Withdrawal symptoms: Bisoprolol - debilitating aches and pains all over body
Posted , 13 users are following.
I was prescribed Bisoprolol 2.5 in July this year (along with anticoagulant: Edexaban), for atrial fibrilation. I was fine for the first few weeks, but then I started to develop aches and pains all over and found yoga and pilates increasingly difficult. The aches and pains, particularly in my legs, just got worse and worse. Ten days ago, I went to my GP, who advised me to give the Bisoprolol a rest and see how I get on. I stopped taking the medication (but continued with anticoagulant) - and the almost immediate effect was a threefold increase in intensity of my aches and pains! All movement is a struggle, particularly walking up and down stairs, bending or squatting, sitting down and getting up. From an active , flexible, mobile woman, I now feel disabled and depressed!
I make sure I stay as active as possible and I walk everyday - but at the slowest pace! It is early days since I stopped taking Bisoprolol (10 days and counting) but I'm worried that these horrible symptoms will never go away! Anyone out there experiencing same or similar? Any idea how long these symptoms may go on for?
0 likes, 32 replies
patricia43906
Posted
Thank you. Good to hear that withdrawal symptoms are not permanent!! Just hope I'm looking at days more of this, maybe weeks - oh, but not months, please !!!
As low as this has made me feel, I'm, thankfully, not experiencing anxiety or severe depression. My thoughts are with those of you that are, and I hope you feel better each day.
Bill_N patricia43906
Posted
I've had to come off bisoprolol for endocrinology tests and it has been an awful experience Reducing the dose over many weeks from the original 10mg daily was very difficult, even with the help of a different drug. I was off it completely for about 3 weeks and the anxiety, pounding hearbeat and physical weakness left me almost totally disabled on most days, relying on my family for support. My consultant arranged for me to have the test at short notice so that I could go back on a minimal dose of bisoprolol for the time being. Since then I am gradually improving, whilst awaiting the test results. My sympathy and moral support to anybody who is having to get off this drug.
heady1 patricia43906
Posted
That is awful... I too have been plagued by unexplainable muscle and joint pain. Stiffness, fatigue and pain everyday. have gone from a very active person to virtually sedentary. Just cleaning the house or cutting grass is all I can do. I have Fibromyalgia , but it has never rendered me like this. I too cannot even start to feel better as getting down on the mat to do some classic stretching is intolerable. I have told Doc but he says it is all anxiety which is relentless as well. Been on this awful med for 3 years coming. Next visit I am demanding an appointment with Cardiologist and get some answers. I urge you to continue reading this website and you will see you are one of thousands who have been changed by this drug. I hope you can find the right info to educate you and hopefully one day we all find a way to get back to who we used to be.
patricia43906 heady1
Posted
Just to recap: I started taking Bisoprolol 2.5mg on 23rd July. for AF. It wasn't until 12 weeks later in October that I started to experience aches and pains. These increased in intensity, and I went to GP 6th November. Two weeks later I was sent for blood tests, (renal, liver, bone, B12) which, apparently, didn't reveal any possible cause. Another GP appointment on 25th November, I asked could symtoms be side effects of Bisoprolol and she took me off the Bisoprolol, saying the only side effect of coming off would be a heightened awareness of my heart rate! Three weeks into withdrawal and symtoms of debilitating aches and pains are getting worse! I have another GP appointment on Wednesday. Advice please: what other blood tests /tests should I be asking for - to test for other possible causes of my symtoms, or to confirm my symptoms as withdrawal. I'm getting very low about this. I don't want to resign myself to disability for the rest of my life!
Lolasmom patricia43906
Posted
If it is withdrawal from biso, I doubt you will have anything wrong with your blood.
Deek92 patricia43906
Posted
I have had every possible blood test done from about 3 different doctors. Stress test,EKG 7 times, CT Scans about 4 times. Now I have to see a neurologist to see if there is any nerve damage. My legs, arms, chest hurt daily and they can not find a cause. Beta blockers are just an evil drug
jen86183 Deek92
Posted
Are you on statins Deek?
Deek92 jen86183
Posted
No... What is that for and will it help
patricia43906 Lolasmom
Posted
Just thought I'd try to eliminate any other cause. I could be wrong, but intuitively, I feel my symtoms are due to withdrawal from Biso. How can I know for sure?? My GP not at all sympathetic; doesn't believe my symptoms have any connection to Biso withdrawal. I would just like to believe that this nightmare will end in a few weeks - however long it takes for this drug to leave the system.
jen86183 Deek92
Posted
I just wondered deek whether you was put on statins as well, statins are known for muscle problems. Bisoprolol will cause so much damage to the body, my hubbies cardiologist did not believe all the problems it was causing but, many cardiologists only prescribe what they are told to, they do not understand side effects.
Chico1950 patricia43906
Posted
Hi i am 11 month off biso and still mental ill with this evil drug there seems to be no ending to it i take a 5 mm amlodipine i have tried holy basil and ashwagandha they work ok for a day or so but dont mix with amlodipine has any body out there tried CBD oil i am still in a nightmare Thanks
Deek92 patricia43906
Posted
It had been a month now. It seems as if my health from this stuff is not improving. I can barely move. I have not been able to work. Been to several doctors that now my family and doctors think its all in my head but body hurts and burns. I can barely move my leg some days. I get really weak and tired daily. Can someone please help and tell me how long this will last and what will help?
Deek92 patricia43906
Posted
It had been a month now. It seems as if my health from this stuff is not improving. I can barely move. I have not been able to work. Been to several doctors that now my family and doctors think its all in my head but body hurts and burns. I can barely move my leg some days. I get really weak and tired daily. Can someone please help and tell me how long this will last and what will help?
peter01729 Deek92
Posted
Getting on for three years now for me, whilst some of the symptoms such as the breathing issues resolved themselves after a year, the neurological issues remain. I have been fobbed off all this time with the anxiety/its all in your head nonsense, so call their bluff, tell them even if its in your head, you still want fixing, thats what I did, the psychotherapist right away told me I didn't have anxiety, that "they are always doing this", namely fobbing people off that they don't know what to do with, so make them pay and waste money until they take you seriously. I was lucky in the end when my cardiologist then got another patient who had exactly the same permanent damage from Bisoprolol as I. I also tried reasoning saying that "I never had a single one of these symptoms until the very day you put me on Bisoprolol, how does Bisoprolol give you anxiety? But what Beta blockers do do is disrupt your Autonomic Nervous System, and every one of my symptoms is a symptom of a disrupted autonomic nervous system"
If you research, (this site doesn't let me post links), you an find that beta blockers can cause Dysautonomia, and that the autonomic nervous system can easily be knocked off balance, and it doesn't always reset itself.
Deek92 peter01729
Posted
can you email me sites and information directly to .... I need help this stuff is taking over my life and I have 3 small children. I have a nervous tremble that also scares me. I just want to be better and be able to sleep
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peter01729 Deek92
Posted
Here are a couple of links that will appear once the moderators have checked them.
The first is from a company that manufactures medical equipment relating to Dysautonomia, towards the bottom, you will see they state one of the causes of autonomic neuropathy are drugs such as beta blockers.
The second link is to the British yellow card scheme and the reported side effects of Bisoprolol, if it doesnt take you directly to the Bisoprolol page, just click on "drug analysis profiles" then "B" then "Bi" to find Bisoprolol at the bottom.
I have dozens and dozens of links relating to the side effects of beta blockers, the function and sensitivity of the Autonomic Nervous System but it takes me a very long time to hunt through it all. You can get a lot of information just from the long Bisoprolol threads in this forum.
https://info.mhra.gov.uk/drug-analysis-profiles/dap.html?drug=./UK_EXTERNAL/NONCOMBINED/UK_NON_001022444869.zip&agency=MHRA
https://yellowcard.mhra.gov.uk/
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