I also wanted to ask anyone who has taken Metoprolol tartrate for Afib if you have had any significant side effects. After tweaking my dosage to 1/4 of a 25 miligram pill every 8 hrs it seems to be a lot better. My BP goes from like 106/49 and sometimes 124/57 at the highest. Never really the same twice so it varies a lot between those two numbers. Pulse goes now from mid 50's to low 60's. The thing I notice is a pause in the heart beat every so often which is also a side effect of the metoprolol. That's why I wanted the cardio Dr I saw to try a different med. That's when he started talking about ablation. I said in an earlier post my primary care Dr said there was another med I could try. Anyone else get this pause and did you try a different med and did that help or make the pause go away? I found a study online about metoprolol and how it can cause the heart to pause. Lord knows what's in this stuff we swallow anyway. Thanks for any info.
Side effects from metoprolol tartrate - Atrial Fibrillati...
Side effects from metoprolol tartrate
Wow very intesting I’ve been on this medication for a year now and only take 25mg one dose once a day I’ve been getting pauses like you in the last 4 weeks but I don’t think it’s the metoprolol as I’ve been on it for a year and plus I’ve had an abalation 11 months ago and to tell you the truth I think it’s because of the abalation I’m getting these ectopics
I was on this for about 5 years. I am in permanent AF. I found it OK but it made me very "snail like"!! I am now on Bisoprolol and get on much better with that,......still get pauses though.
Sounds like the pause is a common side effect of these beta blockers. As I told the person in my other post, I finally figured out a dosage of the metoprolol that seems to work. But the pause is somewhat concerning. And I still don't feel as good as I did before all this but I function. These meds cause fatigue too. Well have to keep at it. Thanks for your input. You take care.
I’ve been on Metoprolol and Flecainide for about a year and a half which has worked with my Paroxysmal Afib. after I cut the Metoprolol from 25mg twice daily to half that, I felt much better, more energy and more human. Now, because my HR was getting down to the low to mid 40’s and having swollen feet, I asked my Cardiologist if the meds were causing the beginning of heart failure as I previously had no underlying heart disease, so he told me to stop the metoprolol with no titrating or supervision. That caused some issues at night so I still take a quarter of the 25mg tablet then but the change in the metoprolol has caused some other reactions. Also, since dropping the Metoprolol didn’t stop the foot swelling, he has ordered a second echo cardio gram.
Sometimes I wonder if some of these Drs really know what they are doing. They tell you not to do one thing and then next time tell you to do it. Like your Dr telling you to go just stop taking the metoprolol abruptly. I've read forums about this med and people talk about their experiences taking it and most say it's the med from hell. They say they've tried to just stop it cold turkey and have to go back on it immediately because they go into Afib or something else happens. The cardio Dr wants me to stop it for 24 hrs and then do a nuclear stress test in office. I'm having too many side effects to be okay with doing that. I complained about the side effects and asked to try a different med but he wanted to put me on another med that has even worse side effects to counteract the metoprolol. I said no. Then he starts talking about ablation. My feeling is that some of these Drs are playing the devil's advocate to get you in a place where you end up having to have more serious procedures done. And metoprolol can cause that to happen
If you have never done it look up some forums for metoprolol and see what people say. It's very concerning.
I've been taking metoprolol for almost two years and haven't noticed any side effects...heart rate is still higher than pre-ablation but no skips or pauses. Doing 25 mg at night, also amlopodine because of blood pressure.
I'm one of those people who's very sensitive to meds. Doing the best I can. Thanks
I’m new to all this as well...Went to ER last week Flutter. Treated with procainimde by iv and given 25 mg APo Metaprolol
I felt so sick after taking it that doc reduced it by 2nd day to 12.5 twice daily - after one day of that I was a mess mentally and physically. So he told me to stop taking it because in a very close to the hospital to stick around I see the cardiologist in a few days since I stopped taking it my heart rate has been normal but I still feel terrible.
Pain in chest/pressure ... feeling flu like weak and fluttery feeling but heart rate stays normal - Aldo very tired after exertion.
Anyone else have this experience?
I’m taking baby aspirin due to risk of stroke and hoping it doesn’t happen again until I see the cardiologist.
Guess I was t much help- I’m chemically sensitive as well.... by the way.
Why I would prefer a procedure ( albation surgery?) to taking meds I think?
I had to tweak the metoprolol myself. Otherwise I would have been calling the Drs office constantly. I don't know if you are in the US or the UK. I'm in the US and in Florida where they don't have the greatest Drs. So if you call the office you might get called back at the end of the day. I was put on Eliquis and metoprolol after being in the hospital for 2 days the middle of June with Afib. Then didn't get to see the cardiologist for almost a month. In the meantime I adjusted the metoprolol myself. 1/4 of the 25 mg pill every 8hrs. It's tolerable and the Dr was okay with me adjusting it myself. But the medicine has a side effect of causing a flutter or pause and I asked for something else and he wanted to put me on amortidane (think I spell it wrong) but I said no. It's a very nasty drug. Then he immediately told me I'd need an ablation. I don't think I'm doing that either. Read up on it. It's not a cure. Most people have to have it done more than once. It takes a long while to heal from the ablation. You still have to take meds. It's an individual decision what a person wants to do. I'm not convinced ablation is for everyone. And from what I've read most people who have it done have had several bouts of afib or are in constant Afib. I've had one bout and for the Dr to tell me ablation the first time I see him !? was red flags. With the pandemic Drs aren't getting as many patients or doing as many surgeries. So that made me leary. So I'm just going to do the meds. Some days I feel pretty good and some days not so good. I am supposed to have a couple more heart tests. See what happens. There is another form of metoprolol (succinate) that is time release and I may see if Dr will switch me to that. Read about a couple of people who were on the metoprolol tartrate and had flutters and a pause and switched to the succinate and the flutter and pause stopped. I notice the flutter and pause within a couple hours after I take my dose and then it seems to stop as the medicine dissipates in my system. Then when I take the next dose same thing. The metoprolol tartrate releases a lot all at once where the succinate form as I said is time released. Nutrition plays a big factor and exercise. I do exercise but lighter than I did. Try to eat better. So many many things to consider with Afib. I guess any illness. We're all different and we just have to find whats going to work for us individually. Sorry for such a long post. I wish you the best. Hang in there. I do hope you have good Drs that listen and are sincerely concerned for your well being. This is a really good forum.
Thank you belindalore, I am in Canada and honestly would have killed myself if I had to stay on Metaprolol. I was crying so depressed couldn’t get out of bed, felt like an elephant was sitting on my chest and brain fog so bad I couldn’t do my work.
So I’m risking no meds - for a few days until I see the cardiologist. I didn’t have AFib I had flutter - just a quick race up to 180 bpm then back to normal. As I said I’m 5 min from hospital and my family are not leaving me alone until I see the cardiologist who will most likely prescribe another type of med.
the only 2 people I know- the albation surgery worked for them. One had to have it done twice.
I survived a non cancerous brain tumour 5 years ago and brain surgery- and went into cardiac arrest during seizures so figure I can conquer this as well.
Thank you for your kind words. I hope you continue to be well.
Forgot to ask how long you been on metraprol?
About a month. I'm very sensitive to meds so it doesn't take long for me to feel the side effects. I usually know right away whether I'll tolerate a med.
Been on metoprolol for about 10 years now - 3 x25 mg daily for 4 years after 2 ablationa. Think my body is pretty used to it - although it’s difficult to raise the heart rate when doing exercise and I have some breathless issues. Also probably a bit harder to lose weight although I’ve lost about 10lbs since April. Difficult to tell if any tiredness issues are caused by the metoprolol or the after effects of my hormone and radiotherapy for prostate cancer (currently in remission). No plans to change anything in current circumstances as at 73 it doesn’t have a major impact on daily life other than keep my heart at a steady rate.
There's side effects for meds that aren't always listed. One for metoprolol is it can cause the heart to pause. Which I now have. I've read several forums that give reviews of people on this med and the majority have bad side effects and get off it. Very few like you do well on it. I have headache, body aches, chest pain which I believe is angina, ringing in the ears, balance problems, sometimes diarrhea, stomach pain, weakness, BP all over the place. Have had nightmares which I've never had in my life. But happy you seem to do well with it. Take care.
I can identify with many of those symptoms but don’t put it down to just metoprolol. Being partially deaf I’ve had tinnitus for many years now; abdominal pain is consistent with two operations I’ve had for a twisted intestine and, more recently a mesh implant for a hernia. Weird dreams and nightmares have had all my life but I sleep through them mostly.
Of course metoprolol is not perfect, but isolating side effects when on a number of meds is a tricky business- a bit like trying to identify triggers which is also a thankless task.
I have pretty much accepted I have dodgy electrics which will surface now and again and just do what’s sensible eg good diet, moderate exercise and as little stress as possible😀.
Take care and stay safe.
Thanks for your info. I'm going by known side effects for this med and the fact I didn't have them until I started taking it. I do have something going on with one of my lungs which I won't kmow the results til Sept. So yes that could be causing some effects. And having a nuclear stress done without knowing about my lung concerns me. Along with the drugs they use for that stress test because I am one of those who is sensitive to meds. I would be more comfortable knowing about my lung first and also more comfortable doing the stress test in hospital where I can be watched rather than stop taking it at home 24 hrs before the test and having to go to the office the next day.
I'm alone so I don't think it's a good idea.
I was put on Metoprolol reluctantly but weaned off of it and now only use as PIP for when I go into AF. It had caused weight gain/hair loss etc and I feel much better without it
Of course we all react differently to medication and I’m not here to defend metoprolol- there are many alternatives available and I would always be guided by my EP if I had any issues.
However, before it gets a bad press it’s worth noting that metoprolol has been around since 1982, is on the WHO List of Essential Medicines and in 2017 was the 6th highest prescribed drug in the US with 68 million prescriptions.
Finding the most effective medication isn’t an exact science as we all know - for example I’ve only ever been offered one alternative (not by my EP) and that was sotalol which has not been approved for AF by NICE since 2014.
Thanks again.
This sounds very familiar to me. I take 25 mg metoprolol tartrate twice a day and Flecainide acetate 100 mg —2x/day. I have a pacemaker and have had one ablation. I definitely feel wiped out easily and have gained enough weight to make my BMI very concerning. I also have heart rushes and stops, and my pacer keeps my rate no lower than 60. I was recently diagnosed with hypothyroidism (normal TSH is 4–mine was 11), so I take levothyroxine. That was supposed to lower my weight as a positive side effect but no luck in that area. I had no idea that metoprolol caused weight gain. That is something to consider. I don’t have many words of wisdom for you, but you definitely gave me something to think about. Good luck on your hunt for a more normal life. I have decided that abnormal is becoming my normal.
Thanks for your input. I'm hanging in there. You may be right. A new normal. Take care.
It's very possible. It does cause that symptom in some people in a medical article I saw online. Sorry I can't tell you the article. I should start writing things down. But it's not one of the more common side effects.
The pause you are feeling (ectopic) is common for those with AF whether they are on medication or not.
Thank you! I have heard that term, but I wasn’t sure if that was what I was feeling. It helps for me to use the correct words when talking to my cardiologist.
I was on metoprolol tartrate which is released all at once and did have the pauses but they switched me to metoprolol succinate which is a slow release all day and it’s been a miracle for me and I don’t have the pauses.
Thanks. I wondered about the slow release. I read about the metoprolol succinate and it says it's given for heart failure where the tartrate is given for heart rhythm. But it seems to work for you. I will ask the cardio Dr if I can switch.
That is great to know! I’ll add that to my list of questions for my next appointment. Does it still have the weight-gain side effect?
I was on metoprolol for past 2 years. They increased it to 100mg 2 times a day. My hair started to come out in large quantities . Plus I had pvcs every day and felt poorly a lot. Blood pressure was high. They took me off metoprolol and put me on 120mg diltiazem CD once per day. Began that January 21. Hair stopped coming out in a week. It may never grow back. I don't know. I just went into AFIB the morning at 3am. Took 2 Flecainide.
Metoprolol
Daily use of metoprolol?
Metoprolol
Warfarin side effects.
