I've been on Bisoprolol for 6 weeks and my physical health seems to have worsened, along with my mental health. Just wondering if anyone else had similar experiences while on it?
1. Very breathless, dizzy and unable to focus my vision clearly.
2. Anxiety. I am 64 yo and have never experienced anxiety as a constant state of being, but it has been with me since starting this drug. At first I thought it was a PTSD type response to the SCAD heart attack I had in March 2023, but following a full blown and terrifying panic attack, I started to wonder. My recovery from SCAD had been going well besides side effects from Metoprolol, and was therefore placed on 2.5mg Bisoprolol.
Many sites confirm that breathlessness and dizziness can be side effects for some individuals. But very few mention anxiety as a clear side effect. To the contrary, it seems that Bisoprolol is often used as an off label treatment for anxiety specifically!
I would be very keen to know if anyone else has had a similar experience.
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Bisoprolol is a drug that many cannot tolerate and just because a side effect is not written down does not always mean a medication cannot cause certain people to feel this way
It maybe that things settle down but I think it would be best to talk this through with your Doctor as it sounds like you are not tolerating them at all at this moment they might suggest changing the dose or trying you on something else
I really hope you get this sorted side effects from medications for some of us can be very unpleasant and to much to deal with x
Thankyou so much for your thoughtful reply. I live remotely and resorted to emailing the cardiologist. His receptionist called to relay his message which was to just stop! Nothing about weaning off slowly nor any alternate meds.
I will do as he said and simply stop, while holding thumbs simultaneously.
I took bisoprolol last year and hated it. It made my noctoria worse and my breathing got worse. I was very dizzy so had the dose lowered but stopped it altogether with my gp’s agreement. I suffer from anxiety and it did help this for me. Hospital prescribed another med which has lowered my blood pressure and seems to suit me. Go back to your gp and ask for a lower dose or a different med.
I’d been reduced from 5 to 2,5mg but still had the problems so just stopped as I’d only been on them a few weeks. I seemed ok without them to be honest and no more dizziness, tiredness and my breathing got better. I now take Amlodipine which is slightly different and I seem fine as my blood pressure has reduced. I put depends on why you take them so ideally speak with your gp. Not every side effect is listed and I’m the type of person who gets every side effect including ones not listed! Good luck x
I have been on Bisoprolol since 2017 after bypass surgery, initially 1.25 mgs. Then, increased to 2.5 in 2021 after having 2 stents fitted.I haven't had any of the side effects you've listed although I do feel very tired but as I currently take 9 different tablets a da (a total of 12 pills) it's hard to know the cause.
As Bekind suggests, speak to your GP about this and see if they have any alternatives.
Thanks for your reply. I can't imagine taking so many pills! And not surprising that you are feeling tired, your body needs to process so much stuff. I hope you soon regain some energy.
Hi, I had Nstemi in July and quadruple bypass 25th July . Initial dose of 3.75mg bisoprolol ( along with clopidogrel, aspirin, pantaprazole, artovastatin) was making me spaced out /zombie like for periods of the day plus dizziness. . First consultation with cardiologist in September and he reduced it to 1.25 mg and introduced half a tablet of 1.25mg Rampiril. Much better , no zombie or regular dizziness. I’m now looking to get something done about the artovastatin 80mg , I’m sure that is causing me aches /pains , cognitive impairment and constant tinnitus. 🤦🏼
Hi DWizza, thanks for your response. Its great that you are feeling better and yes, I do worry about the effects of statins too. Luckily I was able to stop with those a while back. here's hoping you can do the same or similar. All the best.
That’s interesting 👍🏻👍🏻. I’m sure I’ve got arthritis, but everything is amplified , plus a back ache and leg pain , plus I keep making admin mistakes . I can’t balance /reconcile a credit card bill , never had that issue . Forgetful, can’t concentrate.. the tinnitus 🤦🏼🤣🤣🤣.
Much improvement on changing ? I’m at my wits end, falling asleep most afternoons now , back to where I was pre heart attack 🤦🏼. Thinking of not taking it for 2 weeks as of tonight. Managed some yard was rk and a 4 k dog walk then felt really sore and tired fell asleep after lunch.. was doing fine for 4 months ..
I was put on ramipril and Bisoprolol for high blood pressure…
I’ve never had anxiety and it was terrible… along with a weird tremor!
I stopped ramipril but continued bisop to try and help with anxiety
I continued for 3 months thinking I just needed to get the drug in my system !
My memory began to worsen and then a sense of being dis-connected emerged… the final straw was very unsettling dreams and racing thoughts when I was between sleep and wakefulness!
I was on 2.5 mg which I weaned to 1.25mg…
I stopped 2 weeks ago… anxiety continued for about a week.. I then had back/shoulder pain which I think is withdrawal symptoms…
My bp rose up to 180/100 in 3 days… heart palpitations but I’m happy to say after 2 weeks I’m starting to feel some improvement..
I’ve gone on to 4mg of candesartan which has some anti-anxiety benefits…bp down to 140/80 ..
I still have mild tremors in the morning upon waking but hopefully everything will continue to lessen..
I’ve read it can take 4-6 weeks to withdraw from this horrible drug!
Thanks for the info...I had all similar. So good to know possible cause of symptoms. I'm definitely going to chat to Cardiologist. Feeling too awful on all my meds for far too long.
So delighted to read everyone's very informative posts..thanks
Wow! Your sharing your experience was extremely helpful, thankyou. The dreadful angst that arises at the point of waking is no joke and something I have never experienced before. I thought I was losing my marbles for a while. But the crazy making anxiety and panic falls fully within the 6 week period of taking bisoprolol.
So besides the physical issues of tiredness, dizziness and breathlessness, the psychological effects are ridiculous, for me anyway, and absolutely do not justify the use of this drug.
My cardio said to simply stop taking it. I'm desperate enough to do that and hope like heck it works!
I am on Bisoprolol 1.25mg for tachycardia and am really interested in your comment about anxiety on waking. I regularly wake in the morning worried and anxious about the day ahead, but had never thought about a connection to the Bisoprolol! Together with the weight gain and increased tiredness perhaps I need to have a chat with my GP!
To be honest , bisoprolol was nightmare for me also. I become terribly ill when i was on it . My doctor change it to Nebivolol , i become normal again .
I managed 21 days on this drug, I didn’t have high blood pressure or rapid pulse. Although I understand the value of this drug my at rest pulse went down to 40 and my blood pressure reduced to the point where I was dizzy confused and unable to put sentences together. My doctor took me of them, took about 3 days for them to clear my system. Clearly didn’t work for me. Oh, and I had random pains in my body, for no apparent reason, these have gone now too
I'm on 5mg, 2x a day. It's always hard to tease out side effects vs underlying physical issues/other medications. I'll be honest, I think I do have some side effects from bisoprolol and maybe statins, but I force myself to push through. I've found that if I just get out of bed, take a shower, put on real clothes, have a cup of coffee and start working, my mind seems to push thoughts of anxiety and side effects off to the side, as it were. Same with exercising -- i think bisoprolol is causing fatigue, but if I can just get to the gym, I start feeling more energized.
I am in no way minimizing side effects, but I think we can focus on them to the point of obsession. Just my .02. I have suffered from anxiety but I am 99% certain that is because I had 2 near fatal heart attacks!
While I am not disagreeing that there are side effects from many of the tablets we are all on (I am currently on 9) I also agree with pasigal that we can over focus on them. I do have a few issues, however the benefits and improvement as explained by a heart failure nurse are worth me continuing with them all.I am having regular checks with a pharmacist from my local surgery and will continuing to discuss each one.
Can people please note that while they might have side effects these drugs are life savers for others.
Also please don't just comment that you think that back or shoulder pain was a withdrawal symptom, as for me that was a sign that my heart was having issues and as I actually had a silent heart attack it might be the only way I could have picked it up.
I just thought it was overdoing sport, but a consultant explained (much later on) it might have been something more.
Never again will I ignore any pain, everything now gets checked!
I was on Bisoprolol for around 4 years and had awful side effects, including anxiety to begin with which then lessened slightly the longer I took it. Either that or I got so used to them and feeling awful I stopped noticing!
I recently had mini maze surgery and no longer take them. I read that they need to be tapered off but my surgeon told be that was not the case and I could stop straight away. I would suggest you discuss with your doctor/cardiologist regarding this and changing to another drug as if you need a beta blocker like Bisoprolol you should not stop without medical advice. I hope it all works out well for you.
I am on 2.5mg of Bisoprolol and have the same issues as you I have always suffered with anxiety but since being on this drug it is through the roof and effecting my daily life! I feel awful every day and have the same unusual vision, anxiety, feeling edgy all the time - thinking it is ME! now is it the drug?
I cannot get to see a cardiologist in Colchester they do not do that sort of thing! and I worry the GP is not a specialist which then makes my anxiety worse. Where do I go from here?
Thank you for adding your comment it has made me aware of possible causes. All the best
I was put on Bisopropol after a heart attack and 1 stent, I felt fine for a week, until it kicked in and found I was so tired and couldn't walk more than a few yards. Spoke to my GP and he said stop them straight away as I have asthma and shouldn't have been prescribed them. I immediately felt better, and now, 2 years on, just on Ramapril, Rosuvastatin and asprin.
Yes, I had severe anxiety symptoms which developed within a couple of weeks of taking bisoprolol. It also caused other severe side effects with me, so I was advised to stop taking it.
lots of people have already commented on the possible side effects of Bisioprolol so i won't add to that
but after a traumatic health event like a SCAD (i assume you mean a Spontaneous Coronary Artery Dissection rather than Sudden Cardiac Arrest/SCA ) also experience some degree of post traumatic shock - medication is not always helpful in resolving this, but some people find that counselling is helpful, paricularly when the health issue is a less well known one and people struggle to get the support they feel they need to cope with what happened to them
i am a member of another group for a less cmmon heart conditionexperienced mostly by women - it is serious and life threatening but many of us feel dismissed by the medics and others because it's not "a real heart atack" - this sort of reaction from others if distressing and can be damaging
some members have found the EMDR (eye movement desensitisation and retraining) is helpful, more counsellors and therapists are offering it now - it may be worth considering - i'm including a link, it refers to Sudden Cardiac Arrest but EMDR has been used with people after a wide range to heart-related and other conditions
Thankyou for your reply. The SCAD I refer to was a spontaneous coronary artery dissection. I had none of the typical predisposing factors for heart attack, so essentially dont even need to be on beta blockers.
I live in a very remote part of New Zealand and access to medical support is limited, but I do now have a counsellor who offers EMDR, so will follow up on that.
I didnt see the link, perhaps Im looking in the wrong place?
It has lots of information and the latest research about SCAD.
I live vasospastic angina, which like SCAD can cause a heart attack without obstructed coronary arteries, Myocardial Infarction no obstructive coronary arteries MINOCA.
For more information about MINOCAs you may find these articles from a website created by patients living with microvascular angina and coronary vasospasms helpful.
Before my vasospastic angina was diagnosed, my persistent chest pain was incorrectly presumed to be due to anxiety.
I was prescribed beta blockers, I landed up in hospital with unstable angina. I discovered later that beta blockers should be avoided as they can make coronary vasospasms worse.
At present there is little research to suggest whether beta blockers, should be used routinely to treat heart attacks that have occurred without obstructed coronary arteries.
Perhaps discuss this further with your Cardiologist or GP?
Hi I was on 2.5mg they told me to stop taking it straight away and I had no problems. Yes I was anxious just like you. My Gp also wanted me to take my blood pressure twice a day for a week. As my cardiologist wanted me to go on something else but it was found with my blood pressure being about 120/60 most if the time that I shouldn't.Hope this helps
Hi, so sorry to hear you have been suffering but I too get these side effects and I’ve now had a suggestion from another private cardiologist that I should change to diltiazem. Might be worth discussing your symptoms with either your GP or cardiologist
Seems to me that a Bisoprolol is one of the most complained about drugs on this forum. I didn’t join this forum until a couple of month after my AVR some 5 years ago and now I realise that a number of the problems I was having were echoed by other members taking Bisoprolol. I have stuck with it and things seemed to have ironed out after about 6 months. Might be worth giving it a while to settle. Although many people have a lot of success in changing their medication. Good luck 🙏 Sue
Have been taking for nearly 12 months and no side effects but have been taking it in the morning with a good sized bowl of porridge just to slow down the absorption rate.
Just an update following on from my question about bisoprolol side effects. The anxiety disappeared almost instantly. Breathlessness and dizziness improved with a few days. I went cold turkey and my bp is fine. Clearly this drug does not suit my metabolism at all.
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