Off Bisoprolol altogether

Treatment and medication
1

hi everyone

I went on a half dose for 6 days and decided I couldn't bear to go through the ups and downs again going slowly so I stopped taking them yesterday.    Was only taking .62mcg.      My heart rate is okay I do feel jittery and am a bit upset as my friends are telling me I am talking too fast and am all speeded up.   I suppose that is the adrenaline kicking in.      People used to laugh at me because I was always on the go, very enthusiastic and talked too fast I have enjoyed being more laid back and thought I had changed now maybe am thinking it was the Bisoprolol I don't want to stay like this either.    I hope things balance out soon.

2

I took half my prescribed dose, had to stop this five days before my angio-gram, first couple of days my heart is fine but by day four my heartbeat went up to 149 at rest and my ecg reading just looked like a childs scribbling, I rang 111 and they sent around an ambulance and I spent the weekend in hospital. I am sure my heart problems have been made much worst by taking this stuff but now it seems I am reliant on beta-blockers.

Keep one with you in case you find that though you are ok now, after a few more days your original problems could kick in with a vengence.

3

I will do thanks hope you get on okay

4

Hi there: I have had the same prescription for over a month and am scared to take the meds. Why did you stop taking this, if you don't mind me asking? Thank you!

 

5

Hi Alibalibea,  Have you had your thyroid checked, because an overactive one can spreed you up.

6

Hi Peter, So sorry you had to spend the weekend in hospital. How are you now, if you don't mind me asking also, did they change your meds whilst you were in hospital?

7

Hi Penny, no they didnt change my meds re that emergency stay in hospital, rather they gave me about eight times more than I usualy take, so much that I didnt have the syptoms three days later when I went for my angio-gram. They then changed my neds to Sotalol once they saw the angio-gram results, but I have not taken them yet, I am waiting to see what my heart is like without medicine as I am off work. I find I an OK for about three hours of gentle housework, then my heart problems get steadily worst the longer I stay out of bed. I am now on an implantable loop device so like the doctor to see my symptoms unmasked by meds.

8

I was put on 2 tablets 24 years ago for HBP which kept me well for years and I had no side effects.  I think over the last 2 years my heart rate slowed down a lot so that I became very lethargic especially in the mornings.    That is why I had to come off them.     Up until 2 years ago everything was great nonsymptomsvat all.   The dr says my body couldn't tolerate the dose as I got older.

9

yes I have thanks and it's okay.    My heart rate is normal as well I just feel jittery inside and don't know air am speaking fast till someone tells me.   It's having extra adrenaline in my body it will take time to balance out.

10

I was on Sotalol for many years for SVT and found them okay, didn't need to take Warfarin with those but, have to with the Bisoprolol. What started my heart probs off was being prescribed the antidepressant Prothiaden many years ago. (It's no longer prescribed now) I was on them for approx nine years and it was when I was in A&E for a racing heart that a doctor told me that I needed to come off them because they can interfere with the heartbeat.

11

That's a classical withdrawal from Beta blockers, Peter. 

I am sad to hear this.

Majority of docs will say that you shouldn't have any problems.

But 10s of people on this boards have exactly the same problems over and over when they quit Beta blockers.

12

Peter, did docs told you not to take Sotalol, or was it your decision?

If they said it, ok.

You will have a tough withdrawal now (I ended at ER twice with a HR around 150-160 and it didn't want to go down for hours).

Also, you won't be able to see how your heart works without drugs since it will be messed up now and it will be in a horrible condition for some time.

In numbers, imagine that your heart worked at 100% before Beta blockers.

When you take Beta blockers, your heart works at 80% of its pace and strength.

When you quit Beta blockers, your heart works at 120% for a few Months until you slowly readjust (so way too fast).

Then your heart slowly returns to 115%, 110%, 105% and 100% after a few Months.

So, if you take any tests or holter monitors now while you have a withdrawal, those results will be wrong.

You wil probably have way too fast heart rate, too high blood pressure, lots of palpitations, some arrhytmias, angina etc.

But a huge part of it is due to a withdrawal.

Also, how long have you been taking Beta blockers (Months or years)?

13

Alibalea, have you been taking Beta blockers for 24 years?

From what I have read on various forums, I think that you will have a tough and long withdrawal since you have been taking a drug for 20+ years.

I understand your situation: you can't tolerate a drug anymore and you want to quit.

Also, 0,62Mg seems low, but it is still a lot.

I was taking 1,25Mg for 1 year and didn't manage to quit it in the first attempt.

In the 2nd attempt, I weaned off for Months to 0,10 Mg and I still needed 7-8 Months to quit it completely (from 0,62Mg to 0) and even when I moved from only 0,10Mg to 0,0, I still had around 2 Months of somewhat elevated heart rate, and not to mention insane anxiety.

If you have been taking a drug for 24 years, your heart was beating too slow for 24 years, and it will take a few Months until it will get better (my opinion).

Also, anxiety could be even worse problem, because your brain was affected for 20+ years and you didn't have to fight with adrenaline for 24 years.

One more thing, when I tried to quit for the 1st time, I felt good for the first 2-3 weeks. I thought: awesome, I didn't have any problems, I am fine now.

But then, after 20-ish days, my HR jumped and my brain and anxiety totally exploded.

I am younger than you (30+) and it seemed that a lot of drug has been stored in my cells.

So, when I have quit the drug, I still had too much of a drug stored in my cells and in brain and blood and nothing happened for 20 days.

Then a level of drug in my blood probably slowly dropped after 20 days and then a withdrawal kicked in.

With people older than 60, it is known that they need even more time to kick the drug out of their bodies.

So, for example, a 0,62Mg for someone aged 30 means=0,62Mg of a drug.

But 0,62Mg for someone aged 60 means almost 1,25Mg of a drug since a drug stays longer in your body.

That means that even a smaller dose will have a strong effect for older people, plus older people need more time to get rid of a drug from their blood and cells.

Now, when you sum everything up, if you have been taking it for 20+ years, even if it was a tiniest dose, be very careful.

If you will have any problems and questions, feel free to ask people here.

I hope that you will make it.

But please, be very, very careful if you have been taking it for 20+ years.

14

Thanks Bob I am very grateful to you and the other contributors on this forum am going to have a 3 day ECG in May and thought it best to get the drug as out of my system as possible.   My heart rate is within normal limits and doesn't exceed the maximum for exercise but boy can I feel it working.  It goes from 45 to 95 in a second or from 60 to over a 100 almost instantaneously it reacts too well.    If it wasn't for you I wouldn't be so prepared for all this.   I am very careful getting up and down.   Wear a Fitbit all the time and am careful when exercising.    I hope in a few months all will be back to normal but I have a feeling the slow heart rate will return.   I also hope my peace of mind returns soon as I hate this restless feeling but I know it's the surging levels of adrenaline.

15

Hi Bob, docs told me to stop taking Bisoprolol five days before my angio-gram, but I ended up in A&E after four days.

Results of angio-gram had doctors telling me to cease the Bisoprol, and start taking Sotalol instead.

When I researched Sotalol, I became quite worried, especialy after the bad effect Bisoprolol has had on me. 

As I dont have to go to work now, I figuered I would see how I get on with no beta-blocker as I can go to bed as soon as I start feeling bad.

I only took Bisoprolol for three months, and then at 1.25 mg, half what I was told to take.

I figuered there is no point in being alive as a drunk zombie but will have to see how I manage the withdrawal as it does seem quite bad, I am surprised I havnt had the hospital ring me up as a result of what my im plantable loop must be telling them, especialy as I live alone.

 

16

It is probably the adrenaline.

Again, when we don't take a drug, our brain and nervous system work normally.

When you are excited, happy or scared, our body pumps more adrenaline, and then when the adrenaline gets into our brain, our brain is sending signals to our organs and brain speeds up our heart rate, breathing, blood pressure and similar.

Now, when we take Beta blockers (for arrhytmias, high blood pressure and similar), it works in that way that Beta blockers blocks the adrenaline.

So, basically, we have the same amount of adrenaline in our bodies as before Beta blockers.

But Beta blockers are not allowing, let's say 50% of that adrenaline to reach our brain.

So, if less adrenaline gets into our brain, then our brain won't automatically speed up our heart rate and blood pressure.

Or, it will speed up our heart rate and raise a blood pressure only slightly.

So, Beta blockers are actually blocking our natural mechanisms (brain-heartrate control).

Our brain is being fooled and it thinks that we are resting or that we are relaxed all day long since adrenaline is not coming into a brain.

The problem is, when your brain is NOT affected by adrenaline, brain forgets how to deal with it.

The same as how when you are running for 2 hours everyday for years, your muscles are in a good shape.

Then if you don't run at all for 20 years, your muscles will become weak.

If you will try to run suddenly after 20 years of inactivity, your muscles won't be able to run at all, right?

Well, the same happens now with our brain.

When Beta blockers are affecting our adrenaline, our brain forgets over time how to deal with adrenaline.

And then when you quit the drug, your brain is like a muscle which was inactive for years.

And you are too sensitive to everything.

Almost as if you have to relearn again how to cope with a normal life and with being happy, sad, scared, excited etc.

The good thing is that it gets better over time, but a withdrawal is different from a person to person.

But usually it is affected by: how large dose have you been taking plus how many years have you been taking a drug.

If a dose was larger, it will take more time to readjust to a normal state again.

If you have been taking a drug for a lot of years, it is the same. It will usually take a lot of time to readjust.

17

Ok.

I hope that you will have a weaker withdrawal than me, since I see on this forum that it is different from a person to person.

About a withdrawal, try to take some vitamins, people say that it helps for our bodies to return to a normal state again.

Drink lots of fluids (if you take more fluids, you will have a higher blood volume and that slows down your heart. if you don't drink too much in general, your heart rate will always go up slightly).

I was taking some magnesium pills, on other forums on internet I have learned that Magnesium slows down a heart in a natural way, so it helps during a withdrawal.

About anxiety and withdrawal, I was taking 1Mg of Valium which is a tiny dose, and only 2-3Mg on worst days during a withdrawal.

Now, when I have quit BBs, I have later stopped Valium also since I don't need it anymore and my brain is learning how to deal with emotions and adrenaline again.

My opinion is: if your situation won't get worse in the next 20-30 days, then you are fine. Your withdrawal will be milder.

Also, be prepared that symptoms won't come in the same time.

For example: first few weeks: elevated heart rate, elevated blood pressure, nausea etc.

Then those will get milder, but you will suddenly start to have dizziness (that is normal) out of nowhere. And headaches and random pain over your body.

Then after some time, anxiety may get ever worse.

So, symptoms won't kick in in the same time together.

People often get some symptoms in early weeks, then new ones after a few weeks.

Also, be prepared for a strange phenomenon where you will have episodes of good and bad days for weeks.

For example, first 2 weeks will be bad.

Then you will have 2 awesome days without any symptoms, you will think that you are fine now.

Then again you will have 8 horrible days (all symptoms will suddenly return).

Then you will have 2 good days again.

Then 5 mediocre days.

Then 3 good days again. You may think that you are over now.

Then again, 3 bad days will hit you.

Over time, good days will last longer and longer and the episodes of bad days will be shorter and shorter plus they will be of a weaker strength.

So, after some time, it will look like this:

5 good days.

3 bad days.

6 good days.

3 bad days again.

8 good days.

2 bad days.

10 good days.

2 bad days.

14 good days.

1 bad day.

14 good days.

1 bad day etc

Try to rest and sleep a lot during the first few weeks since your body will be exhausted from a too fast HR all day long.

If you will be feeling fine, try to do some housework, walking etc.

But always listen to yourself, and listen to your body, since each person is different.

Good luck and ask if you'll have any problems.

18

Ok, 3 Months is not a too long period.

Why do you have to take drugs? That's an important question.

Some conditions don't require drugs, but for some, you will have to go back on some drug eventually.

19

Thanks Bob I am walking a lot every day.   I am feeling dizzy at times.   I have been terrified of doing this but just had to bite the bullet.    Am taking magnesium, coq10 and vitamin b group vitamins.   The magnesium definitely helps, am not sure about the other 2.     Am not sleeping great that jittery feeling doesn't go away at night.    You have no idea how much the support here has helped.  I don't think I would have found the courage to come off without this forum.   

20

Dear all its been 18 days now and I thought I would give a little update for those who are thinking about stopping the Bisoprolol.   I'm still feeling a bit jittery but have more energy.    Last week I walked 159000 steps.    I can get up out of bed without feeling dizzy, am sleeping much better, going to the toilet less!!!!! during the night and my concentration is better.     My heart rate still goes from zero to hero very quickly too quickly I think and I can feel it.   I still don't feel content I think it's all too much of a roller coaster getting used to the adrenaline but stopping the medication so far, has not been as hard as I thought it would.   My blood pressure which I went on the meds for is mainly staying within healthy normal limits.     Bob advised drinking more fluids, this has definitely helped to slow my heart rate down and I continue with magnesium 200 mg in the morning and at night.    Hope that wee update helps someone.   😄