Metoprolol. Tapering off. Side effects. Horrible drug!

Hi Holly,

I'm sorry you are still dealing with symptoms. I could not tell for sure if there's something else causing that, but I can only tell you that my withdrawal symptoms only started slowing down after I was completely off the medication.

how long did they last and what withdrawal symptoms did u have?

I had too many symptoms to mention here. It affected so many areas that I'm considered allergic to the medication. You can go to my posts to read them. I also included a timeline of my symptoms for the first few days. Maybe I'm an exception but it's been 10 months and I'm not 100%, don't know if I'll ever be. I would say I'm at 95-97% so pretty good compared to what I went through. Some days better than others. Some even back to my old self. So, it'll get better, it just takes time. Hopefully it wont be so long for you.

hey girl. I read your side effects. I had them all plus more. i get migrains and when i get the flu like symptoms i can't even explain how my body feels. like I'm weak and numb and I'm gonna pass out. scariest thing I ever experienced. I also get stabbing pains in my whole body. esp in my stomach. today is day 4 of me stopping it. I also get chills and nightstweats. I'm freezing all the time. even in 100 degree weather. I can't even function. I feel these symptoms are worse then when i was on it... I'm soo scared.

and my chest feels like it's gonna colapse

I totally understand. If you want to make sure everything is good with you go to your doctor, or to Urgent Care to get checked. Once you know everything is ok you realize it's just a matter of riding it out, or at least that's how it was for me. I went to Urgent Care because I felt like dying and everything came out normal, so I just waited it out.

Also, I don't recommend it but I didn't wean for too long, I couldn't wait to get rid of it.

yeah I was just in the hospital 2 days ago for 160/110 pulse 155 but it's been getting better. yesterday and today tho I feel like I'm dying. I can't even explain how horrible I feel. like I have the flu times 10. my body is so weak and dizzy it scares me. it's like its numb. I never felt anything like it before. I'm so scared. I know I have to ride it out but it makes me so depressed and scared. I was on this stuff for 7 months. I developed an allergy to it on the 4th month then was sick for 3 months straight. I'm also scared that all these symptoms could do permanent damage esp with the heart rate and blood pressure. I think I weaned off too quick too.im having pains everywhere. I'm on day 5. hopefully i soon start feeling better.

I'm almost 10 months out since taking my last pill and I still have some side effects from time to time. I don't think I'll ever be the same, specially emotionally. So, it could be a long ride. However, I started feeling better almost 2 months after I completely stopped the medication. It was little by little, but close to 2 months I felt that the worse was over. Hopefully that helps.

If you go back to Tee19 posts you can see she weaned properly and still went through hell. That's why I decided to wean faster. If it was going to be a pain no matter what I decided to get it over with as fast as I could. That was my rationale behind it.

Hi, Holly,

the earlier thread had more explantions in, perhaps i can summarise my experience and you will know things are hopeful, but this all will take time, a lot of it. it may be that you are unlikely, though of course you could be, to be allergic to this medication, just intolerant, and having withdrawal problems, very similar to those i had with nebivolol. I cannot recall if you are on any type of bb now, if not, maybe a tiny amount of another one could be helpful in the short term only. The thing is, your receptors to adrenalin etc - which are not just in your heart, but over a lot of your body - eg lungs, brain etc - have been blocked to an extent by the medication (some bbs are beta selective so block some areas of your body less - i do not know the position re metoprolol - but all beta blockers do their job of blocking these receptors, to a greater or lesser extent). Then your body, depending on how efficiently it functions, tries to get back to normal while you are on the medication, and creates MORE receptors etc etc . Then when you stop, and this is why you need months and months of weaning, the blocking stops and hey presto! you have more receptors to adrenalin etc than you ever had! Hence you symptoms, and it all depends how long your body takes to downgrade to what was your normal. This may take well over 6 months - it did in my case.

You may not be out of the woods even then, if whatever you were originally prescribed the bb for then comes back, as it did with me. Heart and balance issues were back worse and may or may not have been a factor in falls and serious bone breaks. i dont know. i was dignosed with a type heart condition, and a type of migraine before any bb, and the GP has said many people in my position are much improved on bbs. Having had a long 'dry out' off bbs, and now back on a tiny dose for many months, my balance has somewhat improved since, and the heart also, but i have to keep on a smaller dose than needed, even if it does not work perfectly. I have no other option at all, i cannot increase as side effects too bad.. Even now i have to put up with worsening effects as the months go on - excess gas, bloated stomach so bad i have had to have abdominal scans (luckily clear), and have to eat "baby type" easily digestible food. I also have to put up with tiredness, tight lungs, increas in my allergies (these all on the patient label) and aching joints and worse arthritis, and more illness. I now have to work through all this with more consultant appointments, ongoing for me at moment. But i do not call bbs a poison, as they seem to keep me more in balance, and my heart more steady, a problem that was getting dangerous especially when i was ill with viruses and infections. I also know many people seem to be able to be well on these drugs, unfortunately i seem to now be classed as 'medication sensitive' and maybe the people on this thread may also be more sensitive. I hope things work out

alot of people are saying 3 weeks so hopefully it's not too long for me but I dont think I can do this for 10 months. I can't even drive or function. . this is very scary. I feel like signing myself into a mental hospital. I can't do this for 10 months. I wanna cry right now

Oh no, I don't have all of those symptoms anymore. I would be dead by now I think since I wasn't able to eat solids and even the liquids were becoming difficult. I'm good, just not like I was before. But no, nothing remotely close to what I was feeling while on the medication and during withdrawal. I would give it a month, it is a long time when you are feeling so bad but it passes.

so when did you start feeling good enough to function every day?

Around the 10th day after stopping I felt better to the point of being able to function but I was still having palpitations, nervousness, headaches, sweats, insomnia, and a some other symptoms just not as severe as before. At that point I knew I was getting better and could function, but then there were days where I would feel worse, so it was kind of a roller coaster till about a month later when I started having days pretty close to normal.

This is the timeline of my symptoms for a little more than a month. I stopped taking the pill on 11/16 and wrote down my withdrawal symptoms till 12/31. From that point on during January I would have good days and then maybe once a week a day with a few symptoms but not bad at all. And from then on maybe every couple of weeks. Now, 10 months after, I still get some kind of nervousness almost every day, same with the chest pain (that one has been subsiding and now I only get it once in a while), a sensation in my throat that is hard to explain that I feel not very often anymore, and sometimes the heat wave but also not too often. The only thing that still bothers me the most is the nervousness, which is not bad at all (it got very bad when I was on the pill). I never had anxiety or depression or anything of the sort before taking that medication, and it's the symptom that has lingered the most. That whole experience was very bad for me and just recently I was able to start talking about it without feeling bad physically and emotionally. I was told it was kind of like a PSTD. But just believe me that even though it takes time it gets much better. Like I said before, I would consider myself 95-97% normal most of the time and that is pretty good in my opinion after going through that.

I made this more for myself so let me know if you need help understanding. Also, I only wrote down the worse symptoms on that day, the ones that bothered me enough to be worried. Hope it helps you somewhat. I know at that time seeing something like that would've helped me enormously.

After stopping Metoprolol on 11/16:

Day 1 Horrible, all symptoms that had while taking the medication

Day 2 Similar than day before but somewhat better, less intensity of symptoms

Day 3 Didn’t sleep during the night, anxiety, lightheaded, palpitations, tachycardia

Day 4 anxiety, palpitations, lightheaded, tachycardia, earache

Day 5 took valeriana tea last night. Somewhat lightheaded, flu like symptoms, palpitations, tachycardia, easily tired, weak specially morning to after noon

Day 6 Headache, lightheaded, palpitations, tired without a lot of effort, weak specially morning to mid afternoon

Day 7 Palpitations, some anxiety, chest tightness, muscle pain (shoulder-underpit front)

Day 8 Didn’t sleep well last night. Some anxiety, palpitations, some chest discomfort

Day 9 took valeriana tee last night. somewhat dizzy till mid afternoon, later pretty good, first day that felt as close as normal as possible

Day 10 pretty good, some nervousness

Day 11 nervousness with some palpitations, bruised easily after scratching a leg itch

Day 12 less anxiety than day before, a few palpitations

Day 13 pretty good, a little bit of anxiety in afternoon with a few palpitations and a dizziness that lasted a few seconds

Day 14 pretty good, some palpitations, a bit of anxiety, specially morning and mid afternoon

Day 15 pretty good, tired easily still, a bit of anxiety specially in morning and mid afternoon, but just a bit, sweaty last night

Day 16 some palpitations, some anxiety mid day, tired, flu like symptoms (maybe real this time-allergies, etc), slept well till about 5, then on and off

Day 17 better than day before, just a few palpitations and nerves but almost nothing, tiredness, slept well till about 5, then on and off

Day 18 Didn’t sleep well last night either, same as previous 2 days. Some palpitations and a little tachycardia, tired, headache all day, but pretty good in general, guess more tired than other thing. Took lindel tea last night. Ears kind of clogged in a few occasions

Day 19 Slept better. A bit of palpitations. Headache in afternoon

Day 20 a bit of palpitations. Headache in afternoon

Day 21 bit of palpitations. Headache in afternoon

Day 22 woke up with headache, bit of palpitations

Day 23 Didn’t sleep well. Palpitations most of the day and tired, probably from lack of sleep this week. Headache

Day 24 Didn’t sleep well either. Headache

Day 25 took benadryl last night, slept better. A bit of palpitations. Still headache

12/16 feeling much better except I’ve been having trouble to sleep for quite a few days now and headaches every day. Yesterday had more palpitations than what has become the usual and a bit of tachycardia. Woke up today a bit nervous, with headache and some palpitations, feeling tired.

12/18 last night slept great till 4:30ish, then maybe fell asleep for a little while but I think I didn’t. Still, very nice while asleep. The night before was the best in a long time, slept great the whole night, just woke up a couple of times for a few seconds. Yesterday was a good day, just a bit of nerves (palpitations) in an ocassion. Last night I felt sleepy when I went to bed. Also, didn’t have a headache yesterday which hadn’t happened in what felt like an eternity. Woke up today with a small headache.

12/19 slept pretty good last night. No headache today. A bit of palpitations only

12/22 have had very good days. Yesterday was normal pretty much, as before, very slight palpitations only that almost didn’t feel. Been sleeping pretty good as well, 6 to 7 hours interrupted but pretty good.

12/25 have been pretty good. Back to normal I would say. Still get a few palpitations, like today at night, but maybe because tired. Since yesterday stabbing chest pain on the left (similar to gas pain) that comes and goes fast, only a few times though

12/31 palpitations started suddenly around 11:15pm, tachycardia and no other symptoms, just made me nervous, bp was high but after resting sitting down was 138/76, maybe tired. Worst in a long time

did you have any joint pain? my fingers hurt. I haven't had any palpatations in a couple days thank God. It is like a roller coaster. I'll feel fine then boom I feel like s**t again. this joint pain and body pain is scaring me. did you have any of that?

I did. I think it was similar to the aches we get when we have a bad cold, like a stabbing pain in the joints/bones.

ugh I felt 95 percent better yesterday except for the joint pain. now today I woke up with a high pulse, severe headache,my whole body hurts bad, nausea, chest pain, I can feel my heart beat through my whole body. this is so scary. how does it go from good to bad like this?

So sorry you are going through this. But it was like that for me for quite a while. It is just like a roller coaster. You can only hope that the next day will be better, but with time there are more good days than bad ones. It's just very hard to have hope with those ups and downs, but you'll get there.

thank you hunny so much. I just get scared that maybe it's not the meds because how can you have a good day and then a horrible day when the meds aren't even going into your body anymore. I can't even work. I'm only on day 7. thank you so much for your support tho. on my bad days I can not even move or get out of bed. I can't even explain how ba d I feel.its very scary

I'm glad I can help. I needed help so much when I was in your place. I was lucky enough that I was working from home but I had to leave school. I was in bed for 4 weeks straight if not more (during the time I was in the medication and during withdrawal). The thought that maybe the problem was not the meds was what kept me on them for so long. I don't know how many times I think " if I would've stopped the medication early when I started getting worse nothing would've happened", but I thought that I was the one getting worse. I'm not sure the meds leave our bodies so fast, even though that is what all doctors say, otherwise how to explain the roller coaster that follows. I think when we have a reaction to them our bodies have been affected in so many levels that it takes a long time to recover. I've tried to find an explanation so many times but I don't think I'll ever know.

well I heard that they leave our bloud after 3 days but they are in our nervous system for atleast 3 months. I sleep I

until 5 everyday then I wake up with a fast heartbeat and toss and turn until I get up. it won't let me go back to sleep. I wish the fast heart rate would go away soon. it stopped for a while then came back. I have so much gas and other pains too. I've been waking up with a migraine everyday. I also get that weird feeling in my throat that you were talking about also when my body feels weak like I have the flu. well I'm on day 8 today.. Have a good day

It sounds very similar to what I felt. I remember my 9th day was pretty good, a break I needed. Hopefully you get one of those breaks soon. Also, I think you should be close to the days when the downs are not as bad as before, so hang on a little longer.

thanks honey I'm trying so hard. I cry constantly. I was talking the meds for 8 months so it might take longer for me.. this is insane

It might but let's hope not. There were people that took them for even longer and bounced back faster, so who knows? It's just hard at the beginning. During that time I watched so much TV from my bed. I think that's what kept me a little sane. It helped me get distracted. It was October-November and I watched all the Christmas movies on Hallmark channel. Try to find something that helps take your mind off of it till it gets better. I remember people wanted me to get up, go for a walk, sit by a lake or something but I couldn't stand up straight without feeling like I was going to pass out. So find something that works for you because thinking about it all the time almost made me go insane. Try to get it off your mind a little and remember that it will pass. In the meantime keep your doctor's appointments to make sure everything (besides the withdrawal symptoms) is alright.

ok hunny. thank you so much. but I cant drive yet and my mom just went back to work so I don't have a way to my appts some days. i feel like i have the flu today. been in bed all day. this is my 9th day. its horrible. I'm so scared. I'm trying to keep a positive mindset. my room is trashed because I can't even clean.

Just watch tv, or something or your phone, or read, or something you like. I couldn't get out of bed either, that's why I wached tv all the time. My flu like symptoms usually lasted 3 days, went away and then come back for about the same time. Is your blood pressure ok now you are off the medication? You are completely off the medication, right?

yes I'm completely off for 9 days. I'm on hydrochlorothiazide now. it goes high sometimes but not too bad. I actually felt normal this evening. so afraid what tomorrow will bring...ugh. I keep getting this bad side pain too. did u get that?

I'm very glad you got a little break. I was very familiar (still feel it sometimes) with the "what will tomorrow bring" felling. I believe around these days you should start getting a little more of those breaks. I realized reading my timeline that I had forgotten some of it, and I'm glad to be honest. I wish I could forget it all. I do remember having abdominal pain, just don't remember where exactly, and left chest pain specially when laying on that side. That last one stayed with me for months after. After a while I realized I wasn't going to die from it 😃 Wish you the best for tomorrow. It can only get better from this, right? It really does, have faith.

thanks girl. I just cannot believe your having symptoms still after 10 months. that really scares me. I kept hearing ppl say they were normal after 3 weeks. but I get the worst of everything so i doubt it.my chest is killing me today and my side. tons of gas too and pain behind my boobs and in my armpit...ugh I need to get my mental health together too because I already have enough health issues. I'm going crazy

so u were getting body pains after u stopped it? I can't believe I'm still having the severe side pains after 10 days of not taking it.

Reading through my timeline it looks like I had flu symptoms on day 16, and I always got the body pains when that happened.

ugh I was up all night with my heart racing. I feel like I'm gonna throw up now. I am horrible today. seems like overnight and the mornings are always the worse

Hope it gets better through the day.

thank you hunny

omg I have the same pain as you but I have had them with taking the medication how are you today

how are you doing Holly? I am also suffering terribly from beta blocker WD

sounds like you are in withdrawals. For me it has been brutal. Ive been struggling for a year to get off Atenolol. Ive had body burning, neck pain, head pressure, extreme anxiety, agitation, ear ache, jaw pain and more. Im still not off