Metoprolol. Tapering off. Side effects. Horrible drug!

Hi, Tee, sorry to hear things bad at moment..  when you were stated on this drug, how lnmg did it take for your site effects to start, and  what were they? wondered as at  thought i was just ill, and that was why i needed the meds, maybe you might try even slower cutting mack?

could not find how to correct the above!  meant how long did it take for your side effects to starts, what were they, did they change over the months, regarding mine, i first thought what i now realise were side effects were the result of me being ill, they were so strange.  I was suggesting possibly you try even slower cutting back....i thought i could cope but by time i had been not using my beta-b (also lipophilic and crossing the blod brain barrier)  at all for a week or two the adrenalin surge was starting to kick in causing me to feel constantly spaced out - and worse followed. take care

Hi Annie. Thanks for the note. I was on 50mgs am and pm (100mgs total per day). I reported symptoms early on but was told stay on it and give it time. I had so much going on I just overlooked it and then it became real bad in the last few months

I had leg swelling, immediate weight gain foggy brain anxiety chest pressure and a bad stomach and several other things)

And I also thought it was related to another health issue but I was and always have eaten heathy don't smoke don't drink and I excercise a few times a week. All that came crashing down hard and I sunk into a dark depression which I've never been depressed

My taper schedule is 6 weeks. That's how careful I'm doing this. I'm just do upset at this whole thing. Never again will I let this happen. Docs and drug companies get $$$. we get sick!

Good hearing from you. Love this site. Helps to know I'm not alone or crazy

Annie. I also developed extreme dizziness ear pain and can only use my phone for a computer. Can't sit in my chair looking at desktop without getting sick. I have to sleep many nights in a recliner. Can't sleep in bed with feeling pressure in chest. It's awful

Hi, Tee, Thanks, Yes i had chest pressure, an alsmost clasping feeling of my throat, and breathing diffs, the breathing was tested and i was told ok, later i asked for the graph and did not get it, then it seemed something could be not quite right but i was never given the documents.  Later i found at least the one i was on should not be used by asthmatics - i am not, but have had, in the past,  some breathing problems needing medication, when i was living in polluted areas. i have found that the type of beta cells that are blocked on the heart are also blocked partially on the lungs by at least the meds i had.  i also, like you, had a bad stomach, but bouts, so at first i thought it was a strange virus, And, like you, as the meds took effect, i described myself to doctors as feeling as if i was walking thru mud, every movement was so difficult, getting upstairs was a strain on my heart, and it had never been before, i felt half dead, enjoyment of life was going (interestingly one man on either this or another forum said he felt like a corpse!). Ankles got swollen, etc etc i could go on for ages!

That's interesting - i hadhad a slight prob with screens, that went on the meds (one thing did get better, as GP commented!), but as i started weaning off it was back big time, then it faded and the over adrenalin months kicked in, then it was back to serious balance probs, which coulld have not been linked, who knows, as i had a succession of long viruses, i feel my immune system was upset by the meds, and did find one study showing there was some sort of not very good  immune effect on healthy athletes who took the meds. Best wishes, well over a year after i started them, i feel i hope i am now over the effects, i hope the time you have to go thru is shorter

Hi Annie. Thanks for writing. The support truly helps. Hate that others are going through this but at least I no longer feel crazy. The effects of these drugs are very real. Even if test results look ok doesn't mean we aren't feeling it. Doctors can be so aggravating. Interestingly today I found out labs drawn in the ER actually came back with elevated liver enzymes which I've never had before even when I was given strong MS meds. I firmly believe this is a result of the Metoprolol.  What a horrible drug 

I'm on my 2nd week tapering off this crap and my heart rate stays within 60-72 and BP around 140/85 which before my numbers were high but they always are at the doctors and at the hospital 

I've had this weird electrical feeling going across my chest but it was last night then resolved. I'm still having trouble with dizziness and my eyes feel heavy this week as in I'm always tired I sit down and end up taking a nap. That's not normal for me. 

Right now my dosing is 50mgs in the am and 1/2 of 50mgs in the pm.   Next week I cut back a bit more. 

I appreciate you staying in touch. What a mess this is. Never again. 

Have a great evening 

Wow. So many similarities. Please let me know how your testing goes.  I wish we were never giventhis awful drug 

It's 0715 am where I live. I had the worst night ever. BP spikes and just overall feeling horrible, agitated and then I became so cold. I had this surge of an adrenaline rush that was awful. I didn't even want to go to sleep for fear I wouldn't wake up. My hubby sat up with me and then I dozed off and just woke up. I woke up with such an ache throughout my body and slight headache. I'm trying not to be anxious for what the day will bring but it's this drug taper. It has to be. Praying and hoping I get past this. I'm only towards the end of week two of the tapering. 

Any thoughts??   Thank you. First time I e been afraid of this 

Sadly, i don't have any suggestions, though in some threads posters suggest a very very slow wean off, over at least 6 months. Maybe there is someone else who can help on this forum.  From the threads i have seen, everyone is different in how they react. For myself, i realised that any stress was seriously damaging, even happy stress, and this included even a small brisk walk - as any extra adrenalin on top of the excess already there was dangerous... When at last i got back to the hosp that prescribed the stuff - there seemed no recognition of what i was attempting to describe, and just the comment that i was fine now, and that two of my conditions and beta blockers did not mix, or similar - i may not recall the exact words, i was so surprised, as that dept had prescribed them...there is, i now find, something called the 'beta blocker withdrawal phenomenon' that some do have - problem is i can find nothing about beta blockers and autoimmune diseases.

Thank you Annie. It angers me. I did read no excercise through coming off this poison and I've been careful. It was such a bad night.  Doctors need to stop handing this out. I have MS and clearly this doesn't mix well. No one cared to investigate that and yes I know how they act like " oh well, it didn't work for you. No biggie".  Many have stopped cold turkey. I can't imagine. 

We had terrible heat (weather) which is hard on me but it's cooled down a bit. Summers here are horrible hot and humid as we are surrounded by water at sea level.  Stany last night I was freezing cold. I had to use the heat pad and blankets and could not warm up. One other thing I've battled that doesn't help is I have severe anemia. I had to undergo 6 weeks of IV iron. Not fun 

Have a wonderful day 

I thought i was going crazy when the summer hit after i quit metoprolol cold turkey almost a year ago. I will admit i did not listen and did NOT taper off this terrible drug . I am also a slow metabolizer that has suffered with PMDD and anxiety long before being given this drug for a severe panic attack. I can barely even sit in hot water now . keep in mind I had NO prior heart issues prior to taking this poison. I am still dealing with withdrawals from this drug and I am not sure what to do to cleanse myself completely out.

I did my own taper after being on a very short time. still having issues with shortness of breath and extreme dizziness. read all the comments on the blog, lots of suggestions. sending healing energy to you...Suzette

I admire your strength in stopping without tapering, but even with tapering you can still have reactions.