I am on 5mg Bisoprolol and also Amlodipine. Before the AF kicked off the Amlodipine was doing a good job at controlling my BP and my resting pulse was as it always had been, 65-75, occasionally into the 80's.
Since AF started 1 month ago today (there's an anniversary I don't like), I've been put onto Bisoprolol to "make me feel more comfortable". It does make me more relaxed and I don't feel the beat so much most of the time. But I am so lethargic and unmotivated. I can't get anything done. I don't want to go out of the house or do anything. I started on 2.5mg, but I could still feel things so the GP increased it to 5mg. It hasn't done much at all for my resting pulse, which is now constantly in the high 90's or up to 110. But it has brought my BP lower, often 98/62 or thereabouts. I'm just so lifeless. Does this sound like the Bisoprolol to you? I didn't feel like this on the lower dose. What should I do about it?
Cardiologists clinic isn't for another 4 weeks.
Thanks.
Written by
FancyPants54
To view profiles and participate in discussions please or .
Hello, I have taken Bisoprolol for four years and haven’t noticed any side effects. I was recently prescribed Verapamil and that makes me woozy, so I’ve asked to go back on Diltiazem for the arrhythmias. Hope you feel better soon!
I'm taking 5mg Bisoprolol each morning. It can make you sluggish but I've got used to it now and can carry on as normal. Hopefully your body will adjust. If not see the Dr again.
I was on a Popanolol initially before Bisoprolol and my symptoms were different to yours. Best thing is to see your Dr and discuss it.
I'm on 5 mg Bisoprolol too and have been for 9 years. It holds my HR steady at between 62 to 68 bpm.
Sometimes it is prescribed as a blood pressure control but not in my case. Purely rate control. Originally I was told to take it in morning but too many side effects. It was then changed to night - no problems since then.
I am not in the least tired or lethargic although when not working I do try and pace myself.
Hi there. I know what you mean about the lethargy. I was on 5mg but just sat around all day. I decided to cut in half and take 2.5 morning and before bed. It helped but energy levels still low so now take 2.5mg only at bedtime . I’m fine now. Lots I have spoken to say the same and just want to get off the drug but lots are prescribed it for heart failure so can’t come off. Lots also complain about breathlessness. Not a nice drug if you aren’t sensitive to it. If you don’t have heart failure speak to your doc and ask for another beta blocker. I was on sotalol for years and was ok but again it has its side effects for some. It’s trial and error annoyingly. You need a quality of life. Tell him you want to try others until you find the one that suits.
I started on bisoptolol at the hospital, but it was far too strong,felt dreadful and hallucinating. was switched to digoxin 6.5, but next doctor upped this to 12.25. after a few weeks of lethargy and depression,my balance got bad and I started toppling. as I am away from home, I reduced the pill to a half, and feel better,
however am very bad at planning and decision making. will this improve? hope so
Sounds like bisoprolol to me. I was on 10mg pretty fast when it became apparent it wasn't controlling my rate. 5-10mg always used to make my BP drop and make me dizzy for the first 20 mins of taking it, but once I'd sat down and "assimilated it" I was OK and able to get on with things. I don't get the symptoms after taking it as much 5 years later, but the other side effects like loss of libido, fatigue, mood all come and go and I think this is as a result of the bisoprolol more than anything else - these symptoms didn't exist when I wasn't taking it.
I did also try a period of taking it at night so as to be over the worst of the symptoms by the morning.... however I don't think for me personally this worked as I was taking it at 8pm, going to bed.... waking at 6 and being active all day. I found it worked better taking it first thing and it covered my symptoms better during active hours. Logically I didn't see much point in taking it and going to sleep for the first 12 hours of the dose.
As others have said give it a couple of weeks for body to adjust. I've been on Biso for over a year now and all good, but did have minor "teething" problems initially. Good Luck
Yes. I felt like a zombie on 5 mg. Luckily I did not have a racing heart as my afib was paroxymal so I told my GP I' d rather be dead than live feeling so awful and he let me reduce the dose. Bisoprolol does not suit everybody and there are other medications to try. Your body might get used to this dose but if it doesn't speak to your GP about alternaives.
1.25 mg of bisoprolol put me to sleep in 40 minutes I felt well "drugged" when I woke up 4 hours ish later, pain in upper chest and arms almist zero exercise tolerance.
Many people cannot tolerate it, some are worse than others.
My experience was the same as yours. At one point they upped the Bisoprolol to 10mg and halved my Amlodiopine because of low BP.
Bisoprolol has always given me heavy legs.
As people have stated changing doses takes some time to assimilate.
For me even though I have now had a successful ablation I am still on 1.25mg Bisoprolol but I did notice a difference when I dropped the dose below 5mg.
So mebbe discuss with your doctor experimenting with the dosages of Bisoprolol and Amlodiopine till you get the best balance for you
I ended up in A&E today. I went to see the GP and my heart rate was 135 (I felt very stressed) so he sent me in with a letter. I’m glad. They switched me to the wards and so I have been seen and treated by the main hospital which feeds into my cardiology appointment in a few weeks time.
They took a lot of notice of what I had to say about how I felt. They said the combo of Amlodopine and Bisopronol was knocking my BP too low, which combined with the high heartbeat was making me feel exhausted and ill. I’m off Amlodopine for now and my Bisopronol is back to 2.5 where I didn’t have the same issues. And Digoxin has been added to help control the rate.
They even got the pharmacist down to talk to me about the Apixaban as my GP had given me no help with the medications at all.
Now I need to rest and recover from the stress and hopefully I will feel a bit better. Then I see the cardiologist in 4 weeks time. It was excellent service today.
Content on HealthUnlocked does not replace the relationship between you and doctors or other healthcare professionals nor the advice you receive from them.
Never delay seeking advice or dialling emergency services because of something that you have read on HealthUnlocked.
Bisoprolol side effects 
Can medication be reduced after a certain time with no problems?
Bisoprolol problems
Update on meds.
Apixaban 5mg x2 daily
