Anyone else feel better once they came off some medications?

So I had my mechanical valve done last November one of the issues post surgery was left ventricle dysfunction which resulted in me being put on around 4 heart medications. Bisoprolol, Dapagliflozin, eplerenone and candesartan. I noticed since around April of this year I only felt around 80% back to normal, I noticed I would feel tired in the evenings, would get lightheaded and dizzy easy enough by simply standing up even if I took my time or walking sometimes. I just didn't feel like I was tolerating exercise very well too.

My heart has since improved and an echo showed normal heart function returned back in Feb but my cardiologist only took me off Dapagliflozin in April after it gave me bad side affects. I had an appointment with him again at the start of the week, we talked about how I was feeling overall and he seemed to think my medication has been giving me these side affects so he took me off the eplerenone and Bisoprolol tablets. Its only been 3 days off them but I noticed on day 2 that any dizzy feeling I was normally expecting didn't happen and today I went for a walk and felt fine during and after. I don't feel like I have that sluggish feeling like I've had for months before. I know its early days being off them but I can only explain it as if someone has lifted something from me. I felt more normal the last 2 days than I have the previous 10 months.

Has anyone else who's doctor took them off similar meds feel the same? I'm hoping its not some kind of placebo and this continues.

GreenGiant91 said:

Has anyone else who's doctor took them off similar meds feel the same? I'm hoping its not some kind of placebo and this continues.

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myself during my recovery I noted that the metoprolol was like a hand on my ability. However I knew that it was deliberate and the equivalent of putting up barriers like "wet concrete" until all the endothelisation was set in and to help the heart heal during the first months.

I would also say that while its important to come off them at some time, but equally you should make the return to exersize careful, observant and methodical. It may be that if you push too hard to soon you end up returning to needing them again.

Best Wishes

pellicle said:

myself during my recovery I noted that the metoprolol was like a hand on my ability. However I knew that it was deliberate and the equivalent of putting up barriers like "wet concrete" until all the endothelisation was set in and to help the heart heal during the first months.

I would also say that while its important to come off them at some time, but equally you should make the return to exersize careful, observant and methodical. It may be that if you push too hard to soon you end up returning to needing them again.

Best Wishes

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Hey!

Yeah I’ve been extremely cautious to exercise, my cardiologist thinks I’m being too cautious with it. He told me something along the lines those medications weren’t really exercise friendly and would explain why I felt the way I did. I know it’s early days being off them but the difference I felt after a couple of days is more like my old self.

GreenGiant91 said:

Yeah I’ve been extremely cautious to exercise, my cardiologist thinks I’m being too cautious with it

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to me the go to is walking, especially hills.

I recall my 6 month meeting with my surgeon and asking his guidance for HR. He said if you are walking, running or cycling (looking at MY ECG and ultrasounds) he said as long as you feel ok, your HR will not be the limit. However he cautioned about lifting and raising BP ... so I kept weights light and reps high.

HTH

Best Wishes

For sure, yes. My blood pressure is naturally on the low side (100/60) so when I go on betablockers it's like 85/58. I had a lot of fatigue and also vision disturbances on metoprolol succinate and with flecainide even worse, so I felt markedly better off them.

I am now on an equal dose of metoprolol tartrate (prescribed for rate, not BP) and while my BP is still 85/58, no vision issues and I feel okay. I just know this is something I will have to dialogue with the docs about after surgery. When I was last in ICU (with severe mitral stenosis, after an emergency C-section) I seemed to be doing really well compared to other people in there so I asked when I would get discharged to a regular floor. They told me they wanted my my BP above 110/65. I laughed and said "guess I'm never leaving then."

dornole said:

vision disturbances

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Yea! I had some vision issues too, one in particular was quite scary and knocked my confidence.

I just hope I continue to feel much better off the meds as I felt like they just held me back from fully getting back to feeling normal again