When do you get your Bisoprolol side effects?

[Cricket23]

Hi all,

I’ve been reading the very useful comments about the side effects of Bisoprolol, thanks!

I take my meds at 14:00 every day, but the side effects of low energy seem to happen randomly, and I was wondering if this was the case for other people?

The reason I ask is that my cardio nurse does not think it’s the Bisoprolol causing the side effects as there’s no pattern.

FYI, but hopefully not to bore you: In Aug (due to unsustained VT) I was fitted with a combined Pacemaker/ICD and started taking 3.75mg of Bisoprolol, which was later increased to 5mg following my first pacing check. On 3.75mg I got the low energy symptoms every other day for about 90mins. On the 5mg dosage, I’m getting them every day for about 4hrs.

Any advice and examples, and help would be appreciated.

Thanks

[bantam12]

My husband was taking 1.25 twice daily and he felt terrible 24/7 but he's now cut out the morning tablet and is much better.

I used to take 1.25 at night but still couldn't tolerate it so stopped taking it.

[Cricket23 in reply to bantam12]

Thanks for your reply Bantem12. May I ask what the symptoms were that you and your husband had please?

[bantam12 in reply to Cricket23]

We both had extreme fatigue and my husband was depressed and virtually unable to do anything that needed his brain to function, he's better now on the minimum dose although still not great.

[Cricket23 in reply to bantam12]

Thanks again for your reply. I certainly get the fatigue, but thankfully, not the depression. I wish you and your husband well.

BTW, have you considered switching drugs?

[bantam12 in reply to Cricket23]

I'm not taking anything right now, my husband has complex heart probs plus other life limiting conditions so finding meds he can take is difficult, he's ok on Bisop for now so they don't want to rock the boat.

Good luck with your meds journey.

[Cricket23 in reply to bantam12]

Thanks, and all the best to you both.

[christina1947 in reply to bantam12]

Can I ask what your husband is taking it for please.

[bantam12 in reply to christina1947]

He's had a heart attack, 3rd degree heart block so has stents plus pacemaker and he was put on Bisoprolol when his mitral valve regurgitation became untreatable, it has helped his heart function but the side effects are not great.

[christina1947]

Hi cricket starting to think bisoprolol is the cure all for heart problems just gone on it 2 days and nothing to report. Consultant said it would probably cure my ectopic heart beats here’s hoping Take care xxx

[Cricket23 in reply to christina1947]

That’s great Christina. All the best to you.

[HectorandBoris in reply to christina1947]

Hi, it has cured mine. I take 1.25mg daily. Such a relief.

[christina1947 in reply to HectorandBoris]

Hi glad to hear they got rid of yours do you know percent you had ,will you be able to come off meds now Take care xxx

[HectorandBoris in reply to christina1947]

No don’t know %. I now only take it when ectopics are troublesome. Usually when I am anxious.

[marypw in reply to christina1947]

Yes, it's resolved my horrible thumping ectopics and most of the fluttering as well. Hope it works for you.

[PMT123]

Hi,

You could try splitting the dose to 2.5 mgs twice a day to see if that helps or try to figure out how long after you take it that the exhaustion kicks in and adjust the time you take it so that it is bedtime when you are really tired.

If all else fails you could try alternative beta-blockers to see if you would tolerate that better.

Best wishes,

Gillian

[Cricket23 in reply to PMT123]

Thanks for your reply Gillian. Yes, I was wondering about splitting the dosage into 2 or even 3. As for a pattern of low energy, there doesn’t seem to be one. I can be fine for a couple of days and then wham for a few hours.

[Harrison4 in reply to Cricket23]

Keep a diary of what your doing , in the rehab group we all found that some days we would get what we named “ hitting the wall “ and that is random

Imagine your energy in a Duracell battery that lights up like traffic lights, how much of it you use but also resting to restock the energy. We thought it was the meds but on trying this approach it really does work 😊

[Cricket23 in reply to Harrison4]

Thanks Harrison4, good food for thought. I’m beginning to wonder if it’s a combination of the meds and having to adjust my energy usage / availability as per your description. I’m keeping a diary and have definitely noticed that my energy levels have increased since reducing my dosage of Bisoprolol by 1.25mg, but that I can’t expend my energy like I did before the operation. Maybe it’s something that I’ll just have to live with.

More diary keeping and experimenting to come I think

Thanks again

[Harrison4 in reply to Cricket23]

I had my HA and stent in March only in the past 3 weeks after finding an afternoon nap and altering meds to suit I can now go a whole day without sleep which is great 👍

One way of mapping out your heart rate re bisoporal dosage is using a watch that records it saving it on your phone, I have done this since the HA and show it to the medics which gives them the complete picture Not sure if you have one 😊

[Cricket23 in reply to Harrison4]

Interesting to read Harrison4, and we’ll done. Mine wasn’t a HA, but a pacemaker/ ICD installed as a preventative measure against hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.

Prior to the op, I do loads of sport, both cardio and weights, but since the op, I sometimes ‘hit the wall’, when just out for a stroll, which is very maddening. That’s why I think it’s the meds and not the condition.

[Cricket23 in reply to Harrison4]

Hi again Harrison4. I managed to completely misread your point about mapping using a watch/phone, can you tell me what watch/phone does this please. Thanks, C23

[Harrison4 in reply to Cricket23]

Apple and I phone other trick is take food beforevmeds

[Cricket23 in reply to Harrison4]

Thanks

[PMT123]

I would ask your GP to try you on 2.5 mgs twice daily to see if it makes a difference and if not to try something else. The fact it isn't happening around the same time each day could mean your tiredness is completely unrelated to your beta-blocker. It's really a case of trial and error with medications to find the right combination that works for you, there are lots of other ones ending in "lol" they can try. Some people are unable to tolerate any beta-blockers.

I would keep a diary for maybe 10-14 days of when you have symptoms, your activity levels etc to see if there is a pattern that may be unrelated to the bisoprolol. I would also ask your GP to check your haemoglobin levels to make sure you aren't a wee bit anaemic.

Sorry for the lengthy reply, I hope you feel better soon. I also wouldn't bother too much about other people's symptoms, everybody is different and there are so many other factors to take into consideration for each individual. I used to Google everything, read about side effects of medications. Im not a doctor but managed to diagnose myself with some scary things. Now I dont look, a site like this is good for speaking to people with similar conditions.

I dont have a heart condition, well not really. I have left bundle branch block but its irrelevant as im still young. I only know so much about cardiology because i have worked as a secretary to two world class Professors of Cardiology for 20 years and you learn quite a lot about some things.

If i can help with anything again, just let me know.

Take care ❤

[Cricket23 in reply to PMT123]

Thanks PMT123, and no worries about the length of the reply. My op was on 8 Aug, and I’ve kept a daily diary since then of activity, how I feel etc. My surgeon did say that I should be more patient and it could be a few weeks to settle down.

I try to avoid Googling things as I have a vivid imagination!

Thanks for your offer of future help, and all the best with your problem as well.

[Cricket23 in reply to PMT123]

Hi again PMT123.

I went for a blood test and have since been to the pacing clinic. The blood results all came back fine, and having discussed things with my surgeon, he has tweaked my device and also the time of the day I take my meds from 2pm to 6pm. Since then, I've had loads of more energy and feel a lot like my old self.

Good idea to have my blood tested though. It just helps eliminate things.

[Hidden]

I have been on Bisopropol for around 2 years, it has taken me a long time to realise that I have been having side effects. I only realised that my problems increased every time the Consultant increased the dose. They were kicking in around an hour after taking all my tablets in the morning (I have AF and they are talking about a pacemaker...who knows when now?) I tried splitting the dose to night and morning but that did not help much. I decided to take them all around 10.30-11pm at night just before bed so that I might sleep through the worst of the effects. I started on the 1st April and I began to feel "normal" this week, I just wish I had done this earlier, I am nearly back to my old self, I used to look and feel totally washed out, my right eye would slightly close, and I was napping up to four times a day and worried about driving. This has really worked for me but I have not sought medical approval for this.

[Cricket23 in reply to Hidden]

Thanks for your reply Muzzetta. Hope it works out for you.

My own side effects seemed to have stabilised on 2.5mg, which I now take at 6pm.

Take care

C23