Bisoprolol

[kingsnorth]

I have just started Bisoprolol 1.25mg (first day) l have been prescribed it for ectopics my question is does it also help high blood pressure. I’m due to have CT angiogram shortly

[Hidden]

Yes it does

nhs.uk/medicines/bisoprolol/

[Hidden]

Hi,I was put on bisoprolol the day my AF was diagnosed back in Jan 2010. 5 mg daily and was told to take in in the morning.

This was a disaster as I developed, random and inexplicable nosebleeds. Complained to my GP at the time, she checked it out and said take it at night. I have done that ever since, and now in April 2021 I still take it at night and have never had a nosebleed since changing my dose time. On 19 January 2021 my dose was increased from 5 to 7.5 mg to deal with an increase in my blood pressure. My understanding is that Bisoprolol has properties that address heart rate control and high blood pressure. My worry is that I am already on blood pressure specific medication, i.e. Ramipril and Felodopine.

My other worry is that the increase in Bisoprolol is not doing a thing for the blood pressure. I have complained to my GP and said that I am convinced that the cause of high blood pressure is the 24 hour a day pain I have in the left shoulder caused by osteoarthritis.

It is a naughty little drug, once on it you shouldn't come off it except under close medical advice and monitoring, i.e very very gradually.

Back in the day when first on it for some good few years I did experience coldness of hands and feet also experienced sudden drops in HR to as low as 43 bpm, but happy to say once I was through those side effects I was normal. Still have no side effects all these years later with average resting heart rate holding at around 60 to 64 bpm and BP holding at around 133/78. I was 65 when first diagnosed with AF and am now 76. Heart chucks short bursts of an AF wobbly about 3 to 5 times a year but nothing incapacitating. Nice.

So, there you have it - never a straightforward story.

John

[Bazwaldo]

I started with bisoprolol back in December 2020, 1.25mg, fine for the first two weeks and then all of a sudden, I sat down and felt a “whoosh” going from my feet to my head, very dizzy, couldn’t open my eyes for five hours, happened again two days later, one visit to the emergency GP, my blood pressure was 198/95, trip to hospital, kept in for a few hours and was told to stop taking them there and then. That tablet increased my bp rather than steady it. I have paroxysmal AFib. Now take tilidiem, everyone’s body is different and it is a case of going through the motions of finding the right tablet for you. Take care

[CDreamer]

Go slowly and carefully with Bisoprolol and first signs of any side effects - breathlessness, fatigue, brain fog - straight back to the GP.

Bisoprolol is supposed to stabilise BP so it also helped to stabilise my very low BP when in AF which is the one positive I can say about it.

Not a drug I could tolerate yet others find it helps so it’s very individual.

[Elli86]

Hi kings north. Personally I was put on bisoprolol when first diagnosed a year ago and only on 1.25mg which I didn’t even know I was taking as zero side effects. Unfortunately didn’t keep AF at bay so they upped it too 2.5mg and I felt horrendous. Zero energy being the main symptom. Was taken off and put on flecainaide and this made me literally feel like I was dieing. Stayed on that for 8 weeks, don’t ask me how, couldn’t take it anymore so I suggested I go back on bisop straight away as I needed to get off flec and funny enough since I’ve been back on it,2.5mg I haven’t been too bad. Still low energy but I’m functioning ok. MUCH better than the first time round. No idea why this is but I’m going to stick with it until I sort myself out and hopefully get an abalation.

Been banging on about this book since I read it but if it helps someone else like it’s helped me then I’m happy with that. Read “the afib cure” loads of great info and really changes your mindset and makes you more positive about giving AF the boot 🥾

[kingsnorth in reply to Elli86]

Thank you

[Elli86 in reply to kingsnorth]

No problem and good luck! 👍

[DevonHubby1]

Wife was diagnosed with PAF and hospital consultant suggested her mild hypertension could be a trigger. She was eventually put on Bisoprolol 1.25mg and a separate tablet to reduce her BP.

[Stobban]

Hi Kingsnorth, Regarding your question on Bisoprolol. I have taken a larger amount of Bisoprolol and have had good results on my Blood Pressure and Heart Rate. My advice to you is try it to find out the benefits and make up your own mind. Good Luck.

[momist]

Bisoprolol is one of those drugs that take some getting used to. Your body will adjust over time, and it can take more than weeks for that to happen. So, although side effects are to be expected, don't panic at the first sign of them. The level of dosage varies between people as well, and might take some experimentation to arrive at. Daily doses between 1.25mg and 10mg are usual, and some (like myself) find it better to split them over twice a day rather than a single dose, while others find taking just before bed is far better than first thing in the morning. I'm not medically trained, but I believe that once you are taking it, you must not simply stop it but gradually reduce over a long period of time under medical supervision, if you are advised to come off it.

[kingsnorth in reply to momist]

Thank you l took first dose yesterday 1.25 and it has lowered my bp and HR already so that’s a good thing.

[Morzine]

Yes it defiantly does.It’s a low dose you are on.

I’m on same dose but started with 250. Which I found was making me exhausted.

I would say to you, Bisoprolol is a funny one, it can take a while to settle....it took a while to settle in me. My vision was weird fir a while.....let it settle in before judging it .

I m not expert but I think it does the trick with me keeping my BPgood with my other losarten tablet.

Sue

[kingsnorth in reply to Morzine]

Thanks Sue l was really worried when l took my first one yesterday the thought of something altering my heart rates was a bit scary. I took my first two days BP and HR readings and emailed them to my gp they were quite high and it has been gradually creeping up.

[Heartmatters9]

Hi I have been taking a dose of 1.25 mg for the last three years since being diagnosed. Initial side effects were bad even on such a low dose. Tiredness, disturbed sleep and feeling breathless. I persevered and it did get a bit better. The breathlessness has really bothered me and my heart rate was often in the 40's along with my already low blood pressure dropping further. I decided to cut the tablet in half and take one half keeping the other to take if my heart started to race. I have felt so much better. Heart rate in the 60's and blood pressure fine. When I told my doctor he said to go back on the full tablet. I am confused as surely such a low heart rate can't be good or blood pressure. I haven't had another episode of my heart rate being nearly 200 which led to me being admitted to hospital and being diagnosed since then but just suffer with occasional palpitations and a pill in the pocket (flecanide) has been prescribed for if it is persistent. Have had to only use twice. Sorry for the long post but still getting to grips with his to best live with this life changing condition.

[kingsnorth in reply to Heartmatters9]

I hope you are ok now it’s all scary isn’t it. My blood pressure is always high but when l wore a BP monitor my overall rate wasn’t high enough for medication my problem was that it spiked suddenly and was never a consistent rate. I do get lots of ectopics and at times pain, I have taken 2 bisoprolol so far and my BP has come down but still high so I’m hoping that l don’t have to take a higher dose perhaps it will take a little longer to work. I’m due to have an angiogram soon

[Heartmatters9 in reply to kingsnorth]

Thank you for replying. I am not keen on taking medication long term to be honest. I do kind of wonder having not had another episode of my heart rate being so high if I could have the bisoprolol as a pill in the pocket only although after reading up on it I believe it doesn't work as rapidly as the flecanide does as a pill in the pocket for irregular heartbeats. Now the doctor is taliing about me being on blood thinners which at just turned 60 I am definately not keen on while my symptoms seem so under control at the moment .

[kingsnorth in reply to Heartmatters9]

All we can do is listen to the professionals, l personally would rather take a low dose daily rather than just taking it as and when l thought l needed it how would l know if it suddenly spiked!! I’m 70 so at this age l think some form of medication is a way of life sadly.

[Best2 in reply to Heartmatters9]

Hi Heartmatters9 do you mind if I ask how long you persevered with side effects of bisoprolol before they settled down ? I’ve been on the same dosage for 5 weeks now and feel so tired all the time I’m exhausted! Rang gp and they just said keep going a bit longer it’s such a low dose ! Don’t know how much longer it’s gonna take !!

[Heartmatters9 in reply to Best2]

Hi I persevered for nearly two years but recently my heat rate was so low and my blood pressure I asked about cutting my tablets in half and that has proved to be beneficial

[Best2 in reply to Heartmatters9]

Thankyou for your reply my heart rate is around 49 bpm according to my smart watch! I’ve got a cardiologist telephone consultation next week I will ask about a possible lower dose !

[kingsnorth in reply to Best2]

My heart rate is around 63 on 1.25

[Best2 in reply to kingsnorth]

Maybe mine is a bit low and could be why I’m feeling so drained !

[Heartmatters9]

I guess that makes more sense. I think I have been blessed with fairly good health up to now and accepting that as I get older things are not going to always function as they were takes a bit of getting used to. I do try and remember there are a lot of people struggling with far more. I am so pleased to have found this support forum as it makes you feel not so alone in this. Thank you