So Long Bisoprolol (hopefully) - British Heart Fou...

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So Long Bisoprolol (hopefully)

Cruiser25 profile image
9 Replies

Hello fellow hearties....well, after several consults with my practice Pharmacists and a final email/letter exchange with my Cardiologist, I've stopped my Bisoprolol. I'd been reducing my Bisoprolol over several months to 1.25mg, even halving that for the final week.

I've been recording multiple readings of low blood pressure and heart rate, over the last few months, leaving me with fatigue and lethargy...it was not uncommon for my HR to drop into the 30s during sleep and resting HR in the 40s...BP was routinely in the low/mid 90s over low/mid 50s & frequently into the mid 80s. With these readings, for me, it was agreed, with full medical agreement to stop the beta blocker.

At this point it's worth noting, these meds were only prescribed after my STEMI HA in Feb 2022... 7 stents and an all inclusive 3 day break in the CCU, they even arranged a double visit to the Cath Lab as well as an Echo Cardiogram, just to confirm a 38% ejection fraction, might as well get your moneys worth I say.

I'm on day 5 and so far and did have a day off work yesterday as I'd not slept well, was really tired but was wired, guess the adrenaline was settling & resetting, slept solidly after lunch though! Today all is well, bp is settling at approx 102(ish) over 70(ish) averaged out...nothing alarming. but better. Even before my HA I always had a low normal BP and being fit a low normal HR so I wasn't surprised the meds sent me well low. As I've recovered and increased my fitness, even with an improved ejection fraction of 41%, I and the medics agreed to stop the Bisoprolol.

Please note I'm still on Ramipril, Statins and Aspirin and will be as preventative treatment, unfortunately, the angios showed some furring up in the other arteries, but no where needing intervention ....the heart disease is strong in my family...why couldn't I have got loads of dosh and/or lottery wins?

Anyway, hopefully I'll continue to improve, I'll still attend my rehab follow-on exercise class, Sat morning Parkruns (quite a bit of walking involved), improved diet and adherence to the meds and avoid any more all-inclusive stays at the big place with the white coats and masks and the beep beep machines!

Stay well fellow hearties...

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Cruiser25 profile image
Cruiser25
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9 Replies
baly_2023 profile image
baly_2023

Stay well too, and bisoprolol after 15 weeks of taking it after my HA I reckon it's the one medication that makes me feel light headed ,spaced out at times.

Who knows in a years time when I get my fitness back up ,I like yourself might be allowed to reduce it.

Cruiser25 profile image
Cruiser25 in reply to baly_2023

I'm in no doubt you'll get there...all the best 👍

DWizza profile image
DWizza

Blimey Cruiser , this sounds pretty familiar 🤣 I’m in the throes of trying to see if my bisoprolol (1.25mg ) ramipril ( half a 1.25mg tablet) combo is making me crash in the early afternoons. Nstemi & quadruple bypass in July 2023 for me. Like you , was fit & string before, was also rehabbing brilliantly until month 5 , I practically shut down with joint aches , tendons & muscle pain , cognitive impairment, tinnitus, the list was growing. GP says to stop taking 80mg artovastatin, did that for a mo th and felt fab. Back to running 5k a week ( love a park run) challengeling yoaga class twice a week. Now on 40mg Pravastatin. Now finding that my BP drops from 115/76 29am to 101/63 14:00 and I’m out of gas , falling asleep 🤦🏼. No energy to train , I’ve turned into a tree for the rest of the day 🤦🏼🤦🏼. I absolutely hate it . I had low heart rate prior to heart attack and now it’s average resting can be 44-47.

Just taken 5 days BP readings to show my GP. I really want to get my vavavoom back . Well done you on your progress 👊🏻👊🏻👊🏻

Cruiser25 profile image
Cruiser25 in reply to DWizza

OMG the tinnitus & yes the bp & hr drops after lunch. I was finding I had to choose between exercising or diy jobs as either was wiping me out for hours afterwards! Bit jealous, could do with finding a good & challenging yoga class. I'm tolerating 80mg of Atorvastatin & the consultant is v keen I stay on the Ramipril, it's only 2.5mg once a day. I'm ok with this, my furring up isn't going away so longevity with good functionality is the aim & I'm well motivated to do my part.

You'll get there, I have needed to adjust my meds a few times as I became fitter and recovered more, so stick with it but be patient, allow plenty of time for recovery ( & I'm the least patient person ever!) but the old ticker has reminded me a couple of times that it's the boss.

Good luck

andrew290171 profile image
andrew290171

Interesting I had similar story. Had a stent about 14 months ago. I was still getting quite a lot of chest pain that led me being silent to a and e three times. At Xmas I had to go for exercise ECG and for this had to stop bisoprolol for a couple of days. Actually felt much better and since stopped taking it with no ill effects.

Back to running 6 miles. Still on clopidogrel, aspin and nitrates but don't mind that. I also have other arteries with signs of heart diesese,but nothing bad enough to need any intervention now. Also got terrible family history. Mum had a heart attack and triple bypass at 50, dad the same at 60 and nan had 2 heart attacks in her 50s

Anyway good luck. Hope you continue to make good progress

Cruiser25 profile image
Cruiser25 in reply to andrew290171

Similar history, dad had ha at 39 & passed at 51, no stenting back then & proper nitroglycerin tablets under the tongue! Good on you running 6 miles, I've usually only got enough juice for about 1.5km before I need to walk, but can get going again fairy soon afterwards. We can't control what we've inherited, but can have a hand in what we do with it & we're the lucky ones, we've been given the second chance,

All the best with your journey

brads27 profile image
brads27

I'm on the 4 you mentioned,my BPM is always low around 50or below. And I'm definitely not fit,20+Stone.

Cruiser25 profile image
Cruiser25 in reply to brads27

Hi brads27, I dropped a stone just cutting out the snacking...not at all easy but hang on in there, small changes can have big results. One previous member, started carrying bags of sugar to replicate the weight he was losing in a backpack just to see what it felt like & was dumbfounded as to the big gains he'd made. Not for everyone but I think of this when I'm at rehab class when I've got the 5/6kg dumbbells in my hands...really does make you realise what gains you're making...good luck

brads27 profile image
brads27 in reply to Cruiser25

I used to love the rehab, we had a good laugh.I carried it on for almost a year then they said that was it.

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