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Metoprolol - Short bursts of shortness of breath

Posted by joyfl2 @joyfl2, May 29, 2022

I have been on 1/4 of Metoprolol Succinate 25 mg for almost 2 months. I was unable to tolerate more of this medicine as it led to heart pounding and palpitating. Originally put on this medicine for high heart rate. Now that I’ve been on it - I have all these new symptoms: palpitations (hard pounding heart beat if take more than 1/4 pill), chest fluttering, extreme constipation, periodic tightness in my underarm/chest, and brief bursts of shortness of breath. Has anyone else experienced these brief shortness of breath recurring episodes while being on metoprolol? They come all throughout the day whether I’m at rest or moving around.

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carbcounter | @carbcounter | Apr 28 12:26pm
In reply to @leahotoole5 "I am a 67 y.o. Female , new to this group , and have not read..." + (show)
Profile picture for leahotoole5 @leahotoole5

I am a 67 y.o. Female , new to this group , and have not read all the posts. I was prescribed Metoprolol in 2023 as it was found I had a heart murmur. I’ve never had high blood pressure. Given it to slow down blood flow as the usual tests showed that I had severe mitral valve prolapse and moderate mitral valve stenosis. Cardiologist Always said we would just watch it after every test. Frustrating. I need to say by working in an elementary school, I’ve had COVID 5 times. Never had issues before that. Dr. says that wasn’t the cause of heart issues. I don’t believe it. I also had a liver transplant in 2007 and knock wood have been extremely healthy re: that. Just a low immune system.
The dosage of metoprolol at first was 25 mg. I hated the way it made me feel. Extremely tired and in bad moods. I take Duloxetine for depression. In November of 2024, I tried to stop taking it and I shook and my heart pounded. My Nurse Practitioner suggested I half the pill in May of 2025, which I did and still do. For quite some time, I have been extremely short of breath, very tired and even more agitated. I pride myself on walking most everyday. For the past few months, it has been quite difficult to finish. Today, it dawned on me that I bet it is Metoprolol. Nurse Practitioner wants to put me on Atenolol, but side effects reportedly are the same. I truly do not want to take either. Like I said, my blood pressure is not high; if anything, on the lower side. Any suggestions?

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@leahotoole5
Hi. What time of day do you take the Metoprolol and what time of day do you feel bad?
Google tells me:
metoprolol succinate (extended-release) is typically dosed once daily, while metoprolol tartrate (immediate-release) is usually taken twice daily.

I was first prescribed Atenolol more for arrhythmias but also for blood pressure, and on the lowest common dosage, 25mg twice a day - I took just the first pill and an hour later felt like a zombie, my heart rate would not increase with exercise, so I talked to the doctor and started taking just half of one (already very small) pill once a day. Which helped, it reduced my symptoms without turning me into a zombie. I increased this over time to 12.5mg twice a day - but mostly my symptoms were greatly reduced over time possibly by nutritional means.

A small dose of beta blocker alone is not likely to reduce your BP by much, but I can't speak to its interaction with any other medications.

If your symptoms are tired and agitated that may speak not of the drugs but of the underlying heart functions. It's possible that more, rather than less, of the beta blocker might help, but I'd run it all past your doctor.

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indrajo8 | @indrajo8 | Apr 29 8:37am

I am prescribed 50mg of Metoprolol Tartrate once a day.
Is this a normal dose?

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tisme | @tisme | Apr 29 1:48pm

I am on metoprolol 50mg twice a day. I didn't realise breathlessness was an issue with it, that might explain mine.

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