Bisoprolol side effects affect?

[Sunnie2day]

I've been on a once daily dose of Bisoprolol 1.25mg+300mg aspirin for over a year, it's made a tremendous difference in my daily life despite the few and for me minor side effects I've experienced since beginning it. I was put on it for angina and to calm my 'exceptionally strong heartbeat'. It very nearly completely stopped the angina attacks and my heartbeat has calmed nicely.

I keep reading discussions about Bisoprolol and side effects including dripping nose, dizziness, sleep disruption, burning and tingling sensations in extremities, 'tired all day' and the one I had and still have - slow to wake in the morning and essentially useless after around 9pm or so. Some users have changed to a different beta blocker, others have had their dosages adjusted, some have had horrendous withdrawal experiences.

The side effect causing the most complaints is that Bisoprolol causes the user to feel as though they're wading through treacle and constantly feel off-balance. Meanwhile I had all those symptoms before I started the meds and I've had what I consider life-changing benefit from the regime - all those symptoms are gone and my only side effect is the slow to wake and going into what I laughingly call 'Bisoprolol Brain Fog' if I've done something strenuous during the day or I'm tired at the end of the day. No treacle wading, no nightmares or disrupted sleep, no extreme fatigue. I notice there are a few others like me (great benefits that outweigh our mild side effects).

I'm wondering if any other members here have done what I did when I first began taking the medication and if they're experiencing the same success I am. Once my acute flare of recurrent pericarditis began to clear (took a very long time as it was a very acute flare!) I began forcing myself out the door to walk twice a day - sensibly, with a five minute total limit gradually over a few months working up to a half-hour and then a full hour. I'm retired so two hours a day out of my day is not a problem, I know it is difficult for those still in work. I also did and do a warm-up and cool down, and some in-home exercising to tone and increase fitness (LOVE my Coleen Nolan DVDs ).

When after a few months of being on the beta blocker I was walked from cardiologist exam room to the room where I would be stress tested again to see how well the meds were/weren't working, the cardiologist had to ask me to slow down as he couldn't keep up with my vastly increased walking speed. Important to note when he walked me down to that room for the first, unmedicated stress test months prior, he took my elbow as I was so unsteady. Clearly even before I hit the treadmill for the second stress test, the meds had worked wonders.

Since then I've done nothing but go from strength to strength and I don't have the wobbliness so many others talk about. It was hard to 'get started' when I was able to begin working towards regaining fitness but I made myself get out there (again, sensibly) and I'm feeling in rude health.

Am I one of the very few Bisoprolol users with this sort of success or are the others with the same amount of success like me - once given the OK to work towards regained fitness and forced themselves (sensibly) to get moving which made it through the treacle wading and off-balance wobbliness go away?

Apologies for the long OP and somewhat rambly aspect but I think it a worthy topic given so many have so much difficulty with the medication. Does working through the initial treacle wading get us past it or is it something in our genes that make us more tolerant of the medication?

[080311]

Hi Sunnie,

Great read, I am on 2.5mg Bisoprolol and have been since my op 4 years now. Can’t comment on your heart issues, the only side effect I have is a runny nose for an hour or so after taking. John is also on 2.5 mg and he doesn’t even have that.

The effect of your medication is amazing, and giving you your life back is wonderful. Like you I read members posts about their problems with Bisoprolol, how we can all react so differently to the same drug.

Hope your taking care, Pauline

[Sunnie2day in reply to 080311]

I really do kick myself for not going on the medication sooner as I've not felt this great in decades. But yes, members posting about the troubles they have with it is thought-provoking when for me and others it's been such a wonder drug. I usually try to sit on my typing hands when I read those posts as I don't think my success with it is something someone having so much trouble with it needs to hear.

I feel a bit guilty posting on those discussions, actually, in the same way I do when I read posts from people with microvascular dysfunction and microvascular angina - my angina has been deemed 'angina with normal coronaries' and my cardiologist says he's sure I have microvascular angina (MVA) but until the test can be scheduled and done, he says to call it 'presumed MVA' and I'm fine with that. I checked yesterday, queue is now 18+months long unless 'urgent' - and mine isn't thanks to Bisoprolol.

[Sunnie2day]

So, for you pushing through the treacle wading feeling whilst on the Bisoprolol helped to a point but then pushing through when your fitness really got close to up to speed, being on it became too treacle wadingery, that's interesting! (I hope that made sense)

What dose were you on, and if it was a higher dose (more than 1.25mg) did they try lowering it or did they just say 'OK, go ahead and stop taking it.'?

[Sunnie2day]

Thank-you for that reply!

In my case I did something similar (repeat mix-up) and by the second day without the Bisoprolol I was 'peppier' until the angina attacks came back with something of a vengeance. Once back on the Bisoprolol, the angina mercifully eased off considerably but the peppier bit did as well and I had to force myself out the door for those walks.

Worth it for me. I do have 'presumed' microvascular angina and I'm not the first MVA patient to report similar results - great as long as the beta blocker is taken faithfully, not at all great if doses are missed.

[Smileyian]

Hi Sunnie, what a very interesting post - I read it with great interest and appreciate your effort put into composing it. I take 1.5 mg of Bisoprolol Fumerate daily and am not too clear whether it causes my rather bizarre dreams and night restlessness. No great side effects but it is a rather low dose. You have done so well over the timeframe you indicate and I am so very pleased for you.

[Sunnie2day in reply to Smileyian]

Thank-you, Ian I hope other than the dreams and night restlessness, the Bisoprolol is helping enough to outweigh the not-so-great sleep disturbances.

As for the dreams, many Bisoprolol users report the same, with some saying the dreams are nightmares, and some report truly horrific hallucinations on waking in the middle of the night. One user reported terrifying glowing green worms coming out of her walls - YIKES!

[Smileyian]

Haha.....thankfully no green worms but sometimes very strange dreams. Glad I am not alone

[ellj]

Can I just check please, did you mean 300mg aspirin. ?

I myself and many others I know are on 75mg daily aspirin which is why I ask.

It's great to read a positive post and well done you for pushing yourself , not always easy.

Ellie

[Sunnie2day in reply to ellj]

Yup, 300mg. Plus I have two more 300mg (total 600mg) I can take 'as needed'. Per day. 300mg with the beta blocker every morning, and another 600mg (2x300mg) prn. I am monitored and also know what to look for as a warning sign the high doses are causing a problem but so far, so good.

I have what the rheumatologist calls the mildest case ever of rheumatoid arthritis (thanks to rheumatic fever in childhood that left me with rheumatic heart syndrome, the arthritis, and Essential Tremor - aged 7 years) and the aspirin keeps me off 'real' RA meds. Works great to ease the discomfort so I can keep moving my joints and stave off deformity (been working on that since I was a child).

If it helps any, I rarely need the extra 600mg but it is there if I need it.

[ellj]

That's interesting because I have asked about taking higher doses of aspirin as they seem to work better than other meds for some of my pain but my consultant insisted that six months after my stroke I dropped to low dose at 75mg per day.

I may just have another push on that next time I see him whenever that might be ,🙄

Thank you for your reply.

Ellie

[Sunnie2day in reply to ellj]

Your consultant is the only one you should heed - he knows your history and has the information at hand to know what and if your body can tolerate. High-dose aspirin regimes like mine can cause serious problems, far beyond heavy bleeding and bruising so medics are reluctant to advise it. They're comfy with low-dose but not at all with a higher one.

I've been found to be 'exceptionally tolerant' of a long-term high-dose aspirin regime but it makes professionals nervous, rightly so, to put a patient on it. The monitoring isn't 'fun' (faecal samples and twice yearly blood gases sampling - ouchie because it feels as though they're digging for China trying to get the needle into an artery rather than a simple vein blood draw) - but I am trying to stay off RA meds which have a rather more serious side effects and monitoring regime.

[WardijaWardija]

Hi Sunnie. An interesting and informative posting.

If I may ask, when you refer to feeling "off balance" - do you mean this literally, as in, having difficulty in co-ordinated waking and staggering around ? Or do you mean, just feeling out of kilter in a more generalised way ?

The reason I'm asking, is that as a diabetic of many years, I now have severe neuropathy in my feet, which affects my balance and mobility and has resulted in me having some serious falls and broken limbs.

Now having been on Bisoprolol 2.5 mgs for a good few weeks, I've noticed an increase in my staggering around and had a fall a week ago. I just thought I wasn't taking enough care when moving about.

At the time I didn't connect it to my taking Bisoprolol, until I read your post. So you have given me some food for thought 🤔 🤔. Hence my question above.

Keep well and stay safe. 🌹

[Sunnie2day in reply to WardijaWardija]

I meant both types of feeling off-balance, good catch!

I feel more clumsy and slightly off-kilter if I've let my exercise routine go a few days off and that's only been since the Bisoprolol. I liken it to 'listing slightly to port', or 'listing in the saddle' - if you sail or ride, you'll know just what I mean there. And woe betide me should I try to move too quickly if I've gone a few days without the full work-out.

But also out of kilter in a generalised way as well, so again, good catch!

I do notice the physical and 'general' off-kilter correlate to times I let my dedication to regular exercise slip so I really do force myself to keep moving and keeping moving makes a very real difference for me in how the Bisoprolol works on me.

[Kristin1812 Heart Star]

Really interesting post. I’ve had many heart problems and interventions. Now I have a reasonable life style, tho’ much less energy (treacle-wading) and pacing is still a big challenge, as I naturally rush at things.

Your clear picture of bisoprolol, it’s positives and negatives was extremely helpful.

Now I know I’m not being over sensitive to the insomnia, breathlessness, dizziness, leg pains etc. which have recently reduced a bit, as I’ve just come down to 5mg from 10mg.

I can now see it’s worth trying to get the balance right ...big enough dose to stop the angina, but not too disruptive to living life!

Thanks lots Sunnie2day. Very helpful.

[Sunnie2day in reply to Kristin1812]

Thank-you, Kristin, that means a lot to me

[LBCdance]

Thanks Sunnie so much - you have given me my first glimmer of hope in months as I can see ways of trying to help myself instead of feeling I'd been written off and put on some kind of rubbish heap. All I'd wanted to begin with was advice but was not listened when I tried to explain how I was feeling and made to feel I was "over anxious" and making a fuss, when I

really couldn't get out and walk even a few yards to the postbox (months since I've been able to get on a bus because of the "wobbliness" and very real fear of falling or even go into my own garden because it has steps going down - and never has the idea of doing some simple weeding been so attractive!). From today I am going to try regular "bite -size chunk" exercise - lots of common sense in your post.

[Sunnie2day in reply to LBCdance]

What dose are you on and when do you take it? There are numerous reports from members here saying adjusting dose (lowering or raising depending on reason for it being prescribed combined with troubling side effects at the current dosage) and/or changing time to take it can make a real difference in how the beta blocker hits them with side effects. For example, I'm on the lowest dose (1.25mg) taken in the morning - others find taking even the lowest dose at night gives them better results and relief from the side effects. Others have found splitting a higher dose and time very helpful - for example, a 2.5mg prescription being changed from once a day am or pm to 1.25mg am and pm. It all depends on what dose you're on and why it was prescribed.

If you can get a telephone appointment to speak with the prescribing physician and ask if your dose and when to take it can be changed, the response is almost always 'Why do you want to do that?' which then leads to the patient being able to say (with confidence they'll really be heard) why.

Give it a go and see if speaking with the prescribing medic for advice on adjusting it is successful and helps you. Keep us posted as you go on

[LBCdance in reply to Sunnie2day]

Actually to begin with it wasn't the bisprolol aspect of your post that attracted my attention but how you had dealt with "wobbliness" by exercise (as often I haven't been able to get out at all) and I still find this extremely encouraging and helpful and shall pursue it. However when I read more about other people's experiences, including your own, with bisoprolol I think this needs more investigation on my part. I'm on 1.25 mcg pd and I've never questioned it (take mine in the morning with apixaban and omepraxole, furosemine every other day and repeat apixaban and ompaprazole later, statin at bedtime, thyroxin first thing. I had a TAVI heart valve replacement in May, I think they were pleased with the way it went and I don't get so breathless, but the extreme wobbliness dates from then. I am praying my OP appointment when I am due to see the cardiac surgeon isn't cancelled as it would be so reassuring to see him - the follow-up was done by a nurse specialist on the phone, she was kind enough but was just interested in the after effects, if any, of the procedure. Anyway I mustn't go on and on in this post, the last thing I want is to wallow in my own symptoms etc but it is disheartening (no pun intended!) when you seem to come up against a brick wall and feel you are being dismissed, however nicely and not being listened to. I have got a telephone appointment with my surgery for tomorrow so I will mention medication then. I should perhaps have said that I was 85 recently but absurdly feel pretty fit in many ways (I am very grateful for that!). Life is a wonderful gift and I just want to make the most of it while I have it, and also be as useful as possible to other people. Very many thanks again to you - this is such a good resource and I find other people's experiences so encouraging.

[Sunnie2day in reply to LBCdance]

Discussing symptoms including possible medications related issues isn't wallowing, it's learning and sharing (I usually hate that 'sharing' word use, another peeve is 'journey', but sometimes sharing and journey actually are the best words to use), and I'm glad you're talking

You say you feel pretty fit - I'd say that's a major achievement to feel that way six months after TAVI. I'm hopefully a long way off any sort of valve work (lol, I used to have to take my cars to the garage for valve work, have I come up in the world now it's my body having to have my aortic valve scarring monitored thanks to a childhood bout of rheumatic fever?) and I'm awed at the way TAVI and full AVR recoveries are reported here on the site, gives me courage for when my time comes.

Also very encouraging is your post-op Bisoprolol dose, I would have thought a higher dose would have been prescribed at least at first. You write your wobblies started around the same time as the TAVI, assuming you went on the beta blocker within days of the op, I'd be wondering if the wobbliness isn't related to the beta blocker more than to the op and recovery period, too.

Of course the only person who can say with any certainty is your medical team but in all honesty between Covid and what gives every impression of a growing number of medics comfortable with virtually writing off us 'over 50-60s', I so understand the disheartening sense of not being listened to. I was talking with a friend last night about that very thing - that once past a certain age it did seem our medics were less interested in our conditions than before reaching the certain age and frankly our being females only worsens things. My cardiologist really pays attention but not many others do and that is SO discouraging!

Please update here after you talk with your doctor today.