Switching meds

[Asherleymoco]

Hi all.

I’ve had a tough time on verapamil so I’ve spoken to the doctor and he’s going to put me back onto bisoprolol. Has anyone else done the switch over and did you wait for awhile for the one medicine to be out the body before taking the other or did you just take it next day?

Thanks guys

[SpiritoftheFloyd]

I switched from bisoprolol to carvedilol. Once I'd got a supply of carvedilol switched over to it the next day.

[Asherleymoco in reply to SpiritoftheFloyd]

Hi spirit. Thank you for the reply. They are both beta blockers ain’t they? I’m looking for someone who’s gone from a calcium channel blocker to a beta blocker

[SpiritoftheFloyd in reply to Asherleymoco]

Hi, yes they are both beta blockers. Sorry I assumed that verapamil and bisoprolol were also both beta blockers.

[Asherleymoco in reply to SpiritoftheFloyd]

Hi spirit verapamil is a calcium channel blocker. I don’t understand all the jargon that goes with them

[Mallowme]

Hi. I’ve been on quite a few different meds and each time just immediately swapped one to the next. They probably will make u feel a bit off but not as bad as when u first started them.

Unfortunately for me I can’t tolerate any beta blockers or calcium channel blockers as made me disoriented, mood swings, brain fog as well as swollen ankles and tummy troubles.

It definitely worth changing if they don’t agree with u as there will be other options. Xx

[Asherleymoco in reply to Mallowme]

Honestly I started on bisoprolol and I was getting cold hands and feet so I changed to verapamil and I’ve been suffering with

headaches

Tingling

Rash

Dry eyes

Dry mouth

Liver abnormality in blood test

So doctor has changed me back. To see if it was the tablets. If you can’t have either. What are you on now?

[Mallowme in reply to Asherleymoco]

I am on Nicorandil instead. It’s a potassium channel activator- which means nothing to me, so far I’ve had no side effects except a slight fuzzy headache which probably isn’t even related now.

If ur not happy with them ask for other options.

The cardiologist will have other things u can try so don’t be afraid to say. I also bought a prescription prepayment certificate so I didn’t keep worrying about how much the meds were costing each time I changed.

My worst was diltiazem which made me so disoriented I walked into the wall and ended up with a nasty black eye. My son told me they moved it when I wasn’t looking and out it back after. I did see the funny side eventually.

Actually Lacidipine was worse. I was so angry on them I wanted to be really nasty and had a complete compassion bypass - one day I actually considered driving off a bridge as I hated everything so much. It was frightening. Suddenly realised this was the same sort of reaction as I had on hormone replacement therapy a few years ago so spoke to my gp who took me off them instantly.

Keep a note of any symptoms and what gets better or worse especially in the hour or two after taking them.

Some side effects u may have to live with but it’s up to u to work out what u can cope with and which is worse .

I did also get dry eyes and mouth and other symptoms but it was my mental health that took the worst turn.

Now I feel ‘normal’ mentally which is good but I’m still not there with the meds yet. Xxx

[Asherleymoco in reply to Mallowme]

I have a cardiology appointment in February. Just a routine catch up. I did ask for it to be brought forward due to chest pain and sickness but his secretary said he replied to her email saying it was unnecessary. The number of side effects I’ve had since and the amount of tests I’ve had to go through for my dermatologist of all people to say he thinks it’s the tablets that are giving me the problems. He called me a medical conundrum as I am 31 with AFIb and peripheral neuropathy. The neuropathy he said was probably my tablets. And the blood vessels showing on my arms were probably tablets along with the headaches and cold hands and feet. I think I may try speaking with the cardiologist and getting some different tablets tried out

[Gladwyn]

I was on Verapamil for years then was switched to 7.25 mgs of Bisoprolol after the HA. more or less immediately.

[Jaws66]

I switched from beta blockers to Verapamil instantly, with no problems. Only minor issues on Verapamil - constipation and swollen ankles - but a personality change on the beta blockers.

[Asherleymoco]

Thank you for the reply. Well with verapamil I would take 3 x 40mg a day. I would take one before bed and wake up with tingling hands feet and chest. I’ve woken up this morning with only slight tingling. Nothing on the scale of before and I haven’t taken any meds since half 3 yesterday. I’m going to go a few days to let the verapamil out my system I think. The only thing I had when on bisoprolol was cold hands and feet