New metoprolol user- horrible side effects?
Posted , 6 users are following.
hi there. I realize these are questions for my doctor, but im waiting to be able to get in and thought someone may be able to help in the meantime while I wait.
i was in the ER last week for an unrelated digestive issue - they couldnt get my BP or HR under control so they put me on metoprolol Succinate ER and told me to follow up with my doctor to see if I need to stay on it long term. since then my BP and HR have been amazing so i think it's definitely doing its jobs for me. The thing i would like to hear from others is the side effects? for me, they seem god awful and have been spiraling me into panic attacks. the weakness, dizziness, tiredness. My main worry is that every night, about 4 hours after i take it, im waking up feeling panicky, (heart rate is fine though) nauseated, and just a general "might pass out at any moment" feeling where i find myself having to get out of bed and walk around for a bit to feel better. sometimes i sit up for hours just feeling weird. did anyone experience anything similar? as i mentioned, im getting in the dr as soon as they accept me but i thought it may help to hear others first hand experience.
0 likes, 16 replies
jx41870 ashely20052
Posted
Beta blockers may cause odd dreams.
A smaller dose may be a thing to try.
Or another beta blocker, there are a bunch available.
mike92384 ashely20052
Posted
ashely2002...There is a forum here about Metropolol. A lot of posts clearly state whatever horrid side effects people are or have been suffering. I took Metropolol just a few years back, & the headaches were unreal. I'd take the pill at say 7.30am, & by 11am, my headache was pounding. You could set your watch by what was happening. Finally I had my doctor take me off the horrible med.
About 2 1/2yrs ago I was put on 50mg/day of Atenolol..which is a different beta-blocker. No problems whatsoever. I spoke with a Pharmacist friend of mine & it was said to me that Metropolol is fat-soluable, whereas Atenolol is not. THAT can make a difference!!!
Some doctors will say that Metropolol & Atenolol is the same..but they are not. Don't fall for that garbage.
There is one writer in the forum who had a nightmare of a time trying to wean off Metropolol. I would suggest you look up the forum & see all the comments.
Some folks can tolerate the side effects of medications because they feel the actual work of them is helping, but suffering side effects that are worse than the ailment, just doesn't make sense to me.
By all means consult with your doctor. There ARE other meds out there., but I for one would certainly not recommend Metropolol at all.
tracy49491 ashely20052
Posted
I took metropolol for years, and at first I did not notice the side effects so much. I thought my dogs brought fleas into the house causing my feet to itch. Even had an exterminator come out. Then the insomnia became ridiculous. Finally, got a copy of consumer reports on health and there it was. I had gained 40 lbs, had insomnia and my whole body itched. I was put on the med shortly prior to my mothers death, and at first thought that was the cause of this horrific period of time, then I realized it was the meds! The itching would start half an hour after taking this crap. My doc is useless. She said I needed a psychiatrist. Well, I weaned myself off the meds and I am getting better. It was horrible getting off of it, be careful. Need to step down slowly. Hope the drs where you live are better than the ones in Greenville, SC
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mike92384 tracy49491
Posted
tracy49491...why were you put on Metropolol??? You are very correct when you state that one must wean off the medication..not suddenly stop.
tracy49491 mike92384
Posted
I was on it for high blood pressure. Now I am drinking tons of hibiscus tea, eating ginger, cinnamon, trying to watch my salt , the usual. Still take a diuretic. High bp is better than that stuff.
ashely20052
Posted
thank you for the responses. i did actually read the other thread that you referred to mike. I saw that it causes a huge host of issues for people- i didn't much see people complaining about waking up in the middle of the night or having extreme nausea which are my key symptoms. i also have severe panic disorder so its hard for me to decipher if these are side effects of the med or a part of the actual heart problem that they suspect i have. though, my HR and BP stays good during these intense episodes so im assuming its more of a side effect of the med?
ashely20052
Posted
thank you for the responses. i did actually read the other thread that you referred to mike. I saw that it causes a huge host of issues for people- i didn't much see people complaining about waking up in the middle of the night or having extreme nausea which are my key symptoms. i also have severe panic disorder so its hard for me to decipher if these are side effects of the med or a part of the actual heart problem that they suspect i have. though, my HR and BP stays good during these intense episodes so im assuming its more of a side effect of the med?
ashely20052
Posted
thank you for the responses. i did actually read the other thread that you referred to mike. I saw that it causes a huge host of issues for people- i didn't much see people complaining about waking up in the middle of the night or having extreme nausea which are my key symptoms. i also have severe panic disorder so its hard for me to decipher if these are side effects of the med or a part of the actual heart problem that they suspect i have. though, my HR and BP stays good during these intense episodes so im assuming its more of a side effect of the med?
mike92384 ashely20052
Posted
ashely20052...you could be right...what you're experiencing could very well be a side effect of the druge. You COULD ask your Dr. to switch you to Atenolol then see what happens. A Pharmacist may tell you that the side effects you describe don't pertain to the Metropolol, but I'd be very inclined to take those words with a 'grain of salt'. Remember...Atenolol is water soluable, whereas Metropolol is not. There IS a difference, & don't let anyone tell you differently!
Usually, anxiety will increase bp readings...it makes sense...but if your bp readings are still normal, as is your heart rate, then I'd certainly be inclined to strongly suspect the medication. Please let us know how you get on with this!!
jx41870 mike92384
Posted
Generally water soluable drugs wash out of your system much faster, so if you wanted to try a reduced dose of metropolol, say half of what you were taking, it might still be days or even weeks to see the difference.
Atenolol washes out very quickly, effects barely make it to 24 hours actually and sometimes it is given in two doses per day, but you still need to taper off it if you want to stop (from normal dosing, I've been taking just 1/4 the low dose, and that seems to have minimal effects if I skip or stop, of course consult your doctor before trying anything like this - but it works for me!).
The official half-life for atenolol seems to be just 6 hours or so. Hmm, the half-life for metoprolol seems to be even shorter! But half-life is NOT the same as effective life. I guess that's where it gets complicated, LOL.
mike92384 jx41870
Posted
jx41870...My Pharmacist has said that Beta Blockers are meant to be taken only 1/day. I take 50mgs. My previous doctor (for whom I had absolutely no respect...a young cocky know-it-all), had me taking the Atenolol 50 mg...at 25mg in the morning, then 25mg in the afternoon. I asked my current doctor about this. (I returned to his practice in the city...I'd been a patient for nearly 30 yrs.) I was told that most definitely could take the 50mg all at once. I wanted to do this then I'd know my meds had been taken for the day, & there was no chance of forgetting.
This is when the Pharmacist said to me..."I don't know why the Dr. had you taking 25mg in the am, then 25mg in the afternoon. The med is meant to be taken just once per day".
YES, Atenolol also needs to be tapered when coming off...but if it flushing out of the system quickly, then I'd assume it wouldn't take as long to complete the weaning??? I'm not suggesting just a few days or so, but likely much shorter than Metropolol.
Since I've had the experience with both meds, I'd prefer the Atenolol over the Metropolol. Actually, I'd prefer not to have any meds...but I must.
jx41870 mike92384
Posted
I've seen both, I was originally prescribed 25mg twice a day, and I've had several other doctors shrug at that. But now with experience of the drug I can tell you, I can often feel the effects falling off at about the 20 hour point. But a standard small dose is 50mg once a day. I've never tried that. I tried a full 25mg just that first time, and it hit me like a rock, called the doctor immediately and asked if I could cut it back, and his answer seemed to be "fine, whatever". And it is clearly effective for me at just the 12.5mg/day, and occasionally twice a day, and more often I go several days or even weeks without. Unfortunately then I seem to have another occasion to use it again.
Side effects (of any beta blocker I guess) at even the smallest dose include higher blood sugar, which is not good, I don't know if that scales with the dose or not.
ashely20052
Edited
Thanks everyone. I went to have a medication follow up today and he actually switched me to atenolol without me even asking about this - after just telling him my side effects he offered to switch it... He also added in prozac as he thinks that some of the things that im experiencing are more anxiety based than side effects of the beta blocker. So, I will start these and see if there is any difference. Thanks!
ashely20052
Posted
im also curious - ill call my doctor for more details but i want to try to start taking my beta blocker in the morning instead of before bed. i know i cant just "miss" a pm dose to adjust that way, so how should i go about it? has anyone done this? i was thinking about taking it about 1 - 1/2 hours early each day until i slowly get to the morning dose? something like this?? :
Weds: 920pm
Thurs: 815pm
Friday: 7pm
Saturday: 530pm
Sunday: 4pm
Monday: 230pm
Tuesday: 1pm
Wednesday: 1130am
Thursday 10am
or should i try to take it a couple hours later each night until i get to a morning dose? that of course would require some waking up in the middle of the night to adjust once i get into pretty late dosages.
any feedback or thoughts? of course i will consult with my doctor on that but im just wondering if anyone else has done this.
ashely20052
Posted
its been a few days and im a bit disappointed because while the side effects are MUCH better on atenolol, it doesnt seem to be working as well. ive noticed my heart racing and blood pressure high several times since starting it- metoprolol was keeping both normal. same dosage for each - 25 mg once a day. of course its a holiday weekend so i cant call the doctor til weds