Can you still get palpitations while on beta blockers?

[celticlady]

Just wondered if people still got palpitations while on beta blockers. I'm on 1.25 bisoprolol ...been 2 weeks but felt strong heartbeat today ....the thought of increasing the dose scares me-bad enough on this low dose. Do docs increase dose if you start with palps again? Got cardio appointment Saturday but the holter monitor is weeks away due to NHS backlog. Thank you for any personal experiences re the meds.

[jeanjeannie50]

Yes, you can still get palpitations when taking beta blockers, but hopefully not so bad. Let your cardiologist know when you see him on Saturday.

[Hidden]

Yep..the bisoprolol didn’t stop my palpitations but made them not so bad at the same dose you’re on / then became as bad as before over the course of the year so was put on a higher dose recently.

Hope all goes well when you see cardiology & you begin to feel better soon.

N

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

My GP put me on 1.25mg when I started having palpitations 4 years ago. When I saw the cardiologist, he put it up to 2.5, and after some really bad episodes a year ago, he put it up to 5 when my ICD showed I had atrial fibrillation. Since then I haven't really had a problem. I had a monitor several times, but very little showed up. I have a friend who is on 10mg now, so 1.25 is really low. I know it's scary, but try not to worry, that only makes things worse. Talk to the cardiologist, and he/she will explain it all to you. I felt better after seeing one particular cardio who went into great detail as to what was going on, and why. Good luck.

[celticlady in reply to Hidden]

Thank you for this information. I think a diagnosis from s really empathetic cardiologist will do the world of good ... it's the not knowing and the waiting for apps. Did you have any side effects with the beta blockers? Many thanks

[Hidden in reply to celticlady]

My cardiologist at my local hospital sent me to an electrocardiologist at my nearest Heart Centre, and he was brilliant. He spent a good hour explaining everything in simple, easy to understand terms, and told me what options would be available to me should my condition start to deteriorate at a later date. He also put the details of our conversation in a letter, which I received a few days later. It certainly helped allay a lot of my worries. I think sometimes the doctors are so used to dealing with these situations, they forget that it's all new to us and we need things explained clearly. I didn't have much in the way of side effects from the beta blockers. When the dose was increased to 5mg, I felt a little tired for a couple of weeks, but I've been fine since. I'm on Bisoprolol. Anything you're not clear about, do ask when you see the cardiologist on sat. Hope all goes well.

[celticlady in reply to Hidden]

Thank you so much. It's s phone call sat so will btry to glean maximum info. We have a good cardio unit here in Leeds so lots of professional people to advise. Stay well ..envy you no side effects to the Biso!

[Hidden]

Dear celticlady

Sorry to say that I agree with most of the answers that you have had,

I still had palpitation on beta blockers, but nowhere near as bad.

Make a list for seeing your Cardiologist and make sure that this and any other questions are on it.

Try { easy to say } to have calm moments for yourself as any form of anxiety can make those palpitations seem worse.

Good luck Saturday and please let us know the outcome, remember,

QUESTION , QUESTION , QUESTION,

they are the experts and they have your health in their hands.

Believe it or not most people interested in their work welcome being questioned about it.

Take care.

[Thecyclist]

Yes I do, in fact they have got more frequent.

I have been on 10mg of Bisoprolol and now down to 5mg for over two years. It seems to make very little difference to my palpitations, if anything I had less ectopic's when I wasn't on Bisoprolol. I had a run of NSVT and that was the reason for them.

It seems to help in most cases and is very common in this and many heart issues and works very well. Remember it controls rate and not rhythm so is used to slow the heart. Personally I tolerated it very well (if I discount the worsening ectopics). Cold feet and hands and a bit of tiredness but overall it was fine. 1.25mg is the smallest dose and I am sure you will be fine on that dose.

[Betauser]

I was put on 2.5 but still had palpitations, they changed it to 3.75 in March last year.

[Jetcat]

Yes you can still get palps while taking the meds. Mention it to your doctor, they will probably increase your dose.

[Lisajb1966]

I’m interested to read these replies as my 79 year old mum had severe palpitations on Saturday night. She’s had them for years but never that badly. She was taken to A&E, stayed there overnight and prescribed 1.25mg Bisoprolol once daily. She had a few incidents yesterday, but not as bad as on Saturday. Mum will be seeing a cardiologist soon.

[Hidden]

I am on 50mg carvedilol and get all kinds of PVC's and funny beats. Seemed to make no difference and not caused by anxiety but HA damage. I think they are worse now

[Hidders]

I am on a different beta blocker and yes still have palpitations but I tend to take less notice of them now unless they are feeling different to my usual ones. As others have said I would mention it to your doctor as they will be able to advise you best.

[DaveSpice]

I was recently started on them and get more than before, along with PPIs, something doesn't agree with me.

[dicynth]

I had a dreadful experience on a Bisoprolol 2.5 which I was on for 4&1/2 months.A steep increase in ectopic beats, tinnitus, loose bowel, and back pain which seemed to come from nowhere. I have discontinued it and will never take another beta blocker.

I have read up on it. Ironically, a beta blocker can both prevent and cause palpitations. “Beta blockers for use in hypertension “ is listed as causative for palpitations on the Johns Hopkins information site.

Good luck with your situation!

[celticlady in reply to dicynth]

Thank you...I don't think they're going to be a long term solution for me.good they've stopped the palps but the other side effects are hard to live with. Thankfully semi retired as couldn't work full time feeling like this .

[Goldfish7]

Yes you can still get palpitations, PAC's, tachycardia, etc. It should help keep your heart rate down though. It should also lessen the intesity of rythm issues or help to stop PAF attacks.