Bisoprolol side effects: Has anyone... - British Heart Fou...

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Bisoprolol side effects

Knittinganimals profile image
31 Replies

Has anyone suffered from numbness and pins and needles while on bisoprolol, together with trembling sweating and shortness of breath? I have been on bisoprolol for 4 months for AFib and have felt progressively worse.

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Knittinganimals profile image
Knittinganimals
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31 Replies
shopman profile image
shopman

Have you spoken to your GP or Cardiologist about this. You don't say what dose or other medication you are on?

Knittinganimals profile image
Knittinganimals in reply to shopman

My gp lowered my dose to 1.25mg last week and will review tomorrow but it has made no difference unfortunately. I’m also on apixaban. Thanks for replying

Caitlyn6 profile image
Caitlyn6

Nope. U sure it’s not apixaban?

Knittinganimals profile image
Knittinganimals in reply to Caitlyn6

I hadn’t thought of that will chat to my gp thank you

Caitlyn6 profile image
Caitlyn6 in reply to Knittinganimals

Google side effects. My auntie had some side effects from that when she started taking it.

RoyM profile image
RoyM

I have been on 2.5mg Bisoprolol since 2009 and during the later years started to experience numbness and tingling in both hands but mainly my right hand. Over recent months the dose has been reduced to 1.25mg and now for two months been further reduced to 1.25mg every other day. When the dosage was first reduced it made no difference to the numbness at all but now after being on the reduced dosage I have noticed a distinct improvement, so perhaps stick with the reduction and don't expect a reduction in the numbness to soon..I also take Apixiban. Cheers Roy

Carolx profile image
Carolx

OMG you need to read my posts.

Was only on them for 12 days and felt terrible.

Stopped them Tuesday.

I was prescribed too high a dose by the cardiologist and after a couple of weeks of feeling out of it, I felt faint & family took me to their local A&E where the doctors checked her magic medical book and halved the dose. I was better but after a while developed pins & needles in feet & hands & sweating, not breathless.

After my ICD/pacemaker for a VT, I am on 5mg in morning and 5mg at night. It hasn't stopped my daily palpitations which my doctor said it would but I am an increased BP tablet dosage & a blood thinner so I have all the symptoms you have but unsure which medication is causing it.

I have heart failure showing no symptoms and only felt like this since medication 18 months ago.

I have appointment to see the nurse in October so hopefully it will settle down and if not will tackle her as feeling worse and very low.

Best bet is to contact your cardiologist or cardiac nurse to discuss this or you GP is they are any good, unlike mine.

Don't suffer in silence as the health service is there to serve us.

Good luck.

Oysterhaven profile image
Oysterhaven

I came off Bisoprolol after experiencing low blood pressure

Speak to your doctor

Mikamoo2 profile image
Mikamoo2

I was on 5mg then reduced to 2.5mg have now been on 1.25mg for the last 4 months I experience shortness of breath & numbness in my toes my cardiologist said it is the Bisoprosol but to keep on taking it as the benefit outways the side effects

Anneplace profile image
Anneplace in reply to Mikamoo2

I started on 2.5mg and felt dreadful then two things occurred. My partner who is a Pharmacologist,suggested to the GP that my dose was too low.This didn’t seem logical to me,why take more of something that causes such problems? However,the dose was increased to 5 mg and I started to feel better. The second suggestion was to take Bisoprolol with food as some of the discomfort may be caused by the medication hitting my system too quickly. Breathing exercises can help with some of the side effects as well. There are some good ones ‘on line’

Clipperkid profile image
Clipperkid

I’ve experienced similar but mainly a feeling of lethargy, sleeplessness

& general feeling of making me unwell

Consultant stopped this drug, so back to feeling much better

I’ve LBBB & LV heart failure with an implanted ICD

isobelhannah18 profile image
isobelhannah18

I would read the enclosed leaflet to find out about side effects. I wouldn't use google for anything to do with health.

Hermanm profile image
Hermanm in reply to isobelhannah18

I tend to disagree,

If you rely solely on the information provided by the manufacturer,

how can you be sure you are getting an unbiased view?

Theres lots of good information to be had online ,

And a lot of guff too ,

BTW , you have passed on you good advice to someone, online.

Lonmayloon profile image
Lonmayloon in reply to Hermanm

You make the Patient Information Leaflet sound like an advertisement chosen by the manufacturer. It isn’t. It contains information on the safe use of the medicine including possible side effects. The wording is decided by the medicines licensing authority not the manufacturer.

DodgyRog profile image
DodgyRog

Been on 2.5mg daily for about 8 years. Runny nose and very rarely get a few tingles. Otherwise fit etc

rimpac2012 profile image
rimpac2012

I experienced all sorts of side effects with Bisoprolol. Was advised to persist with it . However after many months was still experiencing SE. Was taken off with no replacement and started to feel better within a week or two. A replacement was later added and i continued not have anywhere near the level of side effects. I have said this before the Cardiologist first consideration is preserving life but the quality of life of the individual is just as important. A balance comes to mind.

shellarc profile image
shellarc

I have been on 5mg Bisoprolol daily for the last 8 months. Early on, about 2 months in, the side effects were tiredness and breathlessness. Consulted my doctor and with her approval started taking it last thing at night so the worst of the effects were while I was asleep.

Maybe this would be worth discussing with your doctor?

Its still fine and I am just waiting on my cardio version possibly September.

Margie21 profile image
Margie21

Hi, yes I am on Bisoprosol 1,25mg, I was on 2.5mg and had awful side effects, It is supposed to lower my blood pressure but that still remains high most of the time. I have all the side effects you mention AND also severe loss of hair, it comes out in handfuls. I have also been on several meds for BP and had many side effects on all of them and now I think my GP has given up on me ! A month ago my GP said to stop taking them and to monitor my BP daily, this resulted in a trip to A & E for very high BP readings, at the hospital I was told I should have come off them gradually ! Anyway now on them again at the lower dose and still having awful side effects but nobody bothered and cannot see the GP only telephone consultations. I know how you feel and hope you have a more sympathetic doctor. I am 75 yrs old and already fell that I am being overlooked because of my age.

Knittinganimals profile image
Knittinganimals in reply to Margie21

Thanks for your reply, I am also having problems with hair loss. My doctors are trying to help but you never speak to the same one twice. I have been waiting for an appointment with a cardiologist since last December and have no idea when an appointment will come. Oh well things can only get better I hope. Best wishes to you

Margie21 profile image
Margie21 in reply to Knittinganimals

Thank you, I also wish you well, I am thinking of taking 1 every other day and see how it goes. When I had the visit to the hospital the doctor there said that Bisoprosol is not for lowering BP, but my GP has kept me on them, so like I said left without any real directions as to what to do and never a regular check up, just monitoring my BP at home on a daily basis and to phone GP with the readings.......good luck with your appointment. keep chasing them....I bet if you were a private patient you would soon get an appointment!!

clematinerose profile image
clematinerose in reply to Knittinganimals

Ladies, I so feel for you as I too am on Bisoprolol 2.5 mg since March and have noticed my hair getting really thin and I can now see my scalp and also my hair is brittle. I put it down to atorvastatin that I'm also taking but, reading your comments I am now wondering if it Bisoprolol and am due to speak to my cardiologist on 25th and will bring it up with him as my dr is very unsympathetic. Best wishes to you

Dollcollector profile image
Dollcollector

I had A.F. with a fast pulse rate which wouldn't slow down ,which developed into heart failure. It is slow now thank goodness. I am taking Bisoprolol 2.5mg. at the moment. I have all the symptoms you have plus blackouts,so l do sympathise. The trouble is l never know whether it is the tablets l am taking that are causing the symptoms or my condition. The doctors don't seem to know either. I t is trial and error l suppose. From all the replies to you ,it looks like it could be the tablets.

Margie21 profile image
Margie21 in reply to Dollcollector

Hope you may feel better soon.....I agree it is a bit like playing russian roulette with tablets !! I am only on Bisoprosol 1.5mg for BP and Lansoprosol 15mg for a hiatus hernia causing acid reflux just the bisoprosol giving me problems. Yesterday my BP shot up again to 175/107, it has been unstable for weeks, the diastolic reading being high all the time, a call to GP who seemed unconcerned said to now take 1.5mg twice a day 1 in the morning and 1 at night and ring again on Monday if still high. Bearing in mind I had worse side effects on the 2.5mg already!! I am so confused with it all.

Dollcollector profile image
Dollcollector in reply to Margie21

Thank you, you too. With heart problems b.p. and pulse can be all over the place. I am having a monitor fastened to me soon . I hope it's for a week and not 24hours as sometimes my heart is steady for 24hours. I don't know what they can do for me as the cardiologist isn't seeing me anymore. I think when you get to a certain age they don't care anymore.

Margie21 profile image
Margie21 in reply to Dollcollector

I agree, as far as I know I haven't a heart problem, do not smoke and hardly drink just the occasional glass of wine as a spritzer....I am a stone overweight for my age and height so can only put it down to that ! although I am now eating a healthy diet. My father and all on his side of the family died of heart attacks and both my sisters who are older than me have had strokes and we all have high BP. so maybe it is just hereditary. My GP has not conducted any tests just the obligatory blood tests as and when every 6 - 12 months. Hope you may get some action when you have the monitor fitted, let me know please, wish you all the best.

NYA2019 profile image
NYA2019

Are you taking anything else with the Bisoprolol? I'm on Bisoprolol and in my early days, I was also on Ramipril, with the two together my feet were so cold it was painful. I was taken off the Ramipril and give Losartan. It's better now but I'm still in my winter PJs in this hot weather!

Knittinganimals profile image
Knittinganimals in reply to NYA2019

Hi, I’m only on Apixiban a blood thinner but I don’t think it’s that. It’s the not knowing what’s causing me to feel so bad that is so awful

NYA2019 profile image
NYA2019 in reply to Knittinganimals

I appreciate the not knowing is worrying but it may be worth reading the leaflet again for the medication and pay particular attention to the side effects. The NHS site suggests some other ways to take your meds nhs.uk/medicines/apixaban/. I take all my meds with food and lots of water. I was on Clopidogrel which is another type of blood thinner for just over a year and was also taking Lansoprazole which is a gastro protectant as the Clopidogrel can be quite harsh on the stomach. It may be worth talking to your Cardiologist or GP, give them a full rundown of your symptoms and ask what other options are available. I do hope they work it out for you.

Knittinganimals profile image
Knittinganimals in reply to NYA2019

Thank you for your reply. I don’t usually take my meds with food but this looks a good idea and worth trying. My GP is aware of my symptoms but keeps trying other blood tests etc to find a cause other than the medication but has found nothing yet so I will have to persevere

hedintheclouds profile image
hedintheclouds

Yes I have but it turns out I. Ow have a thyroid problem causing these symptoms x

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