Very new on Bisoprolol and feeling rather dizzy, sick and headachy. Also very tired. Is this common?

[Bashmet]

I have been on Bisoprolol and Apixaban for 5 days now and am feeling rather dizzy, sick and headachy. Also very tired. Is this common? I realise that everyone is different but how long might it be before my body adjusts? I was having palpitations 25% of the time with my pulse up to 190 and then stopping for 1 or 2 seconds. I normally have fairly low blood pressure.

[David1958]

Maybe you should contact your doctor and let them know what is going on. Do not suffer in silence.

[bantam12]

I couldn't tolerate Bisoprolol first time I tried it but second time round my arrhythmia nurse suggested taking it at night so any side effects weren't so disruptive. Maybe best to talk to your GP or arrhythmia clinic if you are struggling but it does take time to get used to new meds.

[Hidden]

Hi Bashmet, unfortunately most betablockers can have side effects and Bisoprolol is certainly no exception. Under normal circumstances your Doctor should start you on a low dose then gradually increase until your pulse rate and blood pressure reach the best levels possible to help control your symptoms. Unfortunately, due to COVID it’s likely that Doctors are less able to see patients which means they might be starting patients at higher doses than they otherwise might. It’s unlikely that the Apixaban is contributing to your side effects. Betablockers are potent drugs and it does take a while for the body to adjust and some find that Bisoprolol is unsuitable for them and seek alternatives but you need to persevere a bit longer than 5 days to give things the chance to settle. If your blood pressure is normally low then you need to be careful about doses because the higher the dose, the more your BP is likely to reduce.

Obviously we have no idea where you are on your treatment journey but you should seek a referral to see an Electrophysiologist who is a cardiologist specialising in Arrhythmias. Check out the pinned post “Useful links for Newbies and Oldies” to the right of this page to find out more about AF and available treatments, anticoagulation etc etc, you should find it helpful.

Quick link to the post.

healthunlocked.com/afassoci.........

[Leechg]

Hi, it certainly took me about a month to get used to Bisoprolol. I am on 2.5mgs. It still sometimes pushes my blood pressure too low and I put my feet up and drink some water. This brings it up a little so I feel ok. My blood pressure remains low at ninety something over sixty something. I wouldn't want to be on a higher dose. Hope you feel better soon.

[Bashmet in reply to Leechg]

Thank you for your helpful comments. I am now on half of 2.5 mgs but still feeling the same plus poor shallow sleep. My blood pressure was normally lower than yours, but I started having salt on my food and it is now about the same as yours. I have started drinking more water too, and has made it even higher. It is good to hear that someone with fairly low blood pressure was also put on Bisoprolol, as I understand that it is usually given for people with high blood pressure. Were you having palpitations? Mine were going up to a pulse of 190 and then stopping for a a second or two - with them going on like that for about 25%of the time.

[Leechg in reply to Bashmet]

Hi, I was given the bisoprolol to stop my heart going very fast with a heart rate of anything up to 185 during an attack. It holds it back most of the time. Hope you get your meds sorted and find out what is best for you.

[KMRobbo]

Bisoprolol lIS A BETA BLOCKER which lowers blood pressure and heart rate (which is why they have given it to you ). I ws healthy and quite fit when I got AFIB and the first 1.25 mg pill put me asleep for 4 or 5 hours. When I woke up I felt terrible poor exercise tolerance, pain in arms. . I took it for further 7 days but it was the same. I decided the cure was worse than the condition . I asked my GP to switch me off it, . I tried atenolol for 2 weeks (another beta blocker) this was much better but still bad and my GP decided I did not tolerate beta blockers so put me on Verapamil ,a calcium channel blocker, which had no side effects for me . However we are all different in our response to drugs. The Calcium channel blockers do not work as fast as beta blockers and I don't think they lower the HR so much,(which was good at the tme as bisop was too low,for me) but it was fine me for 20 months until my AFIB progressed and I had to go on a different drugs regime.

[Finvola]

As other posters have said, beta blockers can have the effects you mention. Bisoprolol is infamous for causing shortness of breath and exhaustion in some people - others manage very well on it.

I started taking Bisoprolol 2.5mg seven years ago and couldn't get used to it, so had my dose halved which helped somewhat. I am one of the people who couldn't tolerate even the lowest dose so was changed to Nebivolol.

The worst effects may be felt in the first days, so you may find things improve for you but it probably is a good idea to let your doc know if your BP drops too low or the side effects are too severe. Drinking water can raise the BP which may help. Best wishes.

[Speedy6 in reply to Finvola]

How have you been on nebivolol is it working for you ,is there any weight gain yet,ha.

[Finvola in reply to Speedy6]

Nebivolol has been a life improver for me. I can now walk uphill, do consecutive tasks without running out of energy and breath and I have far fewer jumps and bumps from my heart. General breathlessness and tight chest are gone too. No weight gain but, of course, you can't put fat on a thoroughbred. 😂😂😂

[Speedy6 in reply to Finvola]

Thank you for your reply,how long have you been on the new drug,I've been o to 2 weeks so far so good,yay,could not tolerate bisoprolol as I'm asthmatic.

[Finvola in reply to Speedy6]

I've been taking Nebivolol 2.5mg for over two years, without problems - yay indeed. Bisoprolol apparently shouldn't be taken by asthmatics as it acts on lung tissue, whereas Nebivolol does not. Best wishes with it.

[Speedy6 in reply to Finvola]

Yes I'm on 5 mg,wheezy at first but now ok as the body becomes more use to it,Bosoprolol was bad from the word go even though I was on atenolol 50 mg for 12 yrs before they changed it,I'm ok on low doses but cannot tolerate anything higher.

[Jajarunner]

Yes, to all those symptoms. And even after going down to a dose of 1.25 mcg (the lowest I believe) I was still tired all the time and breathless. Sorry to be so negative.

[sotolol]

HelloBashmet.

I went on 10mg after stopping Sotolol in April and painted my hall stairs and Landing.

Now after 5 months still feel great. Not put weight on. Odd headache taken at night I sleep better. I have slowed down though I must admit. But as they say

No sense

No feeling

[sotolol in reply to sotolol]

I think also my being old doesn’t help. 👵🏻

[Hidden]

Hi, it took me about 2 weeks to get used to it.

But its always good to tell your doctor how you feel, he might ajust the amount.

X

[Madscientist16]

Yes, I was tired and lightheaded for the first 10 days to 2 weeks and then my body seem to adjust. I was told by my EP that if I was so fatigued that I could not function at all or if I passed out, I was to call. But like I said, the side affects went away after the first week or so.

[Dottilind]

Hello. Sorry to hear that but I have had mine upped three times now and on 10mg I often feel giddy but wears off after a while. I also have pace maker. Because I am hospitalised at least every few months with chest pains they keep putting my meds up. I have been on Apixaban for a few years now and never had probs with it. Hope you settle into the med as it is good.