beta blocker story

[nrael]

I have been battling with beta blockers for months. I had a Dr. who wanted me to stop the propranolol I was on so I could have some allergy tests. I got the OK from the doctor and was told to just skip the meds for 4 days. Within 24 hrs my heart was racing out of control. Dr. told me to take them again. I tried 2 more times to stop. I was referred to a cardiologist to help me taper off, but instead she put me on a 2nd medication and kept the beta blocker. I gave up and cancelled the allergy tests. I never knew the side effects if this stuff could be so bad. I am now on two meds and have to monitor my heart rate every day!!!

[Squelix]

@nrael, Personally I think most docs are ignoramuses when they are dealing with beta blockers. Your story is really a disallusionment, expecting your docs to know how to do the right thing for you. I really feel for you.

A few years ago I was having a bad reaction to Atenolol (an old beta blocker). My doc told me to quit taking it and substituted another kind of med. Within a day I was having the withdrawals from hell! I didn't even realise what was happening, thought it was a bad case of the flu. So did my doc..........Well Web MD knew what the answer was: don't stop taking this drug abruptly. Now I have a new doctor.

[nrael]

Know the feeling. My trusted doc went concierge medicine and I couldn't afford the fee. Have a new dr. but have only seen him once. The cardiologist also told me I needed to become a vegan to resolve all my problems. Needless to say, am looking for a new cardiologist.....

[jgrn87]

Without knowing your full story or situation, we have no way of knowing what the problem here is. Maybe the beta blocker was causing or contributing to some allergy? Maybe your heart is racing out of control because you have an arrhythmia which the beta blocker was masking? Maybe you are overweight and simply need your blood pressure reduced, and a beta blocker is not the best drug of choice? What is the second medication you were put on? Maybe this isn't a side effect of the beta blocker at all but simply that it was temporarily masking something else? Maybe the cardiologist made that recommendation after seeing that you have extremely high LDL and HDL level and knows you are at significant risk for coronary artery disease? Maybe the cardiologist made that comment because your risk is so high that medications alone will not help, and only a radical diet change and exercise will?

I can think of a hundred maybes. We don't know the full story and obviously can't pass judgement, because in all of those cases the advice you may have been given may have in fact been true, or your doctors may have in fact been idiots. Beta blockers at lower doses can in fact be stopped suddenly, but there are always exceptions.

[sinister]

Agree with above. I can't even figure out exactly what your problem is from your post. But it sounds like you probably need to be on a beta blocker of some sort since you were only off of it for 4 days and your heart began racing. It could be some sort of arrythmia, or it could be you're just perceiving your heart racing when in reality it's not.

Maybe next time you wean off of beta blockers you could ask your doctor to wear a 48 hour holter monitor, or even a 30 day holter monitor, to watch for arrythmias.

Without knowing more though, it's impossible to give you more info.

[nuli]

ouch that sucks

[Yiv2012]

Beta blockers have withdrawals. You're used to living with them... you have to taper off.

Be sure to at least go for a light walk every day assuming you're healthy enough for it.

[sbg]

beta blockers should never be discontinued abruptly.. period. They have a withdrawal syndrome associated with them that can result in life threatening blood pressure and heart rate elevation that will be far higher than what you were originally taking the medication for . This would be true even of someone that never had high blood pressure or tachycardia . Your doctor is 100% at fault for this and if you feel you can , you should let him know this so that he may educate himself a bit better on adrenergic pharmacology. In order to get off of these, you must taper slowly .

[mms]

[/Quote]
A few years ago I was having a bad reaction to Atenolol (an old beta blocker). My doc told me to quit taking it and substituted another kind of med. Within a day I was having the withdrawals from hell! I didn't even realise what was happening, thought it was a bad case of the flu. So did my doc..........Well Web MD knew what the answer was: don't stop taking this drug abruptly. Now I have a new doctor. [/QUOTE]

I have been on Atenolol for the past 8 years. Finally got to the point where I couldn't take the almost nightly nightmares, constant fatigue, etc. He had me switch to Toprol. Worst week of my life. I am now back on Atenolol.

[nrael]

Sorry, have been offline for a while. I am taking Beta Blockers to prevent migraines. They don't help anymore, but I can't shake them.
I have started opening the capsules an reducing the contents. That does seem to allow me to take less w/o raising my heart rate. Certainly not the best option.

[fatalframe]

Hello, may I inquire as to what your dose is? Beta blockers affect the heart. So it is not uncommon that you experienced heart racing when your doctor advised you to just discontinue taking them. I'm judt wondering why a medical professional would even suggest such a course of action when it is even advised against on the patient information sheet oO

[Gavin_Strick]

Interesting, I tried beta-blockers for my HBP and had to stop because the drug made my heart race, I was switched to a ace-inhibiter and haven't had a problem since.