Name and Rate Your Beta Blocker(s)

[Duff Man]

My husband takes Metoprolol. Lo and behold, he has terrible dreams, an upset stomach, and heart discomfort at night. He takes it in the morning when he wakes up. Another member suggested that he take it at night if his doctors allow it. Think that'd help with all the side effects?

~Maria

Honestly, I don't for either problem. It's worth trying though, since he's on it anyway. But I'm a layman, not a doc.

I'll qualify my response: I don't think the heart burn will completely go away with any beta blocker, because beta blockers tend to cause the stomach sphincter to loosen - especially the less cardio selective ones. If his stomach is upset like mine was, it's this really painful kind of crampy terrible feeling kinda deep in the gut... I don't think that was ever going away for me on the metoprolol - but I didn't stick with it for very long. The bad/violent dreams didn't seem to go away either. I basically felt like **** on this drug, to be honest... but again I might've not given it enough time.

FWIW, my cardiologist doesn't care when I take my beta blocker, as long as I take it. In fact, he doesn't care which one I take as long as I'm on one and it's the right dose.

I like this wiki article on the different beta receptors: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beta_receptors

Notice that beta 2 is responsible for GI Sphincter contraction.

 

[jake]

Have I waited to find this post! LOL!!!

Have I waited to find this post! LOL!!!

OK, so let me start with.........................

Metoprolol - prescribed this s^*t after a blockage in my RCA in July of 09. Initially on 50mg daily after being released from the hospital with ELEVATED blood pressure (140/90). I had never been on any BP or heart rate meds in my life previously. This stuff knocked me on my ass! I was told that I could not do any physical activity for 10 days after stent placement and on day 11 I strapped on the roller blades. I went from being able to do 10 miles on blades in an hour to barely making it one mile and having to crawl back to my truck. I had nightmares for about two weeks, became winded climbing stairs and could not remember my dog’s name. Metoprolol made me feel like I had early onset Alzheimer’s. Memory was shot, repeating questions over and over, it was terrible! I could not get my heart rate over 100 even during a workout. Target heart rate of 140 post surgery in cardiac rehab was unattainable no matter what I did.

After several dosage changes and backing off of it for a time and seeing how great life was without it, I asked my cardio to change me to Toporol XL 25mg daily. This made life a lot easier and I did not have nearly the severity of side effects of the Metoprolol. I was able to make target heart rate of 150 within 10 minutes of skating including warm up. Life was good!

Long story short.............I HATE Metoprolol!

Now that I am post surgery, they sent me home and wanted me on this stuff 100 x 2 daily when my HR was like 110/120. That lasted about a week and I cut to 50 x 2 and my HR and BP are right on track. 120/60 and HR is in the 80’s consistently 1 month out.

 

[buncle]

I was on coreg for 2 years before ohs and I hated it. It made me so tired.When I would get close to being used to it my cardio kept increasing the dose.After surgery I was on bystolic for a couple months and that was alot better.Now no BB and thats a good thing.

 

[Dexter Bob]

I got started on Metoprolol right after my surgery (1/7/10) @ 50mg x2. I seemed to be having some high BP issues and my Cardio suggested I might like Bystolic if cost was not a concern (non-generic). I am going to start that next week. I have not had a lot of the symptoms other posters have had with Metoprolol. I can get my heart rate up to 150 on my treadmill and I seem to have "normal" energy. Maybe the Bystolic will boost me along better. I have some memory issues that I was attributing to aging; maybe with the Bystolic I'll find my car keys!:cool2:

 

[Bryan B]

OK, so let me start with.........................

Metoprolol - prescribed this s^*t after a blockage in my RCA in July of 09. Initially on 50mg daily after being released from the hospital with ELEVATED blood pressure (140/90). I had never been on any BP or heart rate meds in my life previously. This stuff knocked me on my ass! I was told that I could not do any physical activity for 10 days after stent placement and on day 11 I strapped on the roller blades. I went from being able to do 10 miles on blades in an hour to barely making it one mile and having to crawl back to my truck. I had nightmares for about two weeks, became winded climbing stairs and could not remember my dog’s name. Metoprolol made me feel like I had early onset Alzheimer’s. Memory was shot, repeating questions over and over, it was terrible! I could not get my heart rate over 100 even during a workout. Target heart rate of 140 post surgery in cardiac rehab was unattainable no matter what I did.

After several dosage changes and backing off of it for a time and seeing how great life was without it, I asked my cardio to change me to Toporol XL 25mg daily. This made life a lot easier and I did not have nearly the severity of side effects of the Metoprolol. I was able to make target heart rate of 150 within 10 minutes of skating including warm up. Life was good!

Long story short.............I HATE Metoprolol!

Now that I am post surgery, they sent me home and wanted me on this stuff 100 x 2 daily when my HR was like 110/120. That lasted about a week and I cut to 50 x 2 and my HR and BP are right on track. 120/60 and HR is in the 80’s consistently 1 month out.

I have good news and bad news for you Jake. The bad news is that Toprol XL is extended release metroprolol. The good news is that if it is working for you with less side effects then it doesn't matter what it is.

 

[Duff Man]

I have good news and bad news for you Jake. The bad news is that Toprol XL is extended release metroprolol. The good news is that if it is working for you with less side effects then it doesn't matter what it is.

shouldn't have even told him I didn't say anything because the placebo effect appeared to be working. Either that, or the dose adjustment was correct. We should just delete our posts now.

 

[timmyup7]

Bump! Bump! Bump!

 

[epstns]

You want beta blocker experiences? Mine is all with metoprolol. Post-op, I started on 100 mg/day. Stayed at that level for about a year. Felt like I was towing a sled full of rocks. Memory issues? What memory? It was a lot of work to do my work (management - desk job). I had lots of abdominal issues - bloating, weight gain, pain. . . nasty. We reduced my dosage to 50 mg/day and I felt somewhat better. Still had all the abdominal issues but memory improved. Then at about 18 months post-op we again reduced my dosage - this time to 25 mg/day. Lost some weight, feel much better, almost no abdominal issues -- I feel "normal" again. I'm actually thinking of asking if I can switch to another BP med and drop the beta blocker completely when I next see my cardio.

 

[NealR]

I have been on Atenolol for 3+ years, 25mg. Honestly, I don't think I can tell anymore. I take it at night, so if anything makes me a little sleepy. My heart rate is right about 60, sometimes a little less. Tried metropolol for about 2 months, right after surgery, thought this was causing ocular migraines so switched back to atenolol. Still get the ocular migraines, everything else is fine. Takes me forever to get the hr up excersizing.

 

[marc_kowal]

I've been taking 25 mg of Atenolol since they diagnosed my bicuspid valve about 10 years ago. I take it every morning, never had any side-effects from it.

 

[babshappy]

i take 50 mg atenolol in the morning, for 3 years , I really don't notice anything , it does take something to get my heart rate up when exercising

 

[timmyup7]

I had alot of negative side effects with Metoprolol. Like Bad memory, vision blurry sometimes..can go on and on

Just recently switched to Atenolol, I like it better so far. I read somewhere, even less side effects with Bystolic, you are more human.

I possibly might try it

 

[Bina]

Update: After taking regular Metoprolol for a few years and HATING it, I have switched to Bisoprolol 2x daily..... Much better, it actually lasts me all night so that i can sleep well.
I still have the Metoprolol for those times when I need a small dose to calm the HR quickly.
Occular migraines still hounding me at times.

 

[ramjet]

Hi Duff man and others,

I love reading and sharing personal experiences about surgeries and medicatons etc, but to be useful, when discussing your beta blcoker and your experiences, it may also help others to mention why you were prescribed the beta blocker...ie was it just to control your preexisting high blood pressure, or is to control an excessively fast heart rate, or is to just to prevent you from actually getting a fast heart rate in the first place (and without it your heart rate is not too bad at the moment), or is it to control tremors or help with anxiety, and so on, and so on. Also, it is useful to understand that some beta blockers are quite "cardiac specific" (ie beta 1 effects) , whereas other classes of beta blocers have some beta 1 and beta 2 effects, so if you suffer asthma you need to typically avoid broad acting beta blockers because you can suffer broncospasm, whereas people who don't suffer asthma may well tolerate a broad acting beta blocker. Also, if someone has diabetes, a beta blocker can interrupt glucose metabolism, and the mobilisation of glycogen...and so on....so they may not be able to takle a beta blocker because they suffer diabetes, or whatever....

So please share experiences with beta blcokers, but rest assured, someone elses experience may not apply to you at all, and in fact if you were to change your medication without medical guidance it can cause serious side effects.

So, with that in mind, post my "uneventful" aortic valve surgery, and without ever having suffered high blood pressure and without ever having had atrial fibrillation or a fast heart rate, I was prescribed a small daily dose of sotolol as a precautionary measure and to also just take the edge of my blood pressure....to ensure that my normal blood pressure actually stayed lower than normal for a few weeks so that my heart could return to its normal shape and to help my valve "settle in" faster...I was on a temporary external pacemaker while I started the sotolol in hosital (just in case my heart rate went too slow the pacemaker would kickin and stop me from fainting), but otherwise, the sotolol did its job, and there is some thought that it might have stopped me from going into atrial fibrillation (or having an irregularly irregular heart rate) which can happen to some people after aortic valve surgery, and for me the sotolol was only for a few weeks and it was fine, and it did its job, my systolic blood pressure never went over 105 mmHg (and it is usually around 120 mmHg),a nd I didn't develop artrial fibrilation.

Now I take an ace inhibitor (perindopril) for two reasons, to ensure that my blood pressure stays just a little lower than normal, but also because it helps stabilise any small deposits of plaque in my coronary vessels, and can help prevent a future heart attack....but thats what I take anyway...for what its worth.

Take care folks

 

[Mom2izzy]

Name and Rate Your Beta Blocker(s)

I take Metoprolol (25mg/day). It was prescribed after mitral valve repair surgery. My surgeon said I should only need it for a few months, but Cardio wants me to stay on it. I have very low blood pressure, so that's not the reason. My heart rate was irregular pre surgery, but is regular now (due to beta blocker maybe?). Cardio says he likes me on it to prevent my "fixed" valve from being beaten up by adrenaline. He says my heart was beaten up enough during my first 40 years. I sort of miss some of the effects of adrenaline...stress can be a good motivator and I'm lacking motivation these days.

 

[Carol]

I was recently switched from metoprolol to carvedilol.Big difference.Much better for signs of heart failure.No swollen feet,much better numbers.Not too many side effects.Changed because blood pressure too high at night.180/90. Now 120/68.

 

[Lucky]

I take bisoprolol 2.5mgs twice daily. Only problem being cold hands and thighs!

 

[Randy Fecteau]

I take 50 mg Metoprolol twice a day. Really not sure why. Makes me dizzy and forgetful and dont sleep well.

 

[bradvo]

Interesting read, I'm having my own issues with beta blockers as mentioned in a thread I had started. This gave me some insight as to what others have experienced.
Brad