Back on Bisoprolol and double Atorvastatin

[BlueDays24]

I had a STEMI 4 weeks ago, had a stent fitted, and came home from hospital about 3 weeks ago. I was on the lowest doses of all the usual medications, I think due to my low blood pressure. I was then told to stop the beta blocker Bisoprolol as it was lowering my blood pressure to the point I couldn’t do anything but lie down and wait for the effect to wear off a few hours later.

I’ve just had a cardiologist appointment this afternoon and he wants me to restart the Bisoprolol tomorrow morning and double the statin. I’m anxious as the effect of the Bisoprolol was so debilitating before.

Those of you who have overcome adverse effects of beta blockers…how long did it take for your body to adjust? I was on 1.25mg of it for 10 days before.

[SchnauzerOtto]

I've heard a few people now saying that they are tolerating Nebivolol much better then Bisoprolol.

[Asteroids]

it took me well over a year to adapt to even that dose. I wasn’t getting as severe a reaction as you, but it was most unpleasant. I later went onto 1.25mg twice a day with no additional negative effect. I generally feel quite dopey because of the Bisolprolol, but just have to push through it

My GP made a good comment - “there are two types of drug; ones that make you feel better and ones that make you feel worse but keep you alive”. Bisolprolol is definitely the latter, so I would persevere if you can. Otherwise your cardiologist should be able to find an alternative.

[scentedgardener]

When I began taking Bisoprolol I was on 2.5 mg and felt absolutely rotten. It took between 8 to 12 weeks before the worst of the side effects wore off. Not long after that my dose was halved to 1.25 mg, and apart from the drippy nose, and potentially the fatigue although in my case that could be caused by many other things, I have no problems with it now.

[Ewloe]

If you haven’t already got one I’d get a bp machine and monitor my blood pressure before restarting the bisoprolol and then after starting it again. My bp is low but my body adjusted. What it couldn’t do was adjust to it at 70/40 so my bisoprolol was reduced. What did your bp drop to? And what time of day did you take the bisoprolol? Were you drinking enough as that can affect your bp on medication.

[BlueDays24 in reply to Ewloe]

Thanks. I got a bp monitor when I came home from hospital. Off the beta blocker, my blood pressure is typically around 100/65. It was dropping to about 80/50 after Bisoprolol. I’ve been told to take it in the morning - I asked the cardiologist about moving it to evening and he said no because of the ACE inhibitor I take in the evening. And I’ve been drinking lots of water to make sure I’m not dehydrated. I’m on the lowest dose at 1.25mg so there’s no scope to reduce it.

I tried mind over matter this morning, making myself get up and be active to see if I could get my blood pressure up to manageable levels…which worked for a time, but I’m knackered now!

[Ewloe in reply to BlueDays24]

I take 2.5mg now. Twice daily. But I know my cardiologist has no problem in taking it all at bedtime. I split it as 5mg in 1 hit lowers my bp too much.