I suppose I could really do with someone who has had a similar situation.
I am 9 weeks post AVR, single bypass and aortic root reconstruction. I feel great, that is the most important thing. I am exercising, walking 2-3 miles a day (around 6000 steps) every day.
I am taking 5mg ramapril, 5mg bisoprolol, metformin, bezofibrate, vipidia, both diabetic meds, and wafarin.
The issue is my heart rate is staying the same wherever I am walking , up hill, downhill, always the same, around 68 to 70 bpm. I am still getting really tired out, sweating and out of breath ( not excessively though) even though this must be my 3rd week of doing exercising. Once I have sat down for 5 minutes my BPM sits around 63.
Could the bisoprolol be keeping my BPM too low and not allowing natural elevation from exercise which in turn is making more tired than normal ?
I am not sure my thought process is following the correct correlation on this but if anyone has had a similar thing happen and could advise if this is something that I should bring up with my GP?
Many thanks in advance.
Gary
Written by
Gdav
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I am not diabetic, so not sure how/if some of the drugs you are on may interact with Bisoprolol!
It was explained to me that Bisoprolol is more of a HR de-limiter than a HR reducer, it does reduce HR slightly at rest, probably ~5-10 bpm, but the harder you push the more it will act, especially on higher HR.
I was on 10mg Bisoprolol (5mg twice a day) for quite a while, during this time I could get my HR up to ~165 at which point I felt I ran out of steam, which is the Bisoprolol basically saying that's enough.
Edit: just to add HR ~165 was whilst exercising
I can't see why it would be stopping your HR at ~70 bpm, I would suggest speaking to your cardiologist and see what he/she says!
All I'd add is that nine weeks after open heart surgery is still a bit early to be making firm conclusions, it really does take several months before you've fully sorted all the pockets of micro-collapse in your lungs and be able to clearly see how you're responding to exercise.
Gary you really best to talk to your GP or Cardiologist about your heart rate and blood pressure! Get it checked out as it's still early days, yet not 9 weeks! The medications you take is to slow your heart rate down so your heart doesn't need to pump so hard so it can heal! So 63 is that your heart rate??? As 63 lower bpm is low really! I always had around 120-80 BPM before my heart attack 2 years ago! Last year on Bisoprolol I had a heart rate early morning 55 at times! Felt forever tired! Get it checked out as that sounds strange Gary 👍😊
I will take on board the advice given. Sorry for the confusion, for me BPM is referring to beats per minute. 63 heart rate was the same as pre surgery but my heart rate would elevate if I exercised anything up to 125.
My blood pressure has been steady since returning from hospital at 120-125 over 76-82.
I am seeing my INR nurse tomorrow morning and will pass on my thoughts to her.
My resting rate on Bisoprolol is 47 (average data from my iWatch) and gets as low as 42 regularly and like you Gaz I’m lethargic both mentally and physically. I guess it comes with the territory. 😬
Apropo if your bpm is 68-70 that low, please talk to your GP OR CARDIOLOGIST! But if this is your heart rate when you exercise, that's okay, but get it checked out Gary 👍😊
Thanks snowdrops, I have only been on diabetic medication since August last year, I had been controlling it by diet alone until then. I should really have taken more effort to keep the diabetic levels down as now it's just more pills to have to pump down my throat every day.
That's pretty .... If you know what I mean 😊 I had my blood taken in November but GP didn't get back to me about my borderline diabetes,! Felt upset about that! 2 weeks kind of I had my Blood Pressure measured! It was 130-80 bpm something! It has been higher 162-90 bpm and GP increased Ramipril to 5 mg end of November! HM it's all going on! Funny I don't eat a lot of sweet stuff now! Love chocolate, Galaxy, but I better not 😁
Beta blockers and statins both really increase your chance of developing type 2 diabetes . Should you be taking either of those would be looking in their direction . If not boring old diet and exercise again
Well the Statin is causing this for me I think! You can't win sometimes! Fruit is supposed to be good for you, but not too much! It's right confusing which diet works best! My cholesterol is well down! I don't like taking the Atorvastatin, but have been for the last 2 years Peony 😕
Difficult if the process is internally driven by the drugs . Is a limited amount you can do . I hope you are getting proper advice and support from your doctor . Sometimes you think they are treating one problem and creating another x
Well I went on diabetes org UK and will look into some further advice in there soon! Just have work meeting with lateral flow test tomorrow afternoon! Also need to tidy my garden up as dead flowers etc shrubs will need pruning! Want to get this done before going back to work on the 12 April! But there offer courses or something like this through your GP!
Yup lockdown syndrome . Knackered , lethargic , given up on the idea of ever seeing other human beings in a social context again or even the kids . I ve mown the back lawn today and did a bit of hoeing. What we need is some nice, warmer weather . That will make everything better 👍😊
One thing is for sure, moody April is coming soon and clock going forward!!! Oh the joy !! Tic toc tic toc 😂 Ha well did some gardening too yesterday but wind was cold today so only 2 hours! But looking forward to seeing my family soon again and 2 of my grandchildren! And I definitely need my hair tidying up, haircut, without Bisoprolol 🤣!
Don’t mention the hairdresser !!! I know. I had a grandson born a year last December he was 7 weeks prem and I have seen him three times when the rules would allow . Now he is on his feet and babbling away and I have missed it all . But we have followed the rules to the letter to try and keep everyone safe . Everything in my life is better without Bisoprolol ! And everything is better in the garden with the sun shining and the dog
Well my youngest son had a little boy last January, saw my grandson in February before Lockdown and now he's walking and babbling away as well, so cute! It's hard! But it's his son I am just Grandma and 2 and a half hours drive away from where they live! It's tough! Got 5 Grandchildren and miss them dearly and my kids and families! Life, patience they say is a virtue! But 1 year! Ah never mind! WW2 how did people survive then! Think we got off lightly to a point Peony ❤️
Gdav, that's definitely not a correct situation, though it is early days, as others have said.
I had a very similar thing after an aortic dissection repair and a pile of pills afterwards, including Metoprolol and later Bisoprolol. When the heart doesn't respond to extra load, it's called chronotropic incompetence and can indeed be / is often caused by beta blockers. My heart rate was lower than yours at rest, and did rise a bit more during exercise, but 80 bpm was an absolute max and I got incredibly tired when that happened. It also bounced straight back to below 60 in seconds.
I experimented (with my Doctor) and eventually came right off Bisoprolol, though I'm on Losartan, Epleronone and Furosemide as a blood pressure combination. Once I got off the bisoprolol things got better very quickly.
Everyone will be different, but I think you're on the right track
Thanks for the replies, cliff G, really interesting what you have said. I am definitely speaking to my INR nurse in the morning to start investigating this possibility. I appreciate i am early days yet but I don't see any harm in asking this to be checked over.
I am also following Dr Unwin on this and it has reduced my cholesterol levels, both lower and faster than any prescribed medicines, as well as putting my Type 2 Diabetes into remission
Yes we are very lucky Peony and also still alive, thank God! Hey not for long and we will be able to give our grandchildren and family big hugs 💞 My elderly dad and Step mum, sister and 2 brothers, live in Germany! Will have to wait to visit them for much longer! That for me is the hardest bit! My dad is 89 years old now! Not sure if I can make it for his 90th Birthday this year! Miss them all so much Peony 🙏💞
I can imagine . It is real pain the missing of them. I hope very much you will be able to make it to your Dads 90th. It’s a great age and it would mean so much to you both . I have already warned my son I am am going to cry all over him next time we meet ( am not a cryer). He wasn’t impressed I have to tell you 😋 But I think there will be many tearful reunions going on . Keep the faith ! 😘
Yes there will be Peony 🙏 Felt tearful today, has a reason, it's been a tough 2 weeks for me! But I am praying I can see my dad on his Birthday! And need to save up for that! But I think my daughter would help me with that too! My sister is older then me and she is paralysed sadly but she is a fighter! Lots riding on this really! Come on Germany, crack on with Vaccinations!!! That's the main Problem! Don't have money to isolate for 10 days coming back from Germany! And don't think work would be impressed either! Peony, glad they all well still, that is a great comfort to me!!!
Reunion soon here! We are very lucky that we can have that Peony! 💞🙏
Anyway must call it a day, busy day tomorrow for me! Night Peony and thank you 👍💞
I had open heart surgery for Mitral Valve repair. I was on Bisoprolo, a new medication that was given to me on the day of discharge. I immediately had terrible side effects whilst still in hospital with dizziness, toilet problems, distressing shortness of breath and my HR dropped to the 50’s. I was still discharged (go figure!). And the next day my cardiologist stopped the Bisoprolol. I am 7 weeks post surgery and all is good. Walking 2 miles daily and doing cardiac rehab. Resting HR in the 60’s - 70’s. Goes up to 80’s- 100’s when exercising.
That makes sense Riley, Bisoprolol gave me a lot of problems! Felt like a Zombie during the day and that with only 2.5 mg! I told my GP I want to stop it! Then she said try taking it evenings and see how you get on! Well cane the heat in July and August it was horrible, depite taking it in the evening! So can November Lockdown I slowly frazzled it out! Doctor knows! Feel better for it and do sleep better again now! Still have slightly higher Blood Pressure but hoping it will get better! Glad you feel great for not taking it! It doesn't suit everyone 👍😁
Hi Gary I hope you are well on your way to recovery and well done on your exercise regime. I’m seven months since double bypass and found that bisoprorol made me very tired and lethargic, with my heart rate constantly in the 50’s. It is of course designed to calm the heart rate in our recovery, but my consultant took me off it with no substitution after 4 months and I’ve never felt better. Good luck snd all best Terry
I do think there maybe something with this, hopefully I will at least get my GP to either consider reducing or stopping it or ask the question to cardiology. Unfortunately, the local cardiology department is locked up tighter than prison at the moment!! So the GP appears to be the only route to contact them.
I am not adverse to having to take this medication, I was taking 2.5 mg every dayfor 4 years before the op. But I really enjoy walking now and intend on keeping this going whatever my fitness levels.
Thank you rileyrusty for your reply, I think its important that these questions are asked as it is so easy to become dependent on "medical experts" and never to question.
Sounds very like the problem I had with Bisoprolol. I had flutter for around two years with increasing doses of Bisoprolol to try to keep my heart rate down. My resting pulse was around 120 which altered very little while walking. Following an ablation I am no longer on Bisoprolol and have a resting heart rate of around 70 rising to about 130 if I walk briskly. QED as far as I can see.
Hi yes I was on the lowest dose of Bisoprolol and I struggled with my daily 3 mile walk. Tried a half of Carvedolol pill, same. Now on Digoxin and low verapimil dose and totally fine re exersise.
5 mg is not a particularly low dose. I think I was put on 2.5 and still had bad effects, but it gave me and my GP room to try 1.25, and when that helped, zero. The rest is history, as they say. Suggest to the Doc you trial it by droppingbto 3.75 or, better, 2.5
Yeah cliff, absolutely. I was on 2.5mg up until post surgery, still in hospital I had a pericardial effusion and heart rate of 160.
Prior to my eventual secondary operation drain and cardioversion they attempted to lower the heart rate by upping the bisoprolol, first 3.75mg, then 5mg then 7.5mg. As I said it didn't work bit they left me on 5mg instead of the 2.5mg I was.on originally. To be honest after 16 days in hospital I would have taken ju ju beans just to get out of there.
Been to.the GP (nurse) today and she said she will ask either GP or contact cardiology to enquire if it could be lowered. Unless they come up with a reasonable medical reason why not I will book with the GP to officially ask.
Thank you all the other posters. Feeling the love.
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