Is it Bisopralol?: Heart attack 7 weeks... - Atrial Fibrillati...

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Is it Bisopralol?

Qualipop profile image
21 Replies

Heart attack 7 weeks ago; put on ticagrelor, bisopralol, isosorbide mononitrate, aspirin, ramipril ,ranitidine and furosemide as well as painkiller I've been on for 19 years ( oxycodone). AT first I had bouts of breathlessness from ticagrelor which have now eased off but about an hour after taking my morning tablets, I start to feel really breathless whenever I move ( Not like the ticag breathlessness), I get a heavy ache in my chest, my heart feels to pound and I feel so weak I can barely drag one leg in front of another as well as being extremely weepy and depressed. I'm trying to work out what's causing it. Can never see the same GP twice. One has said stop taking furosemide. I did- no difference. One said to reduce my painkiller. I tried- no difference except a lot of pain.Another GP just did an ECG and blood test at a time when I don't get any side effects. I tried moving the ramipril to night- no difference. I also take the ticagrelor morning and night but after taking it at night I don't get any bad side effects which leaves only bisopralol ( My main suspicion) , isosorbide mononitrate and aspirin. It all wears off about 6 hours after taking the meds and on an evening I feel absolutely fine and full of energy but from about 11am and 5pm I feel like I don't want to go on. Any suggestions please? Tried he consultant's secretary who spoke to him and he just thought it may be ticagrelor and said to see my GP but they don't seem to have a clue.

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Qualipop
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21 Replies
IanMK profile image
IanMK

Perhaps discuss with a GP the possibility of taking your bisoprolol in the evening?

So sorry to hear of your heart attack and really unsatisfactory situation with your surgery. No wonder you are feeling so low. You need proper help and support.

Of course we are not qualified to offer advice on your medication. Having been on Bisoprolol myself though I know how this can cause some pretty drastic reactions for some of us. What dose are you taking?

My advice would be to get back to your doctor and suggest that Bisoprolol may be causing your breathlessness etc and see what he advises. Some of our members have changed to a different betablocker after finding Bisoprolol too troublesome or even simply a lower dose. Do not attempt to change without your medics approval though.

Do let us know how you get on

Best wishes

Sandra

Finvola profile image
Finvola

I’m sorry you are feeling so low with such symptoms, Qualipop. As Hidden says, there are other beta blockers which can be prescribed if the Bisoprolol is the culprit. I have found that Bisoprolol is the beta blocker of choice for many medics but it can cause the breathlessnes that you describe in some people (I’m one of them).

Do talk to your GP about the amount of good trial and error you have done with your drugs and ask about trying an alternative to Bisoprolol - I was changed from it to Nebivolol and I feel much better. Best wishes.

Qualipop profile image
Qualipop

Thank you all. The difficulty is getting a GP who really knows about he tablets. As you can see I've tried 3 already who all had different suggestions and no real idea. They are just guessing. There is one I would trust to investigate properly but there's a 5 week wait to see him. I'm only on the lowest dose of everything. Without seeing me the consultant suggested it was ticagrelor but I've proven that it isn't. I have a second angiogram in November but I feel so bad I don't want to wait that long although they may not want to change it before the angiogram. I feel as if I'm just wasting my days because I can't do anything during the afternoon at all and the discomfort in my chest worries me. I was doing brilliantly up to about 2 or 3 weeks ago. Would it start having such side effects after about 5 weeks?

EngMac profile image
EngMac

Check the drug sheets for each medication to see if some of these drugs have interactions that could cause this. Sometimes drugs are not checked for this by the GP or even the heart specialist. You need to do your own research.

Qualipop profile image
Qualipop in reply to EngMac

Goodness I'd have thought the cardiologist would have got it right.

in reply to Qualipop

You would have thought so ! I agree with what EngMac has said

Qualipop profile image
Qualipop in reply to EngMac

Checked- there are no adverse interactions

bigbearatthecave profile image
bigbearatthecave

Sorry to hear about your ticker, I think when you only have AF (only) then you can see the side effects of Bisoprolol, however, agree with the group, the heart attack does add complications which your drugs may be getting the blame for. so, in this case, listen to the cardiologists they are brighter than doctors.

Qualipop profile image
Qualipop in reply to bigbearatthecave

I would if I could get to see one! I haven't seen one except while he did the angiogram when of course I couldn't talk to him and for 30 seconds before when he checked my stats. NO follow up, no explanation. Just a lost of meds handed to me by a nurse.

healme profile image
healme

I honestly don't know the answer and I am so sorry that you have been through so much suffering.

I can only say that my side effects were identical to yours while I was taking Bisoprolol. Now that I am on an alternative medication I do feel much better.

Qualipop profile image
Qualipop in reply to healme

Thank you. Yes by a process of elimination I'm sure that's what's causing it. I Just walked into another room, wiped a dog's foot and am now gasping for breath yet before the side effects kicked in at 12 noon. I washed up, put the laundry away, hoovered the entire downstairs and dusted everywhere, absolutely no problems. The only thing I can think of is to write a letter to the one GP who just might take notice.

healme profile image
healme in reply to Qualipop

I was exactly the same and had to give up my rehab class. Over the period of 8 weeks that I persevered with them I just got worse and felt whacked 24/7 It took a couple of weeks to get it out of my system too. I know it was the Bisoprolol in my case as I now have my energy back. Good luck with the GP.

Qualipop profile image
Qualipop in reply to healme

I've been on them 7 weeks now, steadily feeling worse

jwsonoma profile image
jwsonoma

That sounds horrible

My doc just switched me to an evening dose so I could sleep through the worst of it. You could ask a chemist.

Qualipop profile image
Qualipop in reply to jwsonoma

Ooh I didn't know you could do that. I wanted to do it just once to try it but then my next dose would have been too early> I feel dreadful from about an hour after I take it and for about 6 hours when it wears off. I'm only on a low dose. I've tried 3 GPs but they don't take it seriously and think it's heart because I have another blockage. It isn't heart. I feel wonderful until I take the darn thing. I've ruled out all my others by changing their times. It only leaves bisopralol and isosorbide mononitrate which doesn't list any serious side effects.

Qualipop profile image
Qualipop in reply to jwsonoma

Did you have any problems doing that? Mine just suggested the same.

Qualipop profile image
Qualipop

At long long last I've spoken to a different GP ( It's a different one every time) who instantly said " It's the Beta blocker" . Move it to night time so the worst of the side effects are not bothering you during the day. JUst to find a GP who actually listens; doesn't assume it must be ticagrelor just because everyone gets breathless on ticagrelor and accepts that I feel absolutely fine before I take the tablets and I feel fine after about 5 or 6 hours so it has to be a tablet side effect. The others just kept saying "Oh you have another blockage, it's probably that". If it's the other blockage, why does all the brethlessness go away on an evening? Wish me luck moving the bisopralol to night time.

Mjltazz profile image
Mjltazz in reply to Qualipop

I can’t take it at night. Keeps me awake. How did you get on.

Qualipop profile image
Qualipop in reply to Mjltazz

Since moving the bisopralol to night, I'm having hallucinations at night; like someone painted foot long black S and C shapes all over the bedroom. Anyway when I had another angiogram yesterday the consultant changed me from ticagrelor to clopidogrel which has made a HUGE difference. I had ended up in A&E with such bad chest pain which turned out to be the ticag. Also several weeks ago a GP stopped my ramipril and the weakness and tiredness just went away overnight. I've been on a vit D supplement for 3 years because mine was so low they couldn't even measure it.

Mjltazz profile image
Mjltazz

I checked this post to see if you could take ranitidine and bisoprolol together (sep times obviously) but am now really interested as I’m taking reduce does of 2.5mg and still have to some times actually lift my legs. There like jelly and no muscular control in them. I also have developed no appetite and GERD. I eat well before being put on bisoprolol for high BP. But it’s taken it’s tool. I asked my GP to change it. She actually stopped me that day on 7.5mg sent me straight to a and e the next night. So I took 2.5mg and now can’t get her to go down to 1.5. However I’ve heard bisoprolol can take away our vitamins b and D prehaps when supplying bisoprolol, They should also tell us to take vitamins to replenish our bodies.

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