Bisoprolol Side Effects

If you lookup bisoprolol buddies on this site you will find lots of info on the side effects of bisoprolol. 

  I was prescribed bisoprolol for a fib and was on this medication for 4/5 years. The side effects were ..extreme fatigue...kept falling asleep during the day, dizzy spells, weight gain, awful nightmares, weakness in legs...couldn’t stand for long without support, walking..as if I was wallking in treacle, brain fog, cold feet and hands, itchy skin. Numerous! Discussed with several GPS and also consultant. None accepted my concerns! I then thought it was my a fib causing the problems,until I found this site! 

   A new Gp agreed to change my Meds to atenolol! I persevered...but again,similar problems. I then reduced my intake gradually and when I got it down to half visited my go! He was ok with my decision. I then gradually weaned off it all,visited my go and she was ok with my decision! The withdrawal was really bad and took over 6 months. 

None of the above symptoms now!

   However ,this drug can help many people and I’m not advocating that you do as I have done! But, I can empathise with you...I had so many difficult years on this drug and the gps and consultant did not listen! Thankfully I read things on here and made an informed decision,eventually backed up by a new GP. 

  Hope this helps. I know where you’re coming from...believe me! 

The day they put me on minimum dose Bisoprolol I described feeling like a drunk zombie who could no longer feel my lungs working, breathlessness, had to consciously remember to breathe, turned me into an old man overnight.

So I used to cut the tablets in half, none-the less, after three months I was found hardly conscious, and with a heart beat of 42bpm after being brought round with oxygen.

This was last March I came off them.

The symptoms remain and are in fact getting worst to the day.

The NHS refused to believe their drugs could still affect me and so fobbed me off with "its Anxiety".

Its only December I finally got one of my cardiologists to listen to reason, namely, that Beta Blockers disrupt your Autonomic Nervous System by blocking receptors in it.

Every single one of my now mulitiple symptoms is a symptom of Autonomic disfunction, I was able to show them a statement from a medical equipment manufacturing company for the testing of Autonomic Neuropathy that one of the things that can cause it is "Drugs that increase sympathetic activity (sympathomimetics): amphetamines, monoamine oxidase inhibitors (antidepressants), beta adrenergic stimulants

Drugs that decrease sympathetic activity (sympatholytics): alpha and beta blockers (i.e. metoprolol), barbiturates, anesthetics"

I was also able to show that despite lung function tests showing my lungs to be mechanically fine, Autonomic receptors were not responding to low blood oxygen levels in my blood, hence the breathlessness. (See image below, blood oxygen should be between 95 and 100%, the red line I am pretty much constantly below, is considered to be a 15 minute response time medical emergency, they couldn't explain how their "anxiety" could cause that).

I am now being referred to a Neurologist but all my research indicates Autonomic Dysfunction is incurable, I consider Bisoprolol responsible for the forthcoming loss of my occupation, and a remaining life with half my days spent in bed to recover from the previous days exhaustion.    

I had insomnia and started taking it mid day instead, that seemed to help. I had asthma type breathing,low blood pressure and heartbeat, no energy and got a little depressed, I am sure I got forgetful as well, I come off cold turkey before Christmas after taking it for 9 months, I wanted to enjoy Christmas with my family.  I await an appointment with electrophysiologist from Barts. I have lived with ectopic beats for 42 years and bouts of svt for 11 years, all ignored by doctors.

From other sites:

1. Trouble sleeping, or insomnia, is one of the most common side effects of beta-blockers (drugs used to manage high blood pressure), as they suppress nighttime melatonin secretion.

2. a scientific study: 

The effects on sleep of four beta-blockers, atenolol, propranolol, metoprolol and pindolol, were studied in a placebo-controlled trial. Drugs were administered in random order to 10 female volunteers who acted as their own controls. Subjects were tested five times, each test period lasting 10 nights (2 baseline, 2 low dose, 4 high dose, and 2 withdrawal). A questionnaire concerning subjective appreciation of the quality of the previous night's sleep was completed each morning. Night recordings of muscle tension, eye movement, heart rate and electroencephalogram were recorded on paper and magnetic tape. Analysis of the subjective questionnaires showed that recollection of dreaming and awakening in the night was increased by the three lipophilic drugs, propranolol, metoprolol, and pindolol. These results confirm reports in the literature but are contrary to those expected from considering the effects of noradrenaline on sleep. Analysis of physiological records confirmed subjects' reports that waking was increased by the lipophilic drugs. Dreaming (rapid eye movement sleep, REM) was reduced, as predicted from knowledge of the effect of noradrenaline on sleep. Increased awakening leads to an increase in remembered dreaming which explains the otherwise paradoxical results. Although atenolol had no effect on subjective measures of sleep this hydrophilic drug also reduced REM frequency, suggesting that either it has some central effect, or that REM reduction is due to a peripheral 'shielding' effect.

3. a similar topic here from 1 year ago:

https://patient.info/forums/discuss/insomnia-with-bisoprolol-585326

Thank you so much to all contributing to this. 

I have read through all the responsive and can relate to pretty much all of these. Especially the insomnia, and Nervous System, that’s exactly how it feels when I try to go to sleep some  nights , like I have a asreanaline running through my body. 

The wanted me to go on Anti depressant but I always New in myself is side effects and at the same time knew it was too dangerous to come off them. They are the best for me in the meantime I might  try and take them in the afternoon. 

Thanks guys! I’m loving the discussion it has helped me.... keep the tip and stories coming 

Terrible stuff.

Was on it for about 3 months

I had very low heart rate, low blood pressure, and felt like a zombie. No energy and could not get off the sofa.  My hands and feet were so cold.

Then when I had to stop it to have an ablation, the doctor told me it was okay to stop. Well, it was not okay, Went through terrible withdrawals

Never again.