bisoprol

[Gillybean123]

hi every one. I have recently been taken off verapamil and put on Bisoprolol. I have been told to stop taking the verapamil and take first Bisoprol 24 hours later. This will be 10.30 pm. Now I know this tablet is best taken in the morning so when do I take my next tablet? Thanks

[BenHall1]

I had bad side effects taking Bisoprolol in mornings. My GP checked in her magic book and told me to take it at night. All my side effects (random, full flow nose bleeds) stopped. Never a problem since.

[Gillybean123 in reply to BenHall1]

Glad you are ok now. Don’t fancy any nosebleeds yuk. Thanks for replying.

[Teresa156]

As it’s your first bisoprolol, I think if it were me I’d probably take it 24 hrs after the morning after you’ve taken your last verapimil, especially as it’s a totally different medication to verapimil, however, I’m not medically trained and I think you should really perhaps ask the Pharmacist what they suggest ( I know how difficult it would be to ask your Dr).

Please don’t worry about nosebleeds though, medication affects us all differently and I’ve never had a nosebleed through taking bisoprolol. You are right that it is normally taken in the morning, but we all take them at differing times and some people, twice a day.

[Gillybean123 in reply to Teresa156]

Hi I have taken Bisoprolol before a higher dose than the one I have been given now. Pharmacist at Doctors said take 24 hours after last Verapamil which I take morning and night. I will call pharmacist back. Thanks for your help.

[Gillybean123 in reply to Teresa156]

Hi there as you are saying that Bisoprolol is a totally different medication my heart rate at the moment is 60 will the Bisoprolol lower it even more? Thabks

[Teresa156 in reply to Gillybean123]

Hi Gillybean123,

I’m afraid I don’t know the answer to that regarding how it may or may not change your HR, although Bisoprolol as you know, does lower HR as it is a rate control medication. Yes, it’s different to verapimil, as Bisoprolol is a betablocker and verapimil is a calcium channel blocker.

[BobD Volunteer]

I think most people prefer to take at night.

[Singingforever]

I have just done the opposite! Bisoprolol totally switched me off at the main and I was unable to function. I am now on Verapamil with no problems.

I second the advice to speak to the local or surgery pharmacist.

I hope it suits you and helps.

[Tapanac]

everyone is different, but my EP told me to take my bisoprolol in the morning as obviously more busy during the day and therefore raise heart beat. At nighttime and asleep could (?) make heart go too slow

However as long as take it regularly whatever suits you.

All the best

[Sue6666 in reply to Tapanac]

I echo this although I was told to take at night as I felt rough during the day. At night taking it I had almost panic attacks as I felt like I was stopping breathing. Back on lower dose in the morning now and no side effects thank goodness x

[Tapanac in reply to Sue6666]

So pleased you are feeling better xx

[Sue6666 in reply to Tapanac]

Took a while though. A lot if people seem to have differing problems with Bisoprolol x

[Tapanac in reply to Sue6666]

Yes true. I certainly did have a problem trying it at night when BP and heart rate went too low. As I had been stopped on flecainide because now in permanent afib (which incidentally I find easier than on and off, skso a pacemaker as kept fainting) they upped my bisoprolol to 2.5 which even that lowered my BP. So 1.25 now snd if heart starts to race then just take an extra one. Doing it that way (touch wood) doesn’t seem to affect my BP as it’s only occasionally . Always morning or during the day never at might now

All the best x

[Sue6666 in reply to Tapanac]

I was on 5mg to start with and kept falling over if I bent over at all but now also on 1.25 and feel a lot mire normal. Has the pacemaker made a big difference to you? X

[Tapanac in reply to Sue6666]

Oh I wrote a fairly long message to you but hadn’t finished about how brilliant the pacemaker has been, but I had a zoom come through from my son and grandsons and didn’t finish and it’s disappeared

Yes pacemaker been great. I kept fainting as heart rate either went very very low under 30 or was racing eith afib/tachycardia. The pacemaker now keeps it from going low (a regular 70 although set at 60) but now rarely goes higher than 90. So very rarely though. Maybe through an infection or not well but being in permanent afib I don’t really notice it any more. Pacemaker doesn’t control the afib or tachycardia, but stops heart going too low.

Anyway before I lose this message..

[Sue6666 in reply to Tapanac]

Lol oh the times I've done the long message and then lost it !! 😁 I am interested in how the pacemaker helped as if I bend forward or get up quick my BP drops to 60/40 and even lower at times and I feel faint I wonder if one day a pacemaker might do me to give me stability and stop the horrible feelings you get with this. Thanks so much fir the info it's been really helpful x

[Tapanac in reply to Sue6666]

Aah the pacemaker doesn’t help eith BP it just stops the heart rate from going too low. For example my heart rate would suddenly drop from about mid 50s to 30 sometimes 29 for no reason and I would go so lightheaded and faint.

Having said that now that my pacemaker is set at 60 so heart rate can’t go below that although with the afib:tachycardia it mostly reads 70 unless I have a higher rate in which case I take an extra bisoprolol which calms it down

Also maybe coincidentally my BP seems to have settled since pacemaker

Xx

[Sue6666 in reply to Tapanac]

That sounds like it really might be z good option if I need it. Thanks so much it's been lovely chatting xx

[JOY2THEWORLD49]

Hi

No, I took Bisoprolol at 8pm every night. 2.5mg. Night is better for BP control as BP rises early morning. But you can half dose like some night and remainder morning. Up to 10mg 24 hours. My stroke embolic happened at 2an.

So were you taking Ver... at 10.30pm!? Seems very late.

You Cardiologist says leave 24 hrs - a day.

So take the last Ver... that day and leave until next 24hr day to vhange.

I take my CCB early morning as my H/R is high Day and drops down to 47bpm at Night and doesn't need any control then.

Everyone can be different but as my CCB does a dramatic job bringing down my H/Rate early morning I take ir.. it runs out during afternoon but I wouldn't srart Biso until next day.

vheri JOY. 76. (NZ)

I take CCB for control H/Rate and Bisoprolol Night for BP control but in December as my BP went low I no longer take it. Just the CCB Diltiazem CD now.

[Ppiman]

To my knowledge, it doesn't matter when you take bisoprolol. This is because it is a long acting tablet and , after a few days, it builds up in the bloodstream to a "steady state", after which any dosage time should be fine, if 24 hours apart. It can occasionally cause a drop in BP that will cause light-headedness, so take care after the first morning dose. It's quite a safe drug, so you could take your first in the evening when you'll be supine for most of the time, which means your BP won't be affected so much. You could then work it back to a morning dose after a day or two.

Steve

[Belle11]

I take my bisoprolol with my evening meal. When I used to take it in the mornings I would be short of breath when exercising - much less of a problem since changing to an evening dose.

[Gillybean123 in reply to Belle11]

It’s the shortness of breath that I am worried about. When I was on it before I would be walking my dogs and having to stop because I felt like I couldn’t breath. Told my Doctor and he said it’s you are working against what Bisoprolol is trying to do. Like my heart wants to go fast but the Bisoprolol is trying to slow it down. It was t as if I was running or anything. Got to make my mind up now whether to stop verapamil and go on Bisoprolol or take digoxin with the verapamil. Why is everything so complicated. !!!

[Belle11 in reply to Gillybean123]

I was on a higher dose of bisoprolol for a long time, and my pulse was very slow, often in the 40s, so I suspect that oxygen wasn't getting round my body fast enough. I finally persuaded a cardiologist to reduce my dose to 5mg and my pulse is now usually mid 50s, and never seems to go faster than about 60 when I'm out walking. I haven't been able to do more vigorous exercise for ages because of knee arthritis, but I've just had a replacement, so it will be interesting to see what happens to my pulse and breath when I can be more vigorous!

How fast/slow was your pulse when you were on Bisoprolol? And what time of day did you take it? It is a hard decision indeed, and we're all different in how we react to medications - digoxin made me feel dreadful when I was briefly on it before a cardioversion, but it might work for you. Hope you can find the right medication and dose that doesn't make you breathless.

[Gillybean123 in reply to Belle11]

Hi I was on 7.5 mg quite high. But my heart rate was generally good in the 70’s. But I really did struggle to breathe. . I took digoxin in the early years when AF was all new to me. The only thing that I had was sometime yellow lights round my eyes which didn’t last very long. But no other side affects. It’s all this messing around that drives me nuts. After getting the letter this morning my head was all over the place. This has all happened from having a spider monitor fitted last September.

[Belle11 in reply to Gillybean123]

It's no fun at all! I see you've decided to stay on verapamil - hope it works out for you.

[lynwest]

Ask to stay on Verpramil as this is Brand. Bisoporol is Generic and ma give you side effects.

[Gillybean123 in reply to lynwest]

Yes after a lot of thinking have decided to stay on verapamil. Going to let Doctor know today. Thankd

[Gillybean123 in reply to lynwest]

Sorry what does Brand mean thanks

[lynwest]

Verapamil is the one that the Pharmaceutical Manufacturer obtained the Patent for and is therefore called the BRAND. Bisoprolol is the GENERIC Supplied by many other Manufacturers, although it contains the same Active Ingredients, it also contains a big percentage of Inactive ingredients, such as flavourings, colourings, binders etc, - which some people may be allergic to and have side effects.

[Gillybean123 in reply to lynwest]

Hi there well that’s worth knowing. Thank you

[Gillybean123 in reply to lynwest]

hi there. I have found Verapamil to be the best one that I have taken and I have taken a few. I think my mind is going along with Digoxin at the moment. I did find Amiodarone to be very good but that was in 2013. I had an ablation and they stopped me taking it. I was very new to AF in those days and 12 years younger I wouldn’t want to go on it now though. Thanks