Bisoprolol

[Stephanietee]

I have been prescribed this to start at 2.5 mg. per day. Is this a normal starting dose. I am scAred to death of the side effects especially dizziness as I have dizzy problems in any case.

Any thoughts or advice.would be appreciated

Stephanietee

[jennydog]

I also take 2.5 bisoprolol. It cuts my heart rate from 80ish to 65. I take it at night as my AF can start whilst I am asleep. I take it because my heart has fibrosis due to radiotherapy damage.

I was on 10 strength pre-ablation which is supposedly the max but I know someone on 10 in the morning and 5 at night.

Breathlessness and tiredness are the main problems but at 2.5 you will probably have no difficulty although it doesn't suit everybody. When you eventually have to stop taking beta blockers you need to do it gradually.

1.25 is the minimum dose for which tablets are available. If you are desperately scared you could cut a 2.5 tablet in half as a test but I don't think you need to be unduly anxious.

[Annekw in reply to jennydog]

Hi, I take 1-25mgs,in the morning,no problem!

I was like a zombie on2-5mgs,so my GP reduced the dose. Good Luck!

[Annekw in reply to jennydog]

Hi I was told not to cut tablets in half as the dose is not reliable! There's no score line and Bisopral is a small tablet! (My GP)

[Finvola]

I was the same Stephanie - looked at my first 2.5mg tablet like it was poison! That dose made me very listless and heavy legged but when I started Flecainide, the dose was reduced to 1.25mg and it seems to be fine.

Not everyone has the same reaction to it - many people take high doses without problems. The only way to know how your body will react is to try . . .

Best wishes - I hope it helps.

[Hidden]

Hi Stephanietee, I'm on bisoprolol 10mg a day and it's not as bad as you may think. I started originally on the 2.5mg and the first few weeks I did feel off, but I gradually got used to it. After they slowly upped my dosage, each time I was the same for the first few weeks until my body adjusted to them.

Yes, some people do get dizzy on them unfortunately, but it's one of the side effects I'm happy to accept to give me more life.

I'm on mine with ramipril 5mg and digoxin 250mg so my dizzy spells are through the roof, to the point that I now faint. But it's all worth it to live in my opinion.

Hope this helps, Sarah x

[PeterWh]

If you are concerned then go back to GP and ask if you can be started on 1.25 and then say after 2 to 4 weeks (depending on circumstances and outcomes) increase to 2.5mg.

Quite a few different makes. The two main makes I have had have score lines on. Currently my 5mg ones have scorelines both ways but tablet is very small but previous one was quite large so must have had quite a bit of packing / filler. As to dosage if the tablet has scorelines it should break pretty easily especially if done with a sharp knife. I was told that with Bisoprolol because it is a long lasting effect tablet and because there is a reservoir effect particulary after having been on it a few weeks it shouldn't make too much difference.

[Nickibmibile]

I take bisoprolol 10mg a day and ramipril 5mg a day and I can't say I've noticed any side effects at all. Mind you I'm on so many different medications these days that I'm not sure what are side effects and what are the conditions they treat. Still I'm assured all the medications are keeping me alive so I'm happy to take them. From talking to other people in hospital waiting rooms it seems that most of the side effects settle after a few weeks and if they don't resolve within a month go back to see your doctor. Good luck x

[Mazza23]

I am also on 10 mg a day and have been for over 2years no side effects

[degsy76]

iwent into af 18 months ago was put on bisoprolol and have not felt good ever since getting hot flushes etc is this a side affect of the medication

[chrishuk]

I take 10mg a day of Bisoprolol since my Afib came back a few months ago.

To be honest I never noticed any particular unpleasant side effects.

However what I did notice was the fact I felt slightly less unwell on it then before I started taking it.

The breathlessness is my worst symptom without doubt and effects my day to day activity quite considerably, but I'm not aware of a drug treatment to relieve this particular symptom.

I see my cardiologist is a few weeks time and hoping we can try another cardioinvertion procedure .

Good luck.