Metoprolol - Short bursts of shortness of breath

Welcome @joyfl2. Fellow members @1943 @sueinmn @realitytest and @lcgh have written about experiencing shortness of breath with metoprolol and may have some experiences to share with you. It can be quite worrying, can't it?

You may also be interested in these related discussions:
- Side Effects of Metoprolol?: https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/metoprolol/
- How did you wean off Metoprolol? https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/weaning-off-metoprolol/

Joy, have you spoken with your cardiologist about the side effects you are experiencing?

Thank you @colleenyoung - I’m new to Mayo Connect .. can you tell me how to find those specific posts?

Not Colleen here, but just put your cursor over the link (blue text) and click, you will be taken to that discussion. To get back to this original discussion so you can look at the next link, click on the "back" button on your browser - usually and arrow on the top left of your browser.

PS I actually was taken off Metoprolol because I had shortness of breath while using it. It interfered with my asthma medications.
Sue

@joyfl2 -- Hi, J. Sorry to hear of your side effects w Metoprolol.

Please report them to your doc. The Good News: there are lots of tried and true beta blockers you may have better results with... and they're very affordable!

Just one example: Atenolol... as low as $10 for 90-day supply! Been taking it daily for over two decades... no issues for me.

Good luck!

/LarryG

Thank you!

Metoprolol tartrate 25mg twice a day and also on Losartan 100mg once a day …I also have these bursts of shortness of breath or a feeling that I need oxygen or the kind of feeling you get if you over breath and find myself taking deep breaths but makes the situation worse …also possibly gassy/belchy/bloated stomach from meds causing this…not sure …also runny nose and
sometimes bursts of fatigue with the shortness of breath ….mild dizziness after taking each 25mg …

I was recently diagnosed with POTS and prescribed Metoprolol Tartrate 2x per day 50 mg. I just started it two weeks ago. I take my blood pressure 2 x per day. Only once was it very low. If you are experiencing mild dizziness after taking I would call your cardiologist ASAP. Your dosage may need to be corrected. My cardiologist actually had me go to an Electrophysiologist to make sure what was going on with my heart rate and the dizziness, etc I had been feeling.

I, too, have had this 'shortness of breath' feeling on Metoprolol also, but no AFib during the episode. It is a weird feeling, infrequent luckily, lasts a few seconds.

I also have had the same symptoms on Metoprolol, Bisoprolol, and Atenolol. I'm sorry to hear you are having these symptoms, but it is helpful to know that someone else has experienced the same thing I did. I have Afib, atrial flutter, and PVCs and in the past I was on diltiazem and propaphenone and then flecainide, which both eventually failed. I am now on Tikosyn and started on metoprolol to help keep my hear rate down and help control the PVCs. I had a lot of side effects from the metoprolol, including a feeling of shortness of breath (heavy, tight chest), gastrointestinal problems, dizziness, wooziness, and runny nose! When I went off of metoprolol for about a week the symptoms stopped. I started on a low dose of bisoprolol and had the same symptoms. My cardiologist then had me try Atenolol (symptoms not quite as bad). I have figured out that if I take a very low dose of Atenolol (1/4 of a 25 mg tablet) I avoid most of the side effects and it effectively lowers my heart rate. You may want to talk to your cardiologist about experimenting with different cardio- specific beta blockers and a lower dosage.

One more thought for all of you having issues with metoprolol and shortness of breath - I was using it to reduce heart rate and it worked. But I was having a lot of problems with shortness of breath and increased asthma attacks, which were getting harder to control.

My primary got on the phone with our clinical pharmacist to review meds. Right away he told - she is taking a Beta blocker for her heart rate, and a Beta agonist for her asthma. The 2 are fighting one another. Stop the metoprolol and find something else. Now I take Losartan instead. It doesn't control my heart rate very well, but at least I can breathe.

Something to consider.
Sue