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mood changes on bisoprolol

Electricblue1 profile image
32 Replies

hello everyone hope you are all keeping well. I’m interested to know if anyone has had mood changes on bisoprolol, since my dose has been upped to 2.5 twice daily I have noticed mood changes as well as my nasal congestion and it’s really getting me down. It could all be other things causing it but I just seen so angry on it and sometimes been getting the wrong thoughts . It could just be life and it’s ups and downs but I’m wondering if anyone else has noticed anything similar. I so desperately just want to feel like me again.

Electricblue1

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32 Replies
Popepaul profile image
Popepaul

Sorry to hear how bad you feel. The BNF does list depression and anxiety as possible side effects of bisoprolol. When was yor dosage increased and how long after that did you notice a change in mood.

Electricblue1 profile image
Electricblue1 in reply to Popepaul

Hello, my dose was increased about two months ago and it was about two weeks or so I had comments from family that I seemed angry and moody, that was when I played attention to it. I do has other stresses going on so it could be that.

Popepaul profile image
Popepaul in reply to Electricblue1

HiI think that the basic clinical definition of depression is feeling sad/bad for at least 2 weeks. Your increase in dosage was 2 months ago so it fits the timeline. Most depression is mild to moderate and is likely to self correct without antidepressants. I think that they are over prescribed.

You have to think holistically Nothing happens in isolation. Just from what you have briefly said you are experiencing lots of stress re relationships, I'll health and the worries that go with this. We can all feel frustrated and powerless under these circumstances.

You alluded to having the wrong ng thoughts. Hopefully you can talk to a trusted friend about this aspect of your current experience.

I do wish you good luck

Peony4575 profile image
Peony4575

terrible nightmare anxiety when I weaned off bisoprolol

Electricblue1 profile image
Electricblue1 in reply to Peony4575

Hello, anxiety is awful, I have had it all my life. I sometimes wonder where I would be in life if i didn’t suffer with anxiety.

beardy_chris profile image
beardy_chris

I blame Bisoprolol for making me depressed - but I had a lot going on at the time and it might have been any combination of things that caused the difficulty. All I can say is that my depression lifted when I was transferred to Diltiazem instead.

My cardiologist said they have a wide variety of drugs they can use and it's mostly a case of finding what suits the patient. I guess I am lucky that the second try suits me! :)

Electricblue1 profile image
Electricblue1 in reply to beardy_chris

Hello, my arrhythmia nurse suggested I try Diltiazem but i have heard it can cause water retention, have you had that at all. What other side effects does that have. Like you I have other stresses going on too so I don’t know if it could be that.

beardy_chris profile image
beardy_chris in reply to Electricblue1

Yes, I have some water retention but it's much better than having depression. I take furosemide as a diuretic. On the whole, I'm happier with the trade-off...

Electricblue1 profile image
Electricblue1 in reply to beardy_chris

I’m glad you have found something you are happy with. I will give it a bit longer on them and see how it goes.

Vonnegut profile image
Vonnegut in reply to beardy_chris

The lowest dose of bisoprolol (1.25) was too much for me taken daily as it brought my heart rate down too low- pharmacist checked my pulse after three days as he told me to be in touch if I had problems which the doctor hadn’t ( and she had wanted to give me 2.5 until I pointed out I was very sensitive to drugs). We are all different and it would be great if the medical profession would realise that. Glad you found something that works for you.

Electricblue1 profile image
Electricblue1 in reply to Vonnegut

thank you, I am usually sensitive to medication myself.

Leggylady profile image
Leggylady

I’m sorry to hear that you’re feeling so bad. I came off Bisoprolol (1.25 mg daily) 3 weeks ago after nearly 2 years on it. I was tired and very lethargic all that time.

Perhaps that isn’t quite the mood change you were asking about, but it certainly demonstrates that Bisoprolol can have effects other than those for which they are prescribed.

I hope you find a way through this and do soon feel like yourself again.

Electricblue1 profile image
Electricblue1 in reply to Leggylady

Hello, thank you, I too feel tired at I was someone who loved and still do love exercise, but it always feels like I can’t do what I want because I’m either out of breath on bisoprolol or I’m too tired.

Leggylady profile image
Leggylady in reply to Electricblue1

Do hope things improve for you.

Electricblue1 profile image
Electricblue1 in reply to Leggylady

thank you, so do I, 🤞.

Vonnegut profile image
Vonnegut in reply to Electricblue1

It sounds as if you are in too high a dose for you - do take your pulse and get your doctor to take it too as it might well be very slow as mine was on the lowest dose of biso! Good luck finding what works for you without unpleasant side effects.

Electricblue1 profile image
Electricblue1 in reply to Vonnegut

thank you .

Ppiman profile image
Ppiman

The first step is to recognise the mood changes, which you've done, then to see your GP and discuss them. You might be surprised how many people fail to accept they exists or deny them in some other way. Recognising them will help you to think about what might be triggering them, as there is (usually) a start point. Sometimes (about a 40% success rate, I have read), this will allow you to alter them by changing the very earliest thought patterns into something different, altering their course. This is a kind of cognitive behavioural treatment (CBT). Bookshops and Amazon sell good self-help guides on this as accessing NHS help is unlikely these days. They can work as well as professional treatment.

So, off to the doctors for a chat and see what comes of that. I would, myself, not start any tablets such as an SSRI tablet until I had exhausted other therapies.

Steve

Electricblue1 profile image
Electricblue1 in reply to Ppiman

Thank you, I do have other stresses , a very toxic relationship and other stuff going on , it could be that I don’t know. Bisoprolol just makes you feel like one is walking through thick mud. I’m sure things will pick up 🤞.

Auriculaire profile image
Auriculaire in reply to Electricblue1

"Walking through thick mud" -very good description of how I felt physically on Bisoprolol 5mg . Mentally like a zombie. The only thing you can do is try some other med and see if it changes. I reduced my dose down to 1.25mg but still did not feel that great so I changed to Nebivolol which was a big improvement.

Electricblue1 profile image
Electricblue1 in reply to Auriculaire

When I was on 1.25 twice daily the arrhythmia nurse said it was too low as I kept getting break throughs .Nebivolol is that another beta blocker and what’s that like on side effects.

Auriculaire profile image
Auriculaire in reply to Electricblue1

I find less side effects with Nebivolol. I would rather have afib episodes every so often then feel awful every day on a higher level of meds. Beta blockers are not guaranteed to stop episodes of afib anyway.

Ppiman profile image
Ppiman in reply to Electricblue1

Things do tend to pick up. It’s the natural course of things. But they don’t always stay picked up, it’s true. There are counselling services that you might find useful if you phone the Citizens Advice. Life can treat us poorly at times and I feel for you. Some sail through and some even call that being “strong”. I call it “lucky”!

Steve

Electricblue1 profile image
Electricblue1 in reply to Ppiman

thank you, I hope it’s just my situation and it will all pass and get better.

Ppiman profile image
Ppiman in reply to Electricblue1

What typos I made. That’s what insomnia does! Sorry.

Steve

Ajs2023 profile image
Ajs2023

I’ve had huge mood changes, have only been on it for 3 weeks but had to lower dose after 10 days through deep depression. Feeling much better on half dose.

Electricblue1 profile image
Electricblue1 in reply to Ajs2023

that’s good that you are better. I was ok on 1.25 twice a day but I was getting break throughs.

Bodydoctor12 profile image
Bodydoctor12

hi,

Yes Yes Yes

I was first prescribed to take up to 10mg of BISOPROLOL until my heart rate was in the mid 60/70 - highest I’ve ever had is 152, just the once. So I did and ended up on 7.25 which I now realised resulted in depression. I developed bad side effects from the Biso and eventually I weaned myself off and saw that very quickly the depression had lifted. I tried VERAPAMIL but the side effects from that were worse so I went back on BISO only taking 3.75 which did the same job and yet no depression/fog/lethargy. I’d ended quite a long relationship when I was diagnosed with AFIB and I figured that the depression was due to that. WRONG!! I’ve now had a CV and weaned off BISO to 1.25 and 0.6 on alternate days and will continue to reduce until I’m free of it. I’m still in NSR since Feb 15th so hoping that continues.

Unfortunately I still have the horrible feelings in my hands and feet so now I’m wondering if it’s the APIXABAN. I hate these drugs!!

Electricblue1 profile image
Electricblue1 in reply to Bodydoctor12

hello, yes it’s horrible being on the drugs, I myself have relationship problems and other stresses so I’m not sure if it’s that. I was ok on 1.25 twice a day.

Vonnegut profile image
Vonnegut in reply to Bodydoctor12

If you are not having any bad episodes of AF you are not at risk of stroke. I stopped taking anticoagulants because of the side effects as I only have very occasional AF episodes which never last longer than a couple of hours when my heart rate is not excessively high. But we are all different.

Snowgirl65 profile image
Snowgirl65

It's interesting that this is the second post I responded to today regarding medications. I too had problems with Bisoprolol regarding my mood -- and especially sinus congestion.

Electricblue1 profile image
Electricblue1 in reply to Snowgirl65

oh sinuses have been a pain . I will see how it goes if it doesn’t improve I will try calcium channel blockers.

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