Metoprolol Withdrawal (Page 65)
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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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I just can't shake off anxiety . Its horrible it think i hit the restarts button when i got off lexapro last month . But it will come and go .i know thats going to be the hardest part.

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Has anybody been off this about 5 months to a year? I just am having a week of racing heart and anxiety after not having it for awhile. How long have you been off if the M Sandra? I forgot. I saw where somebody posted awhile back that they didn't feel better until a year. Bouts of good and then bad! Geez! I hate the racing heart and anxiety!

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Anyone have a loss of appetite? In just don't feel like eating much, have one more day of weaning off metropol how ever you spell it !

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Lauren, isnt this crazy how it comes in cycles?! A few good days or a week then feel like crap for a couple weeks!!! Im horribly lightheaded today. Cant even stand up.

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Happy Birthday Lauren!!!! My bday was last week and I felt great until the day of then on my bday it hit me. Talk about depressing. I dont know whats going on with me today but im sooo lightheaded and cant see straight. I started a new higher dose vitamin and im wondering if thats it because im so sensitive to every little thing!!!!

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Happy Birthday to me, feel like Crap and have to work a ten hour shift. Have had very challenging couple of weeks, hopefully this cycle ends soon and I can get back to the feeling better part.

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Almost 4 months off...today, I am lightheaded, heart rate a little high and have had 2 anxiety attacks for no reason. I know some of the heart rate and dizziness is my anemia but I didnt feel this way a few days ago so I guess this withdrawal is still sticking around!!

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Steve its April 2016 and i need to know how are you feeling todayI'm thinking of taking your advice

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Second day off metropolo feel much better aready, I'm on valsartan now, slight side effects just a little queasy

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Ralph I had spikes for the first 4 months but worse of course in the first two. Now the only time it spikes is if I keep stress in my life. Hang in there it soooo gets better!

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Hi

I posted 2-3 times before, I tried to wean off, but since I have some kind of a tachycardia which is very sensitive to adrenaline in the first place, I didn't make it (since my adrenaline went to skies after weaning off) and had to go back on BBs.

Anyway, I researched tons of articles around the internet about Beta Blockers and their mechanisms. And I found one interesting article which will maybe help to a lot of people here.
A lot of you probably had a feeling how it is much easier to drop from 100 Mg to 50 Mg of Metoprolol, than from the last 6 Mg to 0 or from 2-3 Mg to 0 Mg.

Well, this is why, imo:
It seems that the power/strength of BBs is not linear. So, if you take 50 Mg and your Heart rate drops for 10 points (from 80 to 70), then someone could think that 100 Mg will then drop your HR by twice as much compared to a 50 Mg dose (a drop from 80 to 60).
But it is not working that way.

Here are some numbers for Bisoprolol, a similar selective class of Beta blockers:
(5 Mg of Bisoprolol is like 50 Mg of Metoprolol in terms of strength, something like that)
From tests on a lot of patients:
2,50 Mg of Bisoprolol: lowers HR on average for +13 points
5,00 Mg of Bisoprolol: lowers HR on average for +15 (so, only +2 drop from 2,50 to 5,00 Mg and you take twice as much of a drug on 5,00 Mg than on 2,50 Mg)
10,0 Mg of Bisoprolol: lowers HR for +18
20,0 Mg of Bisoprolol: lowers HR for +24

With that logic and explanation, it seems that on tiniest doses, you already get "a base of a drug" for your HR drops a lot and BP drops a lot. While on higher doses, your drop is way smaller (in relative terms) and it progress slowly.

So, in rough numbers, it would mean that:
50 Mg of Metoprolol would lower your HR for around +15 on average
25 Mg would lower your HR for +13
12,5 Mg would lower your HR for +10 or +11
And even 6 Mg would lower your HR for +6 +7 or +8

This would explain why the last step in the process of weaning off is the hardest.
Because those tiniest doses, like 3-6 Mg still affect your HR a lot, and a drop from 6 Mg to 0 Mg will cause bigger problems than a drop from 100 Mg to 50 Mg.

I hope that this will help to some people.
Good luck to everyone

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Dr. (Cardiologist) Told me this a.m. To stop metropolo and start on valsartan right away , said I was on lose dose of metropolo it should be ok to quit . I do feel like crap , I hope this new med isn't like metropolo

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Ralph, DJS is correct when she says that cutting the "extended release" tabs can result in miscalculated doses. If you're going to need to wean off slowly, I'd strongly suggest getting the regular round/white Metoprolol tabs that don't have the colored coating on them. Also, the 25 mg tabs are perhaps a bit easier to deal with. While having been on them for only four or five weeks may well be in your favor, it may be just long enough that you may find yourself needing to take a longer weaning period than anticipated. Everybody is different, but the one thing that most of us here have in common is that we're very sensitive to this drug. Just be careful, and don't worry about taking all the time that you'll need to do it right. Wishing you the best!

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i was only on them for maybe 5 weeks cardiologist said to cut them ,to 1/4 size , to wean off for 3 days they are 50. Mg ,they are the e r type , only been taking 25 mgs a day

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Ralph...I'm not a MD just nurse but I'd say there could be spikes in BP. Metoprolol (aka Lopressor) is a drug that should not be stopped abruptly. It's in the warnings. By changing the dose you could see changes in BP readings. Cutting the extended release tablets not good either because you're not sure of the doseage you're getting. The absorption is also changed because the coating is broken so you're taking a chance with erratic doses. Will not belabor the point except to add my physicians nurse told me I could cut 50 mg tablet when my dose was charged to 25mg. I ended up in the ER with tachycardia and arrythmia. Also be sure to stay well hydrated when taking Metoprolol.

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Do you get blood pressure spikes when weaning off metropolo ? Mines been good all day then just spiked awhile ago now back to normal

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Hello all,
Been awhile since posting. I'm still on Metoprolol 25mg. Had surgery recently and not following here regularly. Nice to see some familiar names. I have had some spikes in my BP and some breakthrough tachycardia that I blame on Metoprolol. I would hope to get off one day since I've been on it over 4 years. My hair loss I blame on it entirely. Be of good courage my friends. We are survivors!!

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Just be patient ralph you have to be careful . Hope you have a good recovery the good thing is that you weren't on it too long .

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Been on it for 4 weeks can't stand it! Ended in e.r.then hospital 4 times with blood pressure spikes over 200 never had this happen until I took this crap! I'm tapering off now doc said 1/4 pill for 3 days was on 25 mg. a day no more drugs for me!!!!!!! And my blood pressure wasn't that high to begin with low 140's over high 70's

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I have been on metoprolol for about a month started at 50 , changed a few days after because of slow heart rate to 25 mg , now trying to get off it, doc said take 1/4 pill a day for 3 days then stop, dim on day 2 headachy fell queasy when I move around , should have never started this med!!!!

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