Metoprolol Withdrawal (Page 5)

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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Hi Michael,
It took me about 10-11 days after I stopped the medication completely before I got the withdrawal symptoms out of my system ( increased heart rate, feeling like my heart was beating out of my chest, slight headaches/dizziness). I halved my dose for about 10 days, then halved it again (1/4 of my original dose) for about 4 days. I started off at a low dose though ( 25mg once a day), and was on the low dose for only 3 weeks. So if you had a higher dose from the start, you might want to wean off even slower than what I did. Don't give up..it does work!

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For me it lasted a week or so along with a racing heartrate when I stood but took a month for it to be completely outta my system but everyone's different

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l've been on Metoprolol 25mg since Oct.12-2013 and am having depression and shortness of breath. There are so many side effects from meds that its hard to tell if its a side effect from the drug or just age related, but l know mine is from this medication. l am going to wean myself off this medication. Just waiting for my doctor to call me back so l can tell her.

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Anne, I'm sorry you're having to experience the side effects of this nasty drug. Since I got off I started having chest pains, not excruciating but just a tightness. I don't know if it has anything to do with this drug or not. At first I thought it was anxiety. I'm making an appointment with a cardiologist.

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I'm very frustrated reading all these comments. I'm 43, have had HBP since my early 30's and have been on Metoprolol for the past 8 years. 50 mg tablets, prescribed to take 1.5 tablets twice a day. Now my doctor has decided to switch me over to Irbesartan and wean off the Metoprolol over the next two weeks while taking the Ibesartan.
I am beyond out of sorts. I left work early today, am wide awake tonight and know I won't be fit for work in the morning. I've made call after call to my Dr. and she's treating it like I'm over-reacting, telling her staff to have me 'Wait it out and give it time for the switch to take hold'. Seriously?
The only thing worse than being dizzy, weak, tired and anxious and having your own Dr. make it out like you're not as sick as you say you are.
Reading these posts makes me realize I'm not crazy, but it also worries me because I can't afford to go through a horrible withdrawal for an extended period of time.

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Please see my post from March. Take action. I didn't sleep for 3 days because of a rapid heart rate. I had a TIA (mini stroke) within the first 24 hours after being taken off cold turkey! Woke up Saturday morning with no short term memory. Within a week, I was in the hospital transported by ambulance with shortness of breath and pressure in my chest. Fortunately, it was not a heart attack. Side effects were completely gone in 10 days. Please don't wait get medical attention now!

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I've been on 50 MG of Metoprolol for just over 9 years. Going on it I had no issues. I had A Fib and Mitral Valve Pro-laps. Last year I went into A Fib and would not come out. I was Cardioverted and went back into A Fib. I tried a few new arrhythmia drugs and was Cardioverted again only to go back into A Fib. At that point it was time for a cardiac ablation. After the ablation I went back into A Fib. Then I knew it was time to get my valve repaired. While having open heart they performed a maze procedure which is an external ablation. A few days after the open heart I needed a pacemaker because my heart stopped. Went home for recovery to find out I was in Tacacardia. They upped my Metoprolol to 75 MG and I almost fainted while driving. I was put back to 50 MG and all was well. I needed another ablation which was successful. One year later, which was three weeks ago, I was bumped down to 25MG and that's when my problems. I've been dizzy, PVC's and very cloudy!!!! It's really beginning to scare me. I also have suffered from anxiety since my open heart and take a med for that. Thanks for letting me share my info. This is the first time I have posted my events and I really hope somebody can get some form of knowledge out of my rant.

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Did you have the a fib before starting the beta blocker ? Why were you put on it in the first place? Where these things from the drug or pre existing conditions.....

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Thank you, Toni. I'm truly hoping that's not going to be my fate...I've been on the med for a long time, so my Dr. hasn't cut me off cold turkey, and has started me on something else...but, it's not going as 'smooth' as she wants to pretend it is...
Ok...what really gets me, is my Dr. had me taking 150 mg (1.5 50 mg pills, twice a day). She decided last week to switch me over to Irbesatran (150 mg). She told me to begin the Irbesatran right away, and drop down to 50 mg of Metorprolol 2X a day (100 mg). That's when the awful feelings began...
So, I call her office. They tell me they'll call right back...they don't. I call again...they say they'll call right back...they don't...multiply by 3.
Finally, as I'm in bed feeling like I'm dying, the office calls back and tells me "The Dr. says you just need to ride it out until the 'switch' takes place...you're having anxiety, that's all." That doesn't help my mood...it infuriates me. I realize I'm having anxiety...but that's secondary...I'm having anxiety BECAUSE the symptoms are freaking me out.
Several more calls back, waiting for a reply...mind you, my doctor never once calls me back, she puts her reply into a computer that the office staff looks up and reads back to me...this is how much she cares for her patients.
NOW, I'm told, instead of cutting down from 150 mg a day to 100 mg a day, I should cut down even MORE to 50 mg a day, since I'm taking the Irbesatran. I'm quite sure the Irbesatran isn't a beta blocker...?...I question the staff "Are you SURE I should wean down even MORE?" (Don't question office staff, nurses or Dr's apparently...they don't like it.)
So, I've gone from 150 mg a day of Metoprolol, to 100 mg of Metoprolol and 150 mg of Irbesartan, to 50 mg of Metoprolol and 150 mg of Irbesartan in four days...and I feel like absolute crap.
I'm back to work tomorrow...have no choice...have no clue how I'm going to get through the day like this, but...what can I do?
I'm very disappointed in my Dr. and her staff...I've already begun seeking a new Dr.
I don't know how you folks dealt with this feeling...it's just awful...and especially for HBP...this sure doesn't make my BP feel any better. I'm a dizzy, tired, weak mess and the only time I feel semi-normal is when I'm laying down.
Sorry for the rant. Very frustrated and concerned.

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When I told the doctor that I had memory loss, but was starting to feel better they told me to cintinue on the meds. I felt so bad the night I had the TIA, I rested with the phone next to my bed in case I needed to call 911. I did start feeling better temporarily only to end up having to call 911 a couple of days later. Don't put off getting the medical attention that you feel you need, even if you have to go into the doctor's office or ER. Do it while you can still drive yourself.

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One more comment, the dr never admitted to making a mistake, and I ended up paying all the medical expenses. I do have a new doc for my Bp meds now. You have to be proactive for your health. Don't trust the dr office for second hand medical advice!

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I sympathize with all of you. Rick I'm going through a similar thing right now. After getting off Metoprolol I started taking some new natural supplements for BP that I hadn't tried yet (I've tried everything), I cut way down on salt and for a few weeks my BP was excellent. I was so happy, I thought I had found the answer. I was still on Lisinopril and HCTZ diuretic but I had hope that I could get off those too eventually. THEN, all of a sudden my blood pressure went up a lot to 150's/ 90's. I watched it for several days and it remained that way. I called my Dr. Monday of this week and they got me in that afternoon. She all but said the reason it was high was because I stopped the Metoprolol. So now she gives me a double diuretic, the HCTZ and Triamterene. She tried to give me this in August but I wouldn't take it. It raises potassium levels which can be very dangerous so you have to have your levels monitored. I hate going to the doctor and didn't want to do that. So I took the prescription this time because I know I need to get my BP controlled. OMG within 5 minutes of taking it yesterday I felt nauseated, light headed, headachy, horrible, I couldn't drive so I had to cancel everything for the day! And my BP shot up even higher. I called the Dr.'s office told them how I felt, she called me back later saying "you're not giving it time to work, these drugs don't work that fast" I can't remember too many times in my life when I felt that bad. I also started having chest pains since the Metoprolol. She listened to my heart and said I think you're fine but I'm sending you to a cardiologist for a stress analysis. My insurance won't pay so that's out. I feel like these drugs are slowly killing me. Out of desperation I made an appointment with a naturopath who specializes in cardiology. It won't be cheap but I want my life back and to be free of all these drugs. When I filled my prescription Monday the pharmacy was short 18 pills. They said they would have more by the end of the week. When they call I'll tell them I don't want them, keep them because if I pick them up they're going in the trash. I don't care if I paid for them or not. I have read this before and I believe it's true, the blood pressure meds themselves keep you needing more and more meds to control it by depleting magnesium and other things that would keep your BP down normally. Good luck to you all.

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Well my doctor is not in the office today I'm still sick and now her assistant is strongly suggesting that I go to the hospital so I'm on my way to the hospital.

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Ok, this is actually Rick, not Right...I was in quite a fog and stress when I posted the last comment. 6 hours of blood work, u.a's, EKG's, CAT Scans, BP, Heart Rate analysis...as well as IV's of fluids, magnesium and potassium. Everything comes back to this...my Doctor dangerously weaned me Metoprolol. The ER Dr's couldn't understand her reasoning, nor why she never asked to see me once she realized something was wrong. BUT....good news. The ER staff at Johnson Memorial were amazing...very smart, very friendly, informative, etc. I really loved these folks...they were so good to me. I am back on my regular dose of metoprolol for the time being...they referred me to a Doctor who would help wean me off it in a much safer, pleasant way...a much more patient approach. I'm home. I'm in bed. I feel better than I have in days, though I'm not ready to go jogging or golfing just yet. As Toni said to me...don't wait...I literally could have had a heart attack and I'm so glad the results came back that I did not. My vitals were out of control! Don't trust your doctor if you think they're wrong...go to an ER and get checked out. They will figure out what's ailing you and get you back to feeling well. I'm SO glad I went today. God only knows what would have happened if I waited it out another day.

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Toni...I've set up a follow up appointment this Saturday with a NEW doctor, who is taking new patients. So, if I like her and her approach to getting me off the metoprolol correctly, I will sign up with her. (I am lucky with my insurance, in respect that I don't need a referral to go to any doctor...as long as they're on my list, I can go to whomever I want.)
Thank you also for the advice on getting back to the doctor...I had no idea how sick I actually was. The hospital told me it was very wise that I didn't wait another day. BP was very high, then low, heart rate very high, potassium and magnesium very low, dehydrated...I had no clue. I just knew I didn't feel well and really felt my Doctor was downplaying my symptoms.

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So glad to hear that you are doing better, and I am so glad you did not wait. Waiting is what got me in trouble. Take heart, I made a full recovery without another TIA or health issue, and it sounds like you will too. Wishing you all the best. God bless you.

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I am having a lot of side effects and I think I'm going crazy

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I am also getting off this drug can anyone help me please... {edited for privacy}

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Travis, how were you taking the medication when you were on it? And how are you weaning off right now?

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Ruby, I was only on this drug for less than a month. When I got off it took about one to two weeks to feel better but lately I'm having racing heart at times and my blood pressure is all over the place. Last night 144/107. This morning 101/78 with a high pulse rate. I just wonder if this drug did some kind of damage in only 3 weeks? I feel terrible, shortness of breath. So depressing. Are you feeling any better?

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