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Beta blocker/Bisoprolol withdrawal and breathlessness

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rachel1511
rachel1511

Hi. I am 43 yrs old and have been on beta blockers (initially metoprolol and then bisoprolol) for svt the last ten years. I had an ablation which went wrong and I ended up on higher doses of beta blocker after that (8yrs ago). They added in flecainide a year ago as they wanted to drop my bisoprolol down becacause I was still having daily runs and my BP was a bit on the low side. I have managed to drop the dose down to 1.25 bd over the last few months. Then 4 weeks ago, I started to have awful episodes of ?different kind of arrhythmia where i would feel very faint and shaky and it would last for a few minutes. Because they then wondered if I was having a ventricular arrhythmia, they stopped the flecainide and halved my bisprolol. However a week ago I had a couple of prolonged svt episodes so they stopped my beta blocker altogether and started me onto something new dronaderone (like amiodarone with less side effects). I was relieved at the thought of finally being off the beta blocker once and for all but all week I have steadily been feeling worse and worse. I know that there is likely to be a withdrawl period but it's been a week now and I can honestly say that I'm more breathless today than I've ever been. Even just sitting at rest. I can't talk or eat without stopping for breath all the time and I have never felt so unwell in all my life. I am aware that I can get marked postural tachycardia and if I so much as walk slowly to another room my rate climbs from 75 to 120 in seconds. Has anyone else experienced such marked side effects after stopping bisoprolol or another beta blocker? I would really appreciate any thoughts. R

 

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  • islybot
    islybot rachel1511

    Edited

    I'm coming up on my 8th week after stopping a beta blocker (labetalol), and I'm happy to report that this last week I've turned a corner.

    I still get days where it hits me pretty good, but I think Im finally over the hump. I am still a ways from being 100 percent, but at the moment I'm feeling about 7 percent back to where I was before beta blockers.

    I'm even down to one blood pressure pill (nifedipine) and BP is coming down.  So I imagine at the rate I”m going I'll be off that last pill in a few months.

    Some things I think that helped me along the way:

    This board. Thanks to all who responded to me! Kept me sane.

    Starting a Vegan diet. Mostly to help bring my BP down. I think bringing the BP down had a benefit of bringing my anxiety down.

    Magnesium. This also brought my anxiety down and as I've come to find out watchign other people's experiences on youtube, anxiety can be a huge contributing factor to dizziness, weak legs, and fatigue. I personally know I was low on Magnesium (I think the majority of the population is) because when I was in ER (after they gave me a diuretic) my blood magnesium was low. And the test for blood magnesium is a very weak test. By the time it gets to that level, I've probably been deficient for quite a while. I do however, think all the meds, and coming off the meds (particulary BB), created a lot of stree and depleted my magnesium much faster.

    Closing thoughts:

    One of the main symptoms I went through coming off of BB, was anxiety. Which in turn affected my entire body. I have to ask myself why do some people come off a BB and are totally ok, and others have a hell of a time. I seriously think somewhere along the way we have a mineral deficiency and the meds expedite the symptoms, thus causing issues like anxiety, dizziness or palpitations and even breathing issues. For me, I'm glad I switched over to a vegan diet to take in more minerals through my diet. I really do think that was a huge factor in helping me get through this a bit quicker then I might have. I'm not saying BB doesn't call all the symptoms, I definitely think it does. But it also depletes of us of our minerals making the road to recovery that much harder.

    That being said, I saw a cardiologist yesterday and he even said he DOES NOT LIKE PRESCRIBING BB TO ADULTS because of the symptoms it creates. He wasn't one bit surprised about what I was going through. I was so happy to finally be validated by someone of the medical community. I guess they're not all that bad.

    So, as I mentioned, I still have quite a road in front of me, but I think I'm over the hump. My energy is back. Feelling dizzy and off balanced has diminished quite a bit. My breathing is about 90 percent back to normal. And every other symptom has dramatically diminished.

    Hang in there folks, there is a light at the end of the tunnel.  While I was going through the worst of it, I never thought I would see that light ever again.  I thought my life was completely ruined.  Fortunately, I'm coming close to the end of it.

    • islybot
      islybot

      Posted

      The above I meant to say I'm back to 70 percent, not 7 percent.

    • Lolasmom
      Lolasmom islybot

      Posted

      Well, I am so glad you are over the hump. Good for you.

      What absolutely drives me crazy are these doctors that tell you to just come of BB. That it is just fine.  It is NOT fine.

      I stopped Biso last May/16 abruptly. I was having an ablation and the doctor said to stop 5 days before the procedure. So I did. the hell I went through was incredible. I was also on a benzo for anxiety at that time.

      Never would I have thought that I would have experienced what I went through.......except since last March I have slowly been weaning off the benzo and Trazadone in order to have another ablation done.  This has also been pure hell.   Even though It is a slow weaning I still go through awful weaning side effects.  So imagine when you just stop the BB's and have to go through the effects of that

      Never again 

    • islybot
      islybot Lolasmom

      Posted

      .  Lola, I certainly feel for you.  I had to wean myself off Benzos a couple of years ago.  Though the BBS was a much more intense withdrawal, the benzos took much longer.  But both were definitely not fun.
  • islybot
    islybot rachel1511

    Edited

    I wanted to add one more thing that the cardiologist told me... He confirmed that beta blockers can definitely cause breathing symptoms... "asthma like symptoms" he said

    • peter01729
      peter01729 islybot

      Edited

      Wish your Cardiologist would say that in writing so I can show it to all the cardiologists, doctors etc who refuse to believe my getting breathlessness and a constant cough since going on beta blockers can be anything more than a co-incidence! My GP thinks I suddenly got Asthma, the cardiologist who started getting angry at my suggestion beta blockers can cause lasting damage suggested I might have lung cancer, the doctor in A & E wants to check me out for asbestos-is,  I cannot fathom the incompetency of these people who we entrust our very lives to. I wonder if it is a deliberate instruction to avoid being sued?  

    • islybot
      islybot peter01729

      Edited

      Hey Peter... ya you've been through hell man.  I hope it's getting somewhat better for you.  But it sure would be nice if we had more cardiologists that would admit to the issues these drugs create.

    • peter01729
      peter01729 islybot

      Posted

      I am being investigated at two hospitals due to ambulances taking me to a different heart specializing hospital, as a result, the arrhythmia side of my investigations has been passed to this second hospital. The cardiologist there who did my ablation, when I spoke to him about my remaining beta blocker problems, he didnt react as badly as the rest and did concede that whilst rare, it is possible that beta blockers have had a lasting detrimental effect upon me, but he has arranged various tests to try and figure out whats physically wrong before going down the path he still suspects, that due to my childhood abuse, I dont even realise I am an a person suffering from high anxiety because I have nothing to compare it with, ie, I have been stuck in a state of anxiety since early childhood.  A possibility I guess, but once again, why did this "subconscious" anxiety only produce these symptoms after I took beta blockers and never during the near 60 years of my earlier life?

    • islybot
      islybot peter01729

      Posted

      Hey Peter,

      I've got a bit of knowledge about the subconscious and just want to offer a persepctive. The Beta Blockers could have been the “straw the broke the camel's back”

      Now, I don't recommend ever taking benzos, but I'm curious, have you taken a benzo as a test? One Benzo would take away the anxiety for a short time, and if it lessens the breathing issue then the anxiety issue is something you may want to look deeper into.

      Now, don't get me wrong. I think BB's are horrible and are a big contributor. But just would be interesting to see what would happen with a benzo. But again, I hate benzos as well. Took me a long time to wean off that 2 years ago.

       

    • peter01729
      peter01729 islybot

      Posted

      You could be right re straw that broke the camels back, as a child I would still be asleep, unable to wake up, but terrified because I had forgotten how to breathe. As an adult, I hate being woken from general anesthetic as I panic as I cannot feel my lungs working.

      Never even heard of benzos, but I was put on SSRIs for a while to try and help with depression, that didnt do a thing for depression but got rid of anxiety to the extent I was putting my life in danger riding my motorcycle like I was immortal.

    • denys1975
      denys1975 peter01729

      Posted

      Just be careful with benzos, cause they suppress neuro- receptors and then once you quit em there's a floodgate that opens up. They also work as muscle relaxants and then you may experience the opposite effect: cramps, muscle tightening, weekness and fatigue. Overall, they are prescribed for short-term, because they are addictive. As islybot mentioned it takes a while to get off of them. You might wanna consider something more natural like magnesium, maybe vitamin b6 and b12, mint, chamomile teas..... But after all it  all comes down to your head. You need to learn how to relax and overcome anxieties with your own mind. NONE of those drugs will help, since they are NOT something that your body is lacking. Google cognitive anti-anxiety techniques.You really need to get to the root of your anxiety...In the former USSR they have a term - heart neurosis. And it has nothing to do with your heart. But what it does have to do is your nervous system that messes up your breathing, gives you chest pains, increased pulse, bp and a bunch of other symptoms. You may expience "floating" symptoms:  e.g. today it's the left side under your ribs, tomorrow - right, then your heart..... and it's NONE of those, it's just your sympathetic nervous system that's in the state of "constant defense" against the outer irritants. It simply overreacts to simple ordinary things

    • islybot
      islybot denys1975

      Posted

      I agree with denys,  Benzodiazapines are no joke...Take them sparingly.. like once a week. But I just thought it might be a good test to see if the breathing is anxiety related.
    • denys1975
      denys1975 islybot

      Posted

      Haven't heard from you lately. I hope everything is fine. Just drop a line or two and let us know how are the things with you.

    • karen64576
      karen64576 islybot

      Posted

      New on here and very helpful posts thank you. Is it possible to obtain details of cardiologists who are sympathetic to the notion that BB causing these symptoms. Need to arrange a consultation in London for dear friend who has been off bisoprolol for the last 2 months after 30 years for high blood pressure. Began to suddenly have bad side effects as discussed on this thread. Been on a low dose of 6mg of said BB for 30 years for high blood pressure with no problem before. Gp told him to stop taking meds. Too scared to read on forums as just talking about it raises anxiety. Was given an ace inhibitor and had same effects so stopped. Heart rate racing, breathing issues and depression. Took one tablet of bisoprolol and had relief. Taking magnesium and gentle walking makes him feel better. Changing Gp. Wants to get a blood test and get a good cardiologist and also work along with natural methods. Would appreciate suggestions. Thank you. 
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