Metoprolol Withdrawl

I'm a 30-year-old male who has been taking the beta blocker metoprolol for approximately 3-4 years. I recently wanted to stop taking metoprolol and discussed it with my cardiologist. I have been seeing this cardiologist for just as long, and I've had normal EKGs, echocardiograms, and I was on a week-long Holter monitor twice with no findings. I had already attempted to taper off the metoprolol and cut my 25mg pill in half for maybe more than a week. The cardiologist told me that 25mg or 12.5mg of metoprolol is such a minute dose that it shouldn't cause me any issues if I just stop cold turkey. The cardiologist didn't even run an EKG on me since May of last year.

It has been approximately a week since I've stopped taking metoprolol completely. I woke up last night with a heart rate of about 100 beats per minute and slight palpitations. I checked my blood pressure, and everything was normal (123/84). I was unable to get back to sleep due to "sleep starts" or "hypnic jerks." I started taking metoprolol many years ago after I got COVID, before the vaccines were even available, and I was experiencing palpitations and tachycardia. Tonight, I'm still experiencing insomnia and can't sleep.

I feel that my cardiologist is incompetent for not running an EKG on me or even having me taper off the medication that I have been taking for many years. I don't really trust their decision-making. I feel that I'm experiencing withdrawal symptoms, so tonight I took another half of a 25mg pill of metoprolol. I feel very full of energy, as if I have a dump of adrenaline. I researched that abruptly stopping metoprolol, even at a low dose of 25 to 12.5mg, can still cause withdrawal symptoms, which the cardiologist said I’d be fine going cold turkey. It says that it can cause rebound tachycardia, hypertension, and adrenaline dumps that make your body hypersensitive, and can also cause hypnic jerks and insomnia.

Can I get any type of feedback or recommendations? Thank you.

Hello, I wanted to check in and see how you are doing now with the withdrawal symptoms you had after stopping metoprolol. My husband was told by his dr. to just stop taking his 12.5 mg dose daily (1/2 of a 25 mg tablet) that he was taking for 2.5 years. The first month he felt nothing but then now over the last few days he's been having heart palpitations daily. He said they only last a couple of seconds but that it happens several times a day. He said it feels like a flutter and then a quick surge of adrenaline similar to how you feel when you are on a roller coaster or come over a hill and down it driving fast in a car. Currently his cardiologist has him on a two week zio heart monitor. I can't understand why his cardiologist didn't ween him off metoprolol slowly. I wondered if you still have symptoms or did you get better over time? How long does withdrawal period last? If it ever goes away or do you have to get back on the drug to keep it away now? Thanks for your response. Wishing you good health.

Hi
You are young for a BB. There are other meds like ACE another blocker.

I was on Metoprolol 49.75 mg in 2008 for high blood pressure and I was overweight.
With a split with hubby - a short marriage I lost weight dramatically. I was diagnosed with low BP so I came off it. I had a tummy bug at the time and I wasn't leeping it down. I would call it cold turkey.

In 2019 I had a stroke with rapid and persistent AF Heart Rate. Day 4 during a carotid arteries scan a shadow showed up on my thyroid. Yes, papillary carcinoma at the edge of my right lobe. Other surgeons got to see the scan and decided I had bits in my left lobe. Within 4 months full thyroidectomy plus 12 lymphs removed - 2 affected amd bed dissected.

When the Dr on Stroke Ward said she was prescribing Metoprolol, I said NO! When a new Dr in 2009 doubled the 49.75 I could not breathe and there was a risk of being taken by ambulance. But I managed it, missed next days dose and got back to normal.

The Dr was an endocrinologist who ignored my NO.

I was on it but able to reduce it to 23.75mg. At 1 year 5 months I finally got a heart specialist - no Stroke follow up. Who ordered a ECHO, ECG and 24hr holter.

The latter showed a avg heart beat of 186bpm (I couldn't exert) 47bpm avg night with pauses. I was breathless on all doses of Metoprolol.

Changed to Bisoprolol. Monitor showed 156bpm with some exertion, no breathlessness no pauses.

No control of Heart rate to 100 or under. Good control of BP.

I think meds need review regularly.

In the last 2 months I have weaned off Bisoprolol. Why because BP gone low. From December 2021 I was introduced to CCB Calcium Channel Blocker. Dramatically controlled. My Heart Monitor showed @ 1/2 dose 180mg. Within days I was reduced to 120mg by Dr and reduced Bisoprolol to 2.5.

I now remain on Diltiazem 120mg but realise I may need 180mg.

It is important to 1/2 my Bisoprolol to 1.25 mg before giving it up. I also had an ECG at 1/2 pill status.

I will have another ECG sometime.

Stopping Bisoprolol showed that I had to reduce my 125mg to 100 as T4 was too high. Great.

So ny stopping something could affect your supplements etc. My B12 I have to dose up as it was disappearing!

I was always told that I should reduce med slowly. Then ECG to see what effect.

Take care.

Cherio JOY. (Tuckie)

Changed to Bisoprolol directly

This is my 2nd weeks off of metoprolol, I’m having quite a few symptoms. I’m not sure how long this will last. I’m taking supplements that like hawthorn, and red yeast rice.

Hello, I wanted to check in and see how you are doing now with the withdrawal symptoms you had after stopping metoprolol. My husband was told by his dr. to just stop taking his 12.5 mg dose daily (1/2 of a 25 mg tablet) that he was taking for 2.5 years. The first month he felt nothing but then now over the last few days he's been having heart palpitations daily. He said they only last a couple of seconds but that it happens several times a day. He said it feels like a flutter and then a quick surge of adrenaline similar to how you feel when you are on a roller coaster or come over a hill and down it driving fast in a car. Currently his cardiologist has him on a two week zio heart monitor. I can't understand why his cardiologist didn't ween him off metoprolol slowly. I wondered if you still have symptoms or did you get better over time? How long does withdrawal period last? If it ever goes away or do you have to get back on the drug to keep it away now? Thanks for your response. Wishing you good health.

What symptoms?
A gradual withdrawal should have been done or an immediate change to another med whether BB or CCB.
cheri JOY

A year ago I ended up with a few episode of afib, my dr put me on metoprolol, which has caused muscle aches, joint pain and fatigue. My dr said to take a regular dose then 1/2 pill the next night. I did this and have had irregular heart rates. I’m not sure what’s normal, on line it says 60-100 for resting, when walking around my heart rate can get up to 124-134,
Just wondering if other have experienced this and how long will it last to level off.