Metoprolol: Are you experiencing side effects?

@anonymousanonymous I had been wanting to get a septal myectomy but my cardiologist says I should wait I have HOCM also could you tell me about your bad experience

I don’t feel any skipping. The blood pressure monitor has the skipping detection built into it. It never has shown that my heart is skipping. Neuropathy can cause the heart to skip it says online. All this could be coming from the neuropathy where the communication between the brain is misfiring.

The cardiologist I go to is one.

@texan1 You are probably well aware that all surgery comes with risks. Why is your cardiologist suggesting you wait? Mine wanted me to have surgery many years before I did (Me? Open heart surgery? You have to be kidding). The day arrived and I needed it - or else....

If you invite 1000 people to talk about their experiences, you will get 1000 different tales. Some will have absolutely no complications and a very good experience. Some will have an absolutely "bad" experience. The vast majority will be in the range of OK experiences. My surgery at Mayo 3 weeks before I turned 76 went very well as did most of the recovery. I did develop leg blood clots, my cardiologist here at home was quick to get ultrasounds and prescribed Eliquis which I took for 5 months. I also developed arrythmia less than a month later (lucky heart did go through trauma, one cannot deny that), because the electrical system was affected. I acquired Buddy, my ICD, and there have been no problems since. I will never, ever regret having a septal myectomy.

You may find it beneficial to read the entries in https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/what-i-learned-from-my-open-heart-surgery-part-1/ and https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/my-septal-myectomy-decision-and-10-things-ive-learned-since/

We emphasize the importance of going to a COE (Center of Excellence) for surgery. I did travel from Upstate Eastern NY to Rochester MN as my cardiologist suggested to receive the best care possible. I was impressed by the knowledge, experience and level of care. Knowing that, in case there are complications at any level, one can rest assured that at a COE for HCM where surgery is performed, the collective knowledge and experience will deal with it. That is not to say that one is fearless when facing this scary event. Yet many are surprised that along with that and weighing any bad experiences they may have, their courage wins and they become determined to do it and get on with their lives. @anonymousanonymous I fully understand that if a septal myectomy is in your future, you want to move beyond it and get on with your life. Please do have a conversation with your doctor to find out about why he/she wants you to wait.

@walkinggirl
Yes, the dizzy spells have stopped. Several years ago they started and my doctor at that time cut my metoprolol in half. Now mind you I had been losing weight and still am during this entire period so I became lighter by quite a bit. Maybe that had something to do with it. I don't know. Maybe even the beginning of this year, I'm not sure. I started getting dizzy spells again and I went to my cardiologist and once again he told me to stop taking the rest of my metoprolol. I did not need it. I was very grateful and happy, overjoyed even. I didn't really want to take them unless I really needed them. I wish I wouldn't have to take any medical pills but I do. I take quite a few actually. So there's a short answer yes he did stop the metoprolol and I do not believe it was because it was an accident when they was prescribed to me way back when. At that time I was over 310 lb I now weigh 225 lb.

@texan1
I had a dreadfully long recovery. I had to go on disability retirement and leave my job permanently. It took two years before I could even tap my chest where my incision is without it causing pain. My right shoulder in the back, I think it's called the scapular muscle got messed up in the surgery when they cut me open and pulled my arms back. Something happened back there and it has never been the same. So I've had trouble with it ever since then. It hurts badly if I make certain movements to this day. I did not have that pain before my surgery. When I came too from the surgery I was in so much pain that the pain medicines did not help it. My chest after surgery hurt so bad I felt like I had a concrete truck parked on my chest. I was sure I was dying. I even asked my nurse if I was dying and she said no don't say that. I have never ever had pain like that in my whole life. Even my small bowel obstructions weren't that painful and they are absolutely horribly painful. I guess that's most of it really. I'll never have open heart surgery again. I'd rather die first. Which I probably will as I also have a thoracic ascending aortic aneurysm.

@anonymousanonymous I am so sorry that you in so much pain my Cardiologist has recommended that I don’t get the surgery I was fired Ron my work because I passed out in the heat 3 times I have filled out for disability 2 years ago and still waiting they say in Texas it takes an average of 3 years to get approved for disability

@anonymousanonymous I am so sorry to read that you had such a difficult recovery. May I ask where you had your surgery?

@walkinggirl

Allentown Pennsylvania.

@texan1

THREE YEARS, damn republicans!!! I'm surprised that you can even get it at all. I'm sure they're working on it.

You just keep doing everything you need to do to get all your ducks in a row. Then you do what you have to to take care of yourself.

Don't count on anybody else I have found that out to be very true. The diseases like we have, we're on our own. Best of luck and thanks for the hugs and the posts and asking about how things went with me.

It was definitely a defining moment in my life 7 years ago. I am absolutely not the man I was back then. I still don't know who the hell I am. But I know something definitely changed in me after that surgery. Covid-19 in early retirement didn't help either.

Anyway, I am still alive and I am sorry if I'm scaring you. Everyone's different. Probably for every horror story you read you're going to read a good story.

Just remember you are going to have your chest opened up, your bones cracked and spread open much further than they were ever meant to be and a surgeon, in my case anyway, went in there and pulled out my heart and held it in his hand while he gave me a septal myectomy and then he had to put everything back together the right way.

When you look at it that way it is an absolutely insane thing to do to the human body. But then again, so is dying. That is really rough on the human body too. Haha. I have developed sort of a darker sense of humor then I had before but I have not lost my sense of humor. I hope you have one, you'll need it. If not try to develop one it will help you in your recovery a great deal.

I remember when I was in a cardiac rehab there was a guy there and he was like 20 years older than me, in his eighties I believe {I was 61 at the time} he said he had no pain at all and that it went really well for him. He had a speedy recovery with no pain and he made the surgery sound like he went in to have a broken hand set or something like that. I looked at him and almost called him a bold face liar. But I didn't.

I said good for you my story is not like that. Best of luck to you whatever you decide.

All my love,

Gary