Hi to all my lovely new friends who have been helping me the last few days In advance I'm sorry for any spelling mistakes
So.. I saw my cardiologist he said my holter monitor showed a lot of missed beats and that whenever I did move around my heart rate when quickly up
He explained he wasn't worried about this , they showed there coming from one of the chambers I'm not to sure but anyway he did an ultrasound and everything was absolutely fine he said the only thing ultrasound doesn't show is if the arteries are blocked and I don't present with any of signs of that so he isn't worried
He's advised me to try a very low dose of bisoprolol just once a day for the next 3 weeks and then hes's going to see me again I explained I can feel my heart rate and these funny beats all the time he said some people can and some people don't even know it's happening
All my blood work is normal and also did another chest x-ray he said for now he doesn't think I another scan has the ultrasound shows him more than enough, he said if anything was wrong he would of seen it when doing the scan.
But will see me in 3 weeks anyway, he told me please don't worry.
I'm obviously now worrying about the medication and possible side effects, but I can always feel my heart beating not right and it's destressing and very uncomfortable that I feel I need to try to make this go away and settle down.
Anyone's experiences with this med I'd like to hear from you if possible and then hopefully I'll pick up the courge to take it 😂
Hope your all well thank you all so much for being so supportive and kindness you all showed me it means a lot
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Amyamy12345
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I'm glad everything went ok for you..if you're on 1.25 then there shouldn't be a problem and you'll be absolutely fine..with the heart beating fast, it should help it settle down..the trouble is with having anxiety with a heart problem makes it feel worse, so, take the tabs and do your anxiety routine every day and I'm sure thing's will settle down 👍
They started me on 1.25mg the day after my op when I was still too groggy to do anything other than follow directions. 😂
But I’ve never had any real issues with it (I think it gives me a bit of a runny nose, but I didn’t really even notice that till someone else pointed it out).
I also have missed beats and a few other things and I take medication for it. Bisoprolol is a beta blocker. Beta blockers stop the affect of adrenaline on your heart so it will beat slower and won’t go up as high when you move about. Beta blockers also reduce the force of your heart beat which helps protect the walls of the heart.
I was on bisoprolol a while ago and have been on a few different beta blockers looking for the one that best suits me. I’m on a reasonably high dose so they tend to affect more a fair bit. I’m now on one called carvedilol. I often refer to beta blockers as the funny drugs as their names always end in lol… boom tish.
Thanks for the reply, do you know how long it takes for it to start working , I took it about 3 and half hours ago and things are still the same, I know some people say they can has and when they need them so that must mean they work pretty quick , but I still the same.. wondering if they can take a while to get into the system?
Sorry you struggle to 😢 it's all very overwhelming isn't it?
Were doing our best though, and it's nice to be able to chat to one another so we know we're not alone in all this, how are you feeling lately?
Beta blockers can take a couple of weeks to come up to full effect.
It’s hard to remember things from the ICU or HDU (the anaesthesia really mucks with your memory), but I think it was a day or two before my heart rate started dropping.
BBs as others have said will take a while and it can take up to 3 months for them to settle and for any side affects to balance out.
Thankfully I don’t suffer any anxiety. When I was first diagnosed and I realised I hadn’t escaped our family curse even though I’d been fit and healthy, I was a little stressed but that was 5 years ago. Now my aim is to understand my condition so I can support what my doctors are trying to achieve. Anxiety isn’t in my make-up which is a blessing it seems.
Hi, have you found anything that helps the missed beats? My daughter has the same and has just upped her bisoprolol from 1.25 to 2.5, as although it’s really helped with the fast heart rate, the ectopic beats are the same. She gets them every 4-6 beats, are your very frequent too?
I started getting ectopic beats and they stopped as soon as I stopped consuming caffeine, I’d already stopped alcohol for over a year so I know that didn’t cause the ectopic beats, don’t know if that will help but check with your GP, its easy to try.
Hi. That all sounds good to me. You're biological not mechanical. Your heart is an amazing pump, it's responsive to everything you do, it is the beating you. Expect your heart to miss beats, it's normal. I only felt my heart beating when I had mechanical intervention but I know from this forum some people are acutely aware of their heart beat. I wish I was aware, I may have stopped running before I had a sudden cardiac arrest! I have my smart watch recording of the event and it's clearly visible, as was the trace on an implanted loop recorder. Whatever, you have had great advice and care from your consultant. Bisoprolol at low dose causes me no side effect issues (1.25) . It is a drug that you need to take continuously, ie you shouldn't mess about and miss doses, or start/stop taking. It needs to be complementing your body electrolytes etc to be effective over time.
Start thinking about strengthening your heart muscles with exercise. Concentrate on improving your general health. Look up Couch to 5k or find your local parkrun and join in with the parkwalkers if your not ready to run.
From my understanding of your feedback that's as all clear as it gets.
First, no need to apologise for any spelling mistakes as they're unimportant in the scheme of things😊.
I worry about taking any medication and side effects, and I didn't want to start down that road, but I had to come to terms with it. Actually, I haven't come to terms with it yet, I keep hoping the medication will settle my heartbeat to the point where it rights itself and I can eventually be weened off it, but I don't know if that can happen. I just live in hope!
Some people find Bisoprolol is right for them but it doesn't suit everyone. It can lower your blood pressure which may affect you.
Like you, all my tests have shown that my heart is physically healthy, it's the electrics that aren't working properly and causing the arrhythmia.
My heart was constantly thumping in my chest. When I started to take Bisoprolol it became calm and I was relieved, but after a couple of weeks it became noticeable again so my dose was increased. The same thing happened and it was increased again, but I had started to get tired and short of breath.
I was worried. I didn't know if it was caused by my heart or the medication, so I emailed my cardiologist with all my symptoms and my medication was changed to Diltiazem which suits me much better. It has steadied my arrhythmia (although it's not perfect) and I am back to my old energy levels and feeling fine again.
So give the Bisoprolol a go, and if it isn't right for you flag it up. It's important to be proactive and positive. If you don't keep your cardiologist informed of any concerns he/she will assume everything is going well for you.
Thank you so much for the kind and lovely reply I'm so grateful 🙏
Thumping yes all the time it never stops , did it just start out if the blue for you? For me it did my heart was fine and then next thing it was banging and banging away and then I feel like these weird beats every so often so uncomfortable it makes you feel tired all the time and my chest feels heavy if that makes sense ?
I have taken the meds and I'm hoping they help, who knows I see my cardiologist in 3 weeks so, I'll see by then
I'm glad your feeling better I know how hard this can be and it's very nice if you to respond to my struggles since you have your own.
I'm the same has you , my heart is fine structure wise it's the electrics that have screwed up!
How long have you been suffering this? Hope you don't mind me asking
I had covid last summer followed by a virus and it started then, so I've had it over 12 months. I thought the thumping heartbeat was a part of the virus and that it would go when I recovered.
I was very ill with the virus (I'm not great at going to the doctor's and kept saying I'll give it a few more days) then had to ring 111 one weekend because I had taken a turn for the worst. I thought I'd get an emergency doctor appointment for antibiotics but they sent an ambulance. The paramedics took ECGs, told me I was lucky they had come and took me to hospital and I had some tests for a heart attack, but I hadn't had one and they sent me home - with the antibiotics I'd rung up for.
I got better from the virus but the thumping heartbeat continued 24/7 and to be honest I was used to it by then but I kept thinking it would go.
After a couple of weeks I went to the doctor's and they contacted cardiology and there we are.
I had constant bigeminy at the time with other weird beats thrown in but I can't remember the names of everything and I don't try to, I just focus on being well. My cardiologist said it could have been caused by covid or the virus ( staphylococcal aureus) but he can't be sure.
He wanted to get it under control in case the excessive work my heart was doing caused damage to it in the long-term, but it was strong and healthy at the time.
The arrhythmia is improving and I'm having another 24 hour ECG after Christmas and another echo to check my heart is still fine.
My cardiologist is really helpful and supportive, he knows I'm doing my best to look after myself re diet and exercise etc and he says we are working together to sort it out.
At the start my GP suggested getting a Kardia to record short ECGs at home. I got one and started using it but decided there was no point because every recording looked like a toddler had scribbled on it, my heartbeat was so all over the place!
But it's handy for taking a few recordings to email to my cardiologist if I have any concerns, and before an appointment so he has a picture of what's going on and he says it's helpful.
I hope Bisoprolol works for you, it seems to work for a lot of people. And if you don't feel like it's helping get in touch with your cardiologist and let him/her know.
Thank you you sound very much like me during COVID I have pulistile tinnitus very badly I put it down to hearing condition that I have , anyway I recovered from COVID but then weeks ago out the blue I noticed my heart thumping and it hasn't stopped since my cardiologist said he thinks from COVID because he seen this a lot now It's not very nice, it's very uncomfortable I noticed it more when I'm sitting or lying down
It can feel very distressing, but I'm trying to be positive that I'll get it under control one day or that it will just disappear quickly has it come!
I'm sorry you had to go through all that, but we have good news that our hearts are actually fine! It's just electrically they need tweaking a little.
Thanks for sharing your story with me, I'm glad your finding the meds help you
I have a kardia , I take a few readings for my cardiologist, I've no idea what it all means looks like scribble.
Take care of yourself happy holidays and if you need to chat I'm around
Being off the meds is my goal. I've never had to take meds long term before and I really don't like it. My cardiologist knows that.
My GP told me they are still learning about the effects of covid and realising that it has created many more long term health problems than first thought.
It isn't nice at all but I try to ignore it as much as possible. I just think of it like this: I have a healthy heart, I have a cardiologist who is approachable if I'm concerned and who is on the ball, and I am looking after myself to stay as healthy as possible and hopefully get back to normal.
You sound to be very similar. Thanks for the invitation to chat if needed, please feel like you can do the same. It's good to know you're not alone.
Happy holidays to you too, here's to a better new year! 🥰
Yes , it's good to keep reminding yourself that it's nothing serious even though very uncomfortable
And that our hearts are indeed healthy and I do think over time they will settle back down again to our normal but untill then we have to try the meds unfortunately !
I am very much the same has you I don't like taking meds if can help it , but this is very uncomfortable and I feel we need them just untill we're back running normal again then we can stop them
Help! I'm new, have extensive cardiac and other problems. Had covid in October and now have very peculiar drops in heart rate, pulsatile tinnitus and occasionally very high bp. I can't tolerate beta blockers and shouldn't have them anyway because of asthma. What brought me to reply to you was the mentio of a Kardia, just had 24hr bp and ecg & waiting for review. Is Ksrdia appropriate for me?
I can't really answer your question, I have only my own experience to go on. I found it a bit unhelpful to begin with because I was using it almost all the time and I think it would be easy to go down the road of becoming obsessed with your heart rather than getting on with your life.
When I joined Health Unlocked I didn't realise there were groups for almost every ailment imaginable and I joined the AFib forum without knowing what AFib was, I read a few posts and they sounded similar to me so I thought I was in the right place.
My GP suggested I get a Kardia and a lot of people in the AFib forum use them and recommended them so I got a six lead.
To start with I was using it too often. My arrhythmia is bigeminy with a few other things thrown in, and because it was constant I was using the Kardia many times a day and worrying about what I saw. I don't know how to read an ECG but it was obviously all over the shop.
So I decided to leave it in the drawer and I only use it every three hours for a couple of days before an appointment with my cardiologist and I show him the readings so he can get a picture of how I'm doing. Sometimes it's a telephone appointment and I email them to him beforehand.
So I find it helpful for that and so does my cardiologist.
Everyone is different though and I know some in the AFib forum love to keep a constant check on their heart and others are like myself.
As for the beta blockers, there are alternatives. I take a calcium channel blocker, Diltiazem, and it suits me much better than Bisoprolol.
It's a bit of a minefield when it's all new to you but try not to worry and keep positive ☺️.
Good morning! Glad to hear your appointment went well. Your cardiologist sounds lovely. 😊. OK I was on 2.5mg of Bisoprolol in March in A&E and it brought my heart rate down from 200 within a few hours to 100. Over the next few weeks it came down to low 60's and after about 6 weeks settled between 48 to 52. However, I felt so tired on it and it reacted against an auto immune condition I have. Taken off it for 9 weeks but then resumed as nothing else brought my HR down well enough. However, only on 1.25mg now which I tolerate much better and I split that dose morning and evening. My HR now sits 58-68 which for me personally is better and I feel less tired.
Everyone is different and some are great on it and others not...it's a case of trying it out. It may take a while for you to feel full benefit and tweaking it to do what suits you best with your GP's input though! Some people I know on my FB group take it at night and others in the morning whilst others like me split the dose. It's one of the better beta blockers for AF as it has a cardio element. Good luck, and any worries or concerns pop in and ask...theres always someone up and about. Take care 😘
Hello I’ve been on Bisoprolol for about four years and my pharmacist cuts them in half for me when they are prescribed.I certainly couldn’t do it myself as the tend to crumble and then would not get the correct dosage.Worth a try to ask at the chemist before you pick them up,
Such a lovely reply helpful and supportive comment thank you I'm sorry I'm very late to reply but here I am! How do you manage to cut them there so tiny , I actually thought if cutting it in half at first has was scared to take the full one, but I popped it last night and have taken another one I've not felt any improvement yet which is stressful it itself
You said it might take a while to feel the full effect, so do you think it's to early to think in my gosh this isn't going to work? Because this is what I'm already thinking 😂
Im glad it helped you, I'm so sorry about your struggles and I'm so grateful that you took time to respond to mine
You're very welcome. I went to a FB support group for advice during my early stages...it's so reassuring to know there's always someone around when you're feeling vulnerable or uncertain. I still ask for help periodically and would ask there or here before speaking to my GP.
I bought a pill cutter on ebay or Amazon...can't recall where now, very cheap...very sharp blades so you do need to be careful especially if you're on anticoagulants! It's a transparent box which you push the pills into a trough and close the lid and as you do that, it cuts them clean through. I even manage to cut another of my tablets into quarters with it. You could use a tweezers to get the pill in and out as that may be easier.
As you are new to all this though, please consult your GP or a pharmacist before splitting the dose, make sure they're ok about it.
Thank you so much for the lengthy reply I really am grateful Really nice of you,
I'll speak to my cardiologist and if he says yes I think I'd like to cut it up and take half morning half night it might help having a steady dose all day then, but still remaining on the low dose I was given.
I'll order a pill cutter anyway has will come in handy I usually try my best with a knife and it doesn't go well 😂
Thank you again for the tips and advise and help and recommendation for the pill cutter
I think you suffer from a number of things and being over anxious will only make them worse. Bisoprolol will affect some people but for most it is very successful in reducing the ectopics you have.
You also may have pulsatile tinnitus where you can hear your heart beating. This is quite common and may be hearing connected or may have other causes. If your doctor is not worried about it being related to any serious heart condition then try to learn to live with it and it may go away as a result of lifestyle changes or medication.
It might be worth keeping a detailed health diary for the next 3 weeks whereby you might find out cause and effect for your ectopics. Caffeine is a known factor, as is strong cheese and alcohol. Being overweight and not getting enough exercise are other factors. Often a stiff walk will reduce the ectopics-assuming you haven't been told not to have any exercise.
There is some evidence that other factors may come into play, from pollution to electro magnetic waves to cleaning fluids to stressful relationships. So have you moved, changed your diet, moved your server, changed your cleaning, had an argument?
Its good that your cardiologist seems on the ball and if you can help them by a health diary that might pinpoint the source of your problems you will be proactive and on the way to better health
I’ve been taking 1.5gm of Bisoprolol for 2yrs+ after HA in Oct 22 and I get the occasional runny nose and cold hands/feet. It keeps my heart rate to 53-58 bpm and no real issues apart from those minor mentioned.
Firstly, you need to stop apologising for spelling errors....we are here to support each other not to criticise grammar or simple keyboard errors 🙂. Bisoprolol has a varied reaction for people and I think the best thing is to try it first but there are alternatives if it's not the one for you. As in other replies, I think your anxiety is making things worse for you and after having a positive visit with your cardiologist, with a follow up relatively quickly, it dsnt sound as though there is too much for you to be worrying about with regard to your heart and some people on the forum would love to have such positive results. Try the bisoprolol but also try not to worry about side effects. You have been out on a low dose so hopefully you won't get anything other than a more quiet heartbeat. Good luck and take care xx
😂 😂 no worries thanks for giving me a giggle 🤣 I'll try to not apologise ever again for my spelling mistakes and if I do you can tell me off!
Thanks for the reply it's most welcome, and yes it was a positive response from my cardiologist your right thank you for reminding me 🙏
I think my anxiety is due to the fact that I have a few health conditions that have never been able to be sorted out and I suffer most terribly with them , not heart related but still very very destressing for me so I think in my head I am worried that maybe this some thing else I'll have to deal with ontop of my other symptoms which are 24 7
But I have taken the meds and hoping for good results and I'll be reviewed soon.
I'm hoping your okay today? And thanks for getting in touch with me again,
It's nice to be able to support people. I had lots of that from people on the forum when I was poorly waiting for surgery and after and I've always been so appreciative. If you can help someone feel less anxious about something, alleviate fears and make them smile it's a good feeling and a job done. Try to relax your mind and enjoy Christmas. Xx
Such a kind person you are thank you so much ! the world needs more people like you in it I'm sorry you have your own struggles and can only thankfully you for responding to mine
To be fair I'm generally feeling good now on a daily basis and try not to think about the negatives or how poorly I was....just trying to enjoy things. Cheers and take care x
Hi. Is it AF you have? It sounds like that and there is an AF forum which l use and is very helpful, I was started on 1.25 mg of Bisoprolol when l was first diagnosed together with an anticoagulant, I didn’t get along with the side effects, so l use it as a pip which works very well, With all the tests coming back good, you will be ok once you have stabalised and into a routine. Everything in moderation. One of the main culprits is artificial sweeteners so stay clear of them. If you go to the main page there is lots of information so read, read and more read. It should help with anxiety. Best of luck.
He didn't say I had af he just said that my heart monitor showed many missed beats. And obviously I'm feeling my heart rate all the time and it's so so uncomfortable I've started the meds anyway and I'm hoping to get relief soon we'll see I guess time will tell.
Thanks for advise I appreciate it
Thanks for the tip about artificial sweeteners , I do keep things within moderation well I think I do anyway. It's hard to know what to do for the best sometimes because you think your doing everything right then it backfires and you think how I was so healthy living
hi Amy, that’s great news.👍 Iv been taking bisoprolol for years and years and it does calm things down but can sometimes make you feel tired until you get used to it, having said that I’m on 10mg daily plus an extra 1.25 if needed.!!! but m sure it will help you.👍
Thanks for getting in touch , I have take one yesterday and one today so far but haven't felt any improvement yet which is stressing me now 😂 Hope your feeling okay
I too started on a small dose Amy so don’t be too disappointed yet.! They can take a little while to start working. But you’re GP / cardiologist can always increase the dosage until you start seeing a difference 👍
I just been prescribed Bisoprolol last week. Started off on 1.25 mgs which was quickly upped to 3.75 mgs. It’s bought my heart rate down and the only side effect I have noticed so far is a feeling f nausea and c lightheadedness. I’ve been told Bisoprolol can take four to six weeks to take full effect, Although it’s bought my HR down I’m still in continuous AFib. But it may not be the Bisoprolol that’s causing my problems and it could quite easily be the Atrial Fibrillation that it causing it. But, whatever, the Bisoprolol has bought my heart rate down and that is what matters.
I've taken 2 so far and haven't noticed any improvement maybe it's to early if you say it can take that long to show true effect. I'm hoping it starts working and eases my symptoms soon,
Glad it has brought your heart rate down.p, sorry about your feelings if sickness and lightheadedness that is not very nice, hopefully that settles for you
I felt a bit tired and lethargic and put it down to the drug but it could be something else. I now take it before I go to bed rather than in the morning. There can be side effects but I am told it's an excellent drug for heart related problems.
You say the Bisoprolol dose is small I've been taking 5mg everyday for the last 4years +. Your consultant sounds like a caring top man/woman. If you were to have any issues then you can sort it out. It's not going to kill you.
I was prescribed Bisoprolol 3 years ago. They kept reducing the dose without any relief from the side effects. I also was diagnosed with BPPV around the same time and began seeing a very experienced physio for exercises. Because her vast experience she said the dizzyness was being caused by Bisoprolol. After passing out the bisoprolol was stopped, hey presto no more dizzyness
It’s very difficult to be sure about cause and effect with medical conditions as everyone is different and there may be several different things going on at the same time. I felt very weak and dizzy when I started taking Bisoprolol at a low dose 3 years ago but I have gradually improved by continuing to take plenty of exercise but not overdoing it and stopping if I feel tired or dizzy. Walking on the flat is much easier than hill climbing!
I have been diagnosed with SVT and I didn't have any symptoms whatsoever but my consultant who i also work for said mine is benign innocent and he then sent me for an echocardiogram and when I got there word must have got round that I was currently an inpatient because some of my work colleagues were all there lovely surprise
This was on 17th October this year so I am getting used to taking Verapamil 3 times daily and will see him in February next year
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Could I Be Sensitive to Bisoprolol, Even at HALF the Dose?
How do you deal with it?
Update 
Update 
Max Heart Rate for Exercise on 1.25mg of Bisoprolol
