Metoprolol. Tapering off. Side effects. Horrible drug!
Posted , 123 users are following.
Metoprolol has been the worst medication I've ever been on. After a year of not knowing what was making me sick we found out it's this poison. I have never suffered so much and now after so much I found out it was this medication which I was given for hypertension. I've always ran but high and I believe I in fact have white coast hypertension I have MS so it's hard to know what's wha. Unclearly this drug ruined my life. I was 5"8 145lbs after losing a lot of weight from the pesky steroids I was given initially for MS then this drug in one year (despite healthy eating) packed on 30lbs and gave me a list of horrific side effects to include swelling chest pressure burning in arms sleep disturbances extreme dizziness depression I never thought possible. I'm slowly tapering off as no one warns you how risky stopping this drug is. Into week 2 of taper and it's hard
I have a tough time with MS but was never this sick
Also doctors hand this crap out like nothing despite FDA warnings. Anyone else go through this? I can't wait to be rid of this poison in me. My anxiety is off the charts
I can't believe I agreed to take this Med. I trusted my doctor. Never again. Have been to ER very sick 3 times. Even ER doc said it's not a good Med to treat HTN of any kind
Thank you for your time
14 likes, 576 replies
eddieroaddogg Tee19
Posted
hello everyone many people here have given me support when i took my dosage of medication, including Annie, but i want to update on my condition
Quick summary, had a bad fall due to a black out. Went to hospital for a head wound but during my time i had elevated heart rate. Was treated for possible a fib and stayed overnight after two staples for wound. Cardiologist mentioned metoprolol and took 25mg once daily for about 2 months as well as an event monitor for a month.
my cardiologist never tapered me and i stopped medication in mid July or so. Since them ive been on a rollercoaster of different emotions. Suffered neck pain which i thought related to a prior issue, feelings of rapid heart beat and chest tightness. Growing sense of anxiety and foggy brain even with a new job. Lump in throat feeling. Suffen awakeness, like my muscles suddenly jerked and tensened and im out of bed rapidly. These have persisted over the last fre months but the mental parts are growing more and more recently (last 30 days) and to this day i cannot figure out why. Most screenings i have had since July are relatively normal health wise and my apple watch shows no heart rhythm spikes or abnormal heart rate. Its been mostly mental.
The only outlier since my hospital stay and now was the approx. 2 months of the medication and its been hell. I dont know what to do now because im concerned every day for things that are possibly just mental. I did slightly change my diet since the fall and lost some weight which is great news of course, and if i do not focus o these negatives and distesct myself with tasks or other media then i am ok for the most part. I am 32 years old and terrified ive been changed for life
suzette31954 eddieroaddogg
Posted
please be kind to yourself. you may have stopped metoprolol too quickly. I also had brain fog and ran into feelings of depression. you were brave in stopping. dr's have their hands tied with law suits if they don't comply to rigid regulations...try meditation, a healthy diet and research. you are so young and you deserve a long healthy life. please keep me posted. am sending you healing energy.
eddieroaddogg suzette31954
Posted
thank you for the recommendations
i will clarify that i was not the one who chose the hard stop that many people here have stated was bad for this medication. it was the doctor himself who hard stopped me and did not change anything to reflect the situation.
i have taken my wifes advice and at night will play some form of music that helps with sleeping or using the application Headspace to get some meditations for sleep and productiveness. i am in the process of trying to change my eating habits which is the hardest part but one change i have done is avoid almost all soda entirely except for ginger ale. Water and Sparkling water are my drinks of choice with meals, with the occassional Juice and coffee. thank you for your help and healing energy. i am hoping that these things get me started on a good path but also fear the worst every time that they did irreversible damage to be just for profit
DANI27663 eddieroaddogg
Posted
I'm wondering if you are feeling better Eddie? I also feel rapid heart rates, especially when I'm laying down. yesterday was my first day not taking the medication.
eddieroaddogg DANI27663
Posted
the only symptoms that i currently have experienced since then mainly revolve around my throat. while my heart rate is normal and blood pressure is ok at each of my recent visits, i will sometimes have a fluttering feeling that does dissipate at times. i will sometimes have a lump in my throat feeling at times and i get worried that i cant breathe or eat even though i can drink fluids normally. i know for sure since april that i cannot sleep or even lay on my back anymore because i can feel my neck constricting and i get claustrophobic and dizzy and cant breathe fully regardless of the deep breaths i take
DANI27663 eddieroaddogg
Posted
I've been trying some natural remedies. I had to use a heating pad and ice for several nights. It brought me comfort, just an idea. I've been taking magnesium in the evening. It seems to be helping me sleep better. I take it 2 hours before bed. I'm trying a healing drink aid to help me out as well. It's still new to me but hoping for the best. I wonder if the medication gave you an allergic reaction to your throat. I got a rash because of the medication. stretching and yoga has been helping me. I just wanted to give you some ideas. you can heal, keep on telling yourself that. I tell myself, I'm the messenger to my pain and I will heal. I hope things get better for you. Your in my thoughts as well as everyone on here.
mat04475 DANI27663
Posted
melatonin is good at bedtime.
DANI27663 mat04475
Posted
I'll look into it, thanks for helping me out and all the info you have provide for me Mat. Greatly appreciated ❤.
eddieroaddogg DANI27663
Posted
could you provide me information on the healing drink you mentioned. i have been focusing on herbal tea and water mostly so other drink options would be great
i have been ok with sleeping, getting about 6.5 hours a night. i dont sleep on my back anymore since the incident and have only focused on my side and stomach mainly.
i will talk to my GP next visit regarding an allergy. i will say that most of these issues have been since i stopped the medication and have not been right since with my throat and chest. i did some searching and the possibility of an issue with my thyroid or heart in general terrifies me. i have a referal sent out for a psychotherapist so im awaiting information and an appointment hopefully soon to see if my mind is also in need of healing, like if i am physically manifesting some of this since my test results have all been clean.
i hate being scarred on a frequent basis like this because a hospital gave me a medication happy doctor for no reason
mat04475 DANI27663
Posted
hope it helps.
i had a bit of a pause with going off the weaning schedule and took three weeks at 6.25 2x daily. It was going well then went to 3.12 but unfortunately twisted my rib, more painful than when I broke them. Of course the pain increases the sympathetic nerve response of the autonomic nervous system which increases the blood pressure. Tried to hold where I was at but BP went up too much so moved back up to 6.25 where it is stable. Saw the cardiologist today and he said hold at 6.25 until I recover from this latest mishap. Ribs can take months to heal. he is hoping by May that I am off it. Bummer, but you have to go with the flow. Trying to zone out and meditate on Love, Joy and Peace which makes me smile. Hang in there.
DANI27663 eddieroaddogg
Posted
Good evening, sorry it's taken me so long to respond. I went through a dry spell with costochondritis. The tea is garlic, ginger, apple cider vinegar, lemon, and honey. While taking it for a short amount of time I've noticed a difference with my health. Its strong but seems to be working with lowering my blood pressure, boosting my immune system, and gives me energy. Ive had to lay off the coffee for the moment. some people can't take the tonic tea on certain medications or with stomach ulcers. I'm trying the natural healing at the moment. Garlic does wonders as well, opens up the arteries, good for the heart. some people drink it with just water. ginger lemon tea is also beneficial. I hope this helps.
suzette31954 Tee19
Posted
I had robotic heart
surgery 3 months ago. they repaired my mitral valve and did a procedure to eliminate my afib. I was placed on warfarin and metropol tartrate (?) 25 mg 3 times day. I began with only 2 x a day. recently I reduced to 1 time a day and still have the side effects. I did find a cardiologist that treats heart disease without surgery thru diet and exercise. she is in another state and I'm waiting for the paperwork to become a patient online. my current cardiologist is black and white and I doubt he would approve my reduction. I also want off the warfarin. I plan to reduce my metoprolol by taking half a pill for about 10 days or less. I'm scheduled for an echocardiogram on nov 4th and see my dr on the 11th. will have my medical records sent to new dr after these events. my current dr also had me set up for other meds that I refused to take. mt husband teaches culinary arts and is a chef and i eat healthy. the dizzy spells are horrific. I'm on 20 acres in the mountains and want to be able to begin hiking but have concerns with bleeding and dizziness. my heart rate has reduced from systolic highs of 140 and 130's to 112 and 103 since the taper. my inr level is now 1.7 (dr wants me at 2 or 3). this is to keep my blood thin. my body continues to keep it in the low range and now they have doubled the dosage. will go back Monday for my weekly diagnosis at the anti Coagulant clinic. so frustrated!! I can stop the warfarin without tapering but am waiting for echocardiogram results. they said I need it to keep my blood from clotting and causing a stroke or heart attack . this can be controlled with diet. most grateful to know others are having the same experiences and thoughts. Big pharma sets us up to stay on meds. I'm almost 75 and plan to live life not just exist.
DANI27663 Tee19
Posted
Tee 19, thank you so much for your blog. I have had extreme side effects from this disgusting drug. I have only been on it for a short amount of time, but the side effects are real. My life has gone down hill because of it. My dr. prescribed metoprolol ER succinate 25 mg and an anxiety medication on the same visit. I think my anxiety caused more trouble being diagnosed with BP then anything. I want to ween myself off after 4 days. Last night, 5th day, I reduced the medication by cutting it in half. I'm try to predict on how many days to take it at 12.5 mg, any suggestions? From there I plan on reducing it to 6.25, but again not sure on how many days to take it for. I know I've been on a short amount of time and hate the way I feel. Headaches in the morning, tired/nauseous by 2, dizzy, horrible dreams, etc. Any help would be greatly appreciated. my dr. was real quick to hand out the pills but seems to disregard my concerns. I've called the office several times and made an appointment for next week. Till then I'm stuck and feel depressed.
mat04475 DANI27663
Posted
i called my pharmacist and got the following scheduled. took it very slowly and seems to have worked.
Her Schedule
from 12.5 twice daily to:
1/2 that dose twice daily - 2 wks
1/4 that dose twice daily - 2 wks
1/4 that dose once daily - 2 wks
1/4 that dose @ other day - 2 wks
DANI27663 mat04475
Posted
Thanks for replying so quickly Mato, I really really appreciate it. If you dont mind me asking, how long were you on metoprolol for? I have not been taking the medication not that long, so I wonder if I should cut the dose from 12.5 to 1/4 after a few days? I agree on taking it slow. Thanks for the helpful information. I'm so thankful for this website. I hope to be getting back to myself soon, hiking and exploring the outdoors.
mat04475 DANI27663
Posted
i was on it for 8 yrs. But I think the point is to be very patient and do it slowly. The drug blocks or reduces adrenal output which affects the involuntary nervous system, the autonomous system.
Slows the heart rate to reduce blood pressure.
I wanted off it and at first tried faster but felt badly, more anxious as less adrenal output was blocked, then took my time and took three weeks instead of two (pharmacist said play it by ear) until my body got use to the reduced dosage before reducing again. Also used a lot of meditation to calm down the sympathetic (fight or flight) while I weaned off it.
Sympathetic is responsible for the response commonly referred to as "fight or flight," while parasympathetic is referred to as "rest and digest."
Meditation, esp slow deep breathing is a parasympathetic activity that will calm down the sympathetic system. knowing what is happening to you is in itself calming.
Maybe you can go faster, but Patience... to avoid any further discomfort might be more effective. Monitor BP and HR for rebounding which can happen if you wean too fast. each person body reacts differently. when I change my tactic to do it slowly, I had no more unpleasant discomfort. Also a good goal is doing things that keep you calm. deep breathing is one of the best parasympathetic activities to balance out the sympathetic responses. Getting really good at meditation reduces need for anxiety meds. you can learn to practice it thruout the day.
DANI27663 mat04475
Posted
Great advice! I'm taking it slow and have been trying to meditate. It can be difficult when I'm feeling the side effects of this medication. I like the point you made about recognizing that the body will get familiar to the reduction. I'm afraid the Dr. will try prescribing me something different and I'll be in the same situation. I have not bothered to try the anxiety medication. I like the natural way of doing things. I've done my research and am hoping I can bring my BP down with a more natural approach. I can only hope it works.
mat04475 DANI27663
Posted
How high is your bp?
Do you monitor at home?
What anxiety med were you perscribed?
Have you found out what is causing the high bp?
What natural methods have you found?
My bp inched up to 140/70 due to weight, stress and high cholesterol issues at work. I was working on those issues WHEN I had an accident, damage to my spine and damaged my sympathetic nervous system throwing me into a consistant "fight or flight". Bp was over 160.
I needed meds to lower it. Metoprolol works by blocking factors (adrenaline) that impacts the sympathetic nervous system. I learned every parasympathetic activity to try and offset it. It took years of therapy to resolve the physical issues.
Deep breathing meditation is probably the best parasympathetic activity to calm you down and bring the autonomic nervous system back in balance and also hopefully lower your BP.
https://www.mindful.org/a-five-minute-breathing-meditation/
Mindful meditation is also high on that list of activities. You can google youtube for many.
https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/consumer-health/in-depth/mindfulness-exercises/art-20046356
DANI27663
Posted
I just called the Walgreens pharmacy and they told me to stop taking it. I'm a little shocked. maybe its because I haven't been on it to long and the side effects suck! I'm not sure what to do now.
suzette31954 DANI27663
Posted
I did 10 days at 12.5mg 1xday followed by 10 days with 6.25 mg. now am off, still have some brain fog and an occasional dizzy spell. was on it 4 months before I began tapering. you made a good decision to stop. maintain a healthy diet with lots of fresh fruits and vegetables and look into yoga, meditation and mudras for a healthy heart....
DANI27663 mat04475
Posted
I had a rough night, followed what the pharmacist said and didn't take the medication. my heart was beating way too fast. It woke me up several times.
My morning was much better and I'm starting to feel myself somewhat. I went to the Dr. my BP was 128 over 82. I drank garlic tea, I know it sounds gross, but it seems to work. lots of heart benefits. It's hard for me to replace anything with coffee. I've cut back on the coffee alot. I took some CBD oil, and did yoga. I tried to be calm and go with the flow.
The Dr. prescribed me Escitalopram for anxiety. I haven't taken any of them. Not sure about them. I'm not sure if its anxiety causing my BP to rise or what it is. I also had costochondritis before my BP went up. I went to the emergency rm and they did not prescribe me anything, even with my BP being sky rocket high.
I have many natural remedies and I'm not sure which one works the best. I'm still experimenting. I can send you some links if your interested.
I understand why you had to take the medication, wow, to my understanding the therapy worked. I'm so glad to hear that. I'll be praying for you.
Thanks for the links I'm going to look into them.
DANI27663 suzette31954
Posted
Thank you for responding. I felt horrible last night. I could not sleep and thought I was in for the worst. I used heating pad and then ice.
The morning was a little better. right now I have a horrible headache and my heart beat seems off. I'm just fighting through it and hoping for the best! I tried this weird garlic tea. I guess it can help reverse heart problems. I'm trying anything and everything to feel better. " strength of the mind". I've been losing to much weight from being nauseous from the medication.
I'm happy to hear your off this horrible medication. I'll keep you in my prayers.
DANI27663
Posted
check this out and tell me what you think. I think I posted it on here correctly.
Watch "Garlic, honey, ginger, lemon, and apple cider vinegar" on YouTube
https://youtu.be/djB95Q4xIWk
glen34537 DANI27663
Posted
hi just curious if youre cutting a 25 mg in half and then cutting the 12.5 in half again to ween off? are they cutting pretty well?
tara77076 DANI27663
Posted
DO NOT take that anxiety med... whole other beast of withdrawls !!! took me 6 months!