Bisoprolol withdrawal - 2 months on?

[GuernseyGirl72]

From Feb to May, I was on 2.5mg reducing to 1.25mg in last month or so..... couldn't tolerate being on it and have had some horrific side effects after..... including heavy feeling in head, extreme anxiety, adrenaline rushes at night for 4 weeks which have only just abated and now the odd sensation in my head has returned and especially in the evening / night. As far as I am aware, only the one episode of Afib in Feb and take Magnesium, Potassium & Ubiquinol daily. Could Bisoprolol still be responsible for the way I am feeling? I believe I am extremely sensitive to it. Am still feeling anxious and dismayed at this turn of events at 46.

[Hidden]

In my opinion (no medical qulaifications) yes.

Even on 0.65mg/day I felt terrible and lethargic and downright ill on Bisoprolol.

The cardiac nurse was adamant that this low dose for such a big guy would not cause any side effects. I did eventually stop taking it for other reasons, and after the month of withdrawal symptoms I started getting my life back

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

Hi Mikee. Think the dose can be misleading? Some of the branded pain killers are around 200mgs or 250mgs . So when a drug of 1.25mgs, 5 mgs is prescribed......those who don't take see 1.25mgs, then raise there eyebrows.....and think "Hmmm, thats a low dose, cannot be that strong?". Bisoprolol must be effective cause the usual maximum of suggested 10mgs a day controls one of the strongest muscles in the body- There are a lot people on this site who do struggle with Bisoprolol .

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

Not really, .65 is the lowest dose you can take and I still felt like s**t .

At one point I was on 12.5 mg a day, yes 2.5 mg above the recommended highest dose because they could not get my HR below 140 BPM.

I was a total zombie at that

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

Phew- I don't feel right even on a small dose of Bisop.

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

Mikee - How are you now?

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

Brilliant, thanks.

Life is so much better off the beta blockers

[CDreamer]

It is possible but the symptoms you describe could also be attributed to AF and a number of other conditions. I couldn’t tolerate Bisoprolol either but I could never really get to the bottom of what causes what, when and how.

You say you ‘as far as I know I have only had one AF episode’ but it could be you are having episodes at night or you are just not feeling them or just not feeling palpitations. I say this because I know from experience (personal) that AF can be caused by autonomic dysfunction which often also presents as a feeling of doom, anxiety, adrenaline rush type sensations. These sensations were always a warning to me that I needed to be really careful and were often a pre-cursor to AF. If you don’t already, it may be worth just tracking and recording your BP, HR and if you have a Kardia - take a reading.

Over the last 5 years I have wondered about these meds from day 1 and took the decision 4 years ago to never take any of the HR or arrythmia meds ever again. I have sought out alternative treatments and whilst I still have bad days, today being one, things generally have improved - because I manage myself much better. To do that you need to be your own detective and you need to collect evidence to see what makes you feel better or worse.

[Wightbaby]

I am sorry to read how rough you are feeling.....

It seems we are all so unique in our AF and how different meds affect us.

Permanent AF for 5 years. I have been taking Bisoprolol for about 3 months now, and feel so much better than when I was on Metoprolol! Not so fatigued and just generally less like a snail! (not sure that makes sense!). I DO get the odd adrenaline rush when I just start to relax to sleep, but I got that anyway.......its like a horrible feeling of fear and anxiety.

Hope you can get sorted soon.

Best Wishes

[Hidden]

Dear Guernsey. Bisoprolol - I don't like it. I have just had my does of 2.5mg a day reduced to 1.25mgs a day. (used to take 1.25mg AM. and 1.25mg PM.) That was about 10days a go as I write. Still feel tired and easily wearied, head (achy). I take rivavoxaban once a day (early evenings). One of the side effects is- tiredness/headache. Think of seeing the GP and asking to swap it for a twice a day medication which is equally effective - apixaban ? Please post if you find an alternative to what your taking, with good effect. Yours Ed.