Beta Blocker Bisoprolol withdrawal

Firstly let me thank everyone for their posts in relation to this topic. I found hope and strength from so many.

I am a bisoprolol user of 5 years. 2.5mg given to me for ectopic beats by cardiac consultant who was reviewing me after a hospital admission with query panic attack/heart attack.

Tests revealed nothing other than ectopics. I told her at the time i had a low heart rate anyway but she persisted. When i arrived at A and E having anxiety the first thing they had done was give me GTN which stopped my heart completely!! Reduced my already low heart rate to zero.

So i have taken these for five years during which time anxiety has persisted although ectopics were not felt as they had been.

I eventually realised the trigger for my anxiety attacks was a very low heart rate below 40 which was sending my body and system into a meltdown. So i decided to wean myself off.

Firstly i cut the pill in half for 30 days. No effect in first week or so then i became very fatigued and exhausted. Chest pains accompanied by high blood pressure and high heart rate when doing anything. Very intense emotional moments overwhelming me. Feelings of fear and panic. Trembling was also evident.

I relied heavily on CBD oil and just OTC painkillers at this point to help which they really did. I also took vitamin c d and a b complex daily and manuka honey. I also made a carrot and banana smoothie with spirulina daily. Rest is essential and a belief that you have to maintain that things will get better.

I persisted with walking around the house and just trying to do anything no matter how small just to stay a little active although fatigue would follow quickly.

At twenty five days or so i could feel that there was some relief and the bad days receded slightly. I reduced the dose further at thirty days and took a quarter off the half tablet.

After two days i had a couple of really bad days where all the bad effects returned with vengeance. Then a couple of good days where i really started to feel some strength return.

At thirty days i also started supplementing with L Carnitine and CQ10 and am still doing so. This good days bad days pattern has become the norm and now i am at day 57.

Still have unpleasant combinations of effects on bad days but they are getting less and that is a fact.

I have been able to reintroduce walking outside into my days now and other day to day activities and do feel stronger.

However i have to be careful with not pushing too far too quick as i have had issues after doing this.

I have found that eating smaller meals helps. Avoiding any high sodium intake helps. Water certainly helps so stay hydrated. I have learned to give in to the fatigue when it comes so just accept you have to rest. It will improve eventually.

I am still taking just over a quarter of my tablet but am gently weaning off this and plan to do so over the next six months.

I can say i feel much improved since doing this and even though i still have these withdrawal symptoms they are nowhere near as bad as i felt when i was on the full dose.

The ectopics did return briefly but now they are not present.

Anyway hope this helps someone in the same way some others helped me.

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