Withdrawing / Discontinuing Bystolic

[MEEE2]

Hello all,

Was prescribed Bystolic for high blood pressure.

Initial dose was 10 mg once a day and went to 15mg then 20mg.

Had horrible side effects of dizziness and hallucinations.

Took it from Jan to August of this year.

In August lowered the dose by Dr's instructions by 5 mg every 2 weeks.

In the 1st 2 weeks of stopping it I had a headache and insomnia where I slept only 2 hours a night and was not even tired,and resting heart rate went from 75-80BPM to 90-95BPM.

Those withdrawal symptoms were easy to tolerate.

It has been about a month since I stopped taking it.

At rest my heart rate is 75-90BPM

Now I have panic attacks once or twice a day where heart rate goes up to 105BPM

and blood pressure rises.

BP goes from approx 145/85 to 165/ 99 during the attacks which last about an hour.

During the attack I feel very dizzy and so horrible words can't describe it.

New Dr. recommended Xanax but I don't want to have to go thru withdrawls of anything else.

Hoping someone else has gone thru this and has some tips or knows any way to deal with it.

I caution anyone starting a Beta Blocker consider it carefully because getting off it is not easy.

Thanks for reading.

[MichaelJH Heart Star]

Hello and welcome to the forum!

Bystolic is a brand name for Nebivolol,a beta blocker, whereas Xanax is a brand name for Alprazolam, a triazolobenzodiazepine a very different drug.

Are you on any other medication as a beta blocker is a very unusual first choice medication for the treatment of blood pressure. Side effects are relatively rare when starting, or stopping, most medications but seem common as people tend to post about them but not when they do not have any.

Beta blockers have been around for decades and are very safe drugs. I am sorry that you have had/are having a bad experience withdrawing but in general people are on them for the long haul as blood pressure tends to be a long term problem. You can but try the Xanax.

[MEEE2 in reply to MichaelJH]

Hello MichaelJH,

Thanks for responding.

I was prescribed Nefedipine 30 mg prior to the Bystolic but had much dizziness and couldn't tolerate it.

I have ready many posts about people having extreme side effects when stopping a Beta Blocker.

I don't want to start the Xanax,reading about it it appears highly addictive.