1. < Heart Rhythm Conditions

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.

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margaretgrant | @margaretgrant | Jul 1, 2022
In reply to @jamienolson "@glr702 and @cardae19- Hello and Welcome to Mayo Clinic Connect. Thank you for posting. @cardae19, are..." + (show)
@jamienolson

@glr702 and @cardae19- Hello and Welcome to Mayo Clinic Connect. Thank you for posting.

@cardae19, are you also weaning off? if so, how far are you into the process? is there anything that you have noticed that helps to subside some of the symptoms that would be helpful to other members in the group?

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How do I ween myself off of this drug Toprol

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margaretgrant | @margaretgrant | Jul 1, 2022

Has anyone quite taking? My Dr said just quite taking it. No weening? He just said stop taking!

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1 reply
larryg333 | @larryg333 | Jul 2, 2022
In reply to @margaretgrant "Has anyone quite taking? My Dr said just quite taking it. No weening? He just said..." + (show)
@margaretgrant

Has anyone quite taking? My Dr said just quite taking it. No weening? He just said stop taking!

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Margaret -- Good morning.

When I stopped my beta blocker several years ago, I cut the dose in half for a week to see how I would react to it. Then cut it in half again the following week, and then stopped it after that.

This was a conservative way to discontinue the med.

NOTE: I literally had to cut the tablet to accomplish the above.

Good luck!

/LarryG

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1 reply
margaretgrant | @margaretgrant | Jul 2, 2022
In reply to @larryg333 "Margaret -- Good morning. When I stopped my beta blocker several years ago, I cut the..." + (show)
@larryg333

Margaret -- Good morning.

When I stopped my beta blocker several years ago, I cut the dose in half for a week to see how I would react to it. Then cut it in half again the following week, and then stopped it after that.

This was a conservative way to discontinue the med.

NOTE: I literally had to cut the tablet to accomplish the above.

Good luck!

/LarryG

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Thank you!

Sent from my iPhone

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etbryan83 | @etbryan83 | Jul 3, 2022

Please help!
I was on 50mg of the extended release for 7 years or so. I take this for SVT, high HR and palpitations. Recently I reduced my caffeine intake and my HR was dipping to the low 40s at night, but I still had very high spikes during the day. I was seen in a urgent care last Wednesday for low blood pressure and the doctor told me not to take my dose that night and call my primary in the morning. I woke up Thursday morning with insane chest pain and a blood pressure of 180/99. I couldn’t get my BP down, even after I took my dose so I went to the ER. I was told that you never go cold turkey on this stuff without physically consequences. He said that I need to cut my dose down to 25mg daily. I started this Friday and have been feeling off. I have chest pain, blood pressure spikes, HR spikes and a general feeling of sickness. But my HR isn’t going under 60 during sleep. How long will it take my body to adjust to these changes? I am an anxious person who is literally afraid this could kill me. Any additional information or advice or stories of hope would be wonderful.

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larryg333 | @larryg333 | Jul 4, 2022

Happy 4th to all!

One clarification to my earlier post on weaning off a beta blocker: If you're on a time-release or extended release tablet (of any kind), DO NOT cut the tablet. These meds are not intended to be cut.

To wean off extended-release tabs properly, you would just reduce the number you take daily.

NOTE: It's always a good idea to discuss in advance your wanting to reduce, or wean off, a med with your prescribing doctors. AND always report back to them promptly any negative symptoms that arise thereafter.

Communications help keep us safe.

/LarryG

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dedema | @dedema | Aug 20, 2022
In reply to @afrobin "Are you sure that your Afib did not return? Apparently some people are not aware that..." + (show)
@afrobin

Are you sure that your Afib did not return? Apparently some people are not aware that their hearts are out of rhythm. I don't get how that can be because it's like a huge thumping in the chest and needing to take extra breaths to get enough O2 in the system etc.. In any case, be careful. How are you going to keep your Afib at bay? You can't just expect it not to return. Something has to change. You need to be proactive. The cardiologist advised me to avoid ALL stimulants; alcohol, chocolate, Coke, any drugs or supplement with ephedrine in them, too many carbs especially sugar, being around cigarette smoke and avoiding very stressful situations. But what cured me of my serious case of Afib was exercise; pushing my heart. A walk didn't work. It had to be where I was working up a sweat. I suggest you really research and learn about your condition. My aim is to know as much as my doctor, if not more. I also cured myself of bladder infections..no thanks to my urologist. I had 28 in a row inside a 2 year period. Now gone! Become ultra informed about how your body works, reacts to meds and food and exercise etc... Good luck to you. Keep well!

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This is the most helpful comment so far for me. I was diagnosed 2/2022 with Afib and I have a Mitral Valve Prolapse with mild to moderate regurgitation. I was in the ER with a resting HR of 160. I was put on Metoprolol Succinate 12.5 mg daily with 2 baby aspirin. To come off any prescription medication, I agree, one has to be very pro active. Diet, exercise, stress reduction all need to be a priority. I stopped stimulants, i.e. alcohol, caffeine ( although I have an occasional cup of Earl Grey Tea and a small piece of dark chocolate), sugar (including processed carbohydrates), marijuana. I cook my own meals with organic and local produce. I have wild fish and pasture raised meat 1-2 times weekly. I go easy on the whole fat dairy, I do have a daily cup of whole milk yoghurt. Most important is I have been a wild craft herbalist for the past 38 years. I am taking Hawthorn leaf, flower, and berry infusion (strong tea) daily and also the tincture. This herb is a reputable heart tonic and there has been a lot of research on it, done mostly in Germany. I am nervous coming off the Metoprolol, since I have tried twice before and when my heart started to pound and race a bit, I went back on it. I think one needs to be on herbal remedies for at least several months before weaning and going off the medication. It's now been 6 months and I am going to try to stop the Metoprolol again. Wish me luck! By the way . . . I have had invasive Breast Cancer twice and declined chemotherapy and hormonal therapy. I did have surgery and radiation. The first time was in 1999 and the second in 2009. I strongly believe the Herbs, Diet, Exercise, Meditation, Singing, and being in Nature pulled me through. I hope this comment is helpful.

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2 replies
kilh | @kilh | Aug 21, 2022
In reply to @dedema "This is the most helpful comment so far for me. I was diagnosed 2/2022 with Afib..." + (show)
@dedema

This is the most helpful comment so far for me. I was diagnosed 2/2022 with Afib and I have a Mitral Valve Prolapse with mild to moderate regurgitation. I was in the ER with a resting HR of 160. I was put on Metoprolol Succinate 12.5 mg daily with 2 baby aspirin. To come off any prescription medication, I agree, one has to be very pro active. Diet, exercise, stress reduction all need to be a priority. I stopped stimulants, i.e. alcohol, caffeine ( although I have an occasional cup of Earl Grey Tea and a small piece of dark chocolate), sugar (including processed carbohydrates), marijuana. I cook my own meals with organic and local produce. I have wild fish and pasture raised meat 1-2 times weekly. I go easy on the whole fat dairy, I do have a daily cup of whole milk yoghurt. Most important is I have been a wild craft herbalist for the past 38 years. I am taking Hawthorn leaf, flower, and berry infusion (strong tea) daily and also the tincture. This herb is a reputable heart tonic and there has been a lot of research on it, done mostly in Germany. I am nervous coming off the Metoprolol, since I have tried twice before and when my heart started to pound and race a bit, I went back on it. I think one needs to be on herbal remedies for at least several months before weaning and going off the medication. It's now been 6 months and I am going to try to stop the Metoprolol again. Wish me luck! By the way . . . I have had invasive Breast Cancer twice and declined chemotherapy and hormonal therapy. I did have surgery and radiation. The first time was in 1999 and the second in 2009. I strongly believe the Herbs, Diet, Exercise, Meditation, Singing, and being in Nature pulled me through. I hope this comment is helpful.

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@dedema Hi, I was on Metropol since March. It was prescribed for me in the hospital. I did not know that was what I was taking until I went home. They added so many meds that I was not on before. I have never in my life felt this way before. This is all new to me and I am trying to learn and cope with afib and CHF. My bp runs low. So they put me on all these drugs that lower your bp and boy did I have side effects. My body is in total, total fatigue, so they tell me. Since I have come home, my PCP took me off Metropol, and now I have weaned off am Amiodarone. I feel so much better and can get things done around the house a little more.
Here are some that have become better: head buzzy becoming less, balance with walking so much better, no itching of my back and torso, out of breath not as much(COPD), and gaining more energy each day. Also, I have been sleeping better and longer. Of course, this is just me and everyone is different in how they react and handle it all. I take one day at a time and am thankful for a little progress back toward the way things were before.
I am retired from the hospital lab so now I am a full-time farmer's wife and gardener. This has slowed me down and I am not much help. I do not know if this rambling has helped or not but I hope you find the answers you are looking for. Please keep in touch as to your progress and in the meantime stay healthy. KLH

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1 reply
dedema | @dedema | Aug 21, 2022
In reply to @kilh "@dedema Hi, I was on Metropol since March. It was prescribed for me in the hospital...." + (show)
@kilh

@dedema Hi, I was on Metropol since March. It was prescribed for me in the hospital. I did not know that was what I was taking until I went home. They added so many meds that I was not on before. I have never in my life felt this way before. This is all new to me and I am trying to learn and cope with afib and CHF. My bp runs low. So they put me on all these drugs that lower your bp and boy did I have side effects. My body is in total, total fatigue, so they tell me. Since I have come home, my PCP took me off Metropol, and now I have weaned off am Amiodarone. I feel so much better and can get things done around the house a little more.
Here are some that have become better: head buzzy becoming less, balance with walking so much better, no itching of my back and torso, out of breath not as much(COPD), and gaining more energy each day. Also, I have been sleeping better and longer. Of course, this is just me and everyone is different in how they react and handle it all. I take one day at a time and am thankful for a little progress back toward the way things were before.
I am retired from the hospital lab so now I am a full-time farmer's wife and gardener. This has slowed me down and I am not much help. I do not know if this rambling has helped or not but I hope you find the answers you are looking for. Please keep in touch as to your progress and in the meantime stay healthy. KLH

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Thank you for your comment KLH. I am so very happy to have found this website and know it's going to be helpful to connect with others regarding heart issues. So far this is the second day off of the Metoprolol, 12.5 mg daily. I went on a mile hike in the woods today and did well. I will continue to take the Hawthorn leaf, flower, and berry tincture twice daily and also drink 2 cups of the infusion (strong tea). I also believe my 15 minute meditation with abdominal breathing exercises are important for stress reduction.
Good to hear you are a gardener, working with the earth is good for the heart and mind. Just go easy and enjoy the plants.

REPLY
1 reply
nancymulloy | @nancymulloy | Aug 21, 2022
In reply to @dedema "This is the most helpful comment so far for me. I was diagnosed 2/2022 with Afib..." + (show)
@dedema

This is the most helpful comment so far for me. I was diagnosed 2/2022 with Afib and I have a Mitral Valve Prolapse with mild to moderate regurgitation. I was in the ER with a resting HR of 160. I was put on Metoprolol Succinate 12.5 mg daily with 2 baby aspirin. To come off any prescription medication, I agree, one has to be very pro active. Diet, exercise, stress reduction all need to be a priority. I stopped stimulants, i.e. alcohol, caffeine ( although I have an occasional cup of Earl Grey Tea and a small piece of dark chocolate), sugar (including processed carbohydrates), marijuana. I cook my own meals with organic and local produce. I have wild fish and pasture raised meat 1-2 times weekly. I go easy on the whole fat dairy, I do have a daily cup of whole milk yoghurt. Most important is I have been a wild craft herbalist for the past 38 years. I am taking Hawthorn leaf, flower, and berry infusion (strong tea) daily and also the tincture. This herb is a reputable heart tonic and there has been a lot of research on it, done mostly in Germany. I am nervous coming off the Metoprolol, since I have tried twice before and when my heart started to pound and race a bit, I went back on it. I think one needs to be on herbal remedies for at least several months before weaning and going off the medication. It's now been 6 months and I am going to try to stop the Metoprolol again. Wish me luck! By the way . . . I have had invasive Breast Cancer twice and declined chemotherapy and hormonal therapy. I did have surgery and radiation. The first time was in 1999 and the second in 2009. I strongly believe the Herbs, Diet, Exercise, Meditation, Singing, and being in Nature pulled me through. I hope this comment is helpful.

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I went off it over the course of a month, cutting in halves and then quarters, then every other day, etc. No problems

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