Metoprolol and seniors

Yes, I was taking the one tablet every morning but really was too much later in the day, 40bpm😬
Cut it half and one half morning and one half evening. Made a big difference.

@zeke2u I think we’re all in agreement Metoprolol is being well over prescribed. I will discuss this with my cardiologist next month.

my wife is on metoprolol, and as she puts it, she has very little stamina, such that she is exhausted after doing laundry or going outside for a short period of time for a little bit of gardening. I am not sure of her dosage, but I do believe that it’s under 100 mg. It was prescribed by a heart doctor at Mayo and she had a pulse field ablation , but after reading the string, it makes me think that maybe there are other choices that might impact her stamina.

@zeke2u
Great thread.
I've been on atenolol (another beta blocker) for some years now, but when first prescribed, for a combination of arrhythmias and high blood pressure, the first time I took a 25mg pill it was way too much for me. The prescription was 25mg twice a day, and I wasn't going to take that second one. Called the doctor and went down to 12.5 mg (half the already small pill!) per day, and later 12.5mg twice a day.

Also I had already been taking amlodipine (calcium channel blocker) and olmesartan (ARB). The amlodipine was kind of zombifying me, whether it was mental or physical I don't know, but it still wasn't sufficiently doing its primary job either, keeping blood pressure down. I cut it off without even discussing it with the doctor. It takes a couple of weeks to clear from the body. I felt better immediately, and no discernible effect on my blood pressure.

I think a lot of drugs may be better in smaller doses. Many factors, not just your condition but your genetics and even your diet and activity levels, factor into what works and what doesn't.

I also started taking magnesium supplements somewhere along the line and have been taking magnesium glycinate for a couple of years now. Solaray brand. It also contains a little peperine, btw, they say to help absorption, which is a bit questionable for use with glycinate, since glycinate is already well absorbed, but turns out to be good for blood *glucose* control. The capsules are big, a full 375mg dose requires four capsules, but I've settled on one in the morning and one in the evening. (also, of all the prescription and supplement pills I take, this is the only one that sometimes sticks in my throat, no idea why, but it discourages me from taking more of them).

@carbcounter I also take the magnesium but the citrate. I take it twice a day. They are big. Lol
I take mine with coffee in the morning. I take a drink and swallow then take a drink and hold it in my mouth and slip the magnesium pill in and get it to back of mouth and take more coffee and then swallow. It goes down much easier. I take metoprolol 25mg twice a day. Just stopped the losartan for BP was 88/58 at one appt. I have to have an echocardiogram every 3 months because of the chemo drug I'm on.

@carol1024 Question about the magnesium. Is that something we should all be taking?

@frane You ask "...Is that something we should all be taking?" The answer is not necessarily. Most people are able to get adequate magnesium from a balanced diet.

Some people, whether due to poor diet, poor absorption, certain chronic health conditions, or medications, may need a supplement.

There are a number of ways to test for magnesium deficiency, some are more accurate than others.

Too much (over 420mg daily for women) is not necessarily better. Be sure to check all multi-ingredient supplements and multi-vitamins for added magnesium before adding a separate magnesium supplement.
Some people are sensitive to magnesium supplements, the most common reaction is diarrhea, gas & bloating.

Consult your provider before adding a magnesium supplement, especially if you have kidney disease or are taking other medications.