Dosage and frequency of taking Bisoprolol

[HowMyHeartSings]

Hello - I'm being prescribed 2.5 mg of Bisoprolol at 8AM and then again at 8PM each day. I am having many nights of regular insomnia because of the beta blocker and wondered if there is any reason not to make this one does of 5 mg taken in the morning, or move to taking the two doses earlier in the day? Anyone have any experience? As ever, many thanks!

[Deb1838]

I take 5 in the morning despite being given 2.5 mg tablets. I was given these so I could split them but decided to take them in one go in case I forget

[HowMyHeartSings in reply to Deb1838]

How is your sleep?

[Deb1838 in reply to HowMyHeartSings]

Sleep like a baby, although I do have a lot of dreams

[LaceyLady in reply to Deb1838]

I also dream a lot! Wake up more times than before I started taking Bisoprolol & Flecainaide

[Deb1838 in reply to LaceyLady]

They are very vivid dreams, I can remember them well. Not always good either

[Hidden]

I was originally prescribed the stuff (5mg) in morning. Had lots of problems with this and was told to take 5mg at night.

Ever since I have taken them at 8 pm and no worries ever since.

Yes, I have sleep issues but have done so prior to AF, I was a shift worker staggering my working week between early, middles and late shifts. So I always blamed shift work.

[Hidden]

I've been prescribed 3.75 bisoprolol, I had terrible sleep problems I started to ween myself off them my hr is very low as it is 40-50,so I tried cutting in half ie 1.8 approx and after a while quartered ie about 1 per day. Sleep and hr improved I'm trying to get to 0..its a dreadful drug quite honestly.

[HowMyHeartSings in reply to Hidden]

How long were you on it for?

[Hidden in reply to HowMyHeartSings]

10 years if I completely stop taking it I get palpitations but just a small amount seems OK.

[Ppiman]

After a very few days, from what I’ve read, owing to its half life, the blood levels of bisoprolol will reach a steady state whether you take it once or twice a day.

Steve

[HowMyHeartSings in reply to Ppiman]

So it doesn’t matter when you take it really so long as it’s the right dose each day?

[Ppiman in reply to HowMyHeartSings]

So far as I’m aware, that’s right.

[reinaway]

I was on 10mg of Bisoprolol daily for two years and had dreadful sleep and nightmares and my AF got worse until I read a similar.post on here who had changed to Nebivolol. I did the same and was prescribed 5mg daily. Now 15 months later I sleep nightmares free, have less anxiety, no itchy legs, and touch wood less AF. Ask to change😉

[Sfhmgusa]

I am not sure this helps but I am now off Bisoprolol following a chat with my Cardiologist and I feel fantastic compared to before. I have PAF and use to get a 24-48 hr "session" like clockwork once a month every month (the 17th or 18th of the month for some reason!).

The(2.5mg per day) Bisoprolol I was prescribed got my resting heartbeat in the "Normal" days down to mid 40's and in addition I felt Tired & Listless a lot of the time. At that time I had Flecainaide as my "Pill In My pocket" but to be honest it was not a quick fix.

Now, following my chat with the doctor I am on 50mg Flecainaide 2 times a day and no bisoprolol, this is only new to me, going for 8 weeks, but so far no episodes, much better sleep (no Nightmares!) and I am happy

I think that it is worth asking your doctor what alternative approaches there are and... trying them, it seems certain there is absolutely no "One size fits all" fix.

One thing am sur you know but don't just stop the beta blocker, get medical advice and even then phase yourself out via half then quarter tablets over time (Your doc will advise)

S

[Hidden in reply to Sfhmgusa]

My story is similar to Sfhmgusa, though I do still have some odd dreams on 50mg Flecainide twice daily. My cardiologist told me to avoid Bisoprolol in future as even 1.25mg lowered my HR & BP so much.

Pat x

[afspanner]

Hi. I'm prescribed 2.5mg, once per day. After about a year I noticed I was becoming lethargic and sleeping a lot during the daytime. I forgot to take it one day and felt OK so I gradually stopped the regular dose. I take it now only to subdue an attack of afib. I feel generally better, and seem to have less, or at least no more, attacks than before. (About once a week). I was told by a forum user that my afib might be vagal, and that bisoprolol would not help. The jury is still out I think.

[fifitb]

I have had chronic insomnia for years and am waiting (endlessly) for my HO to find me a sleep clinic! However, I am on 2.5 Bisoprolol (x2 a day) and when I do sleep ( a couple of hours eg 6-8am) I have vivid nightmares and weird dreams that I remember! Also, sometimes restless legs! Does Bisoprolol do this? I want to come off it and will mention that at Royal Brompton Hospital at my next visit in early October!

[fifitb]

I meant GP - not HO! Sorry!