Stopping bisoprolol

[Jewel7]

Hi all,

Just looking for a bit of information. My husband was given bisoprolol to lower his pulse rate and to help BP. Last Friday his pulse went down to 57 and BP117/56. He felt dizzy and had to sit down and couldn’t focus for just a few minutes. I rang the GP who said take him off of the Bisoprolol 1.25 mg which I did. Over the weekend his BP has been good 123/74, but his Pulse is 85. Spoke to the GP again today and she said to keep him off of the Bisoprolol and that his pulse possibly would come down as the heart repair. ( he had AVR three weeks ago). I did suggest maybe giving him half a 1.25 mg dose of bisoprolol but she said see how we go. My worry is that with a new valve and the pulse being on the high side would he likely go into AF, because that is his resting pulse. Has anyone else had this issue with their drugs and what happened.

Regards

[Hidden]

Hello. Follow advice of GP. Monitor blood pressure and heart rate as GP advised. Has your husband got follow up call with GP re heart rate? Has your husband been referred to a local cardiac rehab team as part of initial telephone or face to face would involve discussion re medication. I understand a lot of cardiac rehabilitation teams have been redeployed.

Kind regards.

[Jewel7 in reply to Hidden]

Hi thank you for getting back to me. Today was the follow up call. The cardiac rehab has rang us today. They say low dose bisoprolol at a lower dose or to take at night. The GP say as above. So a little conflicting.

Regards,

[Hidden in reply to Jewel7]

I reckon they will be writing a letter to your GP with what they have advised?

[Jewel7 in reply to Hidden]

They didn’t say they need to.. the FP has the discharge letter... it’s worrying because what is right? On this forum most seem to be on bisoprolol.

Regards,

[Hidden in reply to Jewel7]

I would call GP back and discuss what Cardiac Rehab nurse advised re medication.

[Sunnie2day in reply to Jewel7]

Most of us here on the forum who are prescribed Bisoprolol are on it to lower BP, 'calm' heartbeat, usually for angina.

I'm on 1.25mg and can't begin to adequately describe the benefit it's been to me - but we're every single one of us different physiologically (and emotionally ) and respond to the beta blocker differently.

Is your husband under the care of the cardiac team or the GP? I'd think the 'primary care provider' would be the one to decide dosage and when to administer. If you've been told your husband has been discharged back to the GP, he/she is the one taking decisions now on all of his care including medications.

Like HealthyHeartsMinds, I'd telephone back to the GP and ask for clarity, making a point of saying the cardiac team is giving conflicting advice whilst advising they don't feel a need to send the GP a letter advising medication changes as they believe it's all in the discharge one.

[Hidden in reply to Jewel7]

Personal experience taught me to trust the advice of Cardio Rehab rather than GP

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

I agree, I often get input from both / keep both up to date with any changes, but would always take cardio advice in preference.

A GP doesn’t usually have deep enough cardio experience to see all the options, risks or benefits.

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

And some GPs don't have the interest!

[Neekey]

Hi. The bisoporal will certainly reduce BP and heart rate even at 1.25 however. What is important as someone mentioned is cardiac rehabilitation, plus keeping the fitness going once he completed the course. The heart needs to heal and become stronger just like any other muscle. The fitter you get even with bisoporal will make the dizzy spells reduce as time goes on. It took me 3 years and now at 69, 3 years after heart attack I am fitter than I have ever been and have really good bp and he.

[dunestar]

My pulse can be about 85. It's within normal range. But may be they like to keep it lower with a new valve. I guess it's hard to calibrate the dose of bisoprolol to get the ideal reading.

[Shopgal67]

Hi I was given that dose to help with palpitations , after a month of having the occasional mild palpitations my DR said I could halve it , I waiting to continue my treatment ( long story ) . I’ve had half a tablet now for about 3 weeks , no caffeine and alcohol and I’ve learnt to relax & meditate , as I’ve now discovered I’ve become obsessed with my heart rate ! Stress & anxiety play a huge role in recovery and I would urge you both to take time to meditate twice daily , this has helped me enormously . Keep in touch with your DR as I’m sure you are and good luck with further treatment

[Hidden in reply to Shopgal67]

I’d agree with this too. I had many post-op driven symptoms, but I also had some worsened by stress & emotion.

I didn’t believe that at first, but it’s clear now - my mum’s passing created a tidal wave of flutters, which calmed gradually, as I did. And yoga & slow deep breathing continue to help me keep my nervous system out of “fight or flight”, which is a common outcome of major health issues & surgery.

[LaceyLady]

Yes! It makes my resting pulse rate go low low 50’s! I woke one night as I felt off, it was 46! Got up walked about, went back to bed, went down again😳 Next morning phoned Drs had to wait hours for a dr to phone me. Wasn’t a lot of help really suggest to cut 1.25 in half 😳it’s minute!! Had to buy a pill splitter and that’s not great as it can cut into tiny bits, but still doing it! It now can go as low as 57, but I’m ok! I’ll need really to contact the Consultant see what he says.

[LaceyLady in reply to LaceyLady]

Ps I ha Atrial Fibrillation

[ToffeeT]

Since coming out of hospital in March those numbers are very similar to me.

[Mikedabike]

Hi, the symptoms you describe are precisely what happened to me while I was on a dose of 1.25mg of Bisoprolol a day. I had AVR and aortic root hemiarch replacement in December 2019. I had numerous dizzy spells, some lasting for a considerable time. Eventually my GP took me off the Bisoprolol in early February 2020. My dizzy spells immediately reduced and after a fortnight I have never had an episode since (touch wood). I didn’t reduce my dose, just stopped taking them completely and experienced no negative effects. However in your case I would be wary of taking the advice of the GP so soon after the operation. I would prefer a decision from the actual consultant. My own case was slightly unusual, as my resting heart rate was already very low, and other than my congenital heart defect I had always kept myself exceptionally fit.

[Jewel7]

Thank you for your reply, your comments were really helpful. I rang the consultant today and he put my husband back on the bisoprolol and reduced his frusamide. It’s just a worry.

Thank you anyway.

[gsw5700]

My heart rate went to 42-43 so was told to stop taking Bisoprolol. HR now 55-57

[Jewel7 in reply to gsw5700]

Thank you for your reply. They did take my husband off the bisoprolol but put him back on it because they felt that when he comes off the Amioderone the bisoprolol will keep his heart rhythm right. However, at the moment he still has an irregular heart rhythm.

Regards,

[Hidden]

Hi

I recently had increase in this drug as pulse rate was too high. I am now on 4mg and still getting testing rate of 81

We are all different so all we can do is take the advice of the Professionals but do feedback when you think things are not right because they can only go off what you tell them

Hope things improve for you 😊

[Jewel7]

Hi all,

Just to let you all know that my husbands heart rhythm is and has been in sinus rhythm for a week now. So basically after 5 weeks the heart sorted itself out and I hope that anyone else who has an AVR and was as worried as us can see our experience of what happened to my husband, although that is just our experience and we are all different. Thank you all for replying though it was a great comfort to bounce off others.

Regards,