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Metoprolol. Tapering off. Side effects. Horrible drug!

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Tee19
Tee19

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

576 Replies

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  • suzette31954
    suzette31954 Tee19

    Edited

    rest is always beneficial. you can do this. sending you healing intentions...hugs, Suzette

  • suzette31954
    suzette31954 Tee19

    Edited

    rest is always beneficial. you can do this. sending you healing intentions...hugs, Suzette

  • suzette31954
    suzette31954 Tee19

    Edited

    rest is always beneficial. you can do this. sending you healing intentions...hugs, Suzette

  • glen34537
    glen34537 Tee19

    Edited

    hi all

    just started reading this forum and its amazing how many have issues with metoprolol. i had my second afib episode on 3/4 and after giving me meds in hospital my sinus rythmn converted to normal. They released me tsking 25mg per day with half a pill every 12 hours. i feel like crap; like very tired, short of breath, lower back pain, and diarrhea . Dr now said to cut to 12.5 per day vs 25 per day but im worried about the side affects and of course with covid now; the last place i want to go is to hospital with afib . It also feels like your nerves in your arms are tingling or on fire.

    has anyone had the stomach issues and the these side effects ? any suggestions are appreciated .

    thanks

    • stardomax
      stardomax glen34537

      Posted

      I've had stomach issues, very loose stools and heartburn that comes and goes, prior to being put on metoprolol I rarely had these issues. I'm on a beclazone inhaler for recurring chest infections, which is most likely caused by metoprolol as it causes shortness of breath

  • tegan12806
    tegan12806 Tee19

    Edited

    i agree this medication is horrible! i passed out while taking it . i had been taking it for six weeks and my dr told me to stop ... now im miserable from withdrawls

  • stardomax
    stardomax Tee19

    Edited

    I'm 19, and I was originally put on metoprolol 25mg once a day for tachycardia, which is believed to be caused by an underlying rare illness I have. I've been on 25mg twice a day since 2018 or so, and ever since last year onwards I've had rhinitis, gas, bloating, dizziness, nausea, depression, feeling anxious and drained all the time, my hands are cold which makes me feel like I'm warm and causes excessive sweating and then a bit of back pain. I'm due to talk to my GP about getting a referral to see a cardiologist in a private hospital who will hopefully be able to help me. I have anxiety, and it's very tough to go through this, especially when docs wouldn't listen to me. This forum is very reassuring to read, hope I can get my life back

    • kent01801
      kent01801 stardomax

      Edited

      If you, or your doctors, ever decide to stop the metoprolol, DO NOT stop cold turkey. If you do you will be in for a long agonizing ordeal. I've been going through this for almost two years now. You will need to wean off very, very slowly to avoid withdrawals. Even then you may still feell some as others have posted. I was on 25mg for 30 years when they pulled me off, no weaning, it has been pure hell! Good luck.

    • tegan12806
      tegan12806 glen34537

      Posted

      My withdrawl symptoms were just like that of an opiate withdrawl my muscles in my arms ans legs got really tight , i could feel my heart beating in my chest it got less and less every day , it took almost 3 weeks to go completly away

    • glen34537
      glen34537 tegan12806

      Posted

      thank you can you tell me how you did your withdrawal so i can understand better how you lowered your dosages over the three weeks. Anything youd do differently?

    • glen34537
      glen34537 kent01801

      Posted

      can you describe how you withdrew fron the med? how long and how you reduced the dosage ? thanks

    • mat04475
      mat04475 glen34537

      Edited

      i talked to my pharmacist and worked out a schedule and told me to also play it by ear.

      12.5 x twice a day (half a pill)

      1. cut the pill in half (1/4 pill) and did that for 2 weeks. Did ok so went on to next reduction.

      2. cut the dosage in half again (1/8 pill). scheduled for two weeks but needed more time for my body to adapt so I was on it for 4 weeks until I felt ok. Most people would stop the med at this point but the pharmacist said if I could cut the pill into 1/16 to do two weeks on that so I did.

      3. cut the dosage in half (1/16 pill) and scheduled for two weeks. Again I waited for my body to get use to that dosage and did 4 weeks until I felt ok.

      4. Stopped the meds. Had no problems. Was on 12.5 (half pill) 2x a day for 8 yrs. been off it for 6 months and doing fine.

      The trick is doing it slowly, let your body adjust before reducing it again. The way this med works is that it impacts your autonomic nervous system, sympathetic branch - flight or fight, which in turn slows your heart rate. if you don't wean the sympathetic nervous will increase too much and thus increase that fight or flight anxiety. Learning how to mediate or slow deep breaths will cause the parasympathetic branch calm that anxiety. You can google that to get a better understanding of how that nervous system works.

      good luck

    • glen34537
      glen34537 mat04475

      Posted

      thanks this helps i am on it for atrial fib and trying to keep heart rate down during covid

    • tegan12806
      tegan12806 glen34537

      Edited

      i was on a very small dose for only 6 weeks so my doctor let me cut my dose in half every daythe only thing i would change is get a second opinion before i started it

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