Hi there. I'm 46 (fit and healthy) and had an SVT in Nov (heart rate went to 210 BPM for an hour). Ended up in hospital and they put me on Biso 1.25mg. I've had heart scan (all good) and a 2 week heart monitor and cardiologist says nothing wrong with my heart. I've been told to wean off the beat blocker from the end of Feb. Reducing the dose to half for 2 weeks.
My resting heart rate hasn't really ever been that low on the Bisoprolol. Normally in mid/high 70s when resting (sometimes even low 80s). Does anyone know how much Bisoprolol 1.25mg lowers heart rate by? I can't find anything online. Like is it 10 BPM or 5? or more? I'm scared that my heart rate will go up a lot when I stop.
I've also been feeling anxious whilst on it. Really weird, not like a mental anxiety, more like a physical feeling in the pit of my stomach. Has anyone else had this?
I'm so scared about the withdrawal of this drug
Any advice would be gratefully appreciated. Thank you .
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mummyofspot
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You are on a very low dose. The effects vary tremendously from person to person. I actually found it had a slight anti-depressive effect. It might be worth looking through other posts on the subject.
Thank you. I’ve had a look at some other posts but some of the withdrawal stories are scary 😬 I am hoping that as I’m on a low dose and haven’t been on it long the withdrawal won’t be as bad 🤞
According to the BHF, a resting heart rate between 60 & 100 bpm is normal.I'm on Bisoprolol 2.5mg daily. My heart rate on average is 75bpm but can be in the higher 80's sometimes, rarely under 70
I am on the same dose. I naturally have Bradycardia, slower then normal heat rate. Without beta blocker high 40s to 50 resting. With blocker high 39-41. You are within the normal heart rate, but if you feel dizzy or other side effects that are concerning talk to your doctor. Just take it slow if needed as you reduce your dose. Maybe reduce every other day or other check with Dr.
I suffer with svt and as with u everything is normal with my heart on all the test results. I started with svt about 5 yrs ago so I would also have been 46. At first I suffered episode every week or so. I am currently on 1.25mg biso at night and half of 1.25mg in the morning. Also on 50mg flecanide twice daily and haven't had an episode now for approx 6 months. I think when I first started the bisoprolol my heart rate dropped about 5 bpm.
Thank you so much for your reply. Do you have any idea why the SVT started for you? I find it so strange that this can just happen. It scared me so much. I don’t want to stay on beta blockers my whole life so I’m really hoping that it was an isolated event and doesn’t happen again. Do you mind me asking how you stopped the episodes when they happened? Mine lasted almost an hour and then seemed to resolve itself naturally. Cardiologist told me it won’t hurt a healthy heart but I don’t think I’d want to be having it once a week
I started getting palpatations about 5 or 6 yrs ago. Went to docs had 24 hr ecg was told they were normal, that some ppl feel them some don't. So I would get them most months n just lived with them thinking they were normal lol. They would last hours and I would feel really drained and achey afterwards, especially in the shoulders. Finding out later that this was due to heart having to work harder.Then one say I felt all heavy and achey like the fluey achey feeling. So went to docs as I was due to go away the next day. He then said he needed to send me to hospital as precaution and that it was probably nothing but best to be on the safe side. This was due to him not being able to take my blood pressure as my heart was beating too fast and that was all he could hear.
So I went to the hospital. Was taken straight into resus which was really scary, me thinking am I gonna die etc, why resus. But it's because all the machines are in there. I gad a cannula put in and bloods taken and 12 lead ecg.
I was told to try some manouvers like attempting to blow the bung out of a shrine. Then had legs lifted in air. And water splashed in my face. Apparently this can stop the palpatations. But that didn't work. They said they could give me a drug but would make me feel funny. I thought great, but they said it only stays in my system for ten seconds. I thought ok I can handle 10 seconds lol. So I went ahead. And yea they were right, what a weird feeling. This was adenosine. N it was weird but it did the job, heart rate came back to normal. Waited for bloods they were normal. Had fluid and went home. They told me some ppl get it as a one off others get it again. Yea guess which I was lol. Afterwards my anxiety soared a bit n I felt tired but was OK. Then it happened again sometimes a week sometime 2 weeks apart. Had blood pressure monitored and ecgs and echocardiogram and was put on 1.25mg bisoprolol. Then after a while could feel ectopic so just increased bisoprolol by half a tablet as makes ya feel tired and it did the trick with the ectopic.
I was still getting episodes of palpatations each time needing adenosine. Highest bpm was 196. So it was decided I try taking flecanide too so I take 50mg morn and night and touch wood it's been about 6 months without an episode.
I am booked in for ablation but will take about a year so cardiologist is calling me after 6 months to see what's happening and can cancel if needs be 😁
I have also read that it can be a change in hormones too. So maybe menopause related. My svt is psvt. I have gotten used to it and what I need to do when it happens
I don't drink as drink can be a trigger which I did notice if I had an occasional drink. I don't drink caffeine. Try not to eat many chocs. And not too much spices lol.
Hope this helps and sorry for the essay but wanted u to kniw u r not alone and ill be here if u want to message me xx
Thank you so much for taking the time to share your story with me. It was so scary when it happened. My heart was going at 210 BPM for an hour. Went to hospital and they kept me in for 3 days to run tests as troponin was high (which came down quickly). All other tests on my heart were fine and all looks good thankfully. I'm so scared that it will happen again but I really don't feel myself on the bisoprolol so hopefully can come off of it safely. I'm perimenopausal so I definitely think my hormones are playing a part in it.Does the bisoprolol give you any side effects? I've given up alcohol and caffeine. Can you stop the SVT yourself when it happens or do you have to go to hospital everytime? Sorry for all the questions and thank you again for replying, it helps so much to speak to someone who has been through the same xx
You sound the sane as me lol. I think it's hormonal too as I'm 51 and perimenopausal.Onky side effect I get is really tired when first started to take it or increased it. Now I do get a rad tired but not much so that could just be as I'm getting older lol.
I can't stop mine myself. I have a good bunch in resus who know me now and we have a laugh n if there's a new one on they will say its OK she knows the routine lol.
I like u was scared and had time off work and anxiety rose. But the more I got it the more I got used to it.
Each time mine will go for hours if I leave it so its hospital trip each time. Only a cpl of occasions they only lasted a cpl if mins..
I nvr drank tea or coffee but if I had an occasional whisky before I knew what it was, I did get palpatations so now I. Won't touch a drink. Another time i went to hospital they asked if I had had much choc n that day each time I passed the fridge I would grab a chunk of galaxy lol. So they said that could do it. The last time I went which was August I had eaten some paprika pringles n they said the spice could have done it lol.
Mine always seems to be worse in summer too for some reason.
Its surprising how many ppl suffer with svt. At first I didn't want to go anywhere in case it happened again. Knowing they said to give it 15 mins if it starts and then go to A&E.
The longer I go without an episode the calmer I feel x and hopefully this tablet combination has it under control x
My heart rate dropped 5 or 6 bpm when I started on 1.25 of Bisoprolol and then another 5 when it was doubled but I'm sure we're all different.It's understandable to feel generally anxious when you've had such a scare.
Thank you for replying. I hope mine only goes up 5 or 6 when I stop! I can cope with that. Yes definitely feel very anxious about the whole thing. Never had a problem with my heart before getting covid
I'm on 1.25mg and my resting heart rate is around 55bpm. Most athletes would be happy with that. I'm reasonably fit and I certainly am, so I'm a little surprised that you are being asked to come off it if you are not suffering hypotension.
Thanks for your reply. We are hoping that the SVT was an isolated event and doesn’t happen again. I’m keen not to be ok medication if I don’t really need to. The Bisoprolol makes me feel very lethargic and I’m not sleeping well on it so hopefully I can come off with no problems. X
I'm also on Bisoprolol 1.25mg. Not sure how much it drops my heart rate, but, at age 51, I'm in the range of 45-60 every day. Take pill first thing and a 1.25mg BP pill in evening. Weight had a big bearing on things overall for me. I've had one scary episode of heart at 160bpm in the wee hours while on meds, but otherwise all good.
I did a bit of reading of the scientific literature when I first started on bisoprolol (I'm a biochemist so am happy trawling through some science papers) and my conclusion is you would get a 5 - 10 bpm reduction in heart rate with 2.5mg of daily bisoprolol. 1.25mg will affect the heart less than 2.5mg, but it will not necessarily have half of the effect.
I can also add my personal experience of when I stopped 1.25mg daily bisoprolol recently. I was not asked to taper it off because 1.25mg is the smallest dose you can get and splitting these mini tablets is quite challenging! My resting heart rate increased by about 5 bpm from 65 to 70 almost immediately after stopping and I felt my heart beating a bit more strongly. But after about 2 weeks, my heart rate settled down a bit lower and I was less conscious of my heart beating strongly. So my body took a bit of time to get used to the absence of the bisoprolol. I hope this helps.
Thank you so much Mart25. That’s such a helpful reply. Do you mind me asking how long you was on the 1.25mg dose and why? Did you experience any feelings of anxiety when stopping? I’ve read so many horror stories, I’m dreading it. Thanks again for taking the time to reply 😁
No problem. I was put on 2.5mg in mid-2020 when diagnosed with angina. It was supposed to help with my symptoms. However, I subsequently needed bypass surgery and I stayed on 2.5mg for 3 months post-op. It was then reduced to 1.25mg because I was getting postural hypotension (ie. my blood pressure was getting a bit too low when I stood up). The reduced dose helped. I was asked to stop it altogether in December 2021 and I'm coming up to two months without bisoprolol. I had no feelings of anxiety when I stopped but the sensation of your heart beating a bit harder was rather unusual and slightly surprising because 1.25mg is such a small dose. However, as is probably usual for us hearties, we are extra conscious of what our heart is doing!
I had a quadruple bypass in March 2017 and an ablation in May 2021.
My EP put me on 1.25mg of Bisoporol prior to my ablation and insisted that I remained on it post ablation, although I have a resting heart rate in the 40's.
When I asked to come off the Bisoporol my EP said that there was evidence that outcomes for bypass patients were better if they remained on Bisoporol?
Clearly you have been given different advice to me on this, although I appreciate we are all different.
No problem about joining the conversation. I didn't need to go into details in my last post but my bisoprolol was stopped to see if it helped with a specific type of nocturnal arrythmia I had. So this is an example of us all being different!
I was on 2.5mg od Resting heart rate was around 60. When I came off the beta blocker, RHR went up to 70-75. I felt a lot better. Best to come off it slowly, tricky in your case but I managed to divide the 1.25 pill in half, having gone down to 1.25.
Thank you for replying. I’m planning on splitting the pill in half too - very tricky as it’s so tiny! How long did you stay on 1/2 of 1.25mg? Did you taper again or just stop after that? Did you have any feelings of anxiety when stopping? Sorry for many questions. Thanks for helpful reply x
Only 1 week I think. I don't remember feeling different. Remember, some people are on quite a high dose of Bisoprolol, so for them it might be a bigger issue.
Had several episodes of SVTs and put on 1.25mg Bisoprolol. My resting heart rate is generally fron 50/55bpm. I find the SVTs are anxiety related or any type of worry kicks them off. I went off them cold turkey after 3 months and had no affects at all. A year ago started having an occasional SVT so went back on the 1.25mg daily. The SVTs are now very rare and as I said mostly if I am anxious. Best of luck. You can buy a cheap pill splitter in the pharmacy if you wish.
Thank you for your reply. I think my SVT was anxiety related too (after having covid). How long were you off the beta blockers before they came back? Thank you
I was given bisopralol, same dose as you, after my heart attack. It dropped my BP so low I couldn't function so I was taken off it- immediately, no reduction of dose, just stopped. No ill effects at all. My resting hear trate is normally around 80 and stayed the same.
Well I had a heart attack two years ago. I was put on blood thinners for a year and Bisoprolol 5mg. I have since reduced this to 3.75. My heart rate, pre attack, used to be around mid 70s but now is in mid 40s.
I was given 2.5mg Bisoprolol in hospital after my heart attack 5 years ago. The instructions on the Biso I subsequently got from the chemist said don't take this if your HR is less than 60 at rest. Mine was always less than 60 so I queried it with the hospital doctor who reduced it to 1.25mg. For 3 years after that I queried it every time I saw a doc or nurse but no-one would make the decision to stop it. I wouldn't make the decision because I didn't know if my life depended on it. But then, a year ago, I was in hospital, not in the cardiac unit, and the consultant said stop taking Bisoprolol. A nurse said I should never have been given it! With Biso 1.25mg my pulse was in the 40's and since I stopped taking it it's back in the 50's where it used to be. Actually 49 the other day, not bad for age 77. I've got a home blood pressure test kit that I recommend if you want to monitor your heart. While my situation is very different from yours, I suggest you adjust the dose according to how you feel. Doctors are hamstrung by protocol and pressure from drugs salesmen, while you know your body best. I didn't notice any side effects.
49 is a great pulse for 77! I wish mine was that. It's bad that you was on it when you shouldn't have been. You're right about drs being all about the protocol. Thanks for taking the time to reply x
Hello I have to smile a little when I see people talking about 2mg and 1.25mg Bisoproplol and Heart Rate .
We are all so different, I can go up and down from 10mg to 7.5mg of Bisoprolol if I go much lower I can go into Ectopics Beat which can be an ectopic every other beat, which isn't fun lol.
I don't know but I suspect a lot of the reaction to Bisoprolol depends on what else you are on. Currently I take 7.5mg Bisoprolol,Entresto 49/51mg. Eplenerone 25mg , Isosorbide Mononitrate 10mg Statin 10mg, Aspirin 75mg, Omeprazole 20mg. and the other thing is I have Heart failure
( Moderate ef 40 % ) and a 100% Blocked Right Coronary Artery.
So it is impossible to take what someone elses reaction is to a Medication to be what will happen to you ! Today my BP is 107/52 HR 53, I am Male 74 y.o. H 1.83m W 93kg so the 7.5mg is about right for Me
I am waiting on results from an MRI (stress ) to see what else is going wrong, and really I don't worry about a Bl***y thing. I Trust the Cardiologist to get it right they are the experts I will let them work on my Heart but no way would I trust them with my Car !!! So Relax and go with the flow trust it will be alright in the end !!!
Hi..I was on 5mg of Bisoloprol as an extra drug for high blood pressure for just over a year. A new GP at my surgery decided I didn't need the bisoloprol and I weaned myself off, 2.5mg for 1 week and then 1.25mg for a week. I had no problems at all.
good evening at this dose about 5 beats less you will have at rest from my experience, I was on this pill for about 1 year at 2.5mlg in the morning I can say that at up to 6 months it worked well, then I started to sleep well in the evening sitting tachycardia a feeling of fear bloating insomnia and a pessimism, I change to nebivolol 2.5 mlg after a cardiologist helped with insomnia but I had a headache and tinnitus, I was taking it for 8 months now for 8 months I am taking atenolol 25 mlg sleep 55 to 85 only in nebivolol was a little more, now I personally mentioned these pills and in another post they make me a little desperate and something like anxiety fear sensitive I do not know a tendency to faint while my blood pressure is normal, I started the pills from my period of family health problems and problems at work, I had pulses over 130 plus a feeling of pulses, now when I tried to cut them I told the doctor and he tells me take half for 4 days that is 1.25mlg xi end but I did not dare, and at the moment my mother is taking 5mlg bisoprolol and my brother 5 mlg nebivolol without problems, I think I only get all this xi only that I have to take these pills the idea the most, all the doctors and if I asked all tell me that these pills the only harm they do is static dysfunction,
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