Bisoprolol

[Rachel1945]

Having had a Pacemaker put in in2019 to stop my heart rate going to slow,it now goes too fast , and I am on Bisoprolol l still have shortness of breath heavy legs, and generally feeling very tired , my fribulation is now constant.What symptoms do other people have and what dosage do others take I take 6.25mg on. Morning and 5mg on an evening .

[bantam12]

I have a pacemaker for bradycardia but also have SVT and ectopics, I take 2.5 Bispoprolol a day. You are on quite a high dose so might be the cause.

[loglegmomma in reply to bantam12]

Have you experienced any side effects from Bispropolol?

[BobD Volunteer]

As I'm sure you know a pacemaker will not stop AF . What is your rate at present and are you in constant AF?

[Rachel1945 in reply to BobD]

I rally don’t know my rate. I realise how ignorant I am about the whole thing. It was my daughter in law who got me on this sight. I waited from November to have an echo sound, in the end I had to pay for it myself! They said I was in constant fribulation and put my bisoprolol up to 6.25mg on a morning and 5mg on an evening. I am ringing the doctors tomorrow and I would like to have something sensible to ask. Am I the only one who has heavy legs and really bad shortness of breath?.

[Needalift in reply to Rachel1945]

I had pacemaker fitted 3yrs ago for chb , I have had a fast heart rate, shortness of breath,tiredness and really heavy legs going back and forwards to consultant and finally he says I have pulmonary hypertension which affects the oxygen going round your body not what I wanted but at last I can start treatment xxx

[Rachel1945 in reply to Needalift]

Thank you please take care

[Hidden]

Hi,

I have no pacemaker, I have not had an ablation, I have adopted a combination of lifestyle change ( diet) and medication to deal with my AF. Which it has. When originally diagnosed in January 2010 my Cardiologist prescribed 5 mg ( for heart rate control ) to be taken daily in the morning. This caused random nose bleeds as a side effect. GP changed this to be taken at night, still 5mg and no more nosebleeds. Ever !

On January 19 2021 my GP increased my dose to 7.5mg thinking it might help with my blood pressure. It hasn't.

The only thing it does for me is to control my heart rate holding it at a steady 64 to 67 bpm. Brilliant and no side effects at all.

John

[Rachel1945 in reply to Hidden]

Thank you M

[Hidden]

Hello Rachel, a total daily dose of 11.5mg is very high so it’s not surprising that you are suffering from the side effects often associated with Bisoprolol. If I were you, I would discuss this with your Doctor and explore possible alternatives. Many here speak highly of Nebivolol. Not being a medic, I have no idea whether they are suitable for folks fitted with a pacemaker but I would think it’s worth asking the question. I have limited knowledge of pacemakers, I assume you have regular checks to make sure it’s functioning correctly......

[Poochmom in reply to Hidden]

I switched from metoprolol to Nebivolol (Bystolic) and it’s like night and day difference. So much better!

[Rachel1945 in reply to Hidden]

I’ve had a letter from the hospital regarding my heart rate and rhythm control. My doctor had suggested I increased my tablets but checked with the hospital. The hospital said she could make a regular change to7.5mg each morning and 5 mg at night. (Total of 12.5 mg daily).The.hospital also said they sometimes use up to 20mg of Bisoprolol each day,so a 2.5mg increase is fairly minimal. Not happy about taking more.

[Rachel1945]

Thanks I’ll make a

Note of that and take it with me M

[Rachel1945 in reply to Rachel1945]

You have your pacemaker checked once a year, and that was done in May after I had my echo sound.

[Coco51]

Sorry to hear you are having trouble. I too had a dual lead PM fitted in Jan 2020 and can sympathise.

I am on Bisoprolol and Flecainide because when I tried to stop them the AF came back every day. Yet since I've been taking them my heart has got slower when not in AF - hence the pacemaker.

Like you I find the meds give me fatigue and yet PM sometimes goes too fast! It can even race when I see a tense TV programme or the News. But I'm only on 1.25 of Bisoprolol once a day. That's bad enough. I was on 3.75 once. It was awful. The higher dose you are on would floor me. I get the heavy legs on the stairs and slopes even now. It wears off about 3 hours after I take the tablets, but it's a pain.

One solution would be to have the Pace and Ablate procedure. It would not stop the AF but apparently one can't feel it because the communication between the Atrium and Ventricle is cut so the Ventricle beats regularly. Downside is that you are pacemaker dependent. That's a step too far for me yet.

I have had 2 ablations for constant AF and now get bouts once or twice a week which are not brilliant but pretty manageable - more muffled, and without the shortage of breath and major anxiety I had before so the ablations have helped.

I hope you get your problem sorted. Maybe a smaller dose is what you should ask for. ❤

[274- in reply to Coco51]

I had a 3 lead pacemaker fitted last July and a AV node ablation in September,and the last few weeks I can feel the AF , I was really bad last night , I am not on any heart medication yet .Luckily I have a routine PM check on Wednesday so I will see what shows up at the appointment..😢

[Coco51 in reply to 274-]

I wonder if you had your appointment. Poor you! I was told that once one had had the ablation of the AV node one couldn't feel the AF because the ventricles would be beating evenly governed by the Pacemaker. Does it feel the same or different from how it was before the PM?

I always thought the unpleasantness of AF is caused by the atria sending disorganised instructions to the ventricles, and once the link was broken thst would stop. But now I hear you can still feel it I don't think I'll be in a hurry to have the AV node ablation.

Just one thought. Could what you feel be caused by the Pacemaker setting? Maybe adjusting the PM might help.

[274- in reply to Coco51]

HiI have had my appointment today and my consultant has put me back on 5 mm of Bisoprolol , the PM reading showed that I was in A/F and that’s what I was feeling .

It’s a different feeling and it’s not as debilitating as it was without the pacemaker.

Talk to your consultant about your concerns, everybody is different and some of the posts I have read about Pace and Ablate have been successful , I have just been unlucky .

Hope all goes ok for you ..

[Coco51 in reply to 274-]

Is that 5mg Bisoprolol altogether? If so quite a reduction from 6.5mg morning and 5 mg evening. I hope you feel better.

[Rachel1945 in reply to Coco51]

You sound so knowledgeable x

[opal11uk]

I am on Bisoporal and take 2.5, originally took 5 but reduced it. I would suggest that you request an appointment with your cardio to discuss your 'problems' as I too think you are on a high dose and need assessment.

[quanglewangle]

I had normal BP and resting HR of 60 until AF started. As AF progressed was switched from metoprolol to flecanide and started syncope. Switched to metoprolol 2.5 twice daily ever since (6 yrs) syncope got worse so given PM with kick-in HR 60. Same symptoms as you but you adjust and it seems to get better. Only time I had problem was when PM fitted and was off the Bisoprolol for a few days until I challenged Dr and got back to 2.5 twice a day ever since. Annual PM check now shows PM cutting in 95% of the time - but I am totally unaware and just keep taking the tablets and enjoying life. - so much better than the alternative👍

[Beeflower]

Hello I’m on 1.25 and I feel really tired and breathless

[robster68]

I am on 2.5mg Bisoprolol which I take on a morning with other medications. It used to be 5mg but was getting quite breathlessness. I am also on Flecanaide, 100mg twice daily. I have Paroxysmal AF and am waiting to get on a waiting list!! I still get intermittent breathlessness and feeling of heavy legs one of a few other symptoms. Related to the meds and condition.

My wife who is a non-practising RGN also believes I have the beginnings of Cardiac failure due to the symptoms I have.