Metoprolol Withdrawal (Page 58)
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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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As I have sifted through the postings on the board, I have noticed that many people think that anything heart related also has a bearing on the head/brain.

In the case of metoprolol, it is more than that, because the drug actually crosses the blood brain barrier.

Therefore it not just "messing with your head," metoprolol is actually in your brain, which makes it even more difficult to handle when you deprive the brain of a chemical upon which it has become dependent.

I am on Day 13 and not much has changed with heart rate and BP. Still 110-90, and 125/80 rising to 160/80, at rest, as the day progresses with 100 mg losartan in the early AM. Movement of any kind especially up stairs moves both up pretty quickly.

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Good.... and yes I have to stop traveling with this blood pressure machine I take it everywhere sadly lol...

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Monique I was doing the same thing I thought my arm was going to come off, this week with things feeling better, I've only took it once a day. I pray this is over but I have my doubts. I took your advice and went out this weekend and got a one a day vitamin I will let you know how it works out.

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I just wish I could stop taking my pressure and heart rate 15 times a day,I really think I've created a disorder in me now,it's nuts,I don't know what's normal for a standing or walking around heart rate anymore,does anyone know?

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Good to here u had one good week,that's sounds like you're headed the right way,taking any extra supplements or anything now days?

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Hi Matt,sorry to hear what you've been going there,I've been there as well still get racey heart at times but settles much quicker,I was only on 12.5 a month and half been off a little over a month a few weeks,but what I believe is giving us the racey heart is the anxiety that kicks in,it's not our hearts it's the andrenenal kicking through our body from not being on that crap anymore,but you will have better days to come!!:)

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On for over 20 years.....I am housebound and also totally out of shape from this. Climbing stairs sets off my HR.

And I am due for an endoscopy on Thursday to check out a small growth in my esophagus.

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Matt it will get better, I have finally had a full good week and I'm over a month off! How long were you on the Metprolol? I was on for almost 6 months. I hope I'm finally ok, but some people on here say they have bad days long after a month, crossing my fingers lol hope you start to feel better

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On day 12 without metoprolol; heart rate at waking is 115 and slowly drops through the day to 90, BP on waking is 160/100. After losartan 100 mg it drops to 120/80 and then rises through the day back to 160/80.....all numbers at rest.

Are nausea and facial flushing part of the withdrawal symptoms?

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Hi Sandra, Monique, everyone. I had a horrible Sunday trying to spend the day with the grandchildren on the boardwalk, had anxiety, short of breath it was terrible, but had about four days of feeling ok. I'm almost two months off, heart rate and pressure have been up and down, but I'm crossing my fingers for some more good days! Hope you are all well

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Hi Sandra I'm taking it one day at a time now,off one month and two weeks now,had I guess a bad dream other night,jumped up and heart starting racing,it stopped fairly soon after,but I just felt week whole day,muscles,body,and bad headaches too...This shall pass soon,has too,I pray daily for a healing for us all on here !!

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How is everyone? Im still dizzying around. Had a rough few days now back to having okay days with some dizziness thrown in. I started intravenous iv last week. Had my second one today. No improvement yet. I am a little over 6 mo off and still losing hope its a witwithdrawal. My doc is convinced I have some kind of orthostatic stuff going on. Im literally taking it day by day.

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On metoprolol for twenty years and switched to atenolol, a different beta blocker, which made me extremely anxious, caused severe sweating and flushing. I went back to metoprolol and only the sweating disappeared.

When I was only allowed to take BP ( metoprolol and losartan) before an endoscopy, I deduced it was the metoprolol making me anxious.

I told my PCP and cardiologist and they thought I was a "head case" because Beta blockers can be used off label (not approved by the FDA for anti anxiety) to reduce anxiety.

Well, I know my brain and body so I fired my cardiologist and weaned off metoprolol over two weeks, week at 25 mg (from 50) and three days at 12.5 mg.

Since then, I have been able to sleep, the flushing is better but not gone, anxiety is at a normal level, not off the charts and my blood pressure is better 110/70, but my pulse is high 95- 105. My new cardiologist says that the heart rate will take a while to find a new level, now that the beta receptors in the brain are unlocked

So trust your brain and body, always read about the side effects, drug interactions and withdrawal symptoms before you start a new drug....metropolol crosses the blood brain barrier, so the brain can be affected by this drug in many ways, good and bad.

And as you age and your body chemistry changes, a drug over the long term, that once treated the original reason for taking i, may no longer be doing that, necessary or switched.

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I was on Toprol XL for nearly 20 years after a heart attack; since then I have had a triple bypass in '14. I was recently at 50 mg, but have been as high as 100 mg.

I switched to atenolol, a different beta blocker, for three weeks when I read that metoprolol causes depression and I was in one. Atenolol does not cross the blood brain barrier as metoprolol does. Atenolol made the anxiety much worse and the depression worse and it was accompanied by severe flushing of the head and sweating. I also fell once from getting up too quickly at night from bed; I deduced I was overdosed on atenolol.

I also was taking 50 mg of Losartan.

I switched back to Toprol but the severe anxiety and confusion continued as the sweating abated.

I decided to wean off Toprol, even though most doctors thought I was anxious over other things, because metoprolol is usually associated with calming down people and certain beta blockers are used "off label" as anti-anxiety medicine, even though they are not approved for anti-anxiety.

Well, believe me and be live your brain and body, and not the doctors, it can also act to increase anxiety to an overwhelming level. I deduced this when I was only allowed to take my BP meds on the day of an endoscopy. I was out of my mind that day.

I am now off metoprolol, after weaning down to 25mg for one week and 12.5 mg for three days...the anxiety decreased with each decrease in dosage and is much better now completely off the med.

My BP today, the third day off is 110/70...it had been much higher on metoprolol and losartan. I am now only on 100 mg of losartan.

My heart rate is higher (95-105 off the Toprol) at rest, but my new cardiologist says that will happen and bounce around seeking a lower level eventually, a few weeks he said.

I have slept normally since stopping the metoprolol, but my head flushing, some sweating and hand trembling remain, but they seem to be getting slightly better over time, as the body responds to the unblocking of the beta receptors.

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Richard thanks for the info, hope your doing well and glad tyour side effects are manageable

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I do one a days for women,magnesium 200mg,and sometimes when I feel the anxiety flaring l Theanine and drink lots of tea chamomile calms u,and detox teas lately to flush organs and bloods !

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Monique I haven't taken any vitamins, any suggestions?

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Hey Norma,it's good and bad days,it seems like my hR is higher when I first wake up and move around but settles down,still get the anxiety here and there,but still on my vitamins,what vitimans do you take daily?

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Heart attack 2yrs ago...blood thinners, metoprolol, and atorvastatin... induced heart attack by HARD playing softball..had stent put in and what a change...with blood flowing better my side effects grew as I healed..so i cut back on all but the blood thinner..doc took me off thinner after one yr...statin slowly halved each 3 months and statin gone after 1.5 yrs..down to 6.5 mg on metoprolol and feeling the side effects very little...certainly my diet and increased exercise are critical but also lowering doses 4 me as I felt side effects has been the way...statins were hardest on side effects with beta blocker next...I monitor bp and heart rate morning and before light dinners...to see if rates remain good...all the above effects I experienced but as I reduced mg they improved...I told doctor i was reducing and he concurred...walking 2 times a week 4 to 5 miles each time...weights for upper body once a week...no cheating with these, you have to exercise...I worked my way up on these over 6 months after being careful the first 6 months after my heart attack..and healthy diet...it must be said also..my alcohol intake got down to no more than 2 drinks at a time...now only 1 or 2 times a week, sometimes none in a week..really helped...hope this helps someone else...forgot baby aspirin 1 a day probably forever...

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CJBB good to hear there is hope! It just seems like it's never going to end. Hope are doing well m, it sounds like you have seen a little light at the end of the tunnel, thanks for the imput

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