Stopping Carvedilol (Coreg): When will the effects wear off?

I just want to note that almost everything that you mentioned in your feed I went through the same thing. I cannot believe they have this drug on the market without further testing it's capacity. I am a 55-year-old man. I also have hypertension which runs in the family lucky me right? Well just to reiterate I saw my cardiologist today and he took me off carvedilol today but I already read of last week on how to wing off of it you should never just try to stop all at once as there will be greater effects. I am now going on day five and I feel perfectly fine every now and then I get a little bit of heavy breathing where I'm trying to catch my breath The doctor says a couple more days and I will be fine. I had a lot of horrible nightmares and I noticed several days ago I had uncontrollable anxiety while out at dinner and I felt like I was so agitated by everyone talking around me that I just wanted to get up and scream. Now I am good I feel like this drug is finally making its way out of my system. The effects of the drug can linger up to 2 weeks the doctor said but not intensely so I am counting everyday until this drug wears itself out. On a good note it turns out that none of my heart arteries are blocked which was the reason why he put me on this medication 2 months ago. I really feel bad for the next person who has to take this and feels like they are actually doing something to progress their health when they realize this drug turns you into Jekyll or maybe hide they will definitely discontinue like we did hahaha Good luck and much success on your recovery from this drug also read all the reviews on Reddit you will be up almost all night reading all the horror stories that other people have experienced from this drug!

@denverpro Welcome to Mayo Clinic Connect. It is always great to see new members, and to hear their stories. I am sure what you have related here will help others as they navigate their own health journey.

I also was on carvedilol for awhile. I can't recall why it was switched out, as it was many years ago. The reason for any blood pressure medication was to ease the stress on my kidneys as I am a chronic kidney disease patient. Now on dialysis, my medical team recently stopped both BP medications [verapamil and lisinopril].
Ginger

I know this is an old thread, but I just went through similar with Carvedilol after transitioning to it after a heart attack. I was first put on Metroprolol and then Lisinopril for high blood pressure after my incident, and then was switched to Carvedilol about a year later. Within 3-6 months of taking Carvedilol, I started experiencing insomnia, nightmares, panic attacks, and mood swings. I also had similar "hard" heartbeats like OP, along with excess weight gain and throbbing tinnitus that was unexplained. All of that combined turned out to be potentially contributing to my nervous system feeling like it was on high alert/survival mode; causing other issues. I was fortunate to learn about the adverse effects Carvedilol can have on some people due to the crossing of the blood-brain barrier. Some of it also boils down to regulating your nervous system through proper nutrition, weight loss, and adequate sleep. After losing 45lbs, I eventually was able to get off the medication completely with my cardiologist's recommendation, and have been feeling like my old self before the heart attack. Within two weeks of stopping, I was no longer anxious and the other symptoms stopped in kind. I'm now two months off and feeling better than ever. It has been a horrible, horrible, experience and in my case, the trade-off has not been worth the side effects and whatever decreased heart rate and blood pressure regulation was gained. Since exercising more, my system also feels more stable. Despite the increased intensity of workouts, my heart rate and blood pressure haven't spiked like it was doing while on the medication. It's been improving steadily. Of course, if you suffer from heart failure or other conditions, this may not apply to you - so make sure to get the right team in place to answer any questions.

I’m sorry for everything you are going through and I hope they figure it out soon. I have a similar problem but in reverse. I have been on carvedilol and flecainide for many years for atrial fibrillation and I have never had a problem with it.

Recently, I started having bad headaches so I went to go get checked, and they found 4 aneurysms in my brain. They did what was supposed to be a routine angiogram to get a better look at them and I had a stroke during the procedure. I am very blessed, however, that it was not worse than it was, and that it happened while I was in the hospital. They have me on blood thinners and other medication’s now and they took me off the carvedilol, which made me a little bit uneasy. Since then I’ve had terrible leg, cramps, and spasms especially my left knee. They’re horrible. And then today it feels like a mild case of a-fib. If it gets worse, I will take a carvedilol and perhaps go to the ER. But I’m praying that won’t be necessary.

Sorry I did everything but answer your question. For me at least withdrawal was similar to yours and it took about 2 weeks before I started feeling somewhat better. I even made out a will. Unfortunately for my wife I didn't croak and I told her I'm going to outlive her, I think the the neighbors could hear the groan.

Having dealt with several cardiologists over the last 11 years, I've found that most of them don't know the side effects of the drug they are prescribing nor do they know the interactions of these drugs with other drugs.
Example, Amiodarone and warfarin cause bleeding, these were given to me after a hip surgery and yes it causes excessive bleeding. Or sending me home from the emergency room with a very high dose of metoprolol without trying it in the hospital first, I ended up back in the ER with congestive heart failure. I could go on and on and needless to say I no longer trust cardiologists.
Carvedilol is my last experience with a cardiologist not knowing the full list of possible side effects. Fortunately for me I've found a couple of reliable sources for proper drug information; The Mayo Clinic has a pretty reliable site for drug information. There is also drugs.com and they just state the facts. Also if you have a good pharmacist they can give you the straight scoop on most drugs.
Carvedilol although under the right circumstances is no doubt an ok beta blocker for some people, but for me is not the best drug of choice. Side effects; Slow heart beat, fast heart beat, chest pains, shortness of breath, massive water retention at times, (even with a loop diuretic, [Torsemide]), skin rash, bruised looking arms for no reason, anxiety, depression, sores don't heal very well. I could go on and on. I took myself off it as my cardiologist did not believe it was the cause of my issues, I don't recommend this without consulting your doctor as my condition is AFIB and yours may be totally different. But the removal of carvedilol (3 weeks) has relieved most of my symptoms and I haven't felt this good in years. Of course I say this and my wife will find my lifeless cadaver in the garage from congestive heart failure. LOL

Hi there, there is so much here, but none of it is quite where I'm at. So, forgive me if I repeat something that has already been addressed and I missed it.
I am a very fit 48 yo woman. I ran a minimum 5 mi every day and I have an excellent diet (not a single processed anything and I grow all my own vegetables, have nothing but local grass meat, no added sugar or grains of any stripe, etc). After having Covid about a year ago, which I barely noticed, I started having slight chest pain. I figured it was long covid, but my life was also really intense and getting more so. Nov '22 my life went nuclear and Feb '23 I started having attacks upon waking that were absolute textbook heart attacks. After several I tried to get some help with docs, but was just told over and over that it was anxiety. I finally popped into the right ER and just happened to stay long enough for them to decide I was having a heart attack. Even then, I don't think anyone thought there was going to be anything real serious because I never was bad (even doing laps around the ward with my IV pole. Haha), but when they did the cath I had a 95% blockage and got me a shiny new stent. They gave me a RX for baby aspirin in the am, 6.25mg/2x day carvedilol and 90/2x day brilinta. I was actually discharged before they had even taken my IVs out, and never saw the cardio doc or was told anything other than, follow up with your doc. For about 3 days after getting out I felt magnificent, but that went downhill quickly. I was (am) nauseous all the time. I struggled to keep the pills down and have no appetite. So weak I couldn't stand for more than a few minutes, forget running. When I'd go upstairs, it felt just like times I had done step ups with 200lbs on my shoulders. My legs shake with the effort. But, the worst for me was the heart wiggle. I will get these moments when my heart just feels like something is stuck in it and it punches me when it starts, sometimes hard enough to see my whole chest move. This can be every other beat for hours. Pounding at night, but that's not a big deal to me. 3 weeks after my stent I got to see a cardio who gave me a month long holter, but after two weeks I told them I couldn't bear the heart thunk and felt like I was going to die. They doubled my carvedilol to 12.5/2x day and the thunking stopped for a little bit, but then back at it. I ended up getting switched from brilinta to plavix at my request, and thought it might be good to check my BP. Lo and behold, my BP was running at 90/50, HR anywhere from 55 to 120. When I picked up the plavix (and a calcium channel blocker that the doc thought might help to add) I asked the pharmacist of any tricks to bring my BP up (other than taking up smoking) and as we talked, because it was the weekend, he said he didn't think I should take the carvedilol when my BP was so low. I finally got to my doc after one day off the Carvedilol, and they agreed I should be off it until my bp was up. But, no one said anything about tapering. Second day off I felt like myself and was actually so giddy I was dancing. So grateful just to not feel like crap. But, end of the night the thunking was there, but I munched some salt and was feeling better. The next day, felt freaking amazing, until I went to bed and that was the first night I really thought if I fell asleep I wasn't going to wake. My heart was doing it's thunking, but then other weird things that are hard to describe because I was having a hard time staying awake. I was going to take one of the 6.25 carvedilol, but my BP was 105/60 and I was afraid I'd make the wrong choice and get worse. I chugged some gatorade I'd found in a suitcase and got some sleep, but that scared me good. I am so tired of feeling so bad. I meet these people smoking and drinking their cokes telling me about how good they felt after their stent and I just want to burst into tears.
So, I'm wondering if anyone can say "that's the way it goes, but it will get better" or sees something right away that's a red flag. I am literally willing to try anything to just not feel like I'm dying every freaking day. And, my poor beleaguered cardiology nurse, she really wants me to feel better, but I just don't think they really have a lot of experience with fit, healthy, norm BP, pre-menopausal woman with a stent. So, any advice will be eagerly accepted. Thank you!

From eirrol— for me cardvedilol was a nightmare. I was on it for 3 weeks with no problem. Then bang, suddenly I felt nauseated,dizzy, head burned, heart literally hurt. Thought I was going to pass out. Managed to lie down. An hour later I took my bp and it had soared but heartbeat was down to 49. Emailed my doc. He told me to immediately stop it. He said I could not gradually come off because it was doing more harm than good. Anxious days. A month later I wen to a cardiologist and had echo cardiogram. Technician and doctor said my heart is strong and so are valves. I will never take Carvedilol again and that was the tiniest dose. That was my experience.

After a bout with covid in 2022, I experienced low oxygen levels which lead to a flair up of a heart condition diagnosed in 2014. At that time I was placed on Carvedilol 3.125 and stayed on till 2016 when I successfully went off and managed my BP by lifestyle changes.
With the low oxygen my heart didn't work right and I developed severe edema. My PCP put me on Carvedilol (3.125) and lasix. It took a week or so but once I got on oxygen 24/7 I did start to improve.
I saw a cardiologist who upped the carvedilol to 6.25 and added Entresto as well. All went well for a few months, until a new cardiologist put me on Metoprolol. Ok for about a month then I started having chest discomfort, really low BP and pulse in the low 40's. I told my cardiologist and asked if I could go back to carvedilol and the NP agreed.
That was a month and a half ago and a follow up appointment they wanted to up the dose of both carvedilol and Entresto adding Spironolactone.
Now, I have been having unusual symptoms, tingling in the hands, joint pain, pins and needles feeling in the arm and feet. Blood test all say everything looks good. Just saw my primary who said how well my blood test looks and see ya in 6 months. I read how this side effect plus others symptoms I experienced but put off to my age, are signs that I can't tolerate carvedilol. I wasn't sure if maybe it was the Entrusto, so I had stopped that several weeks ago. I even went back to the low dose of 3.125 on Carvedilol but the symptoms continued and are steadily getting worse.
My doctor (cardiologist) notified me just yesterday when I
told him what was going on that he wants me to half my dose of carvedilol for 5 to 7 days and stop for 5 to 7 days and to watch my BP and let him know.

I've stopped carvedilol before in 2016 and it was really hard. Panic attacks, elevated BP, experiencing anxiety and fears. I didn't really wean off but just stopped at that time. It was like all my negative emotions was on and firing for a couple of weeks. Not something I am looking forward to going through again but if I can not tolerate a medication my body is telling me it does not like it and to stop. I need to listen to what my body is saying.

As for my oxygen situation, I no longer need it doing great at 98/96 with out and my heart is as good as it was before getting covid. But once my lungs started giving my body the oxygen it needs that was when that my body started rejecting the medications.

Has anyone else had problems with carvedilol, Metoprolol, or even entresto? And does anyone have any suggestions to help me as I taper off carvedilol. I figuring reducing my stresses, and no salt or processed foods is a good start.

I have just gotten off Carvedilol three days ago. Thirteen years ago, I was diagnosed with bad heart failure I was in good shape and was at a gym when the incident happened. I was put on this drug the next day. I immediately began having nausea several times per week. I was put on Phenergan for several years, which helped but made me tired. I was still able to work and worked out a little. I also gained over 100 pounds. I was always a small person before this. Also, I was dizzy when I stood up, sat down, and when I was walking.

I started having palpitations with the Phenergan and got off of it. I tried many (if not all) of the nausea medications. Finally I used cannabis, which works most of the time but makes me high. My son was only 12 at the time of my diagnosis and I was told (every time I went to my Cardiologist) that I was on this for life. My son is now 25 and he gave his consent (along with my husband) to get off the Carvedilol They knew my quality of life was not good. I am just waiting to see what will happen. I hope to get on another medication.

My Cardiologist started packing to go when I told him (seriously) that I was wanting to get off. He said to call him if I need him, but he sent information for me to leave his care.