Bisoprolol

[BaileyC57]

My doctor prescribed this medication for AFIB! I took Metropolo for four years but was having side effects like gas and stomach problems and anixiety! Has anyone had bad effects with Bisoprolol?

[mjames1]

Hopefully you'll tolerate it better, but it is in the same family called beta blockers. If the bisoprolol does not work out, ask your doctor to switch to the calcium channel blocker Diltiazem. Generally serves the same function, but many of us tolerate it a lot better.

Jim

[BaileyC57 in reply to mjames1]

I DID TAKE DILTIAZEM AND IT MADE ME DIZZY AND HAD TO GET OFF! I WAS DISAPPOINTED BECAUSE IT WORK OTHER WISE.

[mjames1 in reply to BaileyC57]

Sorry about that. It made me dizzy for the first week as well, but once my body adjusted almost no side effects. But I did switch to the fast acting tablet form which apparently is not available in the US. We all react differently to these drugs and the point is if one drug is giving you problems, ask your doctor for another drug with similar functionality. Sometimes you have to try a number of drugs to find what works best for you.

Jim

[jeanjeannie50]

I have experience with both Bisoprolol and Metoprolol. On Bisoprolol I felt energised and absolutely wonderful, but after using it for about 4 months it began to make the lower part of my legs really ache. I just couldn't put up with that and returned to Metoprolol which I still take now. Give Bisoprolol a trial and see if it suits you.Jean

[BaileyC57 in reply to jeanjeannie50]

THANK YOU

[BaileyC57 in reply to jeanjeannie50]

Metoprolol makes me feel like a zoomie! I think it makes my anxiety worse!

[jeanjeannie50 in reply to BaileyC57]

I don't know whether it's Metoprolol making me feel odd lately or whether I'm sickening for something. How much are you taking ? I take 25mg each morning and night.

[BaileyC57 in reply to jeanjeannie50]

I take 25mg a day and take half of it in the morning and the other half at night.

[AKatieD]

Felt awful, like a zombie, and could not wait to stop it

[BaileyC57 in reply to AKatieD]

I feel that way with Metoprolol , I hope when I start tomorrow with BISOPROLOL I feel normal!

[BaileyC57 in reply to AKatieD]

You stopped Metoprolol?

[AKatieD in reply to BaileyC57]

I never took metoprolol, bisoprolol was enough!

[Tellingfibs]

Doctors have a ( small ) range of drugs they can prescribe for Afib and Bisoprolol is the ‘go-to’ one that is particularly good at reducing a fast heart rate. Although there are people on this forum who can’t tolerate it, there will be thousands out there for whom it works wonders. A doctor has to choose rate reduction or rythmn levelling and apparently reducing rate is more important than tinkering with the rhythm, at least in the short term. There are drugs that can only be given on the say-so of a cardiologist, and a good GP will refer you to one if he is not sure how best to treat you. I did mention to my cardiologist that I thought the Bisoprolol was making me tired, but he said the arrhythmia itself causes tiredness and fatigue and to persevere if I could manage. I am no more fatigued on 10 mgs daily than I was on 2.5 mgs. I have always taken it in the evening, until I was put on the 10 mgs, and now I split the dose between morning and evening. I would say that when you first take Bisoprolol, the tiredness you feel can disappear once your body gets accustomed to it. My cardiologist has told me ( and my GP ) that if this dose of Bisoprolol ceases to keep my heart rate down, then I should change to Sotalol. I believe that is for treating the irregular heartbeat rather than the rate, although it is still a beta-blocker. I would say to you , just make sure you chirp up with any queries when you see your GP, because unless you do, they don’t know what concerns you have and assume everything is tickety-boo. Give Bisoprolol a bit of a chance if you can.

Annie.

[BaileyC57 in reply to Tellingfibs]

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

[BaileyC57 in reply to Tellingfibs]

I at one time on Sotalol for two months and 80mg in morning and 80 at night! The 80 mg give me short of breath so I went down to 40mg in morning and 40 at night! But my heart rate was too high and change me back to Metoprolol! Now tomorrow I will go on Bisoprolol!

[Tellingfibs in reply to BaileyC57]

Well Bisoprolol has been my friend by keeping my heart rate nicely around 6o, which is good for it. Although I am on 5 mgs twice daily, I have no bad side effects, apart from tiredness, which I can overcome if I get busy ! As I said before, my cardiologist says arrhythmias cause fatigue. See how you are when on it anyway. Perhaps you will feel encouraged by my experience with it, and you might approach it with more confidence. Good luck !

Annie.

[50568789]

I had the same problems with bisoprolol and eventually changed to atenalol with no problems.

[Desanthony]

It is sometimes quite hard to find a medication and dosage that suits you. Personally I couldn't tolerate bisoprolol, calcium channel blockers or any rate/rhythm control though tried for the first year with all of them and various mixes. They all made me feel worse than the AF.

[BaileyC57 in reply to Desanthony]

WHAT DO YOU TAKE FOR AFIB, MEDS!

[BaileyC57 in reply to Desanthony]

What are you on meds for AFIB?

[Desanthony in reply to BaileyC57]

I am only on anticoagulants and I am in low rate permanent AF now.

[BaileyC57 in reply to Desanthony]

I am having AFIB permanent since last September!I will start a new drug called Nebivolol!

[Desanthony in reply to BaileyC57]

I just couldn't take any of these medications made me feel far worse than the AF and took my heart rate down to 36 at one time and I had to call paramedics out as I felt so ill that time. That was on a low dose of bisoprolol. After that as I said various other medications were tried and combinations of medications. one of them made me feel better but I do feel better without them and have done for the last 6 years.

[Fones]

HiI had unbearable headaches and depression while talking bisoprolol, I've just stopped taken them and feel so much better, still on apixaban for AF, it's all about quality of life, can't be like a zombie.

[BaileyC57 in reply to Fones]

Are you having AFIB just once in a while or all the time? I have AFIB all the time! So you only being on a blood thinner is all you need! You must not have a high heart rate!

[Lakesaver]

On first starting regime I found Bisoprolol gave me nightmares in the form of apparitions on waking from sleep. Got used to them. Found myself more depressed and increased peeing. Paid privately to see Cardiologist who agreed I could use Bisoprolol as a "pill in the pocket" as needed rather than daily. After this felt less depressed but have frequent loo visits for 24 hours after taking a tablet . Tried Metropropolol but effect is short lived and gastric grumbles are a downside.