Stopping Carvedilol (Coreg): When will the effects wear off?

Posted by teatime @teatime, Apr 28, 2016

Hi everyone,

I am glad to be a part of this community. Please foregive the long post. I was wondering if anyone has had a hard time while being on and going off Carvedilol (Coreg).

I am an active 45 year old mom of a young child. I have always tried to eat healthily and keep in shape (I do yoga, pilates and, run about 5k 2x per week). My BP has always been pretty good, but since my 40´s it has gone up a bit (heredity factors play a role). My BP and heart rate also "spike" when I get stressed or anxious, but for the most part are pretty level during normal times. I do have anxious moments, but I would not say anxiety has been a major life problem. At my last check (Feb 2016), and after wearing a 24 hour BP monitor, my cardiologist suggested I start Carvedilol 6.25 1x per day (quite a low dose) for the spikes and to keep the heart from getting too excited. I agreed that maybe it was a good idea and started over two months ago. Other than stimulating rapid bowel movements, I did not notice any side effects at first. I would say about three to four weeks into taking the Carvedilol, I began not sleeping well. I also noticed my heart pounding, like a bass drum, slowly and steadily, at times. Then the heart pounding began to wake me up at night (it turns out my HR was down in the high 40s at night). Some nights I even felt my chest muscles vibrate, as if a phone on silence mode was on top of my chest. I started to notice this more and more and then I would have a few normal nights, so I figured I would just talk about this at my next cardio check (booked out in June). I also noticed I was getting more and more anxious. I wasn't too sure why little things were beginning to bother me. I thought it was hormones, PMS, whatever, and started looking for someone like a therapist to talk to.

The previous week was bad. I woke up from a few nightmares and I started to panic in bed, just woken up from sleep. I had three nights of waking up to panic attacks and body shakes. The experiences made me very nervous. At this point I started looking into the side effects of Carvedilol and I was seeing not only chest pounding, but in rare cases reported effects of nightmares, visual disturbances, tremors, anxiety. I also know one does not simply stop a beta blocker, so we talked about tapering down. I tapered down for four days, and then I got in to see another cardiologist on Monday and he said just stop immediately. The effects are rare, but they have been noted. Going off this medication has been frightening. I feel weak and shaky all the time, and I get sporadic periods of pounding and muscle tremors in my legs, anxiety and fuzzy vision. I frequently get so cold I begin to shake. Yesterday I went back to the clinic for an EKG (normal) and some blood tests (including thyroid) and everything was normal. I am just assuming this is my body reacting and readapting itself after being on beta blockers. It has only been five days, but I am wondering if anyone out there has had similar experiences. How long did it take you to feel normal again? I ran a 5k just two weekends ago and yesterday I could hardly take a walk. Thanks for listening.

Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Heart & Blood Health Support Group.

@shawn2018

Hi I have been on Coreg for over a year now. Seemed to work better with less side affects then metoprolol.but after about 4 months started getting dizziness and occasionally a very sharp pain under my right rib.Last 2 months dizziness has been almost constant. Switched to toprol xl and then generic coreg(Carvedilol).No change so per doc weaned off ALL meds.I was on low dose of lisinopril. But after 4 days my hands are shaky! So now I called doc and told him via voicemail I’m going bk on. Can’t take the shaking.havent heard bk as of 5 hrs ago but will let you know. Vicious cycle these drugs!,,

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Thanks, @eileena, for this piece of your diary. I'm sure @shawn2018 will appreciate it. As a long-time user of Carvedilol, permit me to add some advice from the Food and Drug Administration label for Carvedilol: "WARNING: Do not stop taking this medication without consulting your doctor. Some conditions may become worse . . .

"If your doctor decides you should no longer use this drug, he or she may direct you to gradually decrease your dose over 1 to 2 weeks . . . (and) temporarily limit physical activity."

My point is the importance of tightly coordinating this with your doctor.

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@shawn2018

Hi I have been on Coreg for over a year now. Seemed to work better with less side affects then metoprolol.but after about 4 months started getting dizziness and occasionally a very sharp pain under my right rib.Last 2 months dizziness has been almost constant. Switched to toprol xl and then generic coreg(Carvedilol).No change so per doc weaned off ALL meds.I was on low dose of lisinopril. But after 4 days my hands are shaky! So now I called doc and told him via voicemail I’m going bk on. Can’t take the shaking.havent heard bk as of 5 hrs ago but will let you know. Vicious cycle these drugs!,,

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I hope all is ok

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@strmalik

Hi everyone I have a question about Carvedilol I hope someone can help me with. I have taken a 3.125mg pill for about 2 weeks (maybe a little more) and I went out of town for Christmas and forgot the pills at home I was completely fine until the day after Christmas I had the worse anxiety attack i ever had right before going to bed. It was so horrible and it was not due to stress or anything so after reading some post it looks like not taking the pill has caused it. It has been almost a week since my real bad anxiety attack but between them I have had small ones and I can feel it just lingering around. Has anyone else had this happen? If so when will it stop I really thought I had to go to the hospital one night.

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@predictable ,
I wanted to let you know it is not really advisable to assume a person has NOT had consultation with her physician prior to weaning off a medication. It is in fact downright insulting.
A year prior to finally figuring out that MY body needed a far
more gradual withdrawal from this med than most who could get off this med in one to two weeks my doctor gave me his blessing and advised me to take the route you cited from the manufacturer. I made 2 different approaches, both after consulting with my doctor and BOTH times I was affected by migraines.
It was on some input by others that I took the path I took and tapered it off very slowly always alert to the possible recurrence of migraines.
My doctor was pleased and as
he said the tiny dose I was on should not have been as effective as it was
Now I’ve said all that to advise you NOT to assume YOU know everything about the situations of others here.
Thank you for your attempt at circumventing my own doctors advise. We are all different and our bodies react differently to medications. None of us is a standard model.

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@strmalik

Hi everyone I have a question about Carvedilol I hope someone can help me with. I have taken a 3.125mg pill for about 2 weeks (maybe a little more) and I went out of town for Christmas and forgot the pills at home I was completely fine until the day after Christmas I had the worse anxiety attack i ever had right before going to bed. It was so horrible and it was not due to stress or anything so after reading some post it looks like not taking the pill has caused it. It has been almost a week since my real bad anxiety attack but between them I have had small ones and I can feel it just lingering around. Has anyone else had this happen? If so when will it stop I really thought I had to go to the hospital one night.

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@eileena, my comments weren't aimed at you, and I made no assumptions about your situation, nor did I give you any advice -- especially advice about your doctor's treatment for you, because I don't make any judgments about that. In quoting from the Carvedilol label, I thought members who had followed the FDA-suggested path would be glad to have reassurance, and those who had not would find the FDA guidance helpful. Whenever you wish to engage in a street fight, perhaps you'll consider doing that with a private message rather than a public outburst.

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@strmalik

Hi everyone I have a question about Carvedilol I hope someone can help me with. I have taken a 3.125mg pill for about 2 weeks (maybe a little more) and I went out of town for Christmas and forgot the pills at home I was completely fine until the day after Christmas I had the worse anxiety attack i ever had right before going to bed. It was so horrible and it was not due to stress or anything so after reading some post it looks like not taking the pill has caused it. It has been almost a week since my real bad anxiety attack but between them I have had small ones and I can feel it just lingering around. Has anyone else had this happen? If so when will it stop I really thought I had to go to the hospital one night.

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If not aimed at me WHY did you direct your reply to my post? Perhaps you should you should take your own advise and reply privately to others you disagree with?
Also you specifically used my name in your post indicating YOU were picking a “Street fight” with someone who gave input.

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@strmalik

Hi everyone I have a question about Carvedilol I hope someone can help me with. I have taken a 3.125mg pill for about 2 weeks (maybe a little more) and I went out of town for Christmas and forgot the pills at home I was completely fine until the day after Christmas I had the worse anxiety attack i ever had right before going to bed. It was so horrible and it was not due to stress or anything so after reading some post it looks like not taking the pill has caused it. It has been almost a week since my real bad anxiety attack but between them I have had small ones and I can feel it just lingering around. Has anyone else had this happen? If so when will it stop I really thought I had to go to the hospital one night.

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In simplest terms, @eileena, my brief post intended to "add" some additional information to your post, for the benefit of another member. I did not "disagree" with you or your posting. That you took my posting as making you my target is unfortunate and a surprising assumption on your part. I had no intent of doing that and have never in the past felt that you needed any medical advice from me.

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I got off coreg for 5 days and tremor scared the hell out of me!! 2nd day bk on and shakes have gotten better. Just found out im borderline diabetic and beta blockers apparently block some symptoms of glucose spikes. Im working eith an endocrinologist so we’ll c what happens . I had been having dizzy spells for weeks (bad) so that’s y I wanted to stop beta blockers. My endocrinologist was surped that cardio never checked blood glucose

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@shawn2018

I got off coreg for 5 days and tremor scared the hell out of me!! 2nd day bk on and shakes have gotten better. Just found out im borderline diabetic and beta blockers apparently block some symptoms of glucose spikes. Im working eith an endocrinologist so we’ll c what happens . I had been having dizzy spells for weeks (bad) so that’s y I wanted to stop beta blockers. My endocrinologist was surped that cardio never checked blood glucose

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So good to talk to someone who also has to take these drugs for one reason or another. You would think in this day and age they could come up with something that didn’t have all the side affects.

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@shawn2018

I got off coreg for 5 days and tremor scared the hell out of me!! 2nd day bk on and shakes have gotten better. Just found out im borderline diabetic and beta blockers apparently block some symptoms of glucose spikes. Im working eith an endocrinologist so we’ll c what happens . I had been having dizzy spells for weeks (bad) so that’s y I wanted to stop beta blockers. My endocrinologist was surped that cardio never checked blood glucose

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Glad we can be helpful in your attempts to be healthy. Every time I see ads on TV for different medications they give warnings for all side effects. Everything had some.

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@strmalik

Hi everyone I have a question about Carvedilol I hope someone can help me with. I have taken a 3.125mg pill for about 2 weeks (maybe a little more) and I went out of town for Christmas and forgot the pills at home I was completely fine until the day after Christmas I had the worse anxiety attack i ever had right before going to bed. It was so horrible and it was not due to stress or anything so after reading some post it looks like not taking the pill has caused it. It has been almost a week since my real bad anxiety attack but between them I have had small ones and I can feel it just lingering around. Has anyone else had this happen? If so when will it stop I really thought I had to go to the hospital one night.

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Hello @eileena,

I'm so sorry that you are upset! You are an important part of this community and you contribute to making it welcoming. I can see that very clearly from reading your past posts on your profile page. Please allow me to clear any misunderstanding or confusion, @eileena.

I am absolutely confident that Mentor @predictable was only replying, in detail, to @shawn2018 about the effects of stopping or weaning off from Carvedilol. I acknowledge that @predictable's post had a cautious undertone, but that is because as a Mentor, he recognizes that Connect is about health, first and foremost.
Connect Mentors are knowledgeable, compassionate, active members in the community; they are patients, caregivers and family members who have first-hand experience with a health condition(s). Our community members should feel safe, which is why Moderators and Mentors monitor the conversations and, more importantly, rely on community members like yourself to share insights through your experiences. That is also what Connect is about.

When we consider a medication like Coreg (Carvedilol), how we start is very important. But how we stop is just as important, As you've mentioned in previous posts, it’s so important to taper off gradually, with help from your doctor/healthcare provider, rather than stopping abruptly to avoid any confusing, unpleasant symptoms. However, it is a well-established fact that sometimes people, myself included:( undermine common sense, get impatient with the weaning process, and decide to stop, cold turkey!
Hence, I sincerely believe that @predictable was merely ensuring that @shawn2018 had enough information, as well as emphasizing the importance of "following Dr's orders"– and showing care and concern for a community member.
If you go to the first page of this very conversation, https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/hi-everyone-i-am-glad-to-be-a-part-of-this-community/ you will see how perceptive and accurate (and cautious), both you and @predictable have been in sharing your knowledge with community members.

I hope this helps show another side of the situation, @eileena? Please keep talking, and thank you, sincerely for all your support and participation.

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