Bisoprolol Side Effects

Hi All,

I’m wondering if anyone has had side effects frim Bisoprolol and could share what they were? 

Ive been on Bisoprol now for 12 months and have been suffering insomnia among other issues. My cardiologist and GP refuse to change medication, not believing  in Side effects and seem to think I’m on the right track with the right  medication after my Stent last January.  I differ and believe that I could have progressed much further with without insomnia. 

I’m just so frustrated now,  it has effected me for too long. Any comments or advice would be appreciated 

Thank you,

Mardi 

If you lookup bisoprolol buddies on this site you will find lots of info on the side effects of bisoprolol. 

  I was prescribed bisoprolol for a fib and was on this medication for 4/5 years. The side effects were ..extreme fatigue...kept falling asleep during the day, dizzy spells, weight gain, awful nightmares, weakness in legs...couldn’t stand for long without support, walking..as if I was wallking in treacle, brain fog, cold feet and hands, itchy skin. Numerous! Discussed with several GPS and also consultant. None accepted my concerns! I then thought it was my a fib causing the problems,until I found this site! 

   A new Gp agreed to change my Meds to atenolol! I persevered...but again,similar problems. I then reduced my intake gradually and when I got it down to half visited my go! He was ok with my decision. I then gradually weaned off it all,visited my go and she was ok with my decision! The withdrawal was really bad and took over 6 months. 

None of the above symptoms now!

   However ,this drug can help many people and I’m not advocating that you do as I have done! But, I can empathise with you...I had so many difficult years on this drug and the gps and consultant did not listen! Thankfully I read things on here and made an informed decision,eventually backed up by a new GP. 

  Hope this helps. I know where you’re coming from...believe me! 

The day they put me on minimum dose Bisoprolol I described feeling like a drunk zombie who could no longer feel my lungs working, breathlessness, had to consciously remember to breathe, turned me into an old man overnight.

So I used to cut the tablets in half, none-the less, after three months I was found hardly conscious, and with a heart beat of 42bpm after being brought round with oxygen.

This was last March I came off them.

The symptoms remain and are in fact getting worst to the day.

The NHS refused to believe their drugs could still affect me and so fobbed me off with "its Anxiety".

Its only December I finally got one of my cardiologists to listen to reason, namely, that Beta Blockers disrupt your Autonomic Nervous System by blocking receptors in it.

Every single one of my now mulitiple symptoms is a symptom of Autonomic disfunction, I was able to show them a statement from a medical equipment manufacturing company for the testing of Autonomic Neuropathy that one of the things that can cause it is "Drugs that increase sympathetic activity (sympathomimetics): amphetamines, monoamine oxidase inhibitors (antidepressants), beta adrenergic stimulants

Drugs that decrease sympathetic activity (sympatholytics): alpha and beta blockers (i.e. metoprolol), barbiturates, anesthetics"

I was also able to show that despite lung function tests showing my lungs to be mechanically fine, Autonomic receptors were not responding to low blood oxygen levels in my blood, hence the breathlessness. (See image below, blood oxygen should be between 95 and 100%, the red line I am pretty much constantly below, is considered to be a 15 minute response time medical emergency, they couldn't explain how their "anxiety" could cause that).

I am now being referred to a Neurologist but all my research indicates Autonomic Dysfunction is incurable, I consider Bisoprolol responsible for the forthcoming loss of my occupation, and a remaining life with half my days spent in bed to recover from the previous days exhaustion.    

I had insomnia and started taking it mid day instead, that seemed to help. I had asthma type breathing,low blood pressure and heartbeat, no energy and got a little depressed, I am sure I got forgetful as well, I come off cold turkey before Christmas after taking it for 9 months, I wanted to enjoy Christmas with my family.  I await an appointment with electrophysiologist from Barts. I have lived with ectopic beats for 42 years and bouts of svt for 11 years, all ignored by doctors.

From other sites:

1. Trouble sleeping, or insomnia, is one of the most common side effects of beta-blockers (drugs used to manage high blood pressure), as they suppress nighttime melatonin secretion.

2. a scientific study: 

The effects on sleep of four beta-blockers, atenolol, propranolol, metoprolol and pindolol, were studied in a placebo-controlled trial. Drugs were administered in random order to 10 female volunteers who acted as their own controls. Subjects were tested five times, each test period lasting 10 nights (2 baseline, 2 low dose, 4 high dose, and 2 withdrawal). A questionnaire concerning subjective appreciation of the quality of the previous night's sleep was completed each morning. Night recordings of muscle tension, eye movement, heart rate and electroencephalogram were recorded on paper and magnetic tape. Analysis of the subjective questionnaires showed that recollection of dreaming and awakening in the night was increased by the three lipophilic drugs, propranolol, metoprolol, and pindolol. These results confirm reports in the literature but are contrary to those expected from considering the effects of noradrenaline on sleep. Analysis of physiological records confirmed subjects' reports that waking was increased by the lipophilic drugs. Dreaming (rapid eye movement sleep, REM) was reduced, as predicted from knowledge of the effect of noradrenaline on sleep. Increased awakening leads to an increase in remembered dreaming which explains the otherwise paradoxical results. Although atenolol had no effect on subjective measures of sleep this hydrophilic drug also reduced REM frequency, suggesting that either it has some central effect, or that REM reduction is due to a peripheral 'shielding' effect.

3. a similar topic here from 1 year ago:

https://patient.info/forums/discuss/insomnia-with-bisoprolol-585326

Thank you so much to all contributing to this. 

I have read through all the responsive and can relate to pretty much all of these. Especially the insomnia, and Nervous System, that’s exactly how it feels when I try to go to sleep some  nights , like I have a asreanaline running through my body. 

The wanted me to go on Anti depressant but I always New in myself is side effects and at the same time knew it was too dangerous to come off them. They are the best for me in the meantime I might  try and take them in the afternoon. 

Thanks guys! I’m loving the discussion it has helped me.... keep the tip and stories coming 

Peter,

I can relate, I believe it ha effected my nervous system and also I was “Nudged” Side way in my job. I too hold the Medication and doctors lack of action responsible 

I’m sorry that happened to you it is horrible 

Thank you Ann,

I am going to Adjusy my time and try. Bisoprolol is he only need Inhabent played with as it is too important.

Thanks for the advice

Elizabeth thank you so much , I can totally relate and you response along with all the others are helping me immensely to understand and know here are people that have and are in th same situation.

Many thanks 😊

The girls on the POTS/Dysautonomia forums have some great Memes that sum this up, shows how beta blokcers cause the same problems as Dysautonomia.

There are totally spot on.. Gresat memes . Thanks for sharing Peter

Terrible stuff.

Was on it for about 3 months

I had very low heart rate, low blood pressure, and felt like a zombie. No energy and could not get off the sofa.  My hands and feet were so cold.

Then when I had to stop it to have an ablation, the doctor told me it was okay to stop. Well, it was not okay, Went through terrible withdrawals

Never again. 

Further to my original post the insomnia is still almost unbearable.  When I try to go to sleep at night I get a faster heart rate (still within the 60-100 range) but harder palpitation and somewhat feels like an adreanaline rush and my busy reacts... it’s about the 12 hours life span of the Bisoprolol so Im suss. The docs think I’m mad and need to see a physchologist and I have found it hard to explain to the docs above is the most accurate I can do. 

All is ok with progress of the heart after my stent and I’ve been checked before quite a few time after it happens it’s not cardiac... 

Im pretty sure it’s given me a sleep disorder and nerves are shot. Would love to hear from anyone if they have experienced anything like it. I’ve been on Bisoprolol for 12 months 

If you are in the UK and NHS, call their bluff, insist that they refer you to a psychologist as your problems need to be resolved and if they are so sure you are "mad", they wont worry about being caught with the bill when your psychologist refers you right back to your GP telling them to cure you as there is nothing mentally wrong with you at all, as they did with me. Every time they through that "anxiety" fob off at me I will insist they then refer me to mental health who got the right hump last time I was fobbed off on them. 

It’s a good idea Peter thank you, I am in Australia we have so many great services I’m thinking I will go back to the hospital and see if they have someone that looks over everything meds, mental health, reports on progress..and echos  etc. has to be someone that can get to the bottom of this.... and eliminate the insomnia is feel great I reckon 😔

I gained 22 lbs. The first 10 was a month after I started taking it. I’ve been off since January and with diet and exercise I’ve lost 8lbs so far. I was also realllly cold when I was taking it. I’m glad to be off of it, I feel so much better! I was prescribed Ivabradine in January for inappropriate sinus tachycardia. My only symptom is fatigue by afternoon but it’s manageable. 

I really think this bisprolol is vial stuff, I just have not been able to go off it to prove it is this tablet causing my issues. 

Im pleased to hear that you have tried a new tablet that appears to agree with you much better.

My family doctor didn’t take me seriously when I told him it was causing weight gain. It wasn’t until I saw a specialist and they confirmed it was from the bisoprolol and it essentially wasn’t working for me. Get another opinion if you don’t think it’s right for you. I’m so much happier now! Gluck! 

Very rare indeed, so hope it doesn't happen to you, the debilitating symptoms I got from the day I took Bisprolol, never went away when I stopped taking them ten months ago.

It has taken me this long to get the NHS to actually listen to my most basic of logic, that a drug that disrupts the Autonomic Nervous System, might be responsible for my now having an disrupted Autonomic Nervous System.

So last week I finally got to see a Neurologist who tells me I have Autonomic Instability. Which is exactly what I found out from a medical equipment manufacturers website, where it states one of the causes of Autonomic Neuropathy is beta blockers.

And my GP had callously informed me I wont find a doctor in Britain who would admit Beta Blockers could have permanently effected me.     

Peter I’m so sorry to hear that 🙏 I really hope this do improve for you soon. It’s so horrible to think that something that is meant to be helping us can cause so much stress and health issues