Metoprolol Withdrawal (Page 52)
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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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The headaches and nausea slowly went away. I definitely didnt wake up one day and they were gone. I have learned to take one day at a time. That was tough for me because i used to be a person that had to plan and look ahead! But with this withdrawal, i had to deal with the day i was in and not worry about tomorrow because that made my anxiety and depression worse. Dont think about what you will feel like tomorrow since every day is different for us. Focus on today and push thru. You will make it! I though i was going to die and i still have days i worry but not as severe as it was.

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I ordered some L-theanine......does that help anyone here with anxiety......I thought I would give it a try.....,I also ordered some Jig Saw magnesium and hope to get my BP down...hard to do with chronic pain, but this anxiety, although milder than when I was on M, is still there even with lorazepam.

Sandra, when did you notice the headaches and nausea leaving? Was it Bam, they are gone or was it a very slow pace.

Bob, you are right about relearning everything. When I first started back on my IPad, writing, doing my financials, etc. it was very frustrating dealing with anxiety and concentration....after several times it got a little easier. Sort of like getting your brain back into the swing of things after a summer vacation, going back to school or work.

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Bob, that really is a good way putting things in perspective. Thank you for your input! In my case, I didn't feel as though I could realistically take the time I probably needed to wean and withdraw myself properly from the drug, for I just had too many work commitments I needed to fulfill. I became so determined to get off of it that I was willing to suffer nearly any consequences that may occur. It really came down to that or to throw my career away due to my ailments. Like many here, I found myself in the ER on more occasions than I care to remember, only to hear the "same old, same old" line that nothing was wrong with me. One doctor in particular even suggested that I seek out psychological help. Sheesh!!! Still, I couldn't even walk a block from my home without feeling as though I was having a heart attack, and I've been an avid cyclist for over 40 years.

Fortunately, I've been off this dreaded drug for 14 months now, and at 62 years of age, I'm feeling better now than I have for several years. However, to this day I still have an occasional bout with anxiety, high BP, and heart palps, but at least they're getting milder as well as being fewer and further between. I never had these issues prior to taking Metoprolol, so I can only assume that it still continues to have a bit of a grip on my nervous system. At this point I'm just hoping that it hasn't caused any permanent damage.

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Oh no probably Matt and I understand I too wore a holter just for a few days and the little box on my side was very annoying and I actually think one of the sticker things sweated off me,but she said they still were able to get data needed thank God,didn't wanna do that again

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Thanks Sandra, Monique and Bob

I am having a really difficult day with knee pain. I took a shower, was driven to my cardiologist to have a holter put on. Some walking from truck to office to truck.
Lots of nausea and a headache lurking. And now I have try to sleep with this thing on. Too much stress.

I wonder if the holter is interfering with things electrically and making it more difficult for me today. Sorry, I was trained in engineering a long, long time ago in Pittsburgh, PA.

Feeling dizzy for the first time, too.

I hope you all are doing better than me today on my Day 54 off M.

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Wow Bob this was very good information and its totally makes sense too

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Hey Sandra good to hear progress,mine tends to be higher during activity too now but I'm only 3 months off,and I can feel myself feeling more tired going up and down the stairs doing laundry,cleaning home,and it never was like that before

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Matt, most of the withdrawal is gone. I dont have the severe headaches or nausea or feeling so terrible like i did. I am still having dizziness and some anxiety and medicine sensitivity. Thats what's left after 8 months. My heart rate runs 80-85 sitting and 95 standing. It gets about 115 with activity but it was 140. I do see improvement. I would say i am 75% back to myself.

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Sandra,

How do you feel after eight months, besides the medicine side effects? Are the withdrawal symptoms gone? Is your HR still high? Is your BP OK?

I can now taste every medicine I take...and some of them repeat on me.
Everything seems exaggerated now.

And can someone explain wonky head, please.

I have stress headaches that I have never had before and nausea that is always lurking. Certain foods make it worse, but sometimes it comes out of nowhere.

The awful anxiety I had while on M is now milder since weaning off.

Everyone is different, thus different withdrawal symptoms but everyone also knows how awful these beta blockers are when the adrenaline has been unleashed.

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Matt, about this part: "Once off the M, the beta receptors and electrical signals to the heart must find equilibrium again, but, in my case anxiety was lessened to bearable levels but the heart rate and BP, without the ability to exercise vigorously, make anything stressful that much worse. Normal activities, taken for granted, are major tasks. I do not drive, I have trouble walking up stairs,etc. "

It is not only about equilibrium of signals. That is one huge part, surely. The other part is: our hearts (as a muscle) are too weak now and we need a lot of time until that muscle gets stronger again.

Beta blockers slows down our HR, like from 70-80 in resting to 60-ish, but also heart pumps weaker in each second when we are taking BBs. Instead of usual number (let's say 100%) it pumps only, let's say 80% of blood in each second (so, a heart pumps lower amount of blood in each second when we take BBs, compared to levels before Beta blockers. Let's say 0,80 litres now under Beta blockers, and 1,0 litres before BBs). Because of that, a heart as a muscle gets weaker (since it is working slower and pumps lower amount of blood). That is good in terms that we are "saving" our hearts and it's workload is lower, but in general, a heart is just weaker and weaker as a muscle.)

Now, when we drop BBs, our heart suddenly needs to pump 100% of blood again, in each second, like as it was programmed by default when we were born. And if we were taking BBs for 1-2-5-20 years, heart (as a muscle) got used to that 80% of pumping-level.

It is a huge shock for the heart, since it suddenly needs to beat much faster and pump much more blood in each second. You know that feeling when you didn't do any activity for years and then you start running/biking and similar for 1 hour per day, and then your legs and muscles hurt every day after that activity - Well, imo, now we are experiencing the same problem with hearts.

Plus, the problem is, when your legs hurt and when you are running too much, you can just stop for a few days and get some rest until they get better. But a heart can't get a rest, since it needs to beat all the time. You can't stop when you are tired...

So, more or less, a heart is under a huge stress currently and it is deconditioned. And it takes a few weeks/months until it gets somewhat conditioned and until it will be again, strong enough to pump 100% of blood in each second with 70-80 HR without any problems.

If your resting HR without BBs is slowly dropping from 100 to 90, 85 and 80, it means that your heart is slowly getting stronger and more conditioned. But, the longer you have taken BBs and the weaker your heart was due to BBs=the longer it will take to finish the withdrawal...

This is why a longer tapering may lower the strength of withdrawal and stress to our hearts/whole body. That way, heart will be forced to go from 80% of blood pumped to 85%, then 85% to 90%, then 90% to 95% and 95% to 100% in the end. (When you drop for example, from 25 Mg to 18 Mg, then to 12 Mg and in the end to 6 Mg for a few weeks.) But when you quit cold turkey or when you wean off for only 1-2-3 weeks, your heart will need to readjust from 80% to 100%, which is a huge stress, as you can see.

I am weaning off for the last 3-4 Months slowly, and it still hurts like hell and a heart still has lots of problems to adjust to these new 85%, 90% and 95% levels of pumped blood...

About your other question, how to drive and do other things after quitting BBs (due to anxiety), when your HR will get back to normal, try to slowly walk for a few minutes at home, then eventually try to go out of home for a few minutes, then try to talk to a neighbor for a few minutes. Then try to drive for a few minutes. Each activity will be strange and you will be anxious even after 2 minutes in the beginning. But you'll survive it (let's hope so) and the next day, you will be able to do the same action for 5 minutes before anxiety will kick in. You'll survive again. Then the next day (or in the next week), try to do the same for 8-10 minutes etc. Your body and brains will slowly get used to normal activities and you will be slightly fighting off the anxiety.

And remember, you are not crazy. BBs and a withdrawal can really mess with our brains. I had the same problems with anxiety as you, both times during a withdrawal.

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You're right, the anxiety is the worst. I've been fighting to take the prescribe amount of Xanax that I'm supposed to in fear of becoming addicted but I'm sure I'm already passed that point and I've spoken to my dr who says will help wean off of the Xanax when the time comes after the electrophysiologist rules anything out. Thinking I could've had a possible SVT episode that started everything. I have had multiple chest x-rays done, clear, echocardiogram, clear, CT angiogram (CT machine and dye pumped through iv), clear/no blockage, a cut of my lungs for blood clots, nothing. So besides my first episode that sent me to the ER in the beginning (that wasn't diagnosed as anything) I was put on the beta blockers and have had trouble since. On them I had lost about 15 lbs in 2-3 weeks, which I couldn't afford to lose in the first place. My heart rate began being elevated from the moment I started them. I couldn't eat or sleep, couldn't feel my fingers or toes, and always had pain in my arms. Couldn't sleep, maybe 3-4 hours on and off. Plus, I would have a very very hard time breathing. They ER started me at 50mg right off. I don't feel I would've had so much trouble had they started me on even just the 25. I took the 50 for a couple weeks, then 25 for a couple days and then my dr had me stop. Day 4 now and the "wonky" head as it's been put on this forum has started. I didn't take my full dose of Xanax last night and was relieved that I had slept for almost 10 hours. Most sleep I have gotten in 2 weeks. The wonky head doesn't bother me so much, and I'm getting help with the anxiety, but the HR makes everything worse. I try to take part of a Xanax and calm down when I know it's getting out of control because I'm letting it bother me but I have a hard time doing more than laying in bed besides getting up to feed and take care of my kids. House work has fallen way behind but thanks to an amazing friend has been some what kept up. For the first time though, I've had time to sit down and keep the laundry folded. lol. Sorry to rant but anyone on here are the only ones who really know what I'm going through and who can relate. The reassurance that it's all part of the process keeps me level headed. I have read through all the posts but can't recall, has anyone else had the "zapping" feeling in different parts of their body at times?

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I have been off all beta blockers for almost 8 months. I STILL cannot put any meds, even tylenol, in my system without having some kind of side effect. Anyone else have sensitivity to meds after this?? I was taking a sleeping pill for 8 or 9 years and never had any effects and i do believe now this has been causing my lightheadedness. Its like the beta blocker turned everything on me.

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Tabitha,

I was on metoprolol for 20 years; then switched to atenolol for three weeks due to depression, since M crosses the blood brain barrier and atenolol does not. All hell broke loose and trying to go back on M no longer worked.

My symptoms are high BP, high HR, still in the 90's at rest, at day 53 off. Nausea, headache, warm feeling in the head like flushing/blushing but no visual redness on the face. Any kind of movement increases HR and BP.

I had to get off because the anxiety while on M at the end was making me crazy and I was at the ER like you many times until I figured out what the problem was.
I was diagnosed as having Panic attacks, back pain. I went through all kinds of nonsense, multiple blood tests that told them I was healthy. ....no way.

I am on many drugs for chronic pain, depression and anxiety, but the anxiety on M was unbearable. I had to go for an endoscopy for the nausea and they allowed only BP Meds that AM....the unbearable anxiety remained, so it was M causing this.

Once off the M, the beta receptors and electrical signals to the heart must find equilibrium again, but, in my case anxiety was lessened to bearable levels but the heart rate and BP, without the ability to exercise vigorously, make anything stressful that much worse. Normal activities, taken for granted, are major tasks. I do not drive, I have trouble walking up stairs,etc.

But I have made it this far and I intend to keep fighting and I am sure I am the longest user of M on these boards. I have been through two endoscopes, passing kidney stones and a laser procedure for that, multiple shots of steroids for back pain and esophagal thrush, all the while fighting this withdrawal over the last three to four months. I even lay on the floor at my urologists office because my cognitive abilities were lost for a while from the anxiety.

Anxiety makes everything look overwhelming; so keep fighting and be aware of the need for your brain and heart to begin communicating again.

I hope you get lucky and it happens quickly for you as some are through withdrawal in a few weeks. Others, like me, who have been on M for so long have forgotten what normal feels like.

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The increase in HR tabitha can also be from anxiety which is what that horrible drug leaves around,the chest tightness I don't think I got just breast pain,and I pray all is well with you

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I have read this forum from the beginning to the end trying to get through this. I am 3 days off and laying in the ER for chest tightness and HR. I don't know what caused my frist spike in HR but ever since then I was on a calcium channel blocker for about 6 days and my heart rate was still in the 100s, so then they put me on 50mg metoprolol once a day and 1 mg Xanax 2 times a day. My dr brought me down to 25mg for a couple days due to side effects and then two different Drs (my dr and an ER dr) said to stop taking it from the side effects ( mans heart rate was still elevated) The electrophysiologist doesn't see me for another 11 days and since everything structural had pretty much been ruled out, it's electrical I guess. But still I'm having the same withdrawals and rebounds and everyone else it seems. Just wish I had answers.

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A question for the long time sufferers who have managed to beat this addiction.... if you had an extended period of bad health with withdrawal from metoprolol, how do you handle the time when your symptoms finally disappear?

I have gotten so used to this awful withdrawal, adjusted my whole life, living from day to day, from nausea to headache, from palpitations to sensitivity to almost anything, including not driving in fear I will be stressed and hurt someone else, how do you adjust to your old, healthy life when it has been 3, 6 or 8 months?

Thanks, Day 52

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Hey this bad week after a few good ones,I just don't understand all this anymore

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Monique,

I am only at 51 days; have you had any good days in your three months? Or is this just a bad week after several good ones?

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Bob,

You seem to have a handle on the heart drugs.

I tried Cardizem, a calcium channel blocker, and it caused depression and insomnia and really did not drop my blood pressure.

Are all calcium channel blockers the same? Should I expect the same side effects with another channel blocker? My BP is a scary 160/80 at rest and my HR is still high in the 80s and 90s.

Are there any alternatives?

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Hi Tabitha, sorry you are going through all of this, we've all been there. I didn't get any panic or anxiety attacks until taking that crap, now they are a lot lesser but I do have issues here and there mainly soreness in body. I'm 35 and was only on it like 2 months if that, I have digestion issues to do to see a gastroenterologist next week. My Endocronologist called me back today and told me my blood and saliva evaluation were high for my cortisone now I have to do a U/A, so I know that could be causing most of my aliments now because the M should be well out of my body after 3 months.

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