Connect
Atenolol pills seem to vary on actual dosage
Has anyone had the experience of taking beta blockers, with some success, but then finding that sometimes it's like maybe you get a bad pill that has 2x or 10x the dosage it should?
I was prescribed atenolol OMG about 25 years ago for a combination of blood pressure and some minor and generally unspecified heart arrhythmias. They seemed to help. Took them for many years, no real problem. And a tiny dose! I was prescribed a low dose, 25mg twice a day - but when I took the very first 25mg tablet it felt like I'd been hit by a brick, my heart rhythm no longer responded to exercise - so I got permission to cut it back to half (an already tiny) 25mg tablet, per day! And that worked well for me. After some years I raised it to half a tablet twice a day.
But a couple of years ago I had an experience that it seemed to slow my pulse rate TOO much. I started breaking the tablets into even smaller pieces and that seemed to help. Going without, did not seem effective, so it did not seem it was my own metabolic baseline that hand changed. I thought about talking to pharmacist or doctor - but did neither.
Anyway, that passed, and didn't have the issue again - until today. And maybe more strongly than ever. Pulse rate a little low but super-resistant to change by exertion. Could this be dangerous? Well, if the pill variation was maybe 2x the proper dosage it should be mostly harmless, but if it's much greater than that I don't know.
So I'm just asking if anyone might have had any similar experiences or any suggestions under the circumstances. Thanks.
Like
Helpful
HugInterested in more discussions like this? Go to the Heart Rhythm Conditions Support Group.
Connect
Well maybe atenolol was why it was so hard to get my heart rate up high enough during a stress test.
I’m trying to get off atenolol because my BP and heart rate are too low after adding cancer meds but I can’t seem to successfully wean off without rebound issues. I’m now down to 6 mg every other day but even on that ridiculously low dose at 2.5 days off I’ll have tachycardia so then I take my 6 mg and it’s gone in an hour. I can’t cut that tiny pill up any smaller. The cardiologist thinks it should be no trouble to stop at even a higher dose but my body is so sensitive to meds it’s just not working out. I’ll keep trying to space the dose out farther. Best of luck to you. Meds can be so frustrating and different for everyone.
-
Like -
Helpful -
Hug
1 Reaction@californiazebra we *can* have the pills compounded with neutral stuff to any dosage we want, or just big enough to cut more easily! Costs a few bucks but it's easy enough to do. I've long considered doing it just because it's so hard to get 50/50 and without crushing part of it too - and no smaller doses are generally available - but should be!!!
Actually that might be my solution too - they pour the whole bottle into a mortar and pestle, grind them up with some whatever, then form them back into individual pills. That would assure me of more consistent dosage, if I still had problems they would have to be coming from somewhere else.
Yes, I've heard it's hard to break the beta blocker habit. When I first started I was able to drop off my 12.5/day several times and it would be ok for a week or longer then I'd think I needed it again. I'm afraid my condition now continues to require it or some equivalent so I haven't really tried to drop it again - except in reaction to what seems the overdose I struggle with any proper response.
-
Like -
Helpful -
Hug
1 Reaction@carbcounter
Thanks for the reminder about compound pharmacies. If I can’t wean off this with longer and longer gaps, I may have to go that way to lower the dose even more. Thanks.
Hopefully you’re using a pill cutter. I don’t have problems with accidental crushing using those. Easier to cut evenly as well. Using a knife definitely crushes part of a tablet. Best of luck.
-
Like -
Helpful -
Hug
1 Reaction@californiazebra yes I use a pill cutter, have tried several, but on a tablet that's only about an eight of an inch wide to start with cutting with sufficient accuracy is tough, they are not scored or designed to be cut.
I seldom have to waste a tablet but I often have to assemble half from some smashed pieces and hope I'm within 10% or so of the ideal. I try to take "the big half" at night, the smaller half around noon!
-
Like -
Helpful -
Hug
1 ReactionA few weeks ago I changed from the Teva brand of 25 mg atenolol which I've been on for 30 years to Aurobindo's version. And I've been having trouble with it seeming too strong. I was curious about the brand you had trouble with recently.
Mine is from "Rising Pharm", which seems to want to be taken as an American company, it's been bought out a couple of times in the last ten years, and has offices in India. FWIW
Maybe the strong ones are the proper dose and it's actually more common to find them too weak? LOL. Only a good chemist could really tell us.
Hi, all. Been on atenolol for over 25 years, and never experienced the feeling that I wasn't getting the usual dosage in the recurring prescriptions.
Just wanted to chime in with my individual experience so far. As "they" say, we're all experiments of one.
All the best!
/LarryG
-
Like -
Helpful -
Hug
1 Reaction@larryg333 would you happen to know your current pill manufacturer? I think it's usually printed on the label.
Hey there, Carb.
Checked the bottle. The label doesn't show the manufacturer. Not sure, but you may be able determine the company by my description: solid white, oblong pill, one side has a "U," and the other "22." Hope this helps. The script was filled by WalMart in FL. Next time I refill, I'll check if the included pages indicate the manufacturer.
Good luck!
/LarryG
P.S. BTW, I'm "keto person" too.
-
Like -
Helpful -
Hug
1 ReactionYes, that works, Google suggests Unichem Pharmaceuticals.
https://www.drugs.com/imprints/u-22-29874.html
I could probably get it there and fill by mail, or try to find other local supplier.
Thanks.
This afternoon I did ask about it where I got it (my atenolol) at CVS, and they just blithered and referred me to my PCP.