How did you wean off Metoprolol?

Posted by kenny48 @kenny48, May 11, 2018

Hi,
I've been taking both flecainide and metoprolol now for eight years, as a prophylactic for Afib. I recently moved to North Carolina and have a new Cardiologist. Have had a lot of PVC's this past two months, and had to wear a heart monitor for an entire month. He said that although I had a lot of PVC's I didn't have even one PAC! He also noted that my BPM was low in the low fifties most of the time. He asked why I was taking metropolol. I told him that the only thing my previous doctor had said was " it makes the flecainide, work better". He suggested I stop taking the metoprolol to see how I do without it. Unfortunately I read a lot of information on the internet. I read that it can be very dangerous to stop taking it. I take 25 mg metoprolol succinate, split in half. Once in the morning with my flecainide, and then again in the evening for a second dose. He wants me to take half in the morning and skip the evening dose for two days, then stop entirely. Has anyone else stopped taking this drug in a similar manner? I'm worried that the cut off is too soon.

Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Heart Rhythm Conditions Support Group.

cdupont1234 | @cdupont1234 | Mar 31, 2020

In reply to @kancha "Can you tell what heart exercises you are taking?" + (show)

I am currently going on the treadmill 10 minutes per day at 3 mph, stretching and weights of 5 lbs for another 5 minutes

Soliloquized | @soliloquized | Apr 3, 2020

In reply to @patidallas22 "Two years ago I did some CrossFit and my shoulder started hurting, I eventually stopped CrossFit..." + (show)

Sorry to hear of your issues. Drugs and related drugs that can cause Anaphylaxis (such as Penicillin in some), must be carefully watched. I was on a Beta-Blocker known to interact with a medication a neurologist was trying to prescribe. I told him so, and he said I was wrong. I refused to accept it from him, so he phoned a cardiologist friend of his. After getting off the phone, it was now "Let's take you off your medication first, and then we'll start this". And to think many people walk out with prescription in hand. Pharmacists are people to talk to about interactions, possibly more knowledgeable than the Doctor. Years later, also on a Anti-Epileptic Drug, I had to inform another physician that the antibiotic he was prescribing was contraindicated by my medication. He corrected it with no protest. The pharmacy likely would have caught it as well.

I can't advise medically, I hope you find the source. Though not advocating the medication, after suffering pain in my arm (not heart related) for months, I went to the doctor, he prescribed Orudis (Spelling? And I don't think it's on the market anymore). It's chemically related to Ibuprofen, and I figured it wouldn't work, as I tried Ibuprofen already. Voila, the pain went away. Sometimes it takes a while to figure out the correct medication for the particular problem. Keep in touch with the Doctor.

patidallas22 | @patidallas22 | Apr 4, 2020

In reply to @afrobin "Hello Patidallas, I am very glad to have read your post as it brings to light..." + (show)

@afrobin

Hello Patidallas, I am very glad to have read your post as it brings to light my own experience. For about 5 years now, since I started taking BP meds, I have been 'arthritic'...or so I thought...with stiff and achy joints.But I never made the correlation... Getting up from a chair is somewhat uncomfortable. Picking up my grandchild is as well. For the past few days I have stopped my BP medication and the 'arthritic' discomfort has gone away...
It's not a great idea to stop BP meds without one's doctor's authorization and I would never encourage anyone to do so as it puts one at risk of having a stroke or heart attack. My BP is now 160/101. Not good!
Why did I stop the BP meds (Candesartan)? I was reading about Covid and discovered that many BP meds contain ACE2. Quote from a reputable source: 'The COVID-19 virus (also known as SARS-CoV-2) is known to use ACE2 for entry into target cells.' Scientists have discovered that some BP meds cause the body to be open to the proliferation of the COVID-19 virus. Here is the report: I tried to attach it but it won't attach. You can google: Canadian Cardiovascular Society Guidance from the CCS Covid-19 Rapid Response team.
Because of this alarming news and because I have Covid-19 symptoms, I sent an email to my cardiologist asking to change my medication to just a pure diuretic or a drug that is not on one of the lists and he wrote back that there will need to be more formal, long term testing. He would not change my medication..so I stopped taking the meds. I am waiting for an appointment with my new GP in a few days to ask for another medication.
I do have the classic Covid-19 symptoms and have been sick for 13 days with 'the worst flu of my life' which may end up being just that. I was tested this week and am waiting for the results. I wanted to see if this sickness suddenly improves once off the BP meds. As it turns out, I no longer have a low grade fever and the shortness of breath is somewhat better. My cough is much better. Is it just my body's ability to heal or is there an improvement because I stopped the BP medication...or both?
Thank you for sharing, Patidallas!

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Wow I hope you continue getting better. I am on a pure diuretic now and had side effects for a couple of weeks but now I’m feeling much better on this one. I hope your new doctor will put you on that! The sartan family of bp pills caused my tremendous joint pain so I am sorry you had that too but glad you’ll feel better getting off that one as well!

cmtblatt | @cmtblatt | Apr 27, 2020

In reply to @nancynana4 "I’ve been taking 12.5 mg metoprolol succ Er once a day for only the past 3..." + (show)

I have been on metoprolol tartrate 25 mg twice a day for 4 days. Was on atenolol wanted my heart rate to come down always running 115 or so..the metoprolol has made me feel awful!! Light headed,dizzy my anxiety is awful. Went to er due to my bp dropping to low and not feeling right. Ekg normal..blood work normal. Today on 12.5 tapering down will start on atenolol 25 mg tomm what I was on before. Worst drug ever still have heart palpitations and anxiety. I hope I go back to normal when I start back on atenolol.

kkwmp | @kkwmp | Apr 30, 2020

I am so glad I found this discussion.
I have a fib and was originally given flecanaide and metoprolol and a statin Crestor. Hax a small stroke with no defects in Dec hence the statin.
The best blocker is the worst.
I have since had an ablation in Jan 2020 which helped tremendously.
Post ablation I am taking 5 mg eliquis twice daily and have continued on metoprolol 25 mg, 1/2 in the am and half in pm. I hate this drug. Still on 5 mg crestor daily.
I have a lot of the side effects listed on the post above. Joint and muscle aches esp.in my shoulders. Super dry mouth upon waking and bad breath. Food doesnt taste as good as it used to and many of my old faves are not appealing to me. Had some nausea problems too but am working on that myself. Taking Culturelle one per day and also found a recommended concoction of about 6 oz or half coffee cup of apple juice with 1 teaspoon ginger juice, 1 teaspoon lemon juice. Top the cup off with water and heat. It helps settle my stomach and also helps with elimination. Had to order the ginger juice ftom amazon.

My cardiologist told me this week to experiment with my meds by going off of Metropolol for a week. Then continue to take it but stop the Crestor for a week. Just to see which drug is the culprit for my symptoms. I think, based on what I've read here that it will turn out to be a problem with the beta blocker. He did not want me to go off the eliquis seeing as I had a small stroke in December.

If anyone has questions about my ablation, please let me know. I wish I had done it sooner. I was in the hospital for 8 days as my afib was causing tachycardia. They experimented for days with different drugs to get me back in sinus. It was an awful experience. Wish my cardiologist had been more thorough in his prior descriptions of ablation. Could have saved us both a lot if anguish..not to mention a stressful and costly hospital stay.
I am in Gainesville FL.
If anyone has experience with Mayo clinic in Jax and their electro cardiologists, please advise. Thx.
Good luck everyone..glad I won't die from stopping Metroprolol..i am feeling weird just like everyone else had mentioned.

AFRobin | @afrobin | Apr 30, 2020

I hope the cardiologist also stressed the importance of GRADUALLY weaning yourself off the beta blocker. It is dangerous to go off it suddenly.
And as far as statins go, unless you are a man in your forties who has had a heart attack, many experts say a person should not be on statins. Joint pain, memory issues and diabetes as side effects can make the cure worse than the disease. Did you know that 'normal' statin readings quite a few years ago were higher? Then Big Pharma not only lowered 'normal' once, they lowered it a second time which has resulted in 35 million people in the US on statins! Good luck!

Amanda Burnett | @amandaa | May 1, 2020

In reply to @kkwmp "I am so glad I found this discussion. I have a fib and was originally given..." + (show)

@kkwmp

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Hi @kkwmp and welcome to Connect! I am so glad you found the discussion too. Connect has all sorts of groups that you can start following to keep up with topics that appeal to you. I have included one that might be of interest since you asked If anyone had experience with Mayo clinic in Jax and their electro cardiologists. https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/a-fib/ It's a discussion on A-Fib as well and members experiences. I am curious as to how you did find the discussion? and I would love to know more about your ablation if you have more to share.

kkwmp | @kkwmp | May 4, 2020

In reply to @amandaa "Hi @kkwmp and welcome to Connect! I am so glad you found the discussion too. Connect..." + (show)

Hli. I found your discussion page on a google search for metropolol and weaning off.
So where do I go to ask for electrocardiologists recomendations at Mayo / Jax and respective experiences there? Thx

maryrohrer1 | @maryrohrer1 | May 4, 2020

I am a patient at Mayo with Afib. I see Dr AJ Deshmukh for electrophysiology cardiology and I also have a cardiologist who is kind of like a primary care provider in Cardiology, Dr John Giudicessi. An EP Card is only going to try to manage for example Afib procedurally. Like wise other issues such as pacer needs etc. Dr Guidicessi manages all aspects of your heart health including heart failure, and refers to Cardiology specialists as needed based on whatever the heart issues are. I love them both. Great patient relationships. Excellent experts.

texas14 | @texas14 | May 4, 2020

In reply to @maryrohrer1 "I am a patient at Mayo with Afib. I see Dr AJ Deshmukh for electrophysiology cardiology..." + (show)

Dr. Deshmukh is my EP also. I hesitate to recommend him..don’t want him to get too busy.😊. He has great Dr/ patient rapport. He put in pacemaker and will perform a 2nd ablation ( he didn’t do 1st), if my aFib becomes unmanageable w meds. I do not have interventional Cardiologist, since Dr. Callahan passed away ( Mayo Dr.). I figure with checkups and echo’s, if I needed to see one, Dr. Deshmukh would refer me. I trust only Mayo Clinic with my heart ❤️. And I live in Texas, but worth the trip.

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