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Bisoprolol and no sleep, shaking, ectopics

Chappy123 profile image
17 Replies

Hi guys this is my first post and I'm at the end of my tether with my problems. I've been taking bisoprolol for around 3 years now for ectopics, initially a small dose then it was upped to 10mg at one point. Around 4 months or so ago I started developing sleeping problems, I'd wake every hour through the night and every time I woke my legs and arms felt weak and tingly, I'd be sweating and have severe shaking almost like full body convulsions and very abnormal heart beats especially if I moved or turned round in bed which would happen every hour or so of me waking up. My doc said it could be a reaction to bisoprolol so for the last few months I've slowly been reducing my bisoprolol and I'm now at half of 1.25 (0.6125mg) every day. My symptoms have improved so I dont get the very bad convulsions and sweating and bad abnormal heart beats but I am still waking up literally every hour in the night, I wake up with a strange feeling in my body and my heart rate increases slightly at the point of waking for a few seconds until I wake fully and my ectopics are frequent. I'm sure the lack of sleep isn't helping but through the day I feel dizzy and lethargic and ectopics are frequent. I am slowly reducing my bisoprolol for the next few weeks even more until I come off them for good to see if its them thats causing this sleeping problem. Has anyone else experienced symptoms like this before as I'm going out of my mind here. My resting heart rate is around 45-55bpm also and has been as low as 42. Could the sleep problems be due to my body not getting enough oxygen levels somehow either by sleep apnea maybe or from bisoprolol?

Thankyou.

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17 Replies

I think your problem is the bisoprolol withdrawal. I withdrew over 8 months and it wasn’t until about a month after I stopped that I had a good nights sleep. Bisoprolol also caused me to have multiple ectopics and now even 3 months after my last bisoprolol the ectopics are still very bad but I have been reassured that i will get back to normal as it take the body a long time to get back to it’s pre bisoprolol status.

Annie2609 profile image
Annie2609

Hi Chappy, I came across your post as I was searching for some qnswwrs in re to this medication. I am on 7.5 mg for palpitations and my symptoms are very similar to yours (severe insomnia, palpitations body shakes, sweating). These can easily be anxiety symptoms. Do you take any other medications? I also go thru perimenopause and some of these are typical to that..

Chappy123 profile image
Chappy123 in reply to Annie2609

Hi Annie, the symptoms are horrendous, no i dont take any other medications now I come off everything several months ago. Im glad to see im not the only one suffering with this. I really am hoping it is withdrawals. I havnt even fully stopped taking bisoprolol yet im still on half of 1.25 for the next week and then a quarter of 1.25 for a couple of weeks later, God only knows what its going to be like when I end them in a few weeks :(

HenningLob profile image
HenningLob in reply to Chappy123

Hi Chappy. So sorry to hear that you are suffering with such awful symptoms. My husband was on Bisoprolol immediately following Open Heart surgery for an Enlarged Aorta and also had to have Mechanical Valve fitted. All fortunately overall went well thought he did suffer badly from Ectopic beats for a while. When he went for his 6 week post op check his cardiologist was keen for him to come off Bisoprolol as he said that in my husband's case the Bisoprolol was given to to calm the heart as it gets put into so much turmoil when you have open heart surgery but that it was not needed long term. . My husband was only on a low dose 2.5 mg. He halved the dose and then in a month or so came off Bisoprolol altogether with no side effects. I'm not a medical expert but I do remember the medical professionals saying it was important to halve the dose and check symptoms and that if there were any side effects then my husband might have to stay on lower dose or go back to the original 2.5 mg and might have to stay on them for life. They said many people take Bisroprolol for life and not to worry about that. It sounds as if you are feeling really very uncomfortable since lowering your dose and I would strongly urge you to talk to medical professionals and describe in detail how you are feeling and let them advise you on what you should do next. I am sorry I am not more helpful and really hope you get your medication sorted out and that you start feeling better soon xx

Hermanm profile image
Hermanm

Hi , Regarding bisoprolol,

I had AVR 6 years ago, and was prescribed this drug for BP ,

Almost from day one , I developed a runny nose and wheezing ,

Terrible stomach problems, aches and pains ,etc etc,

All the classic side effects, also insomnia,

Anyway you feel so lucky to be alive after OHS , you just take what they give you and get on with it!

Well, after 5 years I'd had enough, and told my GP, we changed my meds over to Losartan,

and ditched the bisoprolol,

Felt better overnight!

Nose stopped running ,chest cleared up, everything slowly got better,

However, and heres the bit I want to really warn you about,

January this year

, I went to bed ,as normal,

Next thing I remember,

I was being rushed to hospital with a nightime seizure ,

Long story short ,

I've been told I'm an epileptic!

And I've been proscribed melatonin, to help me sleep ,

Apparently insomnia can bring on seizures,

I did a bit of online digging, and guess what?

Bisoprolol stops your body producing Melatonin .

The natural hormone your brain needs to get you to sleep.

Something to check with your gp

Good luck

Chappy123 profile image
Chappy123 in reply to Hermanm

Thanks for that, I have had serious problems with everything in my life now since I started taking these, even now 3 months after taking them I can not sleep, ive tried lots of natural sleeping products and have a bad reaction to them all, even yesterday I tried a new product and woke up at 4am with my heart racing and in a pool of sweat gasping for breath. I have that same reaction with every natural product even multivitamins I can not take now for having a reaction to them. Its ruined my life.

Peony4575 profile image
Peony4575 in reply to Chappy123

You can develop sensitivities to all sorts of things as a result of a bad drug experience/ withdrawal from things. It’s up to you and I am not a doctor but I sat it out keeping diet etc as clean and fresh as possible . Even supplements are powerful things that can have all sorts of effects if you are sensitised. The only thing I started taking is magnesium citrate and I avoid sugar like the plague . I was already on decaf and didn’t drink alcohol . Give things the best chance to calm down it can take months

Chappy123 profile image
Chappy123 in reply to Peony4575

Yea I have developed a big sensitivity to anything I put in my body now really bad so I'm hoping this is something that will get better with time, failing that in a couple of months il speak with my gp again

Peony4575 profile image
Peony4575 in reply to Chappy123

When I said keep things clean I mean avoid processed food, additives . It may help if you avoid high histamine foods , lists easily available on the internet . I tried that after someone else suggested it to me . It made a big difference . Harmless way to go so worth a try . I was sleep deprived for months as my withdrawal process took seven months it’s wearing . I didn’t believe life would get better but it did

Chappy123 profile image
Chappy123 in reply to Peony4575

Thankyou I'm putting it down to withdrawal and only 3 months into it so I live in hope, thankyou for the advice

Peony4575 profile image
Peony4575 in reply to Chappy123

You really do have my heartfelt sympathy

Chappy123 profile image
Chappy123 in reply to Peony4575

And I have tried lots of forms of magnesium and have the same bad effects with them all :(

Hermanm profile image
Hermanm in reply to Chappy123

Sorry to hear that , I'd have a word with your GP, now .

and not leave it 5 years like I did !

It's like every drug I suppose ,

Some people have no problems,

Others get the whole lot, and some inbetween,

Take care , hope you get it sorted .

Chappy123 profile image
Chappy123 in reply to Hermanm

Thankyou I will do that

Peony4575 profile image
Peony4575

Hi Chappy and very sorry to hear that . If you put Bisoprolol withdrawal into the search box above you will get several threads and lots of information. I couldn’t tolerate Bisoprolol . Had a horrible time on it and a horrible time coming off. I had the frequent wake ups at night with burning lower legs and faster heart rate( usually but not always just below 100bpm) and if I moved in bed that would kick it off and they are just edited highlights . If you look at those other threads you will see you are not alone . Am 10 weeks off beta blockers now and feeling much better and sleeping better !

Chappy123 profile image
Chappy123

Maybe this will get better with time but its been 3 months for me and I'm still really struggling. Hopefully this will calm down thanks

Dadtoalad23 profile image
Dadtoalad23

can I ask why you were all prescribed bisiporol ? I’ve just been on it for a week and hate it. It’s for my Afib but it’s literally making zero difference to the irregular beats and it has slowed then down at points and lowers bp. But I not sure it’s really helping. My resting heart rate is now in the 50s rather than 70s but is still spiking up at times. My blood pressure wasn’t the issue they were trying to address.

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