Metoprolol Withdrawal (Page 92)

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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Matt.......man, 20 years is a long time to be on this garbage drug. I totally understand why it's taken you so long to get beyond it. Hopefully you'll get past it once and for all soon.

Regarding high blood pressure, I was one of those that was prescribed Metoprolol for borderline hypertension. At the time I was about 40 pounds heavier than I currently am, and it was enough to put me at risk. Long story short, I lost the weight, I got back into a regular year-round exercise routine - primarily cycling and walking - and I switched to a much healthier diet. Those three things alone have kept my blood pressure at normal or even slightly below normal levels. At 63, I doubt that I'll ever need to go on a BP med again as long as I can maintain a healthy lifestyle. I'm not saying that this will work for everyone, but it's a comforting feeling to know that my average BP went from about 145/90 to 115/75 in a matter of six months or so.

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I have been prescribed lorazepam for the anxiety, but It does not always help.

At 14 months off, I am still nauseous for days at a time. There are days when I almost feel normal, but they do not last long enough. My heart rate and BP are still high and cannot take any other BP meds as they cause things like nausea and depression.

Meanwhile, I have had other things develop on the way and never know whether it is due to withdrawal or from something else, perhaps another drug I am taking. I had a bout of pain in the chest when breathing deeply, like when your doctor is evaluating your lungs. An inhaler with steroids has eliminated that. All my joints ache, but they tell me I only have mild arthritis in my knees. So does beta blocker withdrawal cause that?

I stopped my statin for cholesterol, but that does not seem to be helping my aches and pains and stomach. I have taken it for 15-20 years so that may take some time as well.

The biggest problem is that if I try to take a nap in the afternoon after not sleeping well the night before, I get extremely anxious, almost frightened, as I try to get to sleep and that precludes naps.

All the doctors want to go back on beta blockers, but I do not see that as a possibility. They think I am nuts. Guess what this withdrawal makes you nuts. I wish I could transfer these feelings and symptoms to the doctors; then they might comprehend how difficult this is.

Eating anything has possible consequences. Caffeine and soda are out of my diet.

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Hi Jimbo!
I am impressed how you worked to lower your BP. Did you exercise also when you had abstinence from stopping Metoprolol? How did you do to lose so much weight? Metoprolol seems to undo such try so I have now started to try lose that extra weight I got when taking the pill. But I don´t seem to lose weight. Could it be because of that my body still act as if I eat Metoprolol?

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Bob,

Have you looked into the effect the beta blockers has on the vagal nerve. It controls electric messages to the heart lungs and GI system from the brain. Since most of the symptoms here refer to those three systems/organs, it may well determine what the release of adrenalin after stopping beta blockers and how it affects the vagal nerve, which is the longest nerve in the body.

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Hi Moventia,

To answer your questions, my first bad experience with Metoprolol occurred in the spring of 2015, at which time I was also recovering from a rather severe case of diverticulitis. Since I was essentially on a liquid diet for several days while also taking very strong antibiotics, I lost several pounds as a result. I tend to believe that the initial loss of weight was the primary reason for the Metoprolol to spiral out of control. It was at that time that I found MedsChat and realized that I needed to go through a weaning process. In other words, at the time I was in a wreck due to this drug, both physically and mentally.

Regarding exercise, I've always been active during the summer months and not so much during the winter months. I couldn't exercise at all during the weaning and withdrawal process, for I felt extremely weak and fatigued. This was also compounded with chest pain, heart palps, dizziness, anxiety, etc., etc. If I tried to walk any more than a block in town, I'd end up in the ER. Like many others have said here, all of the doctors thought I was nuts, primarily because they couldn't find anything wrong that seemed out of ordinary.

But again, to make a long story short, once my severe withdrawal symptoms started going away, I started walking slowly and on a regular basis, and that led to finally having enough confidence to get on the bicycle again. The diverticulitis issues also forced me to drastically change my diet, and that included the elimination of alcohol, fatty foods, junk food, and any other foods that weren't easily digestible. I'm quite sure that alone helped in losing some weight. I've always been a cyclist as well, but this time around I got pretty serious about it again, and by the end of the summer of 2015, I was riding about 100 to 150 miles per week. Since I live in a cold climate, I've also started riding an indoor bike throughout much of the fall, winter and spring seasons. In a nutshell, though, between diet and exercise, it really didn't take that long for me to get back to my normal weight, at which time my blood pressure also settled into a very safe zone. I obviously let myself get out of shape for two or three years, and it was undoubtedly the cause of having relatively high blood pressure in the first place.

I honestly don't know if Metoprolol has an effect on whether or not someone can lose weight. In my case, I just knew that I had to get healthy again or I'd be in trouble, so it pretty much forced me into a healthier lifestyle.

Anyway, I hope this helps in answering your questions. I wish you the best of luck!

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Hi Jimbo!
Thanks for answering my questions. After reading your answers I have som more questions.

First. I don´tunderstand why yhou were given Metoprolol for diverticulitis? Or did you take it for in earlier sickness? I also wonder what symtoms you got from Metoprolol when you lost weight?

Thanks for describing your trainings. I suppose none can train under the weaning process from Metoprolol. which is a catastrophe because many people have had the drug because of high blood pressure. Of course it easily comes back when you try to stop the drug.

When started your symtom to disappear och how looked the process. How long was it?

I know that Metoprolols adrenalin stops the ability to let fat go from the cells. It is a swedish doctor and researcher who first understood that. But he did not got any attention from colleges and slowly saw that the medical assosciations is not interested in new knowledge about drugs which have been used for long time. He is now chairman of a new organisation for knowing more about metabolic probelms.

That the sideeffects of Metaprolol has not included weight rise can be that it can take long time to see that and think it has other reasons.

Hope go you on with taking care of your health! I am trying now.

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Hi Moventia! I was prescribed Metoprolol for hypertension. Granted, I was at a borderline level, and the doctor should've suggested losing weight and exercising before prescribing the drug. The primary reason I initially lost weight was because I had a severe case of diverticulitis in which I was prescribed three rounds of antibiotics. Not only did the antibiotics make me sick, but losing the first 10 or 15 pounds of weight obviously had an effect on how the Metoprolol reacting in my system. It essentially made a horrible turn for the worst, at which time I realized I needed to get off of it.

I probably did too fast of a taper when weaning off the drug, though. I only did a six-week weaning process, and it was followed by six more weeks of withdrawal hell. I stated this once before, but I should've doubled or tripled the weaning process, for I ended up in the ER more times than I practically remember. Once I got past the six weeks of withdrawal, I felt much better, but I had lasting effects that took over a year to disappear, mostly anxiety, heart palpitations, dizziness, etc. I didn't allow any of that to stop me from continuing to exercise. Hope this helps!

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Re: Jimbo (# 1827)

Hi Jimbo
I can relate. I started off with a six week taper but I extended it after reading everyone's posts I'm down to a very small amount every day but I stretched it another six weeks I'm hoping 12 weeks of a taper and then an additional three weeks of every other day until I'm all done will help I've had a tough time with that this is the worst drug ever I never should've been placed on this at all at best I suffered from white coat hypertension I've ended up in the ER a few times and everything cardiac checks out perfect so it's definitely this drug and in fact the ER doctor was very surprised I was placed on this as a first-line for hypertension which really amounts to whitecoat hypertension I've always run a little bit high but none of my other doctors before I moved here we're concerned enough about it that they would put me on a medication for it I just made a few adjustments and that was it when I got here is when everybody flipped out and I was placed on this medication after a year of hell I made up my own mind to wean off of it and got my doctor to approve it I would've done it anyway because I would've refused to have this medication any longer than I have to I actually have anxiety and this just made it worse but now I also have a bit of anxiety as to what it's going to be like when I'm finally off it because of everything I've read I'm worried about what could happen to me once I don't take any doses of it how pathetic is that one drug could make me this afraid
I think my blood pressure fluctuates mostly because I suffer from anxiety post war in addition to I have MS and that plays on my mind a lot in terms of my future with MS I really think my doctor jumped the gun and I think she realizes that as well hope your days are better

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Starry......yeah, the weaning process is the key element to safely getting off this drug. I'd only suggest that each time you cut back on your doses, it's a good idea to let the drug settle into somewhat of a stable state before cutting back on the next dose. The first few days are always the hardest after a cut, but then it seems to settle in a bit after that. Since I was working out on the road while not wanting to quit work during the weaning process, I decided to do a fast taper. That wasn't a good idea, for once I went cold turkey, I needed to take some time off anyway. So it goes, I guess. But hey, you'll get there eventually! I hope it goes well for you!

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Re: Jimbo (# 1829)

Thanks Jimbo. I'm giving each dose reduction 2-3 weeks Hopefully that's ok
I can't believe what poison this Med is!
Thanks for your input

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It's nasty stuff, alright. I think I can speak for everyone here, but if I had known what it was going to do to me, I would have never taken the crap. It was the worst experience of my life.

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Re: Jimbo (# 1831)

I couldn't have said it better myself Jimbo that's exactly what I feel

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Re: James (# 18)

Yes I can hardly breath and I have a hard time swallowing. Horrible side effecte

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Re: Matt (# 1824)


I haven't read about vagal nerve.

I am now 10 Months clean of BBs (I am not taking any other drugs anymore either).
Anxiety is way better now.
I am forcing myself into more and more light physical activities everyday.
I even started to run for a few minutes slowly (I was barely walking while on BBs for 2 years).
I feel almost normal for 99% of time, I live a normal life and I have almost forgot what I have been through on BBs and during a withdrawal.

I hope that you are better and I wish a good luck to all other posters here.
I hope that you will make it and live normal lives again.

Good luck

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So you remember me I will make a little review first. I stopped Metoprolol in April with the help of acupuncture. Big problems came 14 days after I stopped acupuncture. First took Magnesium Taurate and it helped for 14 days. Then the horrible side effects were back. Had a strong pressure on my breast and my heart beat was very hard. A friend told me to try vitamin-E, which I did. Then the pressure disappeared but the heart was still beating very hard sometimes during the day. I was afraid that would hurt my heart so for three days I started to take Hawthorn to calm my heart down. It has worked and I don´t have any side effects anymore. Now I am afraid it will return but am happy that my heart is normal now. Metoprolol is a very dangerous drug and the doctors seem not to understand what they are doing when given it to many people. In Sweden where I live, the doctors are forbidden to give any other medication than what the drug company makes. So when taking Magnesium, vitamin-E and Hawthorn I am on my own, but have gotten much help from Medschat and my friends back home.

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Re: Steve (# 17)

Very good point. Hopefully the JAMA and FDA will get this message and get serious about it.
I've been on Metoprolol for 3 wks and have developed chest pains (never suffered chest pains before), breathing sifficultues, bowel movements are tan and grainy.
I want off of this stuff but to date I'm still waiting on a callback from my doctor. It's been 3 days.

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I am happy to say that my abstinens from Metoprolol is almost disappeared after seven month of terrible problems. I have stopped taking Hawthorn and only take one pill of e-vitamin, which is a normal dose compared to the six I took when it was wearst. I hope it will stay so. Thanks for all help here.

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Re: Darlene (# 1836)

I'm not sure why they put you on this med but I do know that the doctors and pharmacist offer no works of assistance when you are trying to get off of it. They are quick to put you on this horrible Med but do not want to take any responsibility for helping you come off of it. If your doctor is like all the others I would say that this is why you are still waiting for a phone call. I have to take action on my own to get off of metroprolol. I was only on 50 mg once a day for a year but did not see the some of the side effects that were slowly coming on over time. Some very stupid doctors prescribe this Med for hypertension which should never happen. I cut my dosage in half for two weeks(25mg) and then in half for another two weeks (12.5mg) and then in half again for another two weeks 6.25mg. I am not saying that it was easy because there are still side effects but they are much more tolerable. Even at the end of this weaning process when I went off of the Metoprolol completely I still had some side effects for about another 3 weeks. All through this process I was having widely fluctuating BP and a High Heart rate sometimes around 115 for long periods of time, slight Angina and the scariest was the Anxiety Attacks that would come and go. During the weaning process the Angina stopped and the Heart Rate came back down by the end of the first two weeks. When I cut the dosage in half again these withdrawal side effects came back but stabilized within a week. The last two weeks side effects were much milder. when I went completely off the Meds after this last step my BP and Heart Rate were fairly normal but I still continued to have mild Anxiety Attacks for about another two weeks. My doctor now has put me on Lisinopril (5mg). I found that with he 5mg dosage my BP was actually too low so I had to cut my dosage in half to 2.5mg. I am now starting some activity and may not have to stay on this Med if all goes well. Hope my story helps because I doubt if the doctor that prescribed Metroprolo to you will. Final word of advice! If the doctor tells you to just stop taking this Med DON'T DO IT !!! You must wean off of it or you could find yourself in Emergency!

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Been taking half of 25mg of metoprolol titrate in the am then other in the pm want to come off this drug because of side effects what is the best way to stop this drug

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I am glad to see the post. I started metoprolol 4 months ago 25mg once a day. The symptoms of depression anxiety dizziness and extreme drowsiness , drove me to the point of stopping the drug. I tried to stop cold turkey because I didn't think I would have withdrawal because I was not on the medication for a long time , it instantly ran by blood pressure and heart rate very high. I got back on and after 2 weeks went down to 12.5 once daily and my blood pressure went up again very high , I decided to stop again cold turkey and the symptoms from stopping landed me in ER twice because I thought I was having a heart attack. To be exact my symptoms were chest pain, palpatations , shortness of breath, irregular heart beats, anxiety, shakiness, hot flashes, increased Heart rate, dizziness , extreme tiredness . I though it was difficult adjusting to the med, the affects of coming off were almost unbearable. What's ironic is my cardiologist told me there are no effects of coming off the metoprolol. I am a registered nurse in the Emergency Room , and I was shocked to hear him tell me this. Yes it true the medication leaves the body in about 35 hours after you take the last dose , sometimes longer depending on your metabolism, but understand it's not the medication in the system that's causing the symptoms, it's the medication not going in your body anymore that's causing the symptoms. Just wanted to say that because a lot of people are worried about how long it takes the med to leave the body , probably thinking it causing them these symptoms.

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