I have No energy, chest discomfort, poor sleep, concrete like legs, and sleepy during the day. This Covid situations doesn't help as it's hard to get to see the doctor or to get blood work done. The hospitals are very busy with patients sick with the virus so going there is a big risk. Especially so since where I live in the Toronto my area is the number one hot spot. Not to mention constant demonstrations by BLM and 3 other new Black organizations protesting.
Sorry, I have no solutions, only commiseration and the same physical symptoms as you on same dose for 7 months, but I’m sure it’s Bisoprolol not Apixaban that’s responsible. I feel I’m a different person from this time last year and I hate it! I get breathless going upstairs, particularly in the evening, and walks that once were a doddle now feel like a marathon. And the Bisoprolol hasn’t reduced my heart rate or improved the arrhythmia. When I told the cardiologist (in the good old days before lockdown when hospital appointments were available -I’m in London U.K.) he said it was the heart problem not the meds. I accepted it at the time, but I just don’t believe it now. So many people seem to suffer on Bisoprolol.
It has me wondering as well. Is it the meds or is it my heart or lungs, or thyroid, or liver or who knows what. One doctor will say one thing another will give you a different response or a new angle. Really a difficult situation. Yes, we are different than 7-8 months ago.
I sure would be nice to get definitive answers that fit and solve the issue.
Thanks for your input and I'm sorry you too are going through the same problems.
Hi, I know the feeling! Bisoprolol became my enemy, not my friend and couldn’t wait to get off it. Look into Diltiazem, the best move I made and only through a bit of research by me, not the Consultant. Hasn’t changed the fact that I am in constant AF but I live a pretty active, normal life and pain free!! Good luck.
Sounds like the Bisoprolol - drug from hell for me and certainly didn’t get any better and took months for the affects to clear. The other affect was weight gain which was incredibly hard to lose.
Yep, I know about the weight gain, and have read comments from others with the same problem. I have never had weight issues, except for being underweight when put on a stupidly low calorie diet for Candida by a so-called naturopath. It also gave me palpitations. I came off it pretty soon!
Oh how I can relate to you. However I think maybe lockdown has had a lot to do with the pains in the back and legs. It's very easy for "them in government" to say exercise, but not always so easy to do it or to get the motivation if the weather is either horrible or too hot. I was fine with my back and legs before and now it's hard to get up even though I try to keep busy.
I’ve been actually been walking more during lockdown. But I’m stiffer all over, my arthritis is worse, and as the dosage was raised from 1.25 to 2.50 and finally to 2.5x2, the aches and pains have got worse and I just can’t move quickly, or even at a moderate pace. I feel as if I’m rusted up! I really have to force myself to get out now, and I don’t enjoy my walks as much. Horrible!
Yes I understand, although I'm different to you in that I haven't been walking so much. I feel from what you say and the dosage of the Bisoprolol that it is that as Bisop does make you feel tired and lethargic. I'm not certain about the aches although I have heard complaints in that direction too.
Perhaps a visit to the EP or GP and change of beta blocker. I've heard many people say that they have changed from Bisop to Nevibolol (spelling?) and have found it much much better.
I do hope you feel easier. I've just taken 2 more paracetamol, but unfortunately it only lasts for about an hour......
Thank you very much. I had been trying to remember the name of the alternative that people had mentioned and it was Nebivolol. My prescription is coming up for renewal, so I think I’ll request a talk with the GP to discuss it.
Unfortunately if you are like me and need the beta blocker (my afib is sometimes linked with tachycardia (240 beats per minute it has been known to rise), then a change might be good. I have heard so many good things about Nebivolol that I was thinking about changing as I said I get more aches and pains and always feel lethargic etc, but I'm always afraid to rock the boat!!!!
Also I noted that I have put on weight since all the heart problems and medication and it's so hard to lose it.
After I had my brain tumour surgery I lost a lot of weight and the neurologist said I was putting on weight originally because the tumour was pressing against something that was altering my metabolism. Unfortunately after reaching my proper clothes size and lost all the weight, 4 years on it's coming back. Hopefully not another tumour, but maybe age and not so active because of the medication. Can't win can we.
Bisoprolol was like a poison for me. Once I came off it I felt like a new woman. It had been causing horrendous leg pains, tiredness and breathlessness. Hadn’t realised it was causing these side effects until I stopped it. Good luck.
Did you come off it gradually? I’ve played around a bit with my dose, got the GP to agree to cutting it from 2x 2.5 to 3.75 at night. Was on that for a couple of months, then during a stressful few days recently my BP went up, and I felt a bit panicky, so I added some left over 1.25 in the mornings. My BP went down, but I felt really lethargic and sleepy during the day, so am going to drop back to 3.75.
It’s very heartening (pun unintentional!) to read of people’s experiences with Bisoprolol, I feel it gives me more ammunition for a little chat. I can put up with Apixaban, but the lethargy is so depressing.
Thanks to all who’ve commented. A friend with chronic treatable leukaemia had a lot of help from Patient Knows Best after an unbelievable mix-up with his medical records. I know they deal with patient access to records but there are other benefits, so I’m going to investigate that as well.
My GP had agreed to halving my dose about four months after I was put on it. (I had been put on it by hospital when they discovered I had AF when under anaesthetic. Doctors didn’t really consult with me and weren’t willing to discuss it either. )
I dislike taking medications.
After another year and a bit, my GP agreed I could come off it...self-monitoring my BP daily for a few weeks. I simply stopped...she didn’t see any reason to wean gradually.
I honestly hadn’t associated the excruciating limb pains with Bisoprolol until I came off it and the pains disappeared. The lethargy went, too. Bliss.
I had AF for the first time in June this year. I ended up in hospital and was given Bisoprolol and apixiban. After three weeks of taking theses I became Very weak, tired, back pain and pains in my leg. I could hardly walk round the house without feeling faint. This resulted in me going back to hospital, where I was told I was on the lowest dose of Bisoprolol, but it was that which was causing the problem and some people it just didn’t suit. They told me I had PAF and took me off Bisoprolol. I feel so much better now. I a, waiting to see consultant on 17th August when I will be given pill in the pocket. Hopefully all will be well then. Hope everything goes well for you.
I have similar symptoms, concrete legs, poor sleep, discomfort in chest etc., definitely think it is Bisoprolol sorry but I am none the wiser either. Have PAF and thinking about dronedarone that has been suggested to me from arrhythmia nurse but lots of side effects.
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