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Metoprolol Withdrawl
I started on Metoprolol Suc 25mg back in 2018 due to increased heart rate and BP...Heart rate sometimes topping 180 per minute. A few times my BP was higher than could be measured...then 2019 comes along and I found out I had an egg allergy. I didn't correlate the two as being the same issue and eventually, in 2021 my Metoprolol Suc was increased to 50mg.
After I really started watching my egg intake...that is very hard as just about everything has some sort of egg in it and my allergy was whites and yolks. My pulse would drop down into the 40's at night and I could go exercise and barely hit 70.
Talked to my doctor and asked if the egg allergy and BP issues could be related and was told no, that I needed to stop drinking any form of caffeine. Continued have issues with low pulse and lightheadedness. Was referred to a cardiologist and after giving my background was told to tapper from 50 mg to 25 mg for 4 days. I was nervous so I went a step further and split the 25 mg in half and took 12.5 for 4 days.
The first week was fine with a few episodes of High BP and Pulse but they told me to expect fluctuations for a week or two. So now starting on Day 5, I have been waking up with headaches...which if I take 2 migraine tabs it goes away but it happening for the 4th day now. Has anyone else had any headache issues coming off Metoprolol and how long did it last.
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@vhiser72 29 year old male, was put on metoprolol for SVT. I couldn't take the side effects light headedness, swollen left foot in hot showers, fatigue, could barely walk or exercise. I'd wake up with what felt like a high heart rate and it felt like heart palpitations some nights middle of the night or close to the time for my next dose. Couldn't focus really either most days from lightheadedness. Was told to wean off metoprolol for 2 weeks halfing my 25mg dose to 12.5mg and I did that for four days or five. Stopped cold turkey couldnt take the lightheadedness anymore. Been in and out the hospital a month later with SVT episodes hitting 190 bpm atleast four times never had this many issues in one month outta the four years of dealing with SVT. Most was one episode every few months or 7-9 months. Still wake up heart racing, stand up slowly heart races and pounds, walk around heart pounds and feels like racing or heart palpitations. Only noticeable when sitting down or stopping activity when walking short or long distances, standing up slowly its very noticeable. I stopped september 5th around there cold turkey and its now August 26th. Not sure if Its heart damage I sustained from hospital records 2.5 twice and one 2 of troponin out of 20 on chart called my chart.
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1 ReactionSince my last post, I've started doing my own research on All types of heart medication . I've notice there are many people that try to get off of Metoprolol and eventually return to it.
I am slowing weaning myself off of Metoprolol, its been a long process, I'm at 6.25 mg at night, my goal is to completely be off of it one of these day, I have seen a natural path and have started taking hawthorn and other natural supplements to help with heart palpitation, I have also changed my eating intake to more healthier foods, avoid alcohol, caffeine and sugar , ALSO I am including more exercise daily.
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1 ReactionHi, @nelson1996. You have been have a difficult time. I am so sorry.
You mention discontinuing Metoprolol by taking 1/2 dose for 4 days then stopping cold turkey. Since, you have been in the hospital several times and still having problems. It really does sound like you need to contact your doctor and find out what the best way to get your symptoms resolved.
Do you have other health issues, or take other medications?
Most of this sounds so familiar. I was put on Metoprolol after extreme anxiety, vagus nerve issues and mildly high BP among many other symptoms during Long Covid. I've tried getting off of it now that I'm better 3 times without success but was close the last time by reducing the dosing by a 1/4 for each week till off. I wasn't successful because my high BP came back but this time my Dr. is replacing it with Lisinopril since I'm complaining about the side effects of metoprolol. I'll go 10 days by each step down this time while slowly replacing with Lisinopril.
@atharris like you, having attempted weaning off metoprolol several times I would recommend that you make it a longer process. I did a quarter a week for five weeks and was very excited that I didn’t have any rebound.
Oh, but I did have rebound of adrenaline because metoprolol blocks adrenaline so when you get off of the metoprolol, every little thing, causes adrenaline surge and therefore your heart rate and blood pressure. It’s a whole different set of problems. I went into a fib anyway, so I’m back on it, but I would recommend that you take that last quarter tablet for a month or two until your system regulates itself so you don’t have the same dramatic results that I did.
@vhiser72 stay on that very lowest dose for at least a month or two because metoprolol blocks adrenaline and if you wean off too fast, you have a whole different set of problems with normal every day activities, causing you to overreact to them
@nelson1996 when the world would you do cold turkey? It’s the worst idea. Meanwhile, metoprolol side effects like you experienced disappear after a few weeks. So basically you gave yourself a whole new drama.
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1 ReactionSame here. Started taking Metropolol and Flecanaide about 4 years ago and recently had an ablation to correct Afib.
My cardiologist’s office told me to just stop taking these meds and I experienced a racing heart and spiked blood pressure so I resumed taking the Metropol anf Flecanaide.
a I had a fainting episode and after wearing a heart halter for 2 weeks, the cardiologist wanted to put in a pacemaker because I had some skipped beats (5-6 seconds) at night.
I dont want the
pacemaker because I believe the Metroplol is causing the problem. So, my cardiologist agreed to reduce metropolol to 1/2 dose (reduced from 25mg 2xs/day to 12 1/2mg 2xs/day). The first week I had terrible anxiety, racing heart, and sleeplessness. The 2nd week things were a bit better. Then the 3rd week was even better. It’s now been 4 weeks taking half doses and I still have occasional anxiety/racing heart issues.
I also repeated the two week heart monitor halter and it came back only a couple of irregular beats and a 1% Afib activity, so the pacemaker is on hold for now.
I’m still not confident that the Metoprolol issue is resolved and my cardiologist’s office says the anxiety/racing heart/elevated blood pressure cannot possibly be from the reduced Metoprolol because the dose is so low, and I told them that was the only thing that changed and it began within 4-5 days after reducing the medication,
so it certainly must be.
I think it’s strange that cardiologists either don’t understand or refuse to acknowledge the impact that even small doses of Metropolol can make.
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1 Reaction@anonymous1274 I see that your post is 2 years old now but I'm curious to how you're doing. You're so right about your cardiologist being incompetent. He should have given you an EKG and also weaned you off the metoprolol instead of telling you it was "a minute dose and you could go cold turkey". Maybe some people could do it that way with no problems, but everyone is different. Something your airheaded doctor isn't aware of. I cannot stand most doctors so don't get me started. They're just not the same anymore. They seem stressed and lazy. They make excuses why this or that is not necessary, etc. They skip things when they should be doing their jobs right. I don't have heart problems but I take Metoprolol for my blood pressure. I get anxiety sometimes and this stuff really helps. It relaxes me. I read that it's used for anxiety off label. Again, just wondering how you're doing since you stopped it. My best to you.