Metoprolol Withdrawal (Page 34) (Top voted first)

i've been taking metoprolol for several years as partial treatment for high blood pressure. through diet and exercise, i've lowered my BP to the point my doctor says drop the metoprolol.

i did, 3 days ago, and i'm soooo tired, dizzy, irritable, and my vision is blurred.

is this withdrawal? how long will it last?

i remember starting this medication was terrible to get used to. it appears that stopping it is just as bad.

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Hello.. I was put on metoprolol 100 mgs. two years ago for high blood pressure although it never worked that well so I added natural things that were working with the medication like magnesium CO10, Beet Root juice, Taurine, Olive Leaf, Then I read up on all the side effects and horrible things associated with this drug so decided to get off of it.. I at first went down to 75 miligrams which was okay but when I dropped to 50 omg.. side effects were so horrific I had to go back up to 75.. after a few months of this when I felt stable instead of cutting the pill into half I just lengthened the time I took first pill and the moved the second pill further around around the clock... does that make sense.. That is because I felt highly sensitive to this drug.. Yes the anxiety ,heart racing when just moving a few feet.. So then I stayed on 50 miligrams until I felt stable again...that took about a month.. then I started cutting them into quarters and took l/4 in morning, l/4 in afternoon, l/4 at about 11:30 at night .. That comes to 37 miligrams.. I am still on this now and its been since last Feb. I am weaning off...so that is 7 months.... someone told me to not have side effects to do it as slowly as possible and that I what I am doing..Now the doctors don't care and wouldn't help .. Another doctor gave me the wrong info.. so I looked up things online and got info. from people who have done it.. Fast forward and my anxiety has lessened and my heart rate doesn't shoot up so far when I just get out of bed... Its been a long road.. There were days and weeks I couldn't leave the house but I feel its temporary and it will be worth it ..the last doctor was so mean to me and told me oh; you can be off this drug in two months. I was like No I cant.. I might need one more prescription to keep lowering the dose and I will do anything to do this safely........hope this makes sense...

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Jane, I workout with physiologists at hospital wellness center 2x a wk for folks going through heart or pulmonary rehab. I feel better after I excersize. If you get into something like this, it can be a good place of support.

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Bee,
It's sad, but there are lots of people who do good diet and do that needed exercise, but as they age, they end up with high blood pressure, even if it isn't in their family. Hopefully, your diet and exercise will get that pressure down where you don't have to take the medication. People who have stopped, say they are experiencing the withdrawal symtoms. I can tell if I'm a few hours late taking my pill, so I'm not sure I want to stop it ever LOL
I'm thinking it's all the chemicals in our food, that causes half our health problems. Not a thing we did wrong except trust the food to be good for us.

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Hi Punita..
well my story is that I was put on Meterprolol two years ago for high blood pressure and anxiety from a doctor at a clinic.. It seemed all other drugs did not lower my bp and I wasn't into natural stuff as of yet... Fast forward to last Feb. and I said wow if natural things are lowering my bp then I am getting off this horrible drug. No doctor at the clinic would help me but I had two prescriptions so I figure I will do it myself .. I did manage to see one Naturopath but she also gave me the generic formula one size fits all way to wean off..It didn't work for me so I read a ton of things online about it and found out that some people have a high sensitivity to this drug..So when I cut it from 100 to 75 miligrams I was okay but stayed on that for a few months.. Then when I cut it to 50 omg.. the side effects were horrid.. I had to go back up to 75 again for a few months... Then I managed to get down to 50 again and stayed there until I felt stable again.. All the while not cutting the pill but extending the time I take it ... I managed to get down to 37 miligrams which I am on now but not without so many issues.and that has been for 8 months now... I know about the housebound stuff.. There are days I cant go out of the house due to side effects although I feel they are getting less but yes I feel this drug has stopped my life in some way.... I feel like I tiptoe through life now getting off this drug.. I have done healing waves, rife tones, meditation. I drink all kinds of herbal teas and I take natural supplements and yet this drug, this beast is a tough one.......I am def. going to try acupuncture.............Oh; forgot to add that I went to see another natropath and she was so mean to me and gave me another one size fits all way to wean off and I told her that doesn't work for me.. She then yelled at me and gave me only a two month supply of meds.. Now I have to find my fourth doctor to get more meds to wean off. I am trying to find a way to get the meds online but I have no luck yet since doctors wont help........sorry you are going through this.. hope you are feeling better............

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Punita,
Welcome to the world of chat rooms LOL. Medschat is the first chat room that I have ever tried. It has been a nice experience for me. I hope it will be the same for you. Please do spend some time looking at the other threads. I have found that I've gained lots of information on threads that didn't seem to be related to anything I would be interested in. Except for the 'how to get intercourse' ones, nothing productive there for me LOL.

I take metoprolol and have for about 4 years. The only side effect that I've noticed, is that if I miss a pill, I get the "weirds" going on. I live in a rural area with very limited facilities In the nearest town. My previous doctor was an acupuncturist but wasn't permitted to use his skills at this clinic. I have always thought that it was an option that I would like to explore. Again Welcome.

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My last metoprolol pill was 8/20 and now 10/ I'm still not myself. For short periods I'll believe I'm over it all, but then I'll get a wave of all the symptoms again. Things are better. I don't feel like I'm going to die anymore from them. Which helps me allot. Anxiety is the worst part. ANYONE HAVE TREATMENTFOR ANXIETY? I only took the pills for a month. Hopefully these effects wear off some day. This really changes peoples lives. WE SHOULD ALL BE PAID FOR PAIN AND SUFFERING!!!

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I'm really sorry BEE. It's been a hard road for me too. Eventually stopping all together is what's gotta happen. Hopefully a good Dr. can help you with it...

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thanks Dorian.
How long have you been trying to get off........................I feel like its me and most people and doctors think this is all in my head.........I can barely go out sometimes for fear of these side effects.........some days I am afraid to take a walk...
I need to have a life and I feel my whole life revolves around this drug.

Do you feel like that too??

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Joyce.. When I first wanted to get off the Metoprolol no doctor would help me . One did give me some instructions but she told me to just two weeks for each milligram. Omg. wrong advice for me.. There are certain people I read that are highly sensitive to this stuff and there is not one size fits all.... I was on 100 miligrams and when I cut the pill I experienced horrible side effects.. It was then then I read all the stories and I thank God met a woman on another health board who said to me when you wean off don't cut pills but extend the time you take it even if its for l5 minutes at a time.. so when I was on 100 I was okay down to 75 as I said but when I cut the pill to get to 50 omg. no good for me.. bad side effects so when I read to extend the time for each pill that is what I did and then the woman said when you feel stable cut the pill.. So that meant I was on 75 miligrams for a few months and then 50 for a few months and then I even only went from 50 miligrams to 37 to ease less side effects.. I just went down to 25 miligrams and I am struggling ... This has been since last end of Feb. so that makes 8 months .. Now I am experiencing nightmares and anxiety everytime I go down in miligrams. Also the rapid heart beat, etc.etc.. shortness of breath too. and I did it slow as possible.

And you are right most doctors I spoke with atleast four told me it was all in my head and I knew that it wasn't from so many websites I researched, people who had done this, these chats and reading all about this stuff.. I mean I never had these problems before and they don't come out of the blue..

I couldn't even ride my bike this summer or go out that much as I am so afraid of being somewhere and having side effects.. I have to live around my medication weaning .
Joyce how many miligrams were you on? You just quite cold turkey? I am so sorry you are experiencing this ...
Oh; PS I am 60 years old and have been on this drug for only 2 years and I have these issues..

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Hi, how long were you on the pills and what was your dosage?? And we're you on metoprlol for high blood pressure?

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Hi Debbie.
I have fibromyalgia and was on pain meds for years, I wanted off, my doctor dropped me because it was easier to continue prescribing meds than the withdrawal. I decided to stop anyway and did so by advise online from others who had stopped opiates. I became very anxious and Dr prescribed metroprolol. I started having ringing in my ears I thought it was opiate withdrawal, but 5 months after being opiate free and horrible ringing in my ears, head and depression I looked up metroprolol. So after reading side effects I decided to get off, it has been as bad as the opiates. anxiety, depression, feel trapped in my home. How long does it make you feel this way?

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Debbie thanks for your reply. Did you or anyone reading this experience depression and ringing in your ears while taking metropolol ? If s after getting off of it did that go away and how long did that take?

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Amen to Bee. I can't comence to tell you what all this drug did to me and is still doing after i have been off of it two years.I tell every one to just let me die before they put me on another medication that will do me like this Metoprolol. I feel like it took years off my life.

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Hello
I would like to share a story . One day I had gone out and done a few errands and I had some anxiety.. I didn't take my usual 6mgs. I don't really take it until later in the day.. I was sort of rushing around a bit.. Anyway; when I got home about 3 pm omg. the horrible adrenaline rush, anxiety , heart rate went up.. I felt as if I drank ten cups of coffee.......It lasted for a few hours Until I took some crumbs of the (M) . before that I tried everything in my bag of tricks to feel better and nothing seemed to work.. all kinds of calming things..........I am trying to figure out if this happened because I was rushed or stressed or what? I have not had any kind of life for almost 11 months because of this drug . that is how long I have been weaning off and its been a horror show.. I rarely go out except for a few things here and there.. So now I am more afraid of going out and don't know what to do.. any ideas??
thank You

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Bee, I pray and hope you get the help you need to get off this drug or get the help you need to get better. The anxiety I felt while on this drug and during the "withdrawal" period felt like I was going to die (to put it bluntly).

I know I'm better now, because now when I have anxiety, the worst I feel is like I'm going to faint and confident that if I did, I will wake up from it.

If anyone knows of any resource that can physically help folks get off this drug, it would be good to know in this forum. After what I went through, I really wished I could have some kind of hospital\medical care that could have monitored and help me through the worst part of the "withdrawal" period.

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Ray.. this post that Mike wrote is from 2010 .. Not sure if he has written anymore posts.. You are so right about this drug.............if I would have listened to the generic formula three doctors gave me on weaning off I don't know what would have happened. Instead I came off as slowly as possible.. I was taking 100 mgs. for two years Of (M) and been weaning off for a whole year... yes a year of my life taken away because of horrific side effects.. I was afraid to go out a lot of times because I felt it was easier staying in and getting this over with and safely.. My story is long so I will spare the details..

I am so sorry this happened to you............I feel like suing someone because of this drug.. do you have a lawyer ? I would be filing a legal case................

right now I am upping my magnesium and now have added L Theanine which seems to be working.. haven't taken a pill in a few days and feeling okay so far but last week had some horrific side effects.. I even went out yesterday and did fine but I wont take it for granted.. Still be cautious..

many prayers and blessings to you.............

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Hi everyone - ah yes metoprolol . I to hate it. Was giving this from a specialist for hyperthyroidism . He said I was to hyped up and needed to calm before surgery . Did experiance palpitations caused by over active thyroid caused by a noduel that needed removed along with the left side of my thyroid . Started on 50 mg twice a day - had my surgery 2 months later . Been weening off for the past 3 months Since my surgery . Cut in 1/2 each time .first 25mg twice a day then 12 mg twice a day then 6mg twice a day . Now today will cut again down to 6mg once a day . -I hope . Worried and scared of course because each time Is bad in one way or the other .- Headache ,irritated , blurred vision , high BP , high pulse and extreme anxitey - all of which I have never had trouble with before All this mess . I'm trying real hard and I will do this . I will never take another medication without alot of checking all the effects . I never should have been givin this or agreed to take it but I was scared and needed help and this is what I got . even worse then the problem I began with .I dont see the dr. for another 3 months so he dont care what im dealing with now .never mentioned anything about anything Such as side effects or withdrawl . just said take it till surgery .My reg. doctor has helped me through this weening process and specialist also gave me thyroid medication after surgery that caused a overdose effect because still have a functioning right side Thats trying to work and doing fine . but why wait to see if it works just give me some more medication .not a happy camper and thinking about it hurts . Really don't feel most doctors care at all about the long term stuff we have to deal with when they write a prescription . Good luck to all and we will be ok and can do what we put our minds too . thank you to all for your stories and theres strength in sharing with others who feel the same .

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Just a quick check in for anyone following. I cut my dose by 25% and saw only mild heart rate increase only noticeable on rare occasion. I am tempted to drop off another 25% (to 50% of regular dose) although it's only been about 10 days. I'll let you know what happens.

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I'm also thinking of stopping M today. Prescribed for high BP which has been long under control whilst on it. Wondering whether to go cold turkey. I want to. I find some brands effect me. The pharmacy keeps giving me random brands. At the mo I think my legs are affected by them. I am bouncing around from one brand to another all the time but the particular brand I am on now seems to have effected my legs. I am overweight, yes, but I was this similar weight a couple of weeks ago and my legs didn't feel this stiff or old or achey. I am 54 and super relaxed and not an anxious person whatsoever, I note some people writing on same subject are anxious, so I don't expect withdrawing on that point to be an issue. I believe in more natural medicines to help myself - I have discovered Dr Batman's The Water Cure (using sea salt) for curing many many illnesses and want to seriously prescribe myself that, along with magnesium, coconut oil, cider vinegar, etc. I also wonder if my weight gain is related to Metroprolol. I like food a lot but I am a busy person around my house, I try to walk everyday - ok, no hiking but I am not a lazy person but my weight goes up and up. I have read some people say they have gained 20 or 40 pounds on this drug?????? That aside I would prefer to take no drugs at all. I am super interested in rather researching foods and their natural minerals etc, and I am interested in simple alternative things that are at our fingertips such as lemons, coconut oil, apple cider etc. I worked in pharmaceuticals for 20 years but I am getting more and more sceptical about chronic illness/medication by the day. It is all about making money for large pharmaceutical companies. Drs have no time or inclination to cure root problems. They are not interested in natural cures. My brother said years ago "you have to be your own Dr" and I believe that is getting truer by the day. I have read The Great Cholesterol Con by Dr Kendrick recently and I am getting more and more convinced that Joe Public are being trapped into taking chronic medicines instead of being offered answers or alternatives. Particularly as it is well acknowledged that one drug leads into a whole poly-pharmacy of drugs - all "treating" one issue only to give us another
"Issue" for free! We all need to wake up and question more and read more. I plan to list a daily natural regime for myself abd ensure i tick off the things i need to do with the main focus being The Water Cure! If you haven't read the two books mentioned I suggest you do. Water is a treasure we so easily overlook as we have been hynotised by our GP's to use pharma drugs that end up giving us more problems than we started with .......but Joe Public is slowly wising up.

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CJ
how many miligrams of (M) are you on.. It all depends on how much you are on and how long you have taken (M)... but please do not.. I repeat do not go cold turkey on this drug............It is not a drug to be taken lightly.. Although you might feel well and heart rate is good its a false sense of security... Your heart rate can go bonkers so please wean down slowly.............

Yes I would believe all of the side effects from this drug.. weight gain , etc.. I had lost 35lbs. before I took this drug and then the weight started to creep up again and I was walking a lot and being active and I still gained weight back and wasn't even eating that much...........thank goodness I didn't gain all of the weight back but still now have to lose again..

I totally agree with you about big pharma and the pharma roller coaster.. Its one pill after the other...... I was on M for high blood pressure for two years and then I found natural cures such as magnesium, taurine, apple cidar vinegar, olive leaf extract, L carnitine, Alpha Lopic Acid, Vit.C, and so many others you can try.. I decided I don't want this crack in my body especially when I can try natural things in which doctors do not recommend.. and yes I feel as if I am my own doctor now.. been of the M for a few weeks now and glad I decided to get off of it.. The road was tough if you read the other posts you will read the nightmare stories.. I am still having anxiety , nightmares, and other things but getting better everyday...

Good Luck and let us know..

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