Metoprolol Withdrawal (Page 96)
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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 will say this though Anita , if your shortness of breath gets too uncomfortable or concerning, I'd definitely seek medical attention. It's not that I'd panic over it but breathing trouble can be a real aggravation and can make living really tough. And I don't want that for you. Possibly a simple inhaler can off occasional relief but you would have to ask a doctor. I haven't had much experience with them.

If you have a pulse indicater which displays your oxygen level in your blood, I'd check it when you are having trouble and see what your oxygen level is. You can get a cheap fingertip monitor to tell you. If it's falling below 90, I'd go get it checked.

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If taking a small dose seems to improve your symptoms then I'd say it must be your body trying to adjust without it. If your electrolytes are all ok and your bp is good, I'd give it more time. I wouldn't panic. Assuming you don't feel faint and if the dizziness is just slight, I'd just be patient if it were me.

Some people seem to have trouble adjusting if they take it for a long time but it's not the drug itself, it would be long out of your system by now.

I have been off caffeine so long that when I drink any, I get dizzy. So pay attention to what might else be contributing.

But it's like I tell everyone.. If it concerns you too much, ask a doctor. You know your body best. The fact that taking a little metoprolol helped you leads me to believe it's an adjustment issue that should resolve itself over time.

Try one thing, if you are allowed to take an asprin, maybe take just half a baby asprin and see if your dizziness improves. I doubt it will but I'm just curious.

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Metoprolol is contraindicated in people with asthma history. Used with caution but you need to see the doc who prescribed it before changing dose. Be careful with it. Good luck.

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I'm not on any other medicine. I am a bit out of shape, this medication has had me to where I can't do too much or exercise. I am 165 pds 5'3. My bp is 120/80. Usually pretty good. I've had a chest xray and they say its good. When I first was withdrawling and having the shortness of breath, I broke down and took a small sliver of metoprolol and the shortness of breath went away. It has made me have shortness of breath since I first got on it. So, I assumed since I still have it that it either caused asthma or its still withdrawal. I was on this medicine for a year and a half.

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Not really . Are you on any other medications? Anything? What's your bp? Are you in shape? We need a bit more information.

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Im finding that I still have shortness of breath and still getting dizzy spells 2 mo after metoprolol. Sound normal?

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For what it's worth: I'm Male, 48, diagnosed with High Blood Pressure a couple of years ago..smoked for 28 years, then quit for 14 months and cleaned up my act, lost 30 lbs, etc etc and somewhere in there, got on Metropolol... Had many weird side effects-such as aching muscles, fatigue, blurry vision, and other things I can't remember right now...

Anyway-I stopped taking it recently as it was costing me $40/30 pills because I don't have health insurance right now and due to the side effects..

At least in my case, I've had no real issues stopping it basically cold-turkey...I would suggest that the #1 thing to do to improve quality of life is TAKE A WALK...Everyday..!

When I started walking I felt pretty terrible, although not as bad as I'd thought-I worked up to being able to walk 5+ miles a day..generally I could walk further but it's not viable where I live...

But between walking, quitting smoking and eating MUCH better than I was, I improved my health considerably...I also had BP readings as low as 107/68 or so..Of course I was still on meds then...

The other major change I made was to actually drink water-Not tell myself I should, not drink a little and forget, but to actually drink at least two 16 oz bottles of water a day...whereas before I was a caffeine a holic and would never drink anything but coke or coffee or iced coffee drinks...so my body was all screwed up with all the sugar and caffeine...

I will also say that 3 years ago at age 45, I felt like an old man..I had a bad viral infection, gastritis and a hiatal hernia, mostly all caused by stress...Which is what prompted me to go to the DR for the first time in like 15 years...Of course the DR was little to no help except in prescribing pills and eliminating (through various tests) different diseases..None of which I had...I was screwed up physically, yes, but mostly I was screwed up mentally..

SO FORGET about getting off Metropolol-Pretend you never took it-Get intrigued by something..find a hobby-go out of town, make a fancy meal at home...Do something to give you a sense of pleasure and to take your mind outside your own body...And the best medicine of all-Go to a large hospital and walk around like you are lost...Be discreet, but look in various rooms as you walk by-And tell yourself how much worse it could be!

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Yeah, Toonces, I hear ya! I really can't express enough how much the folks on this website have helped me. It was very comforting to find some people that had the same problems as I had when I had no other place to turn. Just hang in there! You'll start feeling better soon!

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Is it okay to drink Grapefruit juice and orange juice and Epsom salt while on metoprolol tartrate

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today is 33 days. I have the funky head thing. My pulse is still all over the place particularly when its hot out. I'm not sleeping well again, and am somewhat irritable. My BP is fine. I agree Toonces that there should have been some serious discussion of these side effects both before starting and before weaning from this stuff. My (old) doctor did neither and in fact, didn't even tell me to wean off it! If not for the support of the forum, I wouldn't have known what to expect, or had the confidence to continue. I am better, and do more each day with more confidence. The occasional side effect does surprise me, but I was told that it could take a month or more for drugs to get out of your tissues. I'm patient, and forward is 1,000 times better than where I was. I am encouraged by my good days and accept the bad days for what they are. They are fewer and further between. I'm so grateful for all of your comments. My anxiety is gone, and there was no major depression but I know what that's like. I would wake up and my first sensation was a fear in my stomach and anxiety before I got out of bed. This hasn't happened in a while. Toonces, you are in the worst of it. Stay strong, and if need be just lie down and rest. You will pass through this hell period. It took me several days in a row of what you are describing. You can do it.

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Hi All: it's me yet again...has anyone weaned off of Lisinopril? I'm not ready to go off yet until I recover from the Toporil weaning, and I don't know when that will be :-(... But next I need to get off of Lisinopril...I've looked for threads on it, but none are good like this one. Thanks again

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Hi Chris: I was on 50 for almost 10 years, so hopefully, you'll have an easier time of it...but if I were you, I would cut the 25 in half for at least a week and then cut it in half again and then go to zip after that...but just to warn...I have/had blurred vision, anxiety, depression/crying, lightheadedness, up and down blood pressure and up and down pulse and some chest twangs and tightness, lots of fatigue off and on...also, I take omega 3's, magnesium and now I take olive leaf extract thanks to Jane for suggesting. Hopefully, you will have less issues than those of us who have been on longer...I'm still going thru it...5 days completely off...ugh...and good luck

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Hi Jimbo: thank you for opening up on the suicidal thoughts with this stuff. I have had off and on depression for years. When I went from 50 to 25, I had some physical symptoms, but when I went from 25 to 12.5 2 weeks ago is when the anxiety and "downer" thoughts and feelings kicked in. This past week I went from 12.5 to zip, and by Tuesday (I stopped on Sunday), I was ready to take a bottle of Xanax. I truly like, trust and respect my present doctor, but she said that I shouldn't have any problem weaning. If I wasn't reading these posts, I would not have been prepared for any of these side effects, and I would have just gone back on the meds again out of fear. Such a sad situation...but I am feeling a little better today, which is why I'm posting...and I thank all of you for all of your posts and encouragement and knowledge.

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Hi Jimbo: I don't know either on the review process. Some of my posts are posted within a minute, and others won't come up for days. I usually receive an email when someone posts, but sometimes they'll go to my junk mail.

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Hey okay I have been on metoprolol tartrate 25 mg for 3 weeks now for anxiety and HR okay I was wondering will it be hard for me to come off of it since I haven't been on it long

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Hi Anita: So, I went from 12.5 to none on Sunday. I've been completely off for 5 days...jeeeeez- anxiety, a big dose of depression including some crying, and of course the boomerang Bp...but the highest it's been is 120ish over 70ish...kind of all over the road...and my pulse seems lower 50 to mid 50's...and seems to go lower when my pressure goes higher. I feel a little better today...I couldn't agree with you more on the poison...I was afraid to go off, but having the support of everyone on here helped me try. I'm hoping the worst is over, but I doubt it...I just try to tell myself that every day will improve...you're 30 days off...I wish I was. I keep picturing the light at the end of the tunnel. It soooo helps to hear all of you guys say that the more time you're off, the better you feel. I almost had a part of a pill last night...but then I thought about you guys...and did not...how can doctors put people on this stuff and not warn them that they'll need to fight withdrawl? I know...at the end of the day, it's a business.

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So, I've always wondered why some of my posts need to be reviewed before getting posted? That's kind of frustrating, for sometimes it takes too long to actually become a part of the conversation until well after the fact.. I love this website, but it's a bit antiquated. Oh well.....I guess they'll eventually get posted.

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Chris, I'm quite sure that the Metoprolol causes a good share of anxiety. Even after being off the stuff for over two months, I had slight anxiety issues up until a week or two ago. Coffee was my worst enemy during that time, for any caffeine would trigger the anxiety. I'm finally able to drink a cup or two without those issues.

Like yourself, I have no heart issues, but during the time when I first realized I had a problem this drug as well as into the weaning process, I ended up going to the ER three times, all for intense chest pain and heart palpitations. All three times the doctors couldn't find anything wrong. In fact, a couple of them commented on what good health I was in since my pulse rate was at 45......LOL. I simply replied that while I felt I was in fairly decent shape, there's no way that a 61-year-old man could have a pulse rate of 45 unless he ran a marathon every other week. The problem was that the drug just lowered my BP and PR to alarmingly low rates, and I needed to get off of it. Still, the doctors did NOT recognize this.

As far as being difficult to "get off of this mess," yes, it is very difficult. It's a tough ride for sure. I went through about a two-month period where I had very little hope. In fact, while I knew in my heart I couldn't seriously consider the notion of committing suicide, I did feel that I didn't care to live if this was the way I had to feel for the rest of my life. I just felt useless both mentally and physically. Still, I had enough encouragement from my wife and kids to seek out a way to feel better, and the people on this very website gave me a great deal of strength to see it through. I felt all alone in the world, but once I found this place, I realized that this Metroprolol problem is very real and that others were suffering with the same issues I had. It's not an easy battle by any stretch of the word, but you can do it. The thing is, once you reach that one day where you suddenly realize that the Metroprolol's grip on you is finally getting weaker, that'll be the day when you also realize that your life is getting back on track again. And, you know what? That's a damn good feeling...... : )

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Today is 30 days off. I've been exercising and have my heart rate in the high 60s without the metoprolol. Today I had some chest twinges ... And my pulse rate is really volatile as in, goes up fast whenever I do anything. I'm not sure how much is withdrawal and how much is hyper awareness after the terror of this drug. I'm now aware of when anxiety is starting and am getting a handle on it with breathing and trying to relax. Why the hell do the doctors love this drug so much? It's poison! No way I would ever ever put a beta blocker in my system again. This has been hell. Overall I'm improving each day but those of us still getting off it, it takes sooooo long.

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Jimbo thanks for that and I have only been on it for 2 weeks. Well this makes the 3rd week I have been on metoprolol tartrate 12.5 mg twice a day, but to be honest will it be hard for me to get off of this mess? I go to get a scan in two days and I already kno my heart and everything else is fine. It's just I have a problem with anxiety which I feel that is why I have heart palpitations.

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