal nightmare!

Posted , 11 users are following.

Hi

I was put on 1.25mg for high blood pressure- something I've never suffered from before.

I also suffer with reflux which can cause breathlessness- this is now controlled by lamprazonal.

I have only been on bisprolol since beginning of December, totally spoilt christmas as.ive.never felt so ill.and breathless and panicky.

Having been to.a.&e twice thinking i was having a heart attack - had ECG x4, bloods, and chest xray, and all came back clear.

I decided to half the dose until i could discuss it with gp - then when i did she said i could come straight off them- i.did questiom this as i know wot can happen on BBS

So i am only 5 days in and can't stand it!. One minute heart rate 48/50.….. Then up to 80 on exertion,,resulting in being breathless and my chest tightening, feeling faint and cold... Then it passes.

It only takes me to stand up or go upstairs and its away again? Headache and bad chest seem to have gone, thankfully.

Im staying off work as need to.see go for 24hr bp moniter requested by a- e.

And really don't feel well enough to do my job, i,now feel i.get panic attacks when it.starts, and.have.started.taking kalms.

Does.anyone.know how long.these symptoms will last? Or has anyone.experienced the same?

I wish I'd never taken bisprolol- and will need to discuss other options.for bp- dieting.at the moment to.try and.bring it down.

So.scared im going to have.a.heart.attack!!!

Any advise welcome😘

2 likes, 13 replies

13 Replies

  • Edited

    Hi

    I have quit BBs twice. The first time I didn't make it (I was taking 1,25 Mg for one year). Docs told me: lower the dose to 0,62 Mg for one week, then 0,30 Mg for one week, then 0,30 Mg on every other day, and you'll be fine (so, only 3 weeks of weaning off).

    Well, I tried even slower than that, and then I had 9-10 weeks of HR of around 90-100 all the time, it would jump to 120-130 with walking or any activity, I could go out of my house, I couldn't go to work, I had problems with breathing, insane anxiety (I had problems with sunlight, loud noises, as if I am in a hangover which lasts for weeks), nausea, pain in abdomen, lungs, Blood pressure jumping from time to time (I never had high BP), dizziness after any minor activity etc.

    I also had to go to ER two times, and they told me I need medicines again.

    I asked if this is a withdrawal, they said: no. This is some kind of a disease since you can't have HR 90-100 all the time.

    Well, I had to go back to drugs, but then after a few Months, I decided to wean off one more time, but way slower (it lasted a few Months in total).

    This time I went like: 0,60 Mg for a 1-2 weeks, then 0,50 Mg, then 0,40, 0,30, 0,20, 0,10, 0,05 etc. It was way easier this time.

    Luckily, you have been taking it for only 1 Month. But still, that is enough of time and you have a lot of drug in your body and organs.

    Also, drug has already altered some mechanisms in your brain and heart.

    In general, your withdrawal should be weaker and lasting shorter than for people who were taking drugs for 6 months, 1 year or 10 years.

    Also, you were on a low dose, imagine trying to quit a 5 or 10 Mg dose.

    But still, you can experience huge problems even in your case.

    Imo, my advice, you can cut your pills into quarters (0,30 Mg) and then take those doses for 1 week, then try to break those doses in a half or in slightly bigger pieces than half (something like 0,15 Mg or 0,20 Mg) for one week, then you can try to cut dose pieces in half also, take them for one week, and then take them on the every 2nd day and later on every 3rd day, and you will be fine.

    This way, you can wean off completely in 4-5 weeks, and then you will have 1-2 bad weeks after that and it should be fine.

    Or, since you are already on 5 days without drugs (and maybe you shouldn't go "back" too much), you can cut very tiny pieces (something like 0,10-0,15 Mg) and take those pieces now either every day for 1-2 weeks, or take them every 2nd day for 1-2 weeks (until your body readjusts), and then lower the dose to even tinier pieces and take them every 2nd and every 3rd day, and you should be more or less fine in 2-3-4 weeks.

    It will be slower and less painfull.

    I would do this in your place.

    About going to work, yes, a lot of people can't work during a withdrawal since your HR will jump on every single activity, you will be dead tired, scared, filled with anxiety etc.

    If you think that you can "survive" without new doses, continue this way without drugs.

    If you are feeling bad, take a few tiny doses (0,10-0,15 Mgs) for 1-2 weeks as explained above. It will calm down your central nervous system and heart and you will get more time to readjust in an easier way.

    Also, drink a lot of water during a withdrawal. People say that Vitamin C also helps, Magnesium will also lower your HR in a natural way (during a withdrawal), buy some magnesium pills in a store.

    Also, don't drink coffee now, alcohol, you can also avoid too much sugars (they can raise HR also).

    Try to sleep a lot (so that your body can readjust).

    And when you'll feel better, try to walk for 5-10 minutes a few times per day, it will remove some stress and adrenaline from your body, plus your heart will get stronger and less prone to HR jumps while resting.

    Good luck

    • Edited

      Plus, my docs told me: you can take small dose of Valium while you are weaning off from BBs since it have similar effects as BBs: it will calm down your central nervous system, calm down the anxiety, lower your heart rate during bad days, lower blood pressure.

      So, you can take Valium or a similar benzo in tiny doses for 1-2-3 weeks during the worst withdrawal days.

    • Posted

      Many thanks for your reply- I thought of taking a small amount of the drug again, but to tell you the truth was petrified of what might happen, but like you said, it can soften the withdrawal.

      as a&he thought it was reflux they gave he a prescription if ompraznol 20 mg per day... still having chest tightening now worried they have similar side effects or it's still the bisprolol withdrawal.

      im really working hard on dropping my weight, to see if reflux and both return to normal.

      before taking these I was walking over 2 hours a datpy, not breathless at all- my job is quite stressful so think no came from stress side and reflux from bad diet

      just want to get back to normal ... hopefully without meds!! 

      Thanks once again for your reply. 

    • Posted

      About taking small doses, like 0,10-0,15 Mgs, imo, you should take them.

      But remember, the point of weaning off is to:

      1. either lower your doses, like 0,60-0,30-0,15 in daily doses

      2. or to take the same doses all the time, but to extend the amount of time between doses, like: 0,30 Mg doses once daily, and then later every 2 days, and later every 3 days.

      In both of these examples, your body will still get the drug, but you will take smaller and smaller amounts and eventually your body will readjust slowly to a new life without drugs, without extreme withdrawal problems like when you quit cold turkey.

      If you are afraid to take 0,15 Mg dose, just remember that you used to take 10 times larger dose a few days ago.

      So, yes, that is the same drug, but you will take only tiny amounts to calm down your central nervous system, heart rate and anxiety plus you will quit it completely in 1-2-3 weeks.

      Also, you may still experience the same side effects even on tiny doses, but they will be way weaker now, so don't be afraid if you'll feel some similar effects as on a 1,25 Mg dose.

      About being breathless, this was my main problem with Bisoprolol: I wasn't able to breathe, as if my lungs are sedated and as if they forgot how to breathe.

      But, trust me, when you quit the drug, your lungs and breathing will be fine again after a few weeks.

      So, if you are having a hard time, just cut your 1,25 dose into extremely tiny pieces, and take those few pieces in upcoming days, but even now, always try to lower your dose each few days, so that you can stop it completely in 2-3 weeks.

  • Edited

    Hi Zoe 

    i really feel for you 

    I was exactly the same as you over Christmas I too have acid reflux 

    I was prescribed 1.25 mg of bisprolol for Atrial Fribilation . I was in and out of A&E with chest pains ,turns out it was the reflux causing the problem. 

    This obviously can cause Anxiety. The side effects have been difficult I seem to mainly get bad pressure headaches.

    you could try to taper your medication down gradually this as worked for me in the past.

    what also helps me is meditation. When you feel a panic attack take long slow breaths in and out through your nose just focus on your breath .I hope this is of some help,it works for me .

    good luck, I'm sure the symptoms will improve over time 

    good luck .

    Jim

    • Posted

      Hi jim

      many thanks for your reply, I am trying to stay calm when I feel it coming on.

      and will try meditation, anything to get my head straight again!! Far too busy to be like this!

      now given me omprazonal scared they'll have side affects- will just have to take it slowly 

      many thanks for your help

  • Edited

    hello, is anyone still active on this forum? i plan on stopping Bisoprolol soon. as i do not want to rely on this medication forever.

    i am on 5mg. 2.5 morning and 2.5 night.

    i have inappropriate sinus tachycardia but its not too severe.

    before i started Bisoprolol in January my resting heart rate was between 90-101. whilst on Bisoprolol my Resting HR is 80. a couple of weeks ago i stopped taking it (weaning off over a couple weeks)

    my heart rate has never been so high! i thought i was going to die and couldn't stop shaking with fear.

    am i going to have to stay on this forever? i feel hopeless and don't know what to do 😦

  • Posted

    Hi guys. i taking selective beta blocker bisoprolol 2.5 mg. i was prescribed by my GP for anxiety when my mother died. After 2 months i wanted to wheen of by taking half of tablet but i think it was to fast. My GP said then i need to take half the pill for two weeks. but i think its to fast. Im on this Bisoprolol for 5 months now. A week ago i wanted to try the same using half of the pill. The heart rate wasnt faster 70HR but the blood pressure at night( becouse i always check it on morning and night) was raised . normally i had like 125 to 85, but at that day on half that pill blood pressure was 140 to 99- thats low level hypertension but it was raised. i think if i wanted to wheen of i should buy a laboratory scale and wheen like this. 2.4 mg twoo weeks, then 2.3 mg another 2 weeks , then 2.2 mg weeks and so on. So what do you think?

  • Edited

    We have to take advantage of the good days and rejoice and hope to return to the way we were

  • Posted

    Hi,

    I was unfortunately on Biso 15 months marked by:

    • nightmares
    • back pain
    • anxiety
    • WORST OF ALL SHAKING when its time for new dose

    In my experience looks like Biso "locks in" and "changes" how CNS and periphery nervous system communicate via various synapses, ions and channels which prevents it from being functional like it used to. As a result some get nervous system that is slowly degrading and dying so called nephropathy and it shows in blurred vision, balance problems, pain, SHAKING, WEAKNESS etc. Ofc, the more time you were on Biso and bigger the dose THE WORSE it is. Doctors will ofc convince you its OK for 35 year old to have all those symptoms, testament to just how far Hipocratic oath has come nowdays.

    Any way, easily biggest mistake in my life, better would have been to spent jail time.

    Tried to ween off but impossible. Anxiety, all sorts of pain, SHAKINESS are just to horrible to bear. Its like a doomsday machine. As added sound of horror you can even hear your heart beat in the brain but as irregular and distorted sound. Biso will simply NOT ALLOW anyone to tamper with its now properly "locked in" CNS and periphery neuro vegetative systems. You SIMPLY CANT "UNLOCK IT" to become normal again.

    BUT, there was a solution in my case. Switched to Nebivolol it UNLOCKED IT at lowest dose 1.25 mg and in moments I started to feel much better. Its than possible to ween off Nebivolol if you wish but I don't have any side effects any more and Nebivolol as beta blocker does provide support against arrhythmia AND heart attack as is vasodilator so I stayed on 1.25 mg.

    Regards

  • Posted

    Have any of you experienced long-term withdrawal effects from Bisprol? For example, strings in the eyes when I look forward. I feel like there are spider-shaped strings while looking with fluttering of the eyelashes.

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