Beta blockers

[Drowsyserpent]

My doctor has just started me on 2.5 mg of bisopronolol and I’m on 175 mcg of thyroxine, just wondering if anyone knows if this is ok I read on the leaflet that you have to be careful taking this medicine if you have a thyroid problem. Thank you

[humanbean]

Why have you been prescribed beta blockers?

[Drowsyserpent in reply to humanbean]

Blood pressure

[SeasideSusie Remembering]

Gettingbettersoon

I take 1.25mg Bisoprolol. I take it about 3-4 hours away from my thyroid meds. I've had no problems and the Bisoprolol is doing it's job.

The patient information leaflet says talk to your doctor if you have a thyroid disorder. Presumably the doctor who prescribed your Bisoprolol is aware that you are on Levothyroxine and will have taken this into account.

It's known that Propranolol is often used when Graves disease is present, and the PIL for Propranolol says it can decrease conversion of T4 to T3 but this is not mentioned in the PIL for Bisoprolol. It would appear that Bisoprolol is seen to be a better choice for those taking Levo. I have had thyroid tests since starting Bisoprolol and nothing has changed.

[Drowsyserpent in reply to SeasideSusie]

Thank you so much you’ve put my mind at rest 😀

[shaws Administrator]

I've taken bisoprolol 2.5 mg for several years as levothyroxine caused severe palpitations and cardiologist couldn't figure out why,. It reduced the palpitations.

I take T3 only now so don't need to take bisprolol so often - I only take it if I need to..

[Drowsyserpent in reply to shaws]

That’s good, I get palpitations quite bad especially at night in bed it’s quite frightening. Just hope these do the trick I’ve tried several blood pressure tablets and have had bad side effects with them.

[shaws Administrator in reply to Drowsyserpent]

We'll cross fingers that your symptoms resolve.

[HashisKate in reply to shaws]

Hi Shaws sorry to jump on this reply. I’ve been posting due to severe palpitations. Not caused by Levo, unknown cause so far, but I am having near constant ectopic beats and it’s awful. I was given propanalol but I hated it because it made my resting heart rate 52. (My usual resting heart rate is 61.) Does bisoprolol do the same thing? I’m in a terrible limbo waiting for a appmt at cardiology, which could be months. Would appreciate your reply. Thanks

[shaws Administrator in reply to HashisKate]

First, I'm very sorry you are having awful symptoms.

For me it was caused by levothyroxine and the reason I know this is because I had umpteen overnight heart monitors for severe palpitations and the cardiologst couldn't figure out why this was happening and was contemplating putting an implant in my heart 'to see what was going on' and he prescribed bisopropol

During the night palpitations were at their most severe and the only way I could relieve them somewhat was to wrap around my neck an ice-cold towel I kept in the freezer and I sipped ice-cold water.

Fortunately for me the Endocrinologist added T3 to my T4 and palpitations reduced a lot and I then stopped T4 altogether and the palpitations resolved. I have had no palpitations since and didn't need an implant in my heart.

My experience may not be identical to others but if you can get a doctor to trial a T3/T4 combination it might work and you then may be given T3 and T4 on a prescription.

[HashisKate in reply to shaws]

Im certainly going to mention it as I know that I’m a poor converter and my T3 is probably low - so that’s really helpful thank you. I’m going to suggest the reason to the cardiologist I see, hoping that they could somehow pull some weight with an Endo (I’ve never seen one). It feels like such a huge mess at the moment. I’m despairing of it all & finding it hard to access help via GP and usual channels. I’m lying in bed now whilst my heart thuds erratically and uncomfortably away. My chest is so sore with it too, like the feeling of the beginning of a chest cold that doesn’t come.

Thanks for your detailed reply, it’s actually added fuel to some suspicions I already had.

So glad you resolved them. They’re awful,

[shaws Administrator in reply to HashisKate]

T3 was magical for me and when I took it alone I had no need for a cardiologist any more as I was symptom-free (palpitation-free).

[HashisKate in reply to shaws]

I hope I can achieve that one way or another 🤞🏻

[shaws Administrator in reply to HashisKate]

I hope so too and as levo is the standard prescription I doubt many doctors are aware that it can also cause symptoms in some patients.

[AnotherEarlyRiser]

I take my levo & T3 first thing on waking, then my (5!) heart tablets inc. 2.5mg bisoprolol an hour later, after breakfast. Touch wood, no problems so far.

It makes empty-stomach hypo blood tests a nuisance, though!

[Drowsyserpent in reply to AnotherEarlyRiser]

Oh that’s good, I hate all the side effects of tablets just hope I don’t get any too bad.

[Drowsyserpent]

Yes I think I need to get a blood pressure kit to take my blood pressure myself. I hate taking any tablets they all have some side effects.

[humanbean]

I am prescribed 2.5mg bisoprolol. I started off taking them every day but found they reduced my heart rate and blood pressure so much that I could barely walk to my closest bus stop up a small hill, whereas previously I hadn't had a problem.

My solution was to cut my tablets in half and only take a half when my heart was going too fast. (I was prescribed the BBs when I had problems with a very fast heart rate of 150.) I've been taking BBs for about 8 years now, and have gradually increased my dose to take a full tablet but still only when necessary.

[Drowsyserpent in reply to humanbean]

I hate taking tablets because of the side effects, I won’t even take a pain killer if I can help it.

[shaws Administrator in reply to Drowsyserpent]

If a pill can reduce the palpitations it might settle your whole body and make you feel better. It's amazing when your heart seems out of control that a trial of a betablocker may resolve them

[shaws Administrator in reply to Drowsyserpent]

As my palpitations were only during the night, I took the tablets on going to bed.

[Drowsyserpent]

Oh dear, I hate taking tablets I won’t even take a pain killer if I can help it. Tablets have so many side effects it’s awful.