I had a heart attack 4 years ago 5 stents done diagnosed with coronary heart disease and put on medications... On Tuesday night the 15th April my heart rate went through roof for first time ever.
My BP as stayed over 200 systolic and distolic over 110 since then and higher .... I was put on edu ward until 17th then sent home by some Dr in same state ... No one looked at my heart He told me to stop bysoprol right away my beta blocker of 4 years...and start on 40 mg of verapamil twice a day... I'm in a terrible state now
My heart is worse still hitting over and 100 resting and BP is through the roof still around 210/116 I'm unable to lower I feel very hot flushed and sick to stomach very lightheaded.
I think if I have to stay this way any longer I will die and am aware you should not stop a medication because it can do severe damage.... I do not know why they did not send me straight to cardiology ward please help
If I go back to hospital it will take nearly 15 hours just to get into same boat again.
I'm waiting for Tuesday after Easter to see my GP.. I know this is because of something now going wrong with my heart but an ECG will not show up a blocked artery.., my question is I'm quite desperate now... He told me to stop bysoprol right away my beta blocker of 4 years...and start on 40 mg of verapamil twice a day... I'm in a terrible state now and just found out online it should not be taken with simvastatin which I now stopped ... So as it stands I've taken 3 of these 40 mg of verapamil can I stop taking them and go back on my usual regime of meds or will I get even worse heart problems.. I need to know because my gut is telling me that ???????? I've been ok on my usual dose of 5 mg rempril twice a day 1.25 mg bysoprol 75 g asprin but this Tuesday like I said I had a very weird rapid fast heart beat and it took me to hospital landing me in the mess I'm in now. So is it ok to stop verapamil that I've only had 3 x 40 g over two days now and go back on the meds I've been on for 4 years ????? I can't wait until go after Easter I've been in crisis now since last Tuesday and hospital sent me home !!!!!!!!
Written by
bearbear5662
To view profiles and participate in discussions please or .
Sorry to hear you're in a state, it sounds very unpleasant.
Can you ring 111? Or the BHF nurses?
15 hour wait in A&E sounds like a better option than waiting for Tuesday.
A&E should take your blood pressure as a minimum and that should raise alarm bells. If they don't you should ask 'does that look normal to you?' NHS website says those numbers are very serious so the hospital shouldn't ignore them.
This is where I'm out of my knowledge area but you ask whether blockages would show up on an ECG. The blockages themselves, if there are any, wouldn't show up, but consequences or knock-on effects might. An ECG is always a good quick test to have done, which I would expect the hospital to do.
I did all that and no one did anything but ecg monitored me then sent home with rubbish tablet that's made me worse no way I'm going back again sorry thanks for help but theres no way I'm doing it again they just monitor you and try dif drugs then sent home it makes a person worse
sorry to hear your going through such a horrible time . I know you’re reluctant to , but I think you should go back to an and e . I don’t think any of us can advise on stopping or starting medications as we are not qualified . You could give BHF nurse a call , they are normally pretty good . I hope you manage to get it sorted x
I am sorry you are going through this. I have experience of being seen at one A & E who sent me home, then going to another where a correct diagnosis was made and a stent installed. If I were you I would get someone to take you to a different A & E today. Good luck.
You were told to stop the beta-blocker (bisoprolol) straight away and take a calcium channel blocker (verapamil) in its place presumably with your existing prescription of ramipril (an ACEI). Although you were only on a low dose of bisoprolol, I wonder if part of the problem is "beta-blocker withdrawal syndrome" which can cause agitation, rapid heart rate, and elevated blood pressure. It might be worthwhile to taper the bisoprolol while taking verapamil as prescribed but I am NOT a doctor or pharmacist and as others have said, in the absence of anything else today, do at least ring 111
please Stop. Sit down and relax meditate, look at photos, paint or draw just for half an hour ….. I had A&E send me home only to have a heart attack a couple of weeks later. If you go back to A&E you probably won’t see the same doctor…. If you go to A&E you may wait 15 hours but you will be in a controlled ( but hectic) medically monitored environment …. If you wait until Tuesday 99% of GP practices will say with those symptoms go straight to A&E. Where you will wait 15 hours PLUS the amount of hours between now and then not forgetting you will probably wait several hours to see your GP….. even if you can get in …. I was blue lighted to hospital twice post operatively, over the space of 5 weeks, only to find the prescribed meds were causing the ‘issues’….. alas medicine is a science and not an exact one they are chefs trying different ingredients to achieve the best results … you can go the 111 route or talk to the lovely BHF nurses, however, at the end of the day a fully equipped hospital with an army (albeit not enough) staff. Is by far and without question the ‘right’ place to be. I wish you well
Hi there. Sorry to hear about your troubles you are having, I am a retired Ambulance Officer from NZ. Your BP reading needs a 111 call it is dangerously high, it is standard practice with a patient to come into A&E to triage you and one of the baselines is checking the BP. Don't change back to original meds unless you have been given medical advice to do so. You have been on a Beta blocker for four years and verapamil is a Calcium channel blocker so there might be a lag period for the CCB to start working. However don't wait to be seen a BP this high is no good for the brain or your heart.
I think you need to speak to someone today to try to set your mind at rest.I can't answer about switching meds, and in my experience a pharmacist will not alter what a doctor has said.
Also in my experience, I've been to hospital, both for minor procedures and in A&E, with a BP of, for example, 210/112, and nothing was ever done.
I think your best bet woukd be to go back to A&E, chances are it will be different staff on. You will get at least a basic check over, BP, ECG and blood tests including troponin, and they can change your medication.
I know this sounds glib. But it sounds like your having panic attacks. I had exactly same symptoms some year ago. Panic attacks came out of nowhere. It lasted for 6 months until I overcame the triggers. I would get to the GP ASAP or back to A&E to at least rule out any heart related issues.
I do know that veraprimil can take a few weeks to really work.But yes I’d be concerned at blood pressure that high but don’t be stressed by as it will go higher through panic and anxiety.
I would get to your gp asap and get refereed to cardiologist or go back to emergency and ask them to do the proper testing and sort it out
I'm really sorry you're going through this—it sounds absolutely terrifying, especially given your heart history and the sudden change in meds.
You’re right to be concerned. Abruptly stopping beta blockers like bisoprolol after taking them for years can cause serious rebound effects—rapid heart rate, dangerously high blood pressure, and even chest pain or arrhythmia. That sounds exactly like what you're experiencing.
Verapamil works differently and isn't a direct replacement for a beta blocker, especially in someone with coronary artery disease. And you're right again—Verapamil and Simvastatin can interact badly. This switch should have been done slowly and under close monitoring.
The symptoms you're describing—resting heart rate over 100, BP around 210/116, flushed, lightheaded, feeling sick—are serious. They point to your heart being under major stress.
Please don’t wait until Tuesday if things stay this bad. I know the hospital wait is awful, but your life is far more important.
If your blood pressure is over 200/100 and you’re having difficulty breathing, or any pain call an ambulance. They should blue-light you. This happened to me a couple of months ago, and they had to give me 5 sprays of GTN and morphine just to bring my BP down. I ended up at Barts, and they found a couple of narrowed arteries that needed ballooning. If I hadn’t gone in when I did, I honestly don’t know what would’ve happened.
Please don’t try to change your meds back on your own right now—it needs medical supervision. But do push to be seen urgently, ideally by cardiology, not just A&E.
You're not alone, and you're not overreacting. Your body is telling you something is wrong—and you're smart to listen.
Sending you strength and support. Let us know how you get on.
What you describe happened to me. Although you probably won't want to admit it, what is happening is that you are probably having a panic attack. Not a pleasant description of the situation and, like me, you may not feel you are panicking, but the sub-consious mind is a powerful thing. We can be alright on the surface and in uncontrollable turmoil inside. My situation was that simply being reminded that I needed to do a job for my son tipped me over the edge... basically adding stress to an already stressful life.
I would certainly get back to A and E. You will hopefully be dealt with quicker on a second admission. I was given GTN spray and morphine and a double dose of my usually blood pressure medication as my heart rate was 200/110. I spent a week on the cardiology ward where I had another attack, but slowly they got me sorted out.
Breathing exercises helped me relax and I now practice them at some point during the day. If you can determine what triggered your sudden blood pressure rise, then you can work on dealing with it mentally.
With my very best wishes and hope that you get help quickly.
Thanks mate but your way off I have been on same meds for 4 years no problems HR as been 65 no been 109/69 no problems.. I was sat watching TV happy with my wife on 15th April my birthday.. and out of nowhere heart 120 BP 130/120 rang ambulance.. went through the now 14 hour assessment given blood pressure tablets all sorts put on a ward for 2 days sky high heart rate sky eye BP.. seen a Dr he said ECG fine sent me home with just a channel blocker so wtf
Hi, really sorry you’re going through this—it sounds incredibly stressful. Just wanted to gently say that stopping a beta blocker like bisoprolol suddenly can cause high blood pressure and heart rate like you’re describing. Verapamil isn’t always a straight swap in people with stents, especially without close monitoring.
It might be worth going back to hospital or calling 111—even if the last visit was frustrating. Try to clearly explain that your BP and heart rate are very high, your meds were changed suddenly after 4 stable years, and that you have a history of coronary artery disease and 5 stents.
You can also ask if you can be seen by the Rapid Access Cardiology Team or the Emergency Medical Team, so you’re reviewed by people with heart expertise. hope you get the help you need and feel more stable soon.
Please go back to the meds you have been on for 4years. Try to check your diet. Something you ate could have triggered your heart rate to go very high.
Also check your blood sugar levels. Heart medication like betablockers modify how the heart functions and stopping them suddenly can be fatal.
Ive been in hospital 16 times since Jan 24 when I arrive at A&E I’m seen within 10-20 mins, I’m admitted when necessary to acute cardiac unit more recently than previous.
I have my hospitals apps on my phone any thing that goes onto the system I see immediately especially blood test results. I can go through understanding what’s what before the Drs see me. I do my homework use their terminology when I can. They respond in a like manner.
I’ve only had 2 not so good experiences but otherwise I can say I was well looked after.
Please speak to yours physicians personal recommendations are not always good as we are all different. What works for one may be a disaster for another.
Remember that anxiety and stress will put your BP up massively. You need to ring 111 urgently. They will probably send out an ambulance and the paramedics will do an ECG. If they are worried they will take you to A&E but you w ill get seen far faster. If they feel it can wait, they will say so.
Hi bearbear5662. I am so sorry to hear what you have gone through despite being under care of the medics. Your current level of BP is unacceptable and must be stabilised by alternative medication but of course without any side effects. In my opinion the dose of Verapamil is high However it must not be stopped abruptly. It must be gradually weaned off gradually and increase the dose of Bisoprolol which is a very effective for BP control because the risk t of stroke is there if BP is not controlled. By the way did you experience any other side effects of Verapamil like retention of fluid causing swelling of legs? If you are attending A&E centre try to avoid week ends and and Monday especially in the evenings and instead attend on the morning of week days and that way , you can avoid the rush. Hope this small advice helps. Regards.
Content on HealthUnlocked does not replace the relationship between you and doctors or other healthcare professionals nor the advice you receive from them.
Never delay seeking advice or dialling emergency services because of something that you have read on HealthUnlocked.
Beta blockers and leg pain
How low is too low - Resting heart rate.
Max Heart Rate for Exercise on 1.25mg of Bisoprolol
Another hospital admission
effectively exercising at altitude?
