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Bisoprolol withdrawal feeling awful

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olivia0399
olivia0399

I have recently come off bisoprolol completely after being 1.25mg daily. I was prescribed the medication after suffering with chest pains and palptations along with a high heart rate, i went to the hospital and had an ECG which came back all clear and then had an chest x-ray which again came back all clear, a long with blood tests that were all clear. My GP then placed me in diazepam as they thought it was down to anxiety, however that did not work i was still suffering from a high heart rate so they then placed me on bisprolol to 'treat the symptoms'. I have now been off the tablets for around 2 weeks, the first few days i felt fine i was really happy i was having no side effects, however a week being off them i began to feel really shaky and weak, i also tried doing some things i used to do so tried going back to the gym but i would come home and my rate would not settle past 120bpm as i assumed id be able to go back to doing normal things being off them. Since then i keep suffering from a high rate hitting 100s just being sat around and feeling even more shakier than i have!

i'm only 20 and i feel this is no life for someone of my age to be living, i feel like i cant do anything i feel weak all the time and im too anxious to do much on the fear ill end up worse off.

i was wondering if anyone else has had a similar experience to mine or could possible give any advice! Would love to go back to feeling how i used to before all this!

note: i have a check up tomorrow with my gp and will see what they suggest too.

0 likes, 24 replies

24 Replies

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  • phoebewhite
    phoebewhite olivia0399

    Edited

    Hi there , did you take yourself off Bisoprolol or was it under supervision? it sounds to me like you still need to be on them. What does your GP say?

    I've been on them for almost 6 years now, I was on 2.5mg but have just gone into 1.25 at my request, my heart rate is usually between 52-64 .

    Phoebe

    • olivia0399
      olivia0399 phoebewhite

      Posted

      Hi

      Thanks for your response!

      My doctor advised me to come off them after I had been on holiday and just advised to come straight off them didn't suggest any weaning off them and he seemed happy to let me do that and he asked to see me once I had come off them and that is tomorrow!

      Whilst on them my heart rate was usually around the same as yours!

      Part of me wants to persevere not being on them to see if the problem fixes it self but I will see what my doctor suggests

      Olivia

    • phoebewhite
      phoebewhite olivia0399

      Posted

      I agree with Elaine, not good advice from your doc, you are supposed to wean off them slowly, when I asked to decrease my dosage my GP asked me to keep a close watch on my heart rate and to make a telephone appt with him for a weeks time to let him know how I was doing.

      Phoebe

    • susan40017
      susan40017 elaine1972

      Posted

      The GP was right to try her on a beta blocker for tachycardia if unknown origin and he was right to try her without it now that her symptoms had subsided. 1.25mgs is the lowest dose possible and stopping it without reduction in dose is the normal process.

    • susan40017
      susan40017 olivia0399

      Edited

      Just one more point about the term 'cold turkey' that's being used here in relation to the need to bring the dose down slowly. If you were on 5mgs; 3.75mgs or 2.5mgs, you would reduce slowly. You'd drop down from 5 to 3.75 for several weeks. Then drop from 3.75 to 2.5 for several more weeks. Then down to 1.25 mgs for several more weeks. So you'd take at least 6 months reducing slowly before making the final drop down to nil. BUT, Olivia, you were only taking 1.25mgs and that means that its OK to just stop but return to your GP if you experience further tachycardia. That is exactly what your GP told you and that was correct.

      This is not like Statin drugs where there is controversy about their use. Beta blockers have been used successfully for more than 50 years and, unlike many of your advisors on your thread, your doctor trained for at least 9 years to become a GP and, in modern times, I have not come across a GP that is a bad one. Many, years ago, there were some GPs that were out of touch with modern changes in medicine because they weren't forced to keep up to date in order to practice. Those days are gone. Most GPs are up to date and your GP sounds to be also.

  • elaine1972
    elaine1972 olivia0399

    Edited

    hi, how quick did you stop taking them??? sounds like u need to be back on them with a very slow reduction before stopping.

    • olivia0399
      olivia0399 elaine1972

      Edited

      Hi

      I just came off them straight away cold turkey! I can see now that wasn't a good idea! But my doctor didn't suggest weaning off them so I assumed all would be okay.

      I think that may be a good idea, thanks for your response

      Olivia

  • susan40017
    susan40017 olivia0399

    Edited

    Firstly, how long were you taking it for? Also, do you have any problems with anxiety or stress?

    1.25mgs is the lowest dose you can get so, apart from cutting them in half, which is not accurate, the normal advise, when you're only on the lowest dose, is to just stop taking them and see how it goes. Then, if the symptoms return, you need to return to the GP and usually return to taking the beta blocker, because it obviously works. Regardless of having a normal ECG and other tests, the beta blocker is given to treat your symptoms. Your GP was right to try it but , he was equally right in asking you to try coming off it. See him again tomorrow and follow his advice.

    Beta blockers are also a good drug in the treatment of anxiety, often given to people short term such as students during an anxious time about taking exams. They can also be given in the longer term for anxiety, especially when anxiety leads to tachycardia. Coming off Bisoprolol and having your tachycardia start again isn't a side effect of coming off the drug, its simply that you stopped taking something that was working well and, without the drug, your symptoms have returned, whatever the cause is.

    • Lolasmom
      Lolasmom susan40017

      Edited

      Hi Susan,

      Just because 1.25 mg is the lowest dose, that does mean that you just stop taking it.

      It should be wean down from there.

      Believe me, I have learned through terrible advise from my doctor

    • olivia0399
      olivia0399 susan40017

      Edited

      Hi,

      Thanks for your response! I was put on them at the end of March so I was on them for around 3-4 months. Yes I have always had problems with anxiety and stress which I do think is a big issue for me.

      Thank you for your help and advice its been very helpful! I will see what my GP suggests tomorrow.

      A lot of articles have suggested that it could be an effect of coming off the Bisoprolol as it has been blocking adrenaline and then the body suffers an increase in adrenaline once the beta blocker is removed, could that also be a possible effect?

      Thanks

      Olivia

    • susan40017
      susan40017 olivia0399

      Edited

      You're right. That is how it works. When you have stress or anxiety, you produce more adrenalin and noradrenalin. These two hormones are commonly known as fight or flight hormones. They're needed if you're afraid (eg being attacked) and you need to fight or run. They increase your heart rate (tachycardia) to get more oxygen to your muscles to help you through this difficult time. So, when you're stressed or anxious, your body behaves as if you're afraid.

      Beta blockers block the production of the two hormones. The result is that your heart rate drops and your anxiety is relieved. So when you then stop taking the drug, your anxiety and tachycardia return. Your GP may want you to have counselling or CBT (cognitive behavioural therapy) to improve your mental health or, if your anxiety has been long standing, he may decide that you're better off taking the beta blocker, because it worked. I don't know you, but he does. So listen to what he offers and make an informed decision about your choice for the way forward. I'm a Registered Nurse and I will only tell you the facts. The choice for treatment is your decision but that decision is made easier when you know the facts. All the best.

  • Lolasmom
    Lolasmom olivia0399

    Edited

    I was on biso for about 3 months. When I was scheduled for an ablation, I was told to stop the biso 5 days prior to ablation date. I asked if it was ok to just stop and was assured it was fine

    Well, it was not fine. I had huge anxiety and a lot of physical symptoms. But I did not know it was withdrawal from biso at the time. I thought it was health anxiety. I was then put on trazodone and klonopin....Worst mistake of my life. Then, there was the horrible process of weaning off those 2 18 months later.

    If I had known that biso would give withdrawal symptoms from going cold turkey, I would never had taken the trazodone or klonopin.

    About the fifth day stopping the biso, the anxiety was incredible. My legs would shake and jitter so bad, I could hardly walk

    Never again will I take anything. If I knew then what I know now.............

    • olivia0399
      olivia0399 Lolasmom

      Posted

      Oh no that sounds horrendous! I'm sorry you had to endure that.

      Would you suggest weaning of the bisoprolol?

      And what would you advise if i was offered benzos, is it better to persevere and see if the problem fixes it self or would you say that they helped you out?

      Thanks

      Olivia

  • Lolasmom
    Lolasmom olivia0399

    Edited

    Hi Olivia,

    |Yes I would wean off the biso. You can shave bits off and do it on your own time.

    Please please please do not go on benzos. It was a nightmare foe me. I am post 19 months and still have protracted withdrawal. I am not saying you would have problems, but I did. Look at benzo buddies and read what people go through. It was the worst decision I have ever made. It took about 9 months to wean off them, and after that, it was even worse.

    I had no clue what I was taking, and was not advised the dangers of them

    • olivia0399
      olivia0399 Lolasmom

      Posted

      Thank you for your advice!

      That sounds terrible, I don't think I'd consider taking Benzos as I wouldn't like to get myself into that kind of cycle!

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