I need to discontinue 12.5 mg once a day of Metopolol. Is this dangero

Hi, Beegie.

Two thoughts regading your post:
Coming off your 12.5 mg of Met (beta blocker) should be fine... SO LONG AS your AF has been generally controlled for the past several months... during which you've experienced no physical / emotional issues, AND don't intend to drastically change your activities upon discontinuing the med. STILL, I'd suggest you discuss this with your EP or cardio beforehand.

Additionally want to point out that low dosage BB's have in the past been sometimes prescribed for anxiety. (I suspect this may still be the case).

All the best!

/LarryG

@normanchester I can well understand the feeling of anxiety you might get from "cold-turkeying" off your metoprolol. This drug is a beta-blocker which acts to competitively inhibit the "fight or flight" hormones adrenaline and no-adrenaline from attaching to the "beta-receptors" in your heart (and other organs, depending on which beta-blocker drug it is, metoprolol is a more cardiac-specific beta blocker than some of the others) and allowing the hormones to act. This drug acts to slow the heart rate, reduce the force of contractions and lowers the blood pressure by it's inhibition of those hormones.

If a person has taken this drug for some time, stopping it cold turkey can cause a rebound effect, as those beta receptors are no longer blocked by the drug, and the person may have even grown more beta receptors in response to the drug's action ( depending on the dose and length of time taken). I've experienced this rebound as jitteriness, an increased heart rate in response to very little stimuli, and I could say at least a little anxiety. That's the reason the drug manufacturers, prescribing healthcare providers strongly recommend tapering off the drug when the plan is to stop it.

The details of tapering down the drug depend on the dosage the person is taking. I've been told that it may not be necessary to taper off a low dosage of the metoprolol, ie, 25 mg/day. I had to stop the metoprolol I was taking a number of years ago, and the electrophysiologist I was working with said I definitely had to taper off at the dose I was taking ( 150mg/day). His instructions were to taper it off over a two week period, ie, cut down to 100 mg/day the first week, then 50 mg/day the second week, then stop taking any after that. I had to switch over to diltiazem ER after that, but I still felt the jitters and heart rate increases even with the tapering of the metoprolol, and the diltiazem was pathetically ineffective for the issues I had.

I googled your question. I know from experience some meds should not be cut off abruptly, It indicates metoprolol is one of those.

I would wean off by slivering off about 1/8 for a couple days and then 1/8 more and continue til gone. If you feel anything weird, stay a couple more days as is and then continue.

I am not the average patient, and am NOT telling you what to do. Only what I would do. However, I would not have taken it to begin with. I would stop consuming caffeine, high animal product and dairy and sugar diet and walk. Which is what I do and at age 77 and take no drugs.

You are responsible for your health. 100%. And for those who sound the gongs because they believe a doctor needs to be consulted for everything instead of searching for knowledge on how to prevent, just keep scrolling. Doctors are trained to treat not get rid of the problem. And when a med causes a problem, they just give another med that often also causes a problem, often the same one as the original.

I have had two experiences years ago, and weaned myself off meds that I was told I had to take until doomsday. 47 years later, I am still alive and healthy without them.

Metaprolol is a beta blocker. Decades ago, it was commonly prescribed for hypertension (before better drugs came along). It was sometimes prescribed for anxiety, not because it prevented anxiety, but because it blocked symptoms of anxiety such as sweaty hands and rapid heart rate.

Like other beta blockers, metaprolol can control rhythm experiences and it can cause them.

I was on a beta blocker similar to metaprolol, for decades. Tried to get off it about 2 years ago. Went into atrial fib. Back on the beta blocker now, which has kept me in normal rhythm now for going on 2 years.

@marybird Thanks for sharing this. Very useful information. I will be seeing my doc soon so will talk to him about discontinuing my Metropolol. I am only on 2.5 mg. I have used my CPAP faithfully for a year now. I changed to BIPAP and have added and used the oxygen for the month of December. I still wake up tired. That said, I feel there have been improvements, but in unrelated areas like my sinuses.

@lindy9 Thanks, Lindy! We are of like minds. I am 82 this month. I have, however, taken thyroid supplements for 50 years and never missed a dose. I had such extreme symptoms that I became anal about never missing a dose. My dosage has fluctuated over the years. Cut in half after the divorce. And along the way lowered at different times.

Like you, I believe in diet and exercise. I still exercise (much more than others in my age group), but over the years have gone back to some bad habits on the diet front. Thanks for the reminder of the importance in this area. I will now direct my efforts to eliminate sugar and cut down on coffee.

Thanks again for taking the time to respond.

Cheers,
Dana

@dalebout123 I would like to add to this discussion my experience with cutting metoprolol out of my life

About two years ago, I had three stents put in and I was placed on a blood thinner, Plavix, and metoprolol to control my heart rate. Soon after starting Plavix, I got the characteristic purple bruises on my wrists, which always really embarrassed me. And with the metoprolol, I suffered the side effects of a foggy brain and feeling there was always a headwind pushing me back, and whenever I would hike up hills, immediately my legs felt like lead. I hated this feeling, but accepted it as a guard against a stroke, which would be really devastating.

After two years of living with an anchor around my neck, I finally got to talk to a electro physiologist that would listen to me

He took me off the Plavix and put me onto Eliquis, which has pretty much eliminated the bruising on my hands and he switched me from the long lasting metoprolol to a fast acting version, metoprolol tartrate, with the instructions that if I experienced Afib, I should take the fast acting metoprolol until I reached a regular rhythm

I basically stopped taking the metoprolol, and my heart rate is finally responding to my exercise demands and I have been feeling really great. Hiking is now a pleasure and I look forward to my physical activities

I have experienced arhythms twice since stoping the long lasting metoprolol and taking the fast acting metoprolol had brought me back to a regular rhythm quickly

I feel so much better and I am basically off of metoprolol except when I feel that I need it

I am 80 years old and feel that I have my life back

I am 86 and had an Afib episode in December 2024 and was prescribed Eliquis twice a day and 25mg metoprolol once a day. Had a successful PFA in May 2025 and continued with the metoprolol. Metoprolol caused numerous problems for me. Lethargic. Kind of stumbly. A low heart rate between 50 to 55 all the time. Worst was the pain and numbness in my legs below the knees. It felt like they were just two lead weights that were dragging me down. Feeding my horses and doing other ranch chores was pure hell. Forget any exercise. After a number of meetings with my cardio team I went off metoprolol. No weaning. The change was overnight. I am back to exercising and am able to do everything I need to do around my place. Still on Eliquis and the most recent prescription was US $30.00 for a 3 month supply.

@perner Thank you so much for your contribution. I relate to all you have written. I go to my pulmonologist this coming week and will request being taken off the metoprolol. The cardiologist I saw through IHC was inadequate as far as I was concerned. So maybe I need to find a new one.

It is nice to know there are other 80+ year olds out hiking and exercising. I have several friends in my age group who are fit and active. I have always believed it to be a way of life. I don't need to live longer. I just want to live better. I, too, was prescribed Plavix for stroke prevention. Two Neurologist told me to discontinue it as it was contraindicated and even dangerous in some cases.

Thanks again

Sincerely,

Dana

@suerte Thanks for you post. I appreciate you taking the time to weigh in.
Sincerely,
Dana