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
Jesseray Tee19
Posted
OMG! Im in a similar situation. Day 3 tapering off and i cant manage. My anxiety is so bad, like almost panic attack! Hard to sleep, Im scared all the time, heart palpitations, and extreme diziness! My head feels like its gonna exolode!! 😦 Any help is appreciated. ive been taking 25mg for 1.5 yrs. Going on day 4 of 12.5mg. How are you now?
kay04235 Tee19
Posted
I'm currently experiencing the tingling all over my body. my doctor started the wean process on February 18th. i went from 150mg a day to 25mg a day. I also take verapamil and spironolactone with it. I'm going through hell. I have the tingling and it's itchy, I'm depressed, horrible nightmares, appetite is down, leg weakness and tomorrow I'll see the ENT because I may have an ear infection or some type of ear problem. this is terrible. I pray for everyone going through this.
thomas00145 Tee19
Edited
Did the random adrenaline surges ever stop? I was on a low dose. 25 mg of Metoprolol Succinate. I was getting higher bp and anxiety on the higher dose which is strange. Now that I went down to 12.5mg I feel better but in the last couple weeks there have been random adrenaline spikes. My doctor said I could quarter them to try to get off if it made me feel better so I am going to try that next. But I don't want to do it until I haven't had any spikes.
tyt thomas00145
Posted
I don't think Tee checks this site any longer. Hate that you're having to deal with this. But When I stopped the beta blocker, I had adrenaline surges for 2 months. They were the worst during the night while trying to sleep and waking up in the mornings. I also had a lot of other withdrawals, which made it total hell for 2 months.
thomas00145 tyt
Posted
thank you for responding! good to know it gets better! its crazy its such a low dose but causes these symptoms! im out of shape too so my heart rate speeds up with any activity. im trying to get back into shape a little before i wean off anymore. after a couple more weeks im going to try 1/4 tablet.
thomas00145 tyt
Posted
did you get more pvcs after stopping? i have more now than i dud before starting it!
tyt thomas00145
Edited
Yes, during the first two months of being off, I did. I had every withdrawal symptom you could imagine.
thomas00145 tyt
Posted
Did you taper before stopping?
tyt thomas00145
Posted
Unfortunately, I did not. My doctor failed me with this. I did not know anything about this medicine and since I had only been on it for 6 weeks, he told me to just quit it. He said the worst thing would be my BP would go up a bit. ugh he was wrong.
thomas00145 tyt
Posted
my doc said to just stop even after i explained my withdrawal symptoms. she even said she has not heard of it doing that. i said if you go online people are cutting pills into eighths to try and quit so its not just me. Still did not believe me. i said i will be tapering anyway. the pvcs ive been getting are the ones that take your breath away, i hate them!
tyt thomas00145
Posted
My cardiologist doesn't believe it either, but my regular doctor said that it does happen with some people. I read an article from the World Health Org. that said that 1/3 of the people that quit BB have withdrawals that can be quite uncomfortable, but because it's not the majority of people, most doctors discount it. Every doctor I have spoken to since coming off the BB told me that it should always be tapered. If you google it, they tell you some people can even have a heart attack if you stop it cold turkey. I totally understand how you feel. It's the worst thing I've ever gone through.
thomas00145 tyt
Posted
i think i read the same article. I am so nervous to go down to a 1/4 tab after feeling a little better these last couple weeks going down to a half tab its like do i want to go through it again, but i have to if i want off!
tyt thomas00145
Posted
I wish my doctor had told me to taper. Because it was unbearable at times, but I was determined to get off of it too. Wish I had found this forum sooner. But thank goodness I think the worst is over for me. Hopefully your next cut won't be as bad.
cathrine70629 tyt
Posted
may i ask what WD symptoms? I am down to 4mg of Atenolol and shocked at the ferocity of my WD symptoms. I feel debilitated and its been many months
Charles2929 Tee19
Edited
I was put on this medication due to side effects from pantaprozole which was making my heart palpitate. I took the metoprolol for 7 days and ended up in the ER because i felt like i was dying. I could barely function. The metoprolol killed my blood pressure and i didn't have high blood pressure to begin with. I was only taking 12.5 mg twice a day. The doctor there told me to wean off of it over the next 5 days but wasn't too concerned anyway because i was on such a small dose. I then took 12.5 mg a day for 2 days then 6.25 mg for 2 days then stopped. I felt good for a day and then day 2 coming off i got huge pressure in my head and developed migraines. Its now been 70 days off this poison and they still havent gone away. I have them every day and its been nothing but doctors appointments since. The doctor who prescribed me the metoprolol claims the migraines have nothing to do with the drug. Ive never had migraines before and so he claims out of nowhere i just developed them at the same time i come off this poison. Never take this drug. It will ruin your life. I'm not sure if ill ever get back to normal .
tyt Charles2929
Posted
Your right, these drugs are the worst. I went through an unbearable 2 months when I stopped the beta blocker. At 3 months things got a little better. I'm in 4 months and I feel a lot better, but still have a few symptoms. One is the pressure in the head. Its not every day. At times it doesn't last long but then other times it last longer. I don't have the headaches, thank goodness. Sorry your having to go through this.
Charles2929 tyt
Posted
Yeah I'm at 2.5 months and i still have head pressure on both sides and tinnitus. I'm trying to get MRI as soon as possible to make sure theres nothing else going on. I also have tinnitus so i'm wondering if i have vertigo. I did read on here that this drug can stay in your nervous system for up to 3 months after so im hoping in a couple more weeks this goes away.
tyt Charles2929
Posted
Yes, I heard about the 3 months too. A lot of people have the tinnitus while there on the BB and when coming off. I've had the tinnitus also but it seems to be getting better. I think it all just takes time for the body to get back to homeostasis.
Charles2929 tyt
Edited
I spoke last week with a different doctor than the one who prescribed me this poison. She said metoprolol is also used to treat migraines. I'm wondering if the migraines and head pressure is just rebound effect from stopping. It seems to he a long process getting back to normal. Just when you think you're getting there you start having bad days again. I've never been more unhealthy after taking this crap and before this I had no major health issues what so ever. Pure poison....
tyt Charles2929
Edited
Yes, I never had issues like this before. My anxiety has been through the roof and never in my life have I ever had any anxiety. I have noticed that I'll have good days and bad days....good hours and bad hours in the same day.Yes the migraines and pressure are probably rebound effects. There was one guy I talked to and he was only on it for 9 days and he finally started feeling better after 2 months being off of it but he said it took him a full year to get back to completely normal...he was on it for high blood pressure. He said he had a multitude of withdrawal symptoms. It a journey for sure.
Charles2929 tyt
Edited
A year ? That's insane!! I was only on it for 12 days total and it really messed me up. Ive been going for accupuncture also the last couple weeks but doesnt seem to do much so far. I think the metoprolol really screwed up my nervous system. I've finally embraced that the road to normal is going to take a really long time and theres going to be some good days and mostly bad days. Its crazy how some of these drugs can literally f**k up your life.
tyt Charles2929
Edited
I know, its unbelievable how they effect your CNS. Everyone I've talked to says it just takes time. I've been told to cut out sugar, drink tons of water and take magnesium glycinate, and sleep as much as you can. Hopefully you'll heal sooner than later. One guy said you'll have a lot of doubt if you'll ever get better, but he says you will and try not to over think it. This site has really helped me get through the last 3 and half months.
Charles2929 tyt
Posted
Thats exactly where i am right now. Doubting if I will ever get better. But this site definitely helps. Just to be able to talk to others who have experienced the same thing. I guess I'll just give it some more time and I'm sure I'll one day feel normal again.
cathrine70629 Charles2929
Posted
so sorry for your suffering! I can relate. I have been tapering Atenolol for a year abd down to 4mg . It has been a total nightmare experience. Head pressure, burning body, pain, agitation, and more
Charles2929 cathrine70629
Posted
Ive had a migraine every single day since coming off. It doesnt go away. I also have severe anxiety which Ive never had before in my life. It doesnt go away. Its been 5 months now and I still wake up every day with severe headaches and migraines. My vision is completely messed up. This drug ruined my life.
jules81443 Charles2929
Posted
Hi there, hope you are continuing to feel better with time. I was only on this poison from hell for 2.5-3 weeks and it has been 36 days and I am still having issues with high heart rate and anxiety (a bit better) and insomnia. Tinnitus has lessened a bit as has headaches. The sleeplessness is killing me and I am sure contributes to the anxiety. I never had health issues before this drug and sometimes wonder if I will ever be normal again.