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Pretty sure this is causing panic attacks, anxiety, and mild depression

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hannah02458
hannah02458

So I've been on Bisoprolol for a few weeks now (about a month) (2.5 mg) for some very MILD heart palpitations found during a sleep study. Now my one internal medicine doctor was against it, but my family doctor was all for it. So we decided to take them.

At first, I noticed nothing really. I never felt the heart palpitations anyway. I did notice when going to bed I was NOW feeling the palpitations and figured nothing of it. Was short of breath (so badly) and overall tired.

Then at the 2.5-week mark (ON THE DOT), I was hit with the WORST panic attack of my life. In the middle of the night, took me 20 mins to calm down. From that point on my anxiety has been on overdrive, but I also feel fatigued and tired due to the drug which is like a lovely combo of anxiety, nightmares, and mild depression from it all.

I was totally fine before taking this pill, so I strongly think it's related. I have a great therapist I see, I practice mindfulness, and have been very in control of my anxiety for years, and have never had panic attacks. The only change in my life is the new drug.

I did some googling (oops) and learned that while some folks take this for anxiety it can actually INCREASE anxiety symptoms in others, cause nightmares, depression, and worse.

PLEASE someone tell me I am not alone, and that Bisoprolol wasn't some "magical anxiety cure disguised as a beta blocker" because I am not feeling calm. I am also about to start weaning off and need to know how bad withdrawal will be.

35 Year old, Female.

1 like, 2 replies

2 Replies

  • coco37386
    coco37386 hannah02458

    Edited

    This exact thing happened to me. I was completely fine and next minute i had severe heart palpitations, dizziness, heart rate so low I could barely stand, started crying suddenly and felt depressed and was then hit by worst anxiety I have ever experienced in my life. I took it for a month and they kept saying side effects will fade. I then had strange vision and depersonalisation and decided to come off. it has taken me weeks to feel more normal again. still not back to pre-bisoprolol after 8 weeks but big difference from first 4 weeks. Could barely walk after stopping and I was lifting 5x per week in October.

    So please be careful. Doctors will say most people can take this drug with minimal sides and that you can come off easily and it should be out of your system in a week. We all react to drugs differently but they definitely do not know the extent of it. Most taking this drug are much older with multiple conditions so they just pop them on.

    Are you on any other medication?

    Not medical advice just my opinion.

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