Metoprolol Withdrawal (Page 91) (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.

REPLY

REPORT

Sandra,

Sorry that it is still bothering you after such a long period of time? I have read here many who have felt normal after some period of time, from a few months to people like you and JR, over a year.

I know that I do not want to go back on any beta blocker even though the doctors universally advise that. They do not understand what most people are going through here and why they would not go back.

I listen to my body and my body did not write the medical journals that these doctors, from cardiologists to endocrinologists, base their theories, practice and prescriptions on.

I asked my friends who were on beta blockers (and there were many) and none had any problems unless they missed a dose and they felt palpitations. So, for many it is a good drug, not for everyone, obviously the many who post here.

Obviously anyone who still has symptoms and does not feel right after so long a time is going to be depressed, much like a chronic disease.

Long term anxiety will almost certainly lead to depression, too. But at least the anxiety is waning

Did you ever go back on M during withdrawal and why did you get on in the first place, HR or BP?

Are you better than you were, while on M?

REPLY

Was this helpful? 0

I have been on 50mg of metoprolol 2x a day since a MI in 2014. The extreme fatigue made life not worth living. My cardiologist is tapering me off (down to 1 a day)..and immediately felt much better. After 2 weeks of doing really well, I suddenly had an attack on Monday... increased heart rate, dizziness, slight shortness of breath followed by panic. Ended up at hospital where EKG and other tests showed nothing. 2 days later still having similar issues if I am not resting. Bad part is not sure if this is a problem with going off the drug or something else cardio (or not!) related.

REPLY

Was this helpful? 0

Sounds as if you are going through withdrawal from the dosage drop.

Metoprolol usually calms people down by reducing the adrenalin flow to the brain, resulting in lower Heart Rate and lower blood pressure. The fatigue you experienced at the higher dosage is a common side effect.

Give your body some time to adjust to the increase in adrenalin, due to the drop in dosage.

Withdrawal always brings about your second guessing yourself on whether it is the reaction to dosage drop or something totally new.

To be safe, have your heart checked out. If it is metoprolol and not Toprol XL, the extended release capsule, you might try going up to 37.5 mg for a while and then coming back to 25 mg once you stabilize at 37.5. Talk to your cardiolologist about that first.

REPLY

Was this helpful? 0

Jimbo - how have you been . I still struggling with the anxiety but a lot better. This is a horrible drug to get off

REPLY

Was this helpful? 0

Approaching one year.....had several weeks where I was feeeling good, then bam, I woke up with dizziness, nausea and it has lasted three days now. Cannot seem to get to a point where I do not fear a reprisal of this withdrawal, if that is what it is.

Weigh in on how you all are doing. The news these days from DC does not help with anxiety levels.

REPLY

Was this helpful? 0

Been weaning off metoprolol for 6 weeks. Dose was 25 mg twice daily, I cut that to 12.5 mg twice daily for 10 days. Then I cut that to 6.mg (as close as I could split the 25 mg pills into quarter pieces) twice daily. 10 days on that dose. Went about 8-10 days of just taking a quarter. Now I am on third day taking none. My bp is up a little, flushed face and I had another shaking spell, 10-20 minutes. Nothing like the 3 1/2 hour shaking spell I had in the EMergency Room.
Everyone will taper off at different rates. I don't like the symptoms / side effects coming off this .4 different trips to ER and two to my cardio dr. Almost all the nurses at both places said they had or knew someone who had terrible spells getting used to or weaning off
Metoprolol.

I would rather be back in Iraq dodging rockets mortar fire than have to deal with this "medicine"
It was

REPLY

Was this helpful? 0

Hi. Stopped taking Metoprolol 25mg 3 weeks ago. Started feeling nausea, anxiety and dizziness after a while. What are your experiences when the withdrawal symptoms, how long did they last? /CM

REPLY

Was this helpful? 0

Quit cold turkey after taking for only one month 25mg of this horrible med. The tic in my shoulder was so violent that I now have tendonitis on my shoulder. Tic has somewhat calmed down after a little over 5 months; have to have an MRI to see if I tore a ligament; feels like shoulder joint is off track and some loss of range of motion! BP is doing OK!
Prayers for you all going through repercussions from this med!

REPLY

Was this helpful? 0

Took metoprolol for two years till I had ablation for a-fib. Always hated the way it made me feel. Exersional dyspnea, tired, some anxiety, myalgia. After ablation tapered metoprolol starting 6 weeks after procedure. Tapered over 10-14 days. Experienced some of same symptoms. Most gone now but it's like my base heart rate has been set higher. Goes up to 90s with little activity and with exercise goes up to 120-130. On seated bike where it would not go over 95 now HR goes to 115-120. I'm 2 weeks off metoprolol. Wonder how long it will take to reset my normal rate?

REPLY

Was this helpful? 0

I take 150 mg er succinate per day. I have for years. I feel like I am dying without it. What should I do?

REPLY

Was this helpful? 0

Hi Terry,

I just found this message board and have been reading everyone's experience with Metoprolol withdrawal. I was hospitalized last year for a rare form of pneumonia and went into AFib for a few days. I was able to come out of it but since then I have been on a beta blocker. The first one they had me on caused me to have major side effects so they switched me over to Metoprolol last September. I was just weaned off of it and I am now a little over 3 weeks completely off. Since then I have had a rapid heart rate (as high as 100 once) and my blood pressure has risen. My heart rate fluctuates daily. I also have times where I feel very jittery and on edge. It seems that you have experienced some of the same symptoms I am currently experiencing. I was wondering how you are doing now and if you have gotten any better. Thank you for your time.

REPLY

Was this helpful? 0

loulanda
I was on metoprolol for 20 years, with just a few side effects like dizziness upon standing.

But it turned on me and I got so anxious and foggy thta I was forced to stop. I wad at the ER way too many times.

If you feel OK on it, why stop?

If not, then wean off of it.

I am a little over a year off and still have too high a heart rate and BP and I am still anxious.

I am overly sensitive to any new med since stopping. Many here agree on that sensitivity. Any new BP calcium channel blockers like Norvasc and Cardizem gave me nausea or made me depressed.

Even something like ambien for insomnia has bad side effects now.

Beta blockers reduce the adrenalin flow to your brain, so stopping them releases those hormones and it takes quite a while before your brain, heart, lungs and GI system learn to communicate again with one another.

It is a struggle, but most feel better eventually; if you can exercise, do it to relieve anxiety and stress. And if you stop, be prepared for some tough days, but do NOT stop cold turkey. Wean down with dosage and time.

REPLY

Was this helpful? 0

Kelley, if you have been taking BBs for a few Months, you may have a short or a long withdrawal.
You may be fine in 2-3 weeks or it may last for 6 or more Months.

REPLY

Was this helpful? 0

I do and i think it may have need due to the beta blockers . I have been diagnosed with chrohns.

REPLY

Was this helpful? 0

JR- I was diagnosed with Crohns in September 2016! Less than a yr after being off beta blockers. Now, I also have severe sensitivity to meds so taking meds for this is impossible.

REPLY

Was this helpful? 0

Sandra, I am lucky mine isn't severe. All I have to do is go on a diet. Do you have to take meds for your crohn's?

REPLY

Was this helpful? 0

Thanks Norma, hope you are feeling better soon as well! I agree...this med is worse than the disorder it is prescribed for; needs to be banned.

REPLY

Was this helpful? 0

JR- mine is moderate to severe so they have me on Humira. With my medicine sensitivity, you can imagine how rough I feel 24/7.

REPLY

Was this helpful? 0

Jimbo. How much X did you get. I'm on the lowest dose. Have been for a year and only use 1/2 at a time if I need it never developed any dependency. Are you on a higher dose? Takes me 4 to go through 30 tablets Rx. Could they have started you too high? It's helping me get through the taper of the poison better known as Metoprolol hope you are doing better

REPLY

Was this helpful? 0

Bob
Thank you for your reply! Yes i am now 3 months off and im starting to feel better than the first couple of months. I am going through som days of palpitations right now that come and go, but hopefully soon my heart will steady out! Other than that still have mild anxiety attacks but nothing compared to before! So im still having mild symptoms, but geting better. And yes patience is what we need, things do get better with time.

REPLY

Was this helpful? 0

My Dr. told me I can just quit the metoprolol, my heart rate sometimes dips into low 40's for a few seconds at night...

3 REPLIES

So I was prescribed Metoprolol for high BP and have taken it for a total of about 8 years. It was horrible in the beginn...

20 REPLIES

My son had a terrible experience on wyvance. He has phyciatic systems to include halluciations. The doctor took him off ...

429 REPLIES

I have been in pain management for years, lost my doctor along with other patients, and primary won't fill or says s...

299 REPLIES

I have been on kolonopin 1 mg daily for 14 months now I am depressed and very anxious most of the time I want to get off...

292 REPLIES

How long before muscle aches and weakness subside after discontinuing Lipitor ## Had been on 10mg for 4 years. recently ...

204 REPLIES

I have been taking 200 mg. a day for about 4 years. I thought it was a coincidence that I've lost 50% of my hair dur...

165 REPLIES

I have been on Vyvanse for 4 weeks and I am now tapering off. I was going to quit cold turkey , but I wke up this mornin...

159 REPLIES

I started Metoprolol this Monday after the cardiologist prescribed it because of being in the ER with extremely fast hea...

103 REPLIES

I have been on stelaine for 25 years with short breaks but I am trying to stop it and getting nasty withdrawal effects. ...

87 REPLIES