Hi, I’ve been taking 3/4 of a 1.25 mg of Bisoprolol but making me feel odd. Spoke to Gp who said just come off it. I lowered the dose to 1/2 a tablet for 8 days but felt so bad I went back up to 3/4. Been on this for 6 days now and still feel terrible. Very shaky legs, high heart rate (80bpm resting) also dry high BP. Seeing GP tomorrow. Does anyone know when I will start to feel better? Have been on this Ned for 15 months now
Back on higher dose of Bisoprolol - Atrial Fibrillati...
Back on higher dose of Bisoprolol
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kizzie105
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Honestly . After I started fluctuating doses I didn’t start to feel a lot better until 16 weeks off beta blockers completely . You may not be anywhere as bad as me but it certainly looks as though you are very sensitive . I really wish I could be of more help 😔
That’s fine, thank you for taking the trouble to reply. I guess I thought that as I’ve gone back to the higher dose I would start to feel better. Seeing GP tomorrow as BP has suddenly gone really high and I’ve never had that before. Really don’t have the physical or mental strength to go for full withdrawal, need to get back to work too .
Rebound causes very high BP. Feel for you with the pressure to get back to work on top. Please let us know how you get on with the GP
Hi Peony, just to update you. I saw my GP yesterday who was a bit concerned about my BP readings but we’ve agreed to give the bisoprolol time to kick back in to see if it lowers. Can’t say I’m hopeful, it’s been a week now and this morning I woke at 05:30 with strong jittery feeling, so have taken my 3/4 tablet just now. I’m worried this means I’ll need a higher dose because my body doesn’t seem to want to readjust to previous one. GP says he’s never come across anyone who is so sensitive to bisoprolol in this way and is going to E Mail my cardiologist to see if he has. Nice of him to do that but I think I know what the answer will be......
Am sorry you are still struggling. I had support from two cardiologists. One said my symptoms were “ centrally mediated” caused because bisoprolol crossed the blood brain barrier which is why they changed me to atenolol which doesn’t to anything like the same extent . The second cardiologist rang me every two weeks and I emailed him any ecgs that were particularly squiggly or fast and his support was so important I will always be grateful to him. The symptoms were so bad I needed someone medical keeping an eye on me and at least they didn’t dispute it was the drug . I wish you could change onto another hydrophilic beta blocker but I won’t deny there was a Rocky changeover period . Your blood pressure does go up as a result of withdrawing from beta blockers . Please keep me posted . I wish I could do more to help I know what it is like
Thank you Peony, I feel like I’ve dug myself into a hole I can’t get out of, should never have lowered that dose , I thought by going back to the higher one I’d be ok but now I’m beginning to think I can’t and I don’t know where that leaves me. I’ve really messed with my system
The first thing to be absolutely clear about is this is not your fault . You don’t expect to have repercussions like this from a prescription drug with the potential to have devastating effects on your life and livelihood . However I can’t bullsh*t you by saying you are not in a difficult position . And I can’t say what the answer is . Reinstating the dose doesn’t always work . When I changed beta blockers it was like the bisoprolol withdrawal continued with some of the effects held down by the new one . I don’t suppose you can arrange to work from home ?
Sadly not, I’m a teaching assistant in a primary school.
So you ve been back on the dose for a week now? That is a short time in the life of a bisoprolol adjustment . If I was desperate to get back to work I would probably stick where you are. For me symptoms were at their worst about 10 days into a dose adjustment then started to improve .
That’s interesting, maybe I need to be a bit more patient. I’m signed off work til 10 th May so I’ve got a bit more time. BP is possibly a bit better this morning but HR is still 80 resting and 100 when walking, that’s the thing that drains you isn’t it?
Yes the arrhythmia . I think if you absolutely have to get back to work stick at this dose ( not a doctor personal opinion only check with your GP) . At some point if you can change beta blocker to equivalent dose of a hydrophilic beta blocker like atenolol you will find it easier to get off . I failed twice to get off bisoprolol the irregular heart rhythm s it caused among other things were too frightening and intolerable . You may find you can manage after two weeks of stability in dose and things begin to improve please keep me posted
I messed around trying to reduce Bisoprolol once. My resting heart rate is always in the 90s since AF became persistent but I convinced myself I could stop taking it and feel better. I was wrong. I halved the dose (my dose is 2.5mg a day) and had a rocky couple of weeks. I decided I really didn't want to live with my heart rate around 110 so I switched back to the 2.5mg. But the thumps and bumps and extra beats and high rate persisted for around 2 weeks or so. And then it was fine. I switched to Nebivolol not long after that . I had a bumpy week or 2 on the change over but it wasn't bad. My job is physical and I managed it without issue. So I think you need to wait a bit longer and then, when it's settled, talk to someone about trying a different rate control drug. Bisoprolol is cheap and seems to upset a lot of people. I felt so tired on it.
How long were you on bisoprol for? I’ve been on it for 15 months and my worry is if I change to a different BB will I have to come off biso before starting a new one? I’ve realised I can’t be off it for even a day without suffering
I'd been on it a long time, easily as long as you. You don't come off one and then start another, you just swap. One day Bisoprolol, next day (in my case Nebivolol). It has to be done if you want to feel better. Nebivolol is much better for me. It was well worth a couple of bumpy weeks. But the bumps of switching were nothing like as bad as the rocky road of trying to come off Bisoprolol. The switch was fine. You have worked yourself up about it, that's part of the issue. Try to stop focussing on it. It will calm down.
Thank you so much I will really try to relax about it
It's the best way. I have this and I'm hypothyroid and my hypothyroidism isn't easily treated with standard NHS medication. This can leave me feeling really weary and upset. On top of all that my HRT doesn't absorb very well so I have days when I can feel really, really rotten. So depressed and stressed by the effort of trying to sort it all out. And I notice on those days that I haunt this board, usually the thyroid page, and the menopause group I belong too. And being on those pages, reading about others struggles and trying to ask my own questions, just takes me down further and further. It's like a spiral into a black hole. The only way I feel better is to switch off and go and do something else. If I'm worn out that something else has to be gentle, but often a drive in the car is nice, get some more light into my brain.
So I prescribe getting out of here as the best medicine while you feel like this. Come back when you have specific questions and are in the position of wanting to learn rather than hoping for something to fix you. We need to trick our brains into thinking better thoughts. The BB issues will subside.
It's Friday. It's a weekend. Keep off the computer and enjoy something fun that you love.
Thank you , you have a lot to contend with and I really admire your attitude. Have a good weekend
I was just re-reading your post, it sounds like you were fortunate to have 2 good cardiologists. I’ve never met mine! Had a telephone conversation with him last May but that’s it. When I spoke to the arrhythmia nurse last week she said she would put me down for a consultation but I wouldn’t get it for 4 months!
Things are far from ideal . You do need support I know people on here will help . Are you feeling any better at all ?
Hi, in some ways I feel a little better I think. Yesterday and today I woke with strong jittery feeling that subsides after about an hour after taking BB. Then my BP was a lot better yesterday during the day but went up again in the evening when BB starts to taper off. I managed to move around more yesterday, even managed to cook a simple meal. Woke up around 3 am with strong adrenaline surge( I think) but managed , with deep breathing exercises to get back to sleep for a couple of hours before waking at 6 with the jitters.
Good news ! Waking up with Adrenalin surges is your new normal for a while. They tend to happen at regular times . There is a book called The Dare Response Barry McDonagh that is helpful in strategies to deal with anxiety and live with the symptoms. You are showing some signs of improvement which is great . It’s not a linear improvement. It’s called “the windows and waves” . That is you get a bit better window, then you get hit by a wave. Things get a bit worse. Typically this carries on with the windows getting better and the waves getting milder . You sound a little better/ more optimistic. You are doing great 😊
Oh God I can’t bear the thought of things getting worse again. I have read about the windows and waves thing but hoped it wouldn’t apply to me as I’m back on the higher dose. Was hoping that would prevent it I’m wondering what the hell im doing, going through all this and even when(if) it settles, I’ll still be on the BB. Thank you so much for your support though
It may not apply but don’t be disheartened if you do get slip backs it happens to me even now at 4 months off but much milder . I know how you feel I had to reinstate twice and it all seems interminable . Just try and deal with getting stable and back to work and then you can figure out what you are going to do about the bbs in the future
Thank you so much for that, that’s exactly what I want to do. Have a great day.
Hi Peony4575., I’m so sorry to keep bothering but I was wondering if you could advise me about high heart rate. My BP seems a lot better over the last couple of days but my HR is still 80 at rest and 100 on walking around. Did you find this? Can I expect this to drop as I improve? Also got cardiologist appt at the end of June . Thank you so much
The elevation in heart rate is par for the course in bb withdrawal . If you think bbs slow your heart rate down , bb removed the rate rebounds like your blood pressure and will settle back to normal . If I remember correctly Irene said in a recent thread that she had that for four months after stopping . Ian had the elevated heart rate too. I got bursts of tachycardia sometimes during the day but most often at night up to 132bpm . Mine was faster but came in bursts. People find it very wearing . Very good news that your BP is starting to settle and that you have cardiology appointment 😊
Heart rate 100 bpm is that normal?
When you say normal . It is common in beta blocker withdrawal . But I don’t know your cardiovascular health and am not a doctor . My heart rate hit 100 frequently in withdrawal but I had been checked out .
If you Google beta blocker withdrawal it says it is characterised by tachycardia and hypertension which are the two symptoms you have . We are not allowed to say someone’s elevated heart rate is “ normal” on this site because we are not medically qualified but I had both of those . I know how worrying and frightening it all is am sorry you are going through it
Thank you and I sincerely apologise for asking, silly of me but I was scared. It only lasted 15 mins
Heart rate (resting) is considered normal up to 100bpm. And if you are focussing on yours you will be making it worse. I'm fine with resting pulse in the 90's. I don't notice it. I would like it lower, but I'm not prepared to take more BB so this will do fine for now. I'm on the hunt for an EP for a more specialised chat about what I should do longer term.
I don't know if you are in AF permanently or in and out. I must say that permanently is much easier to handle. My body just got used to the higher rates. But in and out made me feel the ceiling was crashing in. Try not to over-think it. Just give it more time to settle again.
Thank you, I don’t have AF I have an arrhythmia called left bundle branch block , I have had lots of tests and no underlying heart problem was found but I was put on Bisoprolol while they were waiting for tests.
I think I feel a bit better in some ways. Yesterday I woke with strong jittery feeling that subsided about an hour after taking BB. My BP was better yesterday for most of the day but went back up in the evening when BB started to taper off. Managed to move around more yesterday, put some washing on and managed to cook a very simple meal. Woke up at 3am with strong adrenaline surge( I think) but with breathing exercises I managed to get back to sleep for a couple of hours before waking at 6 with the jittery feeling again
I was sensitive to Bisoprolol 1.25 was switched to Carvedilol half a pill. Still extremely low heart rate and couldn't walk up a slight hill without puffing like a 90 year old. My ectopics were well controlled tho. On Verapimil 120mg modified release but ectopics are bad everyday. No cold hands of tight chest or breathlessness. Swings and roundabouts.
Hi Kizzie105 I’m feeling the same been on 1.25 bisoprolol for just 6 weeks now and I feel awful shaking feeling week and so tired I’m pushing myself to do things !! Telephone consultation with gp who said it’s such a low dose just stick with it ! I was hoping I would of got used to it by now did the doctor not suggest you try a different beta blocker?
Your GP sounds rather callous! Yes, it might be a small dose, but the effects you are experiencing are real. Just to say....I was on that same small dose of Bisoprolol (having halved the dose previously) but when I eventually came off it altogether, with my GP’s blessing, I can’t tell you how wonderful I felt. It transformed my daily life.
Thankyou staffsgirl I got the impression gp wasn’t interested she thought 6 weeks wasn’t long enough time to get used to tablets! I rang my local pharmacist for advice he said 2 weeks is around the time your body needs to get used to them !!!
Hi, I’m seeing him later, he did suggest trying something else but I’ve been on Bisoprolol now for 15 months with minimal side effects until recently. GP said to reduce dose for a while to see how I feel but I felt so awful after just 8 days he said to go back to original dose which I did a week ago. Still seem to be experiencing withdrawal symptoms. I too was told’its only a baby dose’ but these are very powerful drugs and some people are very sensitive to them. My advice would be to go back and speak to your GP again.
Thankyou for replying I hope you get sorted out , I can’t get to see a gp it’s telephone consultation only !!
That’s crazy, if you’re feeling weak and shaky it might be to do with your blood pressure which needs to be checked. They must be seeing some patients, not everything can be dealt with over the phone . Good luck
I’ve just rang surgery they said doctor will ring me tonight and if they think I need to be seen il be given an appointment!
That’s good. If I were you I would insist that you see him/her at least to have your BP checked. Good luck
Yes insist, say you need to have an ECG to put your mind at rest. GO’s aren’t the experts here, it’s cardiologists.
Hi, how did you get on with your GP this time?
Hi kizzie125 doctor said it’s not her decision as it was cardiologist who prescribed them !! I’m having an mri scan on Saturday when they have results I will be reviewed for meds !!!
I hope you don’t have to wait too long for the results. If you don’t mind me Asking, why were you prescribed bidoprolol?
I hope I don’t have to wait to long either !! I had a heart attack in March ecg showed ectopic beats I’ve had them for years s and am not even aware of them ! So prescribed bisoprolol as well as bp tablets blood thinners and statins !!!
Ah, well I guess in those circumstances I can see why your GP would be reluctant to change your meds, doesn’t help you though if you’re feeling rough. Good luck on Saturday, and I hope you get this sorted soon
Thankyou, best wishes to you too ! Can’t say I’m looking forward to mri scan but il be a k when it’s done !have you ever had one and was it nothing to worry about ? I’m such a wuss !
I had a heart CT , don’t know if that’s the same thing. You have to lay on a bed that slides into the machine. Worst bit was having to have my arms above my head the whole time which was painful because I’ve got tendinitis in my shoulder. Mine didn’t work cos my heart was beating too fast . Have you been told not to drink coffee beforehand? I didn’t read that but on the letter and had 2 cups!
Hi Best 2, how did your MRI scan go yesterday?
Hi kizzie105 it wasn’t as bad as I thought although they said I’d be in scanner 40mins and it was 1 and a half hours !! Not sure if that’s a good or bad sign ? But of course they wouldn’t tell me anything and cardiologists will get results in 2 weeks ! I spoke to a different gp Friday night as I can’t get on with the bisoprolol at all , he said it’s fine to stop them and hel issue a prescription for a different one ! I darent just stop so I’ve took 1/2 a one yesterday and today still a bit tired but no more weakness and shaky legs ! How are you doing ?
I’m not too bad I guess. I think you’re very wise not to just stop the bisoprolol, docs will tell you that it’s ok because it’s such a low dose but there are many people on here, myself included for who it was definitely not alright! I’m glad your scan wasn’t too traumatic
I changed from Bisoprolol to Nebivolol. I feel better on the Nebivolol. Some people are just very sensitive to drugs and many here cannot tolerate Bisoproplol at any dose. Withdrawal can be very difficult too and has to be done very gradually to try and trick the body into not noticing. You might be better to go back to the 1.25mg dose for a bit till the withdrawal shakes and high heart rate settle down. Then try reducing again by shaving just a tiny bit from the tablet. Try and work out how much 1mg might be. Stay on this dose for at least a fortnight or even longer . Then go down to to 3/4. Again stay on the dose for awhile. This is a very slow way to withdraw but for some people is the only way it can be done comfortably. For those who are very sensitive it is the last 1.25mg that is difficult to get off but it can be done. Once you are down to .65 mg or less try taking every 36 hours then every 48 hrs . At all times be guided by how your body is responding and try not to hurry the withdrawal along.
Thank you for replying. Does anyone come off biso and still go to work? I am single and have an autistic son at home who doesn’t work and relies on me. I can’t afford to be off work for months and potentially lose my job, that worries me so much.
Hi Kizzie, I was on bisoprolol prior to ablation then told to just stop in early 21, had instant feeling the same.Bisoprolol is one of the dirtiest and hardest drugs I've ever had to stop. I ended up following a thread on here and titrated off a second time over around 2-3 months just gradually reducing a quarter at a time. I had reduced to 2?5mg without issue, the rest of the way down was the hardest, I know a few like Peony and Mikey who have had the same issue.
Take it slow, and unfortunately you have to go through the awful parts to get off, did in my case anyway. Rebound still hit me months later, but thankfully now I seem to be OK, but it's taken a long while.
Dont listen to the docs "it's such a small does it can't possibly affect you" they have no idea, I thought it was just me and they convinced me anxiety was playing a part, but it wasn't, and reading up on here you will find loads had the same problem reducing and coming off.
Take as long as you need, we are all diffe, and even if it takes 3-4 months ending taking a bit every other day for two weeks which was my final lot, you still get odd bumps in the road after. I chatted on here about it and it helps knowing your not going mad or imagining it, just reduce very slow if it affects you that way, it did me.
Thank you so much for replying. I’m having a slightly better day today , am back on my previous dose of Bisoprolol cos couldn’t bear the withdrawal symptoms and that was only from reducing my dose by a 1/4 of 1.25mg tablet for 8 days! This is my third week off work trying to recover from it. Cardiologist wants me to have EP study but just don’t know how I can if I have to come off biso completely for 5 days, then I would have to go straight back on them and go through all this again. It’s a nightmare. What did you do following your ablation? Did you have to stop prior to it?
Hi Kizzie, I was kept on the bisop right up to during and after the ablation. Then they told me to stop it, it just being "small dose" at 2.5mg, which I didn't think would be a problem. Two days in got awful panicky adrenaline rushes and generally feeling awful. Called gp and he said well can't see it but start it back again, all symptoms stopped, confirmed what I thought. The more I read about it the more I realised i I wasn't isolated feeling like this.After reading it carefully what others had done I just titrated off very very slowly, even breaking with a pill cutter when down to minimum amounts.
Then every other day, then off, but not without ups and downs. I honestly didn't feel OK until about ten months later, still had odd flushes and night sweats and irregular bumps and thumps. In my case bisoprolol just drained me of life, made me have low mood, no endurance, and I didn't link it at all, until I felt like I did when I finally cracked it and got it out of my system.
It's a very powerful drug even in small doses, and people should be aware just how hard it is for some to take it away.
I honestly took nearly 12-13 weeks to get off then another 8-10 weeks to start feel rid of it and it's adrenaline control. Don't let them push you I didn't, even my EP who I have loads of respect for was saying it should affect me, it did!, and only you know how your body's feels and how drugs affect you.
It's doable just be patient and accept itl take a little while to return to normal.
I've got perfect pulse and all OK off it not, your BP temporarily rises that's expected, and the nerves etc art jittery, but we are here for support, and anytime you want can chat, it helped me a lot having some here to lean on.
Thank you so much to everyone who took the trouble to reply, it means a lot to know there is support out there.
Anytime Kizzie, nothing worse than feeling frustrated, and being told it can't possibly be something affecting you. But honestly go through find bisop posts, loads of them, and a lot of the things you have going on will be relevant , can message me anytime, if I can help or you need a rant feel free
Hi Ian, hope you don’t mind me asking but did you carry on working while you were withdrawing from bisoprolol? I feel so rough I can’t imagine being able to do my job like this. I’ve been signed off work for one more week but I don’t imagine I’ll feel much better than I do now and I’m not really withdrawing, I reinstated my previous dose 11 days ago. Thank you
Is was during lockdown last year Kizzie, my business was closed for that period. I would of if I had to, but it would of been a struggle. I started using CBD oil at the time and I'm sure that's helped me enormously, especially with the anxiety side.
Thank you , can you tell me where I can get CBD oil?
I use a brand called Nuhemp, if you pm me il send you a code, I think its 20/30% off, I swear by it, tried a few, this is best.
There is a post about withdrawal symptoms. Annoying because you don’t know if it’s your condition or the symptoms.
I too have had awful symptoms with Bisoprolol and lowered to 1.25mg, I was still getting bradycardia when sitting for a while. A GP suggested splitting the 1.25! Yes I did manage even though it’s tiny with a pill splitter. I take a 1.25mg one day and a half the next, don’t seem to be any worse for it, but still convinced it’s affecting my knees 🤨
I came off a 1.25mg dose of bisoprolol 6 after months after my ablation, as it absolutely wiped me out. I had no energy or anything and convinced it contributed to lots of ectopics. My EP was happy for me to stop it without tapering as it was such a low dose. It did take a long time for those effects to stop though, probably 6 months or so. Much happier off it and was told to retain some as a pill in the pocket in case my HR races and doesn't come down. Definitely push for a conversation with your EP imo. Good luck!
Hi Kizzie how are you doing ?
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