New man off metoprolol

RalphVa · May 30, 2016

I FEEL GREAT!

Got my heart doctor to take me off metoprolol. Feel great for first time in 3 1/2 years ago when I was diagnosed with afib and put on it.

From the start, the **** stuff made me weaker and fatigued. My wife noticed the difference right away when put on carvedilol (at MUCH lower dose) a week ago Friday night. I'm back getting up at 4 o'clockish like I did for 31 years while working, after going to bed @ 10.

What got me to ask to be off it was the worsening numbness in my feet. It got to where I was having back firing of nerve, commonly called "diabetic nerve pain". I was using capsaicin cream to combat that after the nerve doctor wanted to put me on gabbapentil (no siree after reading side effects for that).

Now, I can actually close my eyes while standing and not start to fall. Feeling is back in my feet and getting better every day.

I've had mucho troubles with meds. No lisinipril, makes me cough. No Lasix, makes my abdomen bloat. And a bunch of others.

I think the metoprolol actually made my afib worse. I went from only getting afib after caffeinated coffee to having it most of the time. I just thought the afib had progressed and made me feel worse. None. Think it was the metroprolol.

You're supposed to cause no harm, docs. It's the oath you take.

Ralph

Ed of all trades · May 30, 2016

Just read a report that states doctors are the THIRD leading cause of death in the US and then says the numbers are really higher than what is stated. That was not counting people like you that were worse because of the doctors treatment. Ed

Glocker · May 30, 2016

I also just came off metoprolol and am much better. I went back to Lisinopril ( I do cough ) and my energy level has gone up dramatically.

JimRB · May 30, 2016

My Mom was complaining about her heart medications. She weened herself because she was having significant joint pain (on top of existing artheritis). She feels much better without and quality of life is much better than the tiny risk. Often enough medicines are prescribed that do more harm with side affects than the original condition. I saw a doctor look up side affects for a medicine my Dad was taking. Excruciating leg cramps. That effect was not listed. Pains went away when the medicine went away. Good that you found a cure for what ails you!

Welshman · May 30, 2016

What dosage were you on, Ralph?

RalphVa · May 30, 2016

Fatigue and weakness started 3 1/2 years ago when the doctor put me on 12.5 mg twice/day. Over time, they got me up to 37.5 mg twice/day (Toprol XL, a succinate). The numbness in the legs seemed to start above 25 mg.

What keyed me in that metoprolol was causing the leg numbness was my wife got Reynaud's syndrome on timolol eye drops. It went away when she stopped the drops. She actually searched online and found the neuropathy to be a side effect of metoprolol.

I should have complained about the fatigue and weakness from the beginning, but I just thought that I'd suddenly gotten very sick. I went from only having afib when drinking caffeinated coffee to afib most of the time. The **** stuff probably weakened my heart, and the body responded by giving extra signals to beat more.

Why don't the doctors sit down and go over any possible side effects with you after your being on the stuff for a little while. Instead, you have to complain, and complain loudly for them to do something. It was almost literally like moving mountains for me to get off Lasix. I kept telling them that it hurt, and I hated to take it. One nurse actually told me there was nothing else. I finally just quit and went to the ER. The ER doctor there put me on Bumex, a MUCH better med than Lasix.

Ralph

Bird · May 30, 2016

I just feel very tired most of the time, and I've suspected some of the many medications the doctors have me on since the bypass surgery in February. I've been taking a 50mg tablet of Metoprolol twice a day. Thursday, the cardiologist changed it to 25mg twice a day, and I strongly suspect that's still too much.

buckeyefarmer · May 30, 2016

Humm, i take it. I have wondered about it. Since i started taking meds for afib, i seem to get them more.

gwstang · May 30, 2016

Glocker said:
I also just came off metoprolol and am much better. I went back to Lisinopril ( I do cough ) and my energy level has gone up dramatically.

I take lisinopril and did not know that is what is causing my coughing. Learned something new this week for sure. Anyone know why it causes the coughing fit?

Creamer · May 30, 2016

I am not sure why Lisinopril causes coughing but it sure did for me. I switched to Metroprolol but only 12.5 mg twice a day. I'm not having the side effects you guys are talking about.

mark02tj · May 31, 2016

My doctor put my on Lisinopril about 8 years ago. About 2 weeks after being put on it, I was on the phone with my mother (both parents have high BP) and was coughing. Out of the blue, Mom says "Your doctor didn't prescribe Lisinopril for you, did he?" LOL! Gotta love moms!!

The reason I was initially put on Lisinopril was the cost. At the time, it was one of the "$4 drugs" and the doc said the insurance company wanted to try the cheap stuff first. He then put me on Cozaar (Losartan Potassium) which, at the time, was $90 per month. No more coughing and my BP stays pretty constant. About a year after being on it, some generics for Cozaar were released so the price dropped a bit. Being on a high-deductible plan I called around for the "cash price" on the drug. Found a locally owned pharmacy where I'm getting 90 pills for $35 cash - or I can go through the insurance company and get 30 pills for $20. I opt for the 90.

My 82 year old dad is on Metroprolol 12.5mg twice a day along with 10mg of Cozaar (I'm on 100mg). The cardiologist put him on the Metroprolol to stop his PVCs. I might talk to his new doc about taking him off of it.

2LaneCruzer · May 31, 2016

My Cardiologist has me on 50mg Metroprolol twice daily, also take a statin and another drug, Propaphenone. My problem is not afib, but Atrial tach. Don't know if it's the drugs, or just age, but I've contracted TB (that's tired butt), achy breaky joints, a beer belly and smoker's cough...

GLyford · May 31, 2016

Thanks for this, I was switched from Tartarate to Succiante and have been absolutely dragging since. Now I have questions for my Doc...

jlgurr · May 31, 2016

My wife is taking metoprolol for migraines and she talks of being tired almost daily. Her dose is 50mg.

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RalphVa · May 31, 2016

Ask him about putting you on carvedilol, Bird. My problems started with a (some doctors call it a baby dose) dose of 12.5 mg of metoprolol. You probably only need 3 1/4 or 6 1/2 mg of carvedilol twice/day.

The got me up to 250 mg/day while I was in hospital with CHF. An old fashioned heart doctor was in charge. That is a normal dosage for a male my size (180 #). I had ALL SORTS of side effects from that! Finally just stopped it and went to the ER. They literally almost killed me.

Ralph

RalphVa · May 31, 2016

Found a web site that I cannot seem to find again where a doctor listed 4 meds that should never be given. Lisinipril was 1st on the list. The site said that it causes accumulation of some sort of chemical that can only be shed by coughing. Next on that list was Toprol XL, which is exactly what I was on.

Ralph

RalphVa · May 31, 2016

Metoprolol is not a replacement for lisinipril. Losartin is. That's what I'm on in addition to carvedilol. The losartan is a tiny dose, about 20 or 25 mg/day.

Ralph

RalphVa · May 31, 2016

I was dragging initially on the 12.5 mg of metoprolol tartrate. Switched to the succinate (Toprol XL) somewhere along the line. Still with fatigue and weakness plus other side effects.

Ralph

gwstang · May 31, 2016

"The cough is due to a buildup of bradykinin (which builds up because the ace inhibitor blocks the ace enzyme, which breaks down bradykinin), an ARB would bypass that problem and just block the angiotensin receptor."

Also, "Bradykinin is a potent endothelium-dependent vasodilator, leading to a drop in blood pressure. It also causes contraction of non-vascular smooth muscle in the bronchus and gut, increases vascular permeability and is also involved in the mechanism of pain.[3] Bradykinin also causes natriuresis, contributing to the drop in blood pressure.

Bradykinin raises internal calcium levels in neocortical astrocytes causing them to release glutamate.[4]

Bradykinin is also thought to be the cause of the dry cough in some patients on angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor drugs. It is thought that bradykinin is converted to inactive metabolites by ACE, therefore inhibition of this enzyme leads to increased levels of bradykinin, which causes a dry cough via bronchoconstriction. This refractory cough is a common cause for stopping ACE inhibitor therapy, in which case angiotensin II receptor antagonists (ARBs) are the next line of treatment." Bradykinin - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

I did find this about what the coughing is from. I have taken lisinopril for years and have that dry coughing. I have almost passed out before from coughing so hard. It can be very bad. I've never smoked and don't drink at all. I am going to speak with my general physician the next time I go about this. Maybe something else would help without the side effects.