I seen a cardiologist for the first time 2 days ago. He prescribed me Bisoprolol 5 but said to split the pill at first since I’m sensitive to meds. After having a heart monitor on for 2 weeks with results that came back; one episode of SVT (203bpm) and 4 episodes of V Tach. I started having palpitations mid February 2019. Fluttering episode that occurred when I laid down. My heart will race or I will feel a funny feeling & then dizzy/ disoriented. I’ve had higher blood pressure since September 2018, but bordline so wasn’t prescribed anything. I am terrified to take any new medication, due to an allergic reaction to a new anxiety medicine I tried in September 2018 that had me in the ER for difficulty breathing, rash, HBP. They gave me antihistamines & steroids. My HBP & high heart rate usually only happens when I’m walking around. The last 3 days my BP and HR have been normal, probably because I have just been resting. My heart rate goes to the 40’s when I’m in bed, so I’m scared not only to have an allergic reaction to Bisoprolol, but for it to make my HR even lower than 40. I also have been having cramps in my chest, neck, arms & sometimes legs. I never have gotten them before. I have a stress test today then he wants me to start medicine, but I want to see another cardiologist at another hospital before but it’s taking awhile to get referred out. I have a heart ultrasound scheduled next Thursday. Pleas help, I’m terrified. Also the first attempt to go to cardiologist, the nurses ran me down to ER because my BP and HR were really high & I felt like passing out, but the walk from car to appt. It’s when I do any activity. I’m 28 years old, 5’5 , 123 lbs. I feel like there’s an underlying condition, and don’t want to treat the symptoms without knowing the condition.
I’m terrified to take Bisoprolol - Atrial Fibrillati...
I’m terrified to take Bisoprolol
Why don’t you try taking magnesium supplements? They’re good for cramps and very calming too, which might help your feelings of anxiety.
Bisoprolol didn’t agree with me but I don’t think you need to be frightened of it.
Lots of posts on here regarding magnesium.
Try not to worry too much. I know it’s easier said than done but it won’t help.
Pat
Thanks for the reply. I actually bought magnesium because I was researching that it may help. I think years ago I tried just as a supplement to stay healthy & I think I got stomach cramps from it. My doctor said to watch out it may give severe diarrhea, but if it’s going to help my issues I’m willing to try it out.
What were your side effects of Bisoprolol?
I couldn’t push myself to do anything needing exertion including climbing 2 flights of stairs. Also had bad dreams.
Eat before taking magnesium and take a decent dose. I take 800mg. This has totally stopped me waking in the night with a racing heart. Also reduced ectopics to just a few here and there - nothing like they were.
Pat
I understand there are several different varieties of Magnesium, what is the best form to take?
I’ve tried them all and only take magnesium citrate now.
Pat
Thanks for letting me know.
Oh wow, that’s another concern of mine if I get tired, because I’m already fatigued. Did you switch to another prescription medicine as well, or just took magnesium?
I didn’t actually need another medication. I have been on daily bisoprolol, bisoprolol as a pill in the pocket, and flecainide as a PIP but never taken a flec .
My history is one recorded 90 minute episode of violent AF, days/weeks of biginemy and/or trigenemy, plus svt(tachycardia) at night which used to wake me almost nightly.
I take nothing now other than supplements and I’m only bothered by the odd ectopic (touching wood here).
I’m always aware that things could change at any time so I’m not complacent.
I definitely credit my situation to the supplements.
Pat
Oh that’s so good! I’m glad you are doing well with only supplements. And wow a 90 min episode is intense. They told me how many times I had my episodes of SVT & VTach, but waiting on a reply of how long each episode was, & the dates/times so I can look in my calendar of what I was doing.
Sorry, I am not familiar with the terms “pill in pocket”, and what is flecainide?
90 minutes is nothing compared to many on here. During my episode, my heart was bumping out of my chest and my arms were shaking. I went extremely light headed and couldn’t think properly. It was scary.
‘Pill in the pocket’ means just to take one as and when you need one.
Flecainide is a drug to regulate rhythm rather than rate, such as bisoprolol.
I was too frightened to ever take one though. Many people take them daily for years.
Pat
There are different sorts of magnesium. Some are easier on the bowels than others . Start with low doses several times a day ( I never take more than 100mg at a time) and gradually build up. Mag taurate is supposed to be good for heart health. Bisoprolol does not suit everybody and often doses must be tweaked. On higher doses I found it gave me a headache and made me very tired .
Ok thank you. What mg dose made you get headaches? Your heart rate never went too low?
5mg and 2.5 mg. I hate taking any meds so I have weaned down to half of a 1.25mg. I never measured my resting heart rate on the higher doses but I felt like a zombie.
I haven’t even looked at the pill yet, but was told it’s small, going to try to cut it into 1/4 so I start with 1.25 to see how I react today
CAN YOU PLEASE TELL ME HOW DID YOU WEAN DOWN . i AM NEW ON THESE PILLS FOR hIGH SPIKING bp. MOST OF THE TIME MY bp IS FINE. THEY ARE DREADFUL THINGS, . terrible side effects , drowsy heavy legs and arms pains all over body etc . I saw a chripractor today and he has found my problem. I am having some xrays neck and spine as I had an accident a year ago and seems everything is out of whack. He kniws what is wrong and is going to fix it. 2 trips to accident and emergency with BP 228/119/pulse 110. next day .. normal. Not heart ecg all fine . dismissed not knowing the cause. . I took the initiative to find a renown medical professional and today I struck it rich. I just want to wean of the 2.5 to nil now . I would appreciate your help please.
It is better to do it slowly and over a few months. Start by by cutting the tablet into 4 bits and take 3 of them . When your body has got used to this lower dose ( give it at least a month or even six weeks) go down to taking half a tablet . Repeat till you are taking 1/4tablet. To wean of this take every other day for a month before stopping completely. The longer you have been on beta blockers the slower you probably need to wean . Some people just stop after being on 1.25mg. If you have no withdrawal symptoms ie palpitations anxiety , feeling dizzy you may be able to do it faster. That is always a temptation as the side effects can be so unpleasant for some people. If you continue to have high blood pressure there are lots of other non beta blocker meds.
Hello Bear
Well I started on 2.5mg after changing from metoprolol and thought I felt naff. I am now on 1.25 mg and have been fine for a year. Bisoprolol is horrible when you start but I must admit does get better and now I think it is great. I would not like to be on more than 1.25 mg and your symptoms sounded just like my own did. PS banana's help too.
Thanks! Horrible as in how? What symptoms? And how many months did it take for them to subside? Ever a too low heart rate?
He gave me 5mg pill, said to split it, but maybe I’ll start with trying 1.25 of it to make sure I’m not allergic. Because I see other people too see prescribed 1.25.
Anxiety medicines and Bisoprolol are really very different classes of thing. You are not comparing apples with oranges, but apples with hamburgers. The drug is used to lower the heart rate. It is used in Atrial Fibrillation, as by lowering the general heart rate it also will limit the maximum rate during an AF occurrence, preventing the extreme effects that this can give, and also stopping the high rates causing damage to the heart muscle.
It sounds like you really do need this drug, as the medical conditions you have will cause damage long term. Bisoprolol can be hard to tolerate at first, but the body does adjust to it. Don't be afraid to report any negative effects, and get the dose altered to suit you. Everybody is different, and from what I've read here the effects of this drug are very different for different people.
Yeah I understand, I just have a fear of having an allergic reaction, because that was my fourt allergic reaction. I’m allergic to random stuff; mirena, immitrex, how vaccine & the Eflexor.
I had a long talk with my cardiologist last night and am going to start it tomorrow when I’m not working. Because if I don’t take the medicine I’m going to have to get the eblation procedure.
What symptoms make it hard to tolerate in the beginning? Just so I’m forewarned of what to expect.
The main problem with Bisoprolol is the feeling of low energy, or a weariness. It's not really tiredness, just a feeling of everything being hard work. When I doubled the dose from 1.25 to 2.5mg, I couldn't comfortably climb a single stairway, it needed all my effort and determination to go to bed that night. I phoned the doctor the next day, and they said go back to 1.25mg, which I've been on for over two years now.
When in AF my rate is held down to about 175 - 180 bpm. I hit 280 bpm on my first go, before medication.
BTW, I had a long period of very vivid and sometimes violent nightmares when I first started the medications. I never did decide whether this was the Apixaban or the Bisoprolol, but they eventually stopped happening.
The Bisoprolol from A@E had a very de-energising effect on me also heart rate dropped to as low a 30Bpm at times @ 1.25mg. Gave up after 5 days and went back onto Metoprolol @ 25mg 3 times a day. Doing fine.
BUT Also on Rivaoxaban which I suspect causes Muscle & Joint pain. I have been a long term Gym exercise enthusiast, so it becomes obvious. Can't give up the Gym...
Hugo40
I ended up taking the Bisoprolol today (1/4 of the 5 mg pill; 1.25mg) and had extreme dizziness/disoriented and sounds were so loud. I first felt foggy then this wave of dizziness hit me, things were zooming in n out. My dad took me to the hospital. For some reason I was freezing and chattering my teeth & it was 90 degrees outside. The dizziness lasted about 5 hours. Then my heart would race & body felt heavy just walking to the bathroom or moving around my legs sitting down. I’m going to try natural things like supplements for now until they do the echo of my heart and hopefully find the cause of my heart pooping out on me out of nowhere. No more prescriptions for me. Now I am even more scared.
Hi. I can undestand why you are anxious. I have taken bisoprolol for a few years now and I honestly can say that I do not know I have taken it. I took it once before in the past and stopped it voluntarily because I couldn't see that it was having any impact on me at all.
I know that that is just a personal experience and many people have side effects, but I thought you should hear the more positive side of this story.
Is it worth starting very slowly, with a quarter of a tablet maybe, to see if you have any allergic reaction? And to make sure you are in a safe place when you take it?
You don't mention a diagnosis. It would be worth talking about your concerns when you next get to see a doctor. It seems like you need some support in deciding the right balance between controlling the svt and maintaining a safe heart rate.
My sense, from what you describe, is that you do have some underlying issue going on, so don't accept solutions that just deal with individual symptoms.
Good luck with this, and keep educating yourself. Ultimately I have found that I am the best expert on what's going on with me. Best wishes.
Thank you, I appreciate that. That’s what I was thinking, is taking a quarter of it to give my mind ease to make sure I’m not allergic. The cardiologist is really nice (hard to come by with Kaiser Permanente), I think he’s hoping to see what shows on the upcoming echo of my heart, I’m praying they find the root of the issue. And he says he doesn’t want to have me on medicine so young, but he fears that if my heart goes into those episodes again that it can be life threatening.
I’m surprised your cardiologist gave you 5mgs and then said only take half. Why not either start you on 2.5 mgs or even 1.25mgs and build up as you tolerate it. Apart from anything else they are so hard to cut in half even with a pill cutter. Im suspecting he gave you that amount mid tachy. None of us are medical and wouldn’t dream of giving you advice on what specifically to do, but just a thought in that when I was a lot younger (in my 30’s and now mid 70’s) I had your typical symptoms and at that time it turned out to be panic attacks. Don’t worry about your heart beating 40 during the night. Yes it is low, but sometimes when I am on the halter monitor mine reads 32 and, touch wood, I’m still here. You will be fine.
Me too! If I knew there was a smaller does such as 1.25, I would have asked, because he did mention how hard to cut the 5mg. He told me on the phone last night, that he believes the 2.5 is more of a homeopathic dose, but I feel like 1.25 would have been more so.
It’s strange, because I have never had heart issues (other then super fast heart rate when on empty stomach) until my mom passed away this past February. It started like a week & a half after she passed. I still feel numb & have my moments of being really emotional. I wonder if it correlates at all.
Unless you have had other tests which prove you actually do have a heart problem, anxiety and stress do play a large part of fast heart rate, likewise a very heavy meal. I had tachycardia with beats of over 240-250 and 1.25 bisoprolol helped (I do now many many years later have atrial fibrillation). However, my friend who was going through a divorce kept having panic attacks and she was prescribed initially with 2.5 bisoprolol and is now on 1.25 for stress. The trouble is we can only go on our own experiences and are not medically trained. All the best to you and am very sorry to hear of your mum passing. This also is very early days and cause for hiccups in the body.
I have been trying to find the right hbp med that suits me at the moment, the last one the gp tried was Bisoprolol, was on 5mg for about 3 weeks but pulse went down to low 40s and had terrible side affects like anxiety/headaches/weakness/loss of appetite to name a few, doc dropped to 1.25mg but still had all the side affects, hopefully i'll find something that suits me soon. Just my experience of Bisoprolol.
Hi Milo, I’ve taken Bisoprolol for about 5 years now without any kind of reaction. We’re all different though. Take care.
Hi. You are so young.
Have a scan of your thyroid.
Thyroid cancer. and thyroid conditions cause AF which can lead to Stroke if undiagnosed.
cheri
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