Bisoporol

[Dorchen]

hi all have had AFib for five years , just recently the Cardiologist has upped my Bisoporol from 5mg (twice a day , to 7.5 )

My pulse has gone up instead of down , plus feeling tired and woozy. Anyone else finding this problem with Bisoporol ?

[Jalia]

Do you mean that you are now taking 7.5mg Bisoprolol twice a day ...15mg a day ?? Far be it from me to question your cardiologists prescription but I'm not surprised that you feel a bit odd taking this amount. I realise that a small number of patients take up to 20mg daily although 10mg daily is the normal max. If this is correct then do let your GP at least know how this is affecting you.

Personally 5mg daily is too much for me as I don't tolerate the drug.

Best wishes

J

[Dorchen in reply to Jalia]

bisoporol

[Jalia in reply to Dorchen]

I think you mean Bisoprolol. Have a look at your tablet pack and you will see the correct name.

[Dorchen in reply to Jalia]

so kind of you to educate me

[Jalia in reply to Dorchen]

I did not mean to sound patronising. I thought you were disputing the name of the drug.

[Dorchen in reply to Jalia]

I will be speaking to the doctors if I ever got through

[pottypete1 in reply to Jalia]

We’re all so different.

1.25mg once a day was too much for me and my EP took me off it as I had developed a very slow heart rate.

Pete

[Lenaropes in reply to pottypete1]

Same for my hubby.

[Vonnegut in reply to Jalia]

1.25 mg taken daily was too much for me!!!

[jeanjeannie50]

Please call the hospital where you saw your Cardiologist and ask to speak to his secretary. Ask her to let him/her know how you are feeling and was it right to take that high dose of Bisoprolol twice daily.

Jean

[Cavalierrubie]

l can’t tolerate Bisoprolol on a regular basis. I just have it as a pip. It made my blood pressure drop too low and l felt like l was in outer space for most of the time, not to mention tiredness and feeling really sick. We are all different. Sometimes it’s trial and error with medications but don’t be fobbed off. As my local pharmacist told me a drug should make you feel better not worse. You don’t say why he upped your drug but go back to your Cardiologist and take control. Only you know how you feel.

[BenHall1]

G'day Dorchen,

my GP did this to me a year or so ago .... I ended up feeling totally cream crackered ! Definately not wooozy but certainly very tired ... in fact I felt like the Zombie from the Land of the Living Dead ! I cut it back to 5mg ( myself on my own decision) and I returned to normal. I told my GP after I'd done it. I don't have a good relationship with my GP anyway and was/ still am totally fed up with this Post CoVid NHS. Useless organisation at GP level.

John

[opal11uk]

No, I was taking 2.5 then just over a month ago then adjusted to 5.0 followed by 7.25 and now 10mg......I had gone in too permanent A/F and minor heart failure, I am now back in sinus after just over a month and feel so much better for it. I hate taking drugs, all drugs but I know that this is necessary. I am now being closely monitored for which I am grateful.

[opal11uk]

Please be careful cutting back on drugs you have been given, see a cardiologist not a GP, it was being a smart hat and cutting mine that put me into permanent A/F and heart failure so please take care......we don't always know what is best!

[waveylines]

Sorry to hear this. Beta blockers work by lowering the conversion rate for thyroid hormones, which slows the whole body down. I certainly cannot take them. Tried three they all did the same thing.. I felt exceedingly I'll on them. As already said I'd definately ring your cardiologists secretary. The secretsry will contact your cardiologist who hopefully will ring you or email her back with further advice. Your GP won't know what to do tbh. At least you won't be spending hours queuing on the phone!! Lol..

[Vonnegut in reply to waveylines]

Interesting about the link with the thyroid as that might explain the fatigue. I heard that the ME/CF bunch have recently put out a booklet about that! I seem to have developed that at around the same time as the paroxysmal AF.

[Tapanac in reply to waveylines]

that’s interesting what you said about Levi thyroxine and bisoprolol as I take 75mgs for thyroid and 1.25 bisoprolol which I have been on for years and I have always felt half done and left, almost feel to the point of being tired and lazy. Ive often said I feel tired to medics, but they just say age and shrug their shoulders.. I know none of us are doctors but could you explain a bit more fully to me please. Thank you. Pat

[waveylines in reply to Tapanac]

Oh dear sorry to hear this. So yes the beta blocker will be slowing down the conversion of your thyroid hormones. Not what you need when you have hypothyroidism.. I felt miles better when I moved across to a calcium channel blocker..

[Fullofheart]

I couldn't even tolerate 2.5 mg so not at all surprised you're feeling this way. As others have said, and as you say yourself, Best to get back in touch with whoever prescribed.

[Suesouth]

I take 7.5 in the morning and am constantly tired!

[hausjac in reply to Suesouth]

My cardio said take it at night so most of the effect will wear off by morning

[Rosie0202 in reply to hausjac]

My Cardio said to take the full dose in the morning because the daytime is when the heart is more likely to be overloaded. I argued that I needed something to be present overnight to give protection early morning as that's when I'm most likely to have AF symptoms. He agreed and I now take 3.75 mg at 8 am and 1.25 mg 8.30pm. It works for me.

[Tellingfibs]

Hello Dorchen. I am similar age to you and have also had Afib for about five years. Over this time, my Bisoprolol has been increased ( because of bouts of fast heart rate ) to the dose I am on now, which is 10 mgs daily ( 5 mgs morning and evening ). Sometimes I feel washed out and lazy and don’t have enthusiasm for things like playing with the grandchildren ! However, my cardiologist suggested that it was more likely to be the Afib that was causing these symptoms as in general, I function ok. Of course, I am that bit older too. At the moment, my Afib is behaving and I only get brief spells now and then, and because of this, I was going to ask the cardiologist if I could reduce my Bisoprolol so that if and when my heart rate increased, I could increase the dose again. My GP said this was a possibility. Now, in your case, it may be the drug doesn’t suit you - many people seem to find this; it’s either a wonder drug or the devil incarnate ! - but you don’t indicate whether or not it worked for you at a lower dose. Is it just since your last increase that your symptoms developed, or have you always had problems ? As several forum members suggest, don’t just put up with it. Your cardiologist will assume the dose is working for you unless you tell them otherwise. It may be that even if you have tolerated it so far, a different drug would work better now. My cardiologist has said that if my Bisoprolol stopped working at this dosage, he could put me on to Sotalol instead. We are all different though. Don’t worry, but don’t just leave it as your quality of life will suffer. Remember, there are lots of options if the Bisoprolol is turning into your ‘devil’ !

Annie.

[CDreamer]

You’ve had some excellent feedback, please don’t delay in contacting your Cardiologist’s Secretary and ask to clarify.

Like Waveylines - I couldn’t tolerate Bisoprolol at all, many people, especially women do struggle with medications.

[Bni29]

I have been taking Bisoprolol for 7 years now. First 5 mg per day and two years ago it was upped to 5 mg in the morning then 2.5 mg in the evening. Seems to work for me. I still have to avoid my triggers though!

[Pindarus]

I used to be on 7.5 bisoprolol and I could only cope by taking 2.5 in the morning and 5 in the evening. It is difficult to know whether tiredness is due to the drug or the AFIB.

[Ducky2003]

I couldn't tolerate even a small dose. Affected my breathing and I was exhausted.

[Bodydoctor12]

I was on 7.5 and was a living depressed zombie for the 6 months. I developed awful pains (hit/cold burning) in my feet and so I cut it back ever so slowly to 5 and then to 3.75. It still worked for me and I came out of the fog. The pains in my feet didn’t stop though so after my cardioversion in February I was told I could stop it. As my pharmacist had cautioned me about the sudden stopping of this drug (he said this is an important point, especially for women) I’ve slowly slowly reduced it and I’m now taking .625 (as advised by Dr O in Japan) - it still has an effect on my heart rate at that low dose. I’m now trying to stop that amount as the pains have reduced dramatically but still persist at times. It’s such a potent drug and I do think that you should discuss these symptoms with your cardiologist, there must be a better option for you. Good luck.

[Nightmare2]

That is a massive dose, i take 1.25 halved even.... as 1.25 drops my heart rate to into the low 40's, given the amount you are on, i dread to think what this is doing.

[Tapanac]

sounds a far too big dose. I would ask further questions of your cardiologist or EP

I do hope you get sorted soon

[JOY2THEWORLD49]

Hi

Condolences.

Awful way to feel.

Could the H/Specialist try you on CCB Calcium Channel Blocker?

BBs did not CONTROL my H/R. 186 with Metoprolol, 156 with Bisoprolol.

With me BBs at low dose of 2.4mg Bisoprolol controlled my BP mostly.

But CCB Diltiazem did by 105 BPM with 180mg (1/2 dose). Twinked to 120mg.

So on balance I take 120mg Diltiazem AM and 2.5mg Bisoprolol PM.

Equals 123/69 and in 2022 88-95 H/R Day but now after a year on this

123/69. 62-69 H/R.

Optimum H/R resting is 65.

My night rate avge is 47 always.

I went to a private Heart Specialist recommended byLocum GP. She referred me

which brought down the price. Then he asked the dR to refer me back to Public

who did ECG and 24hr-monitor to check new med. The CCB. Now controlled.

I feel heaps improved and my walking up elevation so improved.

cheri jOY. 74. (NZ)

[JOY2THEWORLD49]

Hi

7.5mg x twice! I was told 10mg top dose.

BBs are used on those folk who get anxious. It stops Adrenaline from entering the heart muscles. CCB wrk by stopping Calcium from entering the heart and relaxes it.

I'm not an anxious person. Are you?

cheri JOY

[Dorchen in reply to JOY2THEWORLD49]

I never was but since Afib I am

[Ppiman]

If your pulse is higher, perhaps your AF is active now. Do you have a home ECG like a Wellue, Kardia or Apple Watch? They are useful at times like these.

If you mean 15mg per day of bisoprolol, taken as two divided doses of 7.5mg one morning and one evening, then this dosage will have been prescribed, whatever others feel, because of your particular situation. Each of us is different, with a different cardiac background of which AF is just one part. If you have any fears or side effects, then email the consultant's secretary at the hospital you attended. You will get a reply that way, even if not immediately, otherwise, it's your GP.

Steve

[Dorchen in reply to Ppiman]

hi Steve , yes I have a Kardia and check when I feel unwell . I am one of those when I have an Afib attack I get no symptoms just feel unwell. He has prescribed 15 mg because my heart rate is high. Going to speak with Surgery pharmacist next week on my meds. Bisoprolol I don’t think suits me the higher the dosage the more my pulse increases. The trouble is the Consultants and GPs are not specialised in A fib I need an EP who is a specialist , maybe go private for a consultation . Afib is common but complex

[Ppiman in reply to Dorchen]

That's good. When I was on a high dose of bisoprolol, I was never sure just what was making me feel so poorly. I recall associating the bisoprolol with a kind of chest discomfort, but I never could separate out the tachycardia from the drugs I was one.

By the way, my knowledge of the medical situation in the UK is that cardiologists are very much up to date and experienced in dealing daily with all arrhythmias. As for GPs, that will vary owing to their training, age and situation, but many will have a great deal of experience as so many of their patients will have the condition. GPs' experiences vary and are different from that of consultants' but those differences are invaluable as they see patients outside of the emergency or hospital setting, over the long term.

An "EP" is no more than a senior cardiologist who has taken a 12 month course in performing cardiac catheter ablations. I would say that their expertise is in the practical aspects of ablating the atrium via catheter rather than in arrhythmias per se. So far as I know, in all main UK hospitals, the cardiac team work together and will include one or more cardiologists who can perform catheter cardiac ablations.

Steve

[Dorchen in reply to Ppiman]

have booked an appt with a EP , cost hopefully worth it x

[Ppiman in reply to Dorchen]

I did the same. Plan on £200 - £250 per appointment. An ECG will be needed beforehand at £100, and perhaps an echo at £400.

It’s expensive.

Steve

[Dorchen in reply to Ppiman]

hi Steve , I have asked as an echo is booked by my Connsultant . The private is able to access my NHS info and revert me back to NHS apparently as I have told them I am poor (pension only) fingers crossed

[Ppiman in reply to Dorchen]

It will work out well for you. It shouldn't be necessary, but there we are. It is what it is until some future government has more compassion for those who need an effective NHS.

Steve

[Jetcat]

Iv taken 10 mg daily for a good few years now and they definitely can make you feel tired/woozy/ spaced out.!!

[Tomred]

5mg once per day, i barely existed.