Bisoprolol withdrawal

[Sholita]

Wonder if anyone can reassure me. Long story short, Prolonged SVT up a mountain. Two nights in hospital and prescribed 1.25 mg once daily and then increased to twice daily. This was two years ago and I have lived in a fog since then. Poor sleep, brain fog, constant ectopic beats. I decided to come off them and titrated down fortnightly until I was taking 0.625 mg once in the morning. It’s been a week now and I feel physically worse most days. Internal shaking, arrhythmia still the same and a few short lasting episodes of svt with no obvious triggers. Is this normal and is there light at the end of the tunnel. BP slightly elevated but sleep pattern getting better and feel more mentally alert.

[Hidden]

Hello

I would not have come of them without asking my Consultant or Doctor first and then made a plan with them the best way they would have liked me to do it if they agreed

I would expect some may feel something coming of them and will share their experiences with you but I also would talk with your Doctor or if you are feeling this bad call 111 and ask for advise

I hope you will let us know how you get on x

[Sholita in reply to Hidden]

Sorry I should have mentioned that I discussed it with GP and he said to just go cold turkey and stop the 2.5mg there and then !!! I am a retired nurse and therefore did not.

[Hidden in reply to Sholita]

Hello

I am relieved you spoke to the Doctor and they agreed to stopping them

A week is not to long and maybe things will settle down as a retired Nurse you will know more than me

I hope someone comes along that has come of them that will relate to you x

[Redwing30 in reply to Sholita]

Morning Sholita,I came off 2.5mg Bisoprolol 4 weeks ago ,I was on it for AF and Hypertension. I was ill for over a week and couldn't drive,I suffered rebound hypertension and my BP is still high on Adizem XL.I had fuzziness,lethargy,just had to give in and lie down for a few days.Was very scary.You can see my post and the replies there if you search for Bisoprolol withdrawal. My GP was not very sympathetic.It is a powerful drug no matter how small they perceive the dose to be.I hope you start to feel better soon.

[dicynth in reply to Sholita]

I am a retired nurse as well. I took Bisoprolol 2.5/day for only 4 months ( for hypertension). Steep increase in ectopics, constant fatigue and debilitating back pain ensued. With the consent of my GP, I stopped it with no weaning.

My energy level returned almost immediately and the back pain disappeared. I returned in no time to my exercise routine etc.

It took months, however, for the ectopics to settle down- which they have.

I hope I never come to a point again where a beta blocker is indicated. It seems they are great for many- but my experience was dreadful.

Good luck with it all!

[anke123 in reply to dicynth]

Thats interesting to read. I was on it for 2.5mg for about 6 six years. GP told me to go onto 1.25mg and 4 days later cardiologist said stop it. I did and after 2 months now still have ectopic beats, hope it settles down soon. But otherwise feeling much better.

[dicynth in reply to anke123]

Glad you are feeling better. I hope your ectopics settle. It is interesting. Bisoprolol is mostly used to settle these down, but the reverse can, and does, happen. Best wishes!

[anke123 in reply to dicynth]

I have only noticed the ectopic beats since I came of the medication, started it when I had 1 stent done. I came of it as my BP went very low at times and made me feel very unwell. Also had a 48 hour ECG monitor still waiting for the results.

[Handel in reply to Hidden]

💕😊xxx

[Hidden in reply to Handel]

x

[Mountwood]

I'm surprised your GP told you to just stop taking it. It's fortunate that you are a retired nurse (me too), and knew better.

[BobbyB1962]

My cardiologist recently suggested I try stopping Bisoprolol (I'm only on 1.25mg once a day) as I mentioned I was fed up with having cold hands & feet all the time! He also said to stop there & then. I haven't yet as felt a bit anxious about any side effects but have a call scheduled with GP.

[Sholita in reply to BobbyB1962]

He will probably tell you to just stop as it’s the lowest dose available however I cut my tablets in half for the last week. Feeling brighter is so worth it. Good luck. 🤞

[BobbyB1962 in reply to Sholita]

Thanks, and best of luck to you

[jerry12953]

1.25 gm is a tiny dose.... I was on 2.5 gm for a month and due to side effects my GP said I coul d stop taking them. There was no question of weaning myself off and I had no ill effects. It obviously has different effects on different people.

[Sholita in reply to jerry12953]

I think it depends also on how long you have been taking them for. I was on 2.5 mg for two years and my body was used to them. I am feeling so much brighter today and for the first time last night I had none of my vivid dreams.

[Redwing30]

You were only on it for 1 month so wouldn't necessarily cause any ill effects.As you say it causes different effects on different people and you can be more sensitive but I stopped it after 4 years and suffered rebound hypertension.

[jerry12953]

Yes, you could be right.

My friend started feeling suicidal almost immediately on starting taking Bisoprolol.

[ahcm]

Hello, I took bisoprolol too. Started 6 years ago for Afib. Started on 1.25 but as my Afib episodes became more painful and frequent the Cardiologist kept upping the dose so for the last 3 years I was taking 10mg. The side effects crept up on me slowly I didn't realise how awful they were making me feel. I developed heart failure and was prescribed Diltiazem too. Then doc said to stop the bisoprolol, just stop he said. I didn't like the idea of that so I spoke to my pharmacist who said to half the dose for 2 weeks then stop which I did. I didn't have any trouble but then I was still having the protection of Diltiazem. I felt instantly better coming off Bisoprolol, not so slow and foggy! I too had awful dreams but they're gone. I have had a pacemaker this year and an AV Node Ablation last week as medication isn't stopping my Afib. I'm hoping that I'll be able to come off Diltiazem. Bisoprolol is the first drug anyone is given and some can stand it and others can't, I wish you luck sorting out your problems.

[Sholita in reply to ahcm]

Wow I feel that my little problem is insignificant in the grand scheme of things. So glad that you are going forward in a positive light and hope the ablation has worked. Bisoprolol is the drug of choice by many GP’s but little research into side effects or withdrawal symptoms.

[ahcm in reply to Sholita]

There is nothing insignificant about your condition. Us 'hearties' have so many sorts of symptomsto contend with, no two of us are alike. I am humbled whe I read some people's problems.

[Sholita in reply to ahcm]

Thank you and totally agree with the humbleness .

[Harefieldfan]

my cardiologist suggested I stop it for 3 weeks and see what happens. I’m on 2.5mg. He said I might feel as if my heart is racing. So far I haven’t had the courage to stop it.

[Sholita in reply to Harefieldfan]

it took me a long time to take the plunge but I thought the worst case is that I go back on it or an alternative. I am so glad I did it.

[Adhtz21]

Hi,

Due to first degree heart block, worse onset of brachycardia plus constant fatigue I reduced my bisoprolol from 2.5mg to 1.25mg. Never felt so good since doing that! Brachycardia improved to acceptable levels too.

Best regards,

Andy

[tony_t]

My experience  while on Bisoprolol 2.5mg was a lot of Breathlessness. Doctor took me off it ( on it for 3 years) , I stopped it immediately and breathlessness went within a few days, no side effects at all. I have been OK ever since.

Hope you soon feel a lot better.

[Sholita in reply to tony_t]

Thank you 🙏

[fishonabike]

i am also an ex nurse - whenever i have weaned myself off a medication i have done it much more gradually than you - i tend to reduce the dose on alternate or third days at first for a couple of weeks at least and progress from there - only decreasing if i feel that i am not showing "withdrawal symptoms", returning to the earlier dose if symptoms start up - it's slow but it has worked for me

it can take time for our bodies to adapt but mostly they do - good luck

[BobbyB1962]

All good so far thanks 🤞

[BobbyB1962]

Since Feb 2021

[ahcm]

Luckily I don't have any side effects at all. This is the first heart medication I've felt has not made me feel awful. I started it in April at the same time as being weaned off Bisoprolol. Diltiazem didn't stop my Afib though, nothing could. So exactly what it's doing for me now I have an up and running pacemaker I don't know! I've had my pacemaker working for 4 weeks now and I feel like a new woman. I haven't felt this good for years. I suppose I shall have an appointment with pacemaker team shortly for a check-up.

[Potter5678]

Hi, and hoping you're still there.I've had a very tough time both on and off bisoprolol. I was prescribed it for hypertension after previously trying two other meds which gave me intolerable side effects. I have never felt so poorly as I do now.

On commencement of the drug I got the usual headaches which subsided but then the pounding heart began. I couldn't sleep. I then suddenly got arrhythmia badly two days in a row, developed rushes of adrenalin when eating, nausea, tremor, violent shaking and abdominal pain which became excruciating. I ended up in A&E but they found nothing abnormal. I was advised to stop taking the bisoprolol because I was experiencing too many side effects. They advised cold turkey would be ok on such a small dose. I was taking 2.5mg.

The adrenalin rushes were extreme for a couple of weeks without doing anything. The violent shaking and tremors continued. I was house bound.

I tried gradually to add some activity into my day as I was a very active person before all this. I was improving but have found that if I do something a little bit more strenuous, I have a relapse of symptoms, with adrenalin rushes, pounding heart, arrhythmia and excruciating pain, which last for over a week. The last episode I ended up in A&E with typical heart attack pains, through heart, neck, back and left arm. Again they found nothing abnormal. I was accused of lying about my symptoms.

This medication has been devastating to me. There are many others who have suffered similar long term problems after stopping this medication and found that convincing the medical profession has been impossible.

I'm hoping that by posting this, someone may listen and others made aware, and encourage those having to suffer in silence to speak up about their experiences on and off this drug.