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  1. #1
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    stopping beta blockers.. Couple questions.

    Hey everyone, it's been a while since I posted last, I hope everyone is well. I have had some changes and new jobs, etc.. But im finally feeling like I've found my old happiness.

    I havd decided to stop taking my beta blocker bisoprolol-hydrachlorathiazide, ive been on the meds for a little over a year now. I feel like i dont need it anymore and i think that i can get on without it.

    My reasons for stopping are firstly that i have had an issue with weight gain, i put on about 20 lbs since i started and i cant seem to loose it, also ive been feeling really tired and unmotivated which is most likely due to having a pulse in the 40's all the time.

    I spoke with my doctor and he agreed that it would be ok to stop as long as i can get the weight back off, which i have already lost a few pounds so that shouldnt be a problem. I am on a 10mg dose, he reccomended halving ghe pills for a week and then stopping but in my opinion that is too fast, so i am going to do half for 2 weeks to a month and then 1/4 for a few weeks and then try to stop.

    I am a week in now of the half dose and am noticing some serious anxiety, i am having alot of the issues i had way back in the peak days of my anxiety such as rapid heart rate, hard heart beats, muscle pain and soreness, luckily i have not had much of an issue with mental issues mostly just physical.

    My question, and the reason for my post is to ask 2 questions. 1. Is it normal to have anxiety like this when going off of these meds? I know that some anxiety is normal, but is it normal to have such issues as the aches and pains, panic attacks, heart palps, etc..? 2. For anyone who has come off of these, how long do the anxiety symptoms last? How long is an appropriate taper?

    Any help is greatly appreciatted. I am really wanting to be done with meds all together, but i am struggling a bit. I am hoping that a week or two of anxiety symotoms with each drop is about the max, but im just not sure what to expect.

    Sorry about the poor spelling, i am using my phone and for some reason the spell check isnt working. Thanks again for any help.
    Every lasting scar shows us what it's taken to be who we are.

  2. #2
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    Aug 2012
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    I wish you all the best in coming off the the medication. I was on Celexa and I am not sure what category they fall under ( SSRIs i think ) anyways when I got off them it took me three months and that was me following my doctors advice to taper off very slowly and it worked thank God. Maybe you should ask your physician and see what he thinks.
    Good luck and God bless!!

  3. #3
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    You may just be unmasking anxiety the med was helping hold down. This may go away but try an ssri and a pulse in the 40's is a tad low and will slow you down perhaps. An ssri will not effect your pulse. Alan.
    Last edited by alankay; 07-17-2013 at 09:01 AM.

  4. #4
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    What Mg are you on as beta blockers go down to 5mg I've been off and on them for years so I would Recommend that you cut down on the mg and then cut them out,maybe if you do that you won't get the Symptoms are getting as that's going to happen for a while

  5. #5
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    Quote Originally Posted by ADD View Post
    I wish you all the best in coming off the the medication. I was on Celexa and I am not sure what category they fall under ( SSRIs i think ) anyways when I got off them it took me three months and that was me following my doctors advice to taper off very slowly and it worked thank God. Maybe you should ask your physician and see what he thinks.
    Good luck and God bless!!
    I went off Celexa cold turkey a few years back.....ooooohweeeee that was a bad idea. I would get these electric shock feelings throughout my body many many times a day. That was rough.

    When I went off beta blockers (I was on them for a different reason than anxiety), I went cold turkey but was on a low dose and I worked from home for a month and avoided driving to make sure that nothing bad happened.

  6. #6
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    I was on 10mg, I have been down to 5mg for about a week, I'm finally feeling normal again. I think the next drop is going to be to 2.5mg so it's not as abrupt and possibly the symptoms won't be as bad.

    I know what you guys mean, I stopped pristiq about a year ago and man, the electric zaps were terrible and I had the worst headache ever for about a week, all that finally stopped but man it was rough! Bad enough in fact to convince me not to take those again even though they worked wonders.
    Every lasting scar shows us what it's taken to be who we are.

  7. #7
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    Quote Originally Posted by Chiliphil1 View Post
    I was on 10mg, I have been down to 5mg for about a week, I'm finally feeling normal again. I think the next drop is going to be to 2.5mg so it's not as abrupt and possibly the symptoms won't be as bad.

    I know what you guys mean, I stopped pristiq about a year ago and man, the electric zaps were terrible and I had the worst headache ever for about a week, all that finally stopped but man it was rough! Bad enough in fact to convince me not to take those again even though they worked wonders.
    I took beta-blockers (Inderal/Tenormin) for a while. They are really meant for blood pressure. They work by relaxing the vessel walls and work on certain receptors, much like the way SSRI's work on certain serotonin receptors. Inderal is a wide spectrum receptor, that is hitting more receptors, especially in the vessels in the lungs, which may exacerbate or cause a feeling of having asthma. Also, you will get what is called a sinus wave, where you have the feeling that your heart skipped a beat or two. It is really nothing to worry about. Usually when you get that kind of feeling, check your med time. You may need to to be ready for another dosage. One reason I like Tenormin: it will let you know if you forget a dosage. A large deep breath will tell you. It is smart to go off the drug slowly. Make sure your BP is still normal.

 

 

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