Anybody have experience with beta blocker reduction?

[SSMommy]

I'm finding this very difficult!!! Looking for some experience or support. I am currently reduced by half on my metoprolol ER. Reason being we are trying to determine if my surgery that gave my heart more room fixed the problem.

[Amy Smith]

Hi, I've been on the same med for almost 10 years now. For the first 9 years I was on 25 mg daily, up til a year ago they cut it in half cause I lost weight and it was making me feel way to tired and not myself. After I was cut in half, my anxiety did get worse though. Thankfully I'm on meds now to help with my anxiety and panic. Hope everything goes good for you :)

[SSMommy]

Thanks for responding Amy. I have SVT or at least was diagnosed with that a year and a half ago although I think the issues went back much further than that. So scared of having another attack. I know doctors say it won't kill me but it's very incapacitating when it happens. Can I ask what you took beta blockers for? Was it a similar issue?

[Amy Smith]

I have tachycardia, and high blood pressure, although, i think most of the reason was from having anxiety and I didn't know I had it for all those years. I'll have episodes with my heart feeling like it's skipping or like it's about to stop, but that was more from when I was on the 25mg. How many mg are you on??

[SSMommy]

I was on 50mg of extended release metoprolol but am the 2nd day now of 25mg. I never had high blood pressure just supra ventricular tachycardia which is supposedly a benign arrhythmia even though it can end having to be medicinally or electrically converted and landed me in the ER a few times with hr of 160-170.

[SSMommy]

At this point, I haven't been sleeping well, I'm off balance, very on edge and nervous about the whole situation. I am having some significant difficulty focusing at work which is not helpful and I just took two personal days to try and cope. I'm just debating on if it's worth the disruption and nerves to come off of it.

[SSMommy]

It doesn't help that the SVT scared the living crap out of me. My doctors fixed this which they think was causing a large amount of the problem but I'm scared the arrythmia will still be there.

1002

[Amy Smith]

I know how you feel about the emergency room visits. I've ended up there too for high heart rate like that, but always told I'm OK. Are you on any other kind of meds? Maybe talk with your dr if you aren't feeling good with the lower dose.

[Amy Smith]

What is the picture of? I know your heart, but what did they find? Sounds scary :/

[SSMommy]

It is a view of my chest. It is my sternum and spine coming together (nearly). I had that for quite a long time and was always told everything was OK. Nobody ever did an actual CT until things came to a critical point. It's called pectus excavatum. Anyway my heart was displaced, rotated, and compressed. I now have 3 titanium bars inside my chest attached to my ribs that are pushing my sternum out giving my heart more room.

So while I should feel good knowing my heart had more room, I am just scared the SVT will come back and cause more issues as I've read that once you have it, you just do.

[Enduronman]

I'm really kind of surprised that your Doc didn't say to keep taking them, especially after any sort of surgery to ease the pressure on the heart muscle. Did they have any specific recommendations or is this just something that youre doing on your own???.....

E-Man :)

[SSMommy]

Hi E-man,

My surgery was over a year ago now nf

[SSMommy]

Sorry... My surgery was over a year ago now. 12/28/2012. I have been having bad headaches and flushing upon standing / bending. My doctor thinks it could be related to low blood pressure and my body trying to overcompensate. I don't know but the thought is that my heart should now have room to function normally.

[SSMommy]

It was my doctor specifically who recommended we drop the dose.

[Enduronman]

OK!! got it..Yes then. A good idea to start tapering down, just had to check in with you first although beta blockers aren't real good at lowering blood pressure by many point as persay other types of BP meds are. They generally lower the heart rate, which in turns supposedly lowers the blood pressure. Tapering beta blockers is not anything like tapering benzos so just split the dose and then see how you feel. Also, would be a good idea to have your BP checked too. Both my daughters had issues like this as well but it was because they were low in sodium, dehydrated, and or hypoglycemic which just means low blood sugars and easily corrected with some fruit!....:)

[SSMommy]

Thanks E-man. Bp has been running 100-110 over 60 almost every time I have it checked. My husband checked it last night and it was like 116/60 or something like that. He just finished training to be an EMT so he likes to practice:) I have tapered benzos and idiotically cold turkey-ed Klonopin before so maybe that's where some of this fear is coming from. And maybe I should be looking at this like a piece of cake.

Regardless - the Reality of potentially letting go of my safety net has me very anxious. The incidents that I had after having my daughter landed me in the ambulance and had me praying to God that he take care of my baby girl as I felt like I was signing out.

I'm feeling better now but ended up taking a personal day today and tomorrow to give myself some time away from my stressful job.

[Enduronman]

Just taper them down, see how you feel...then if you still think you need a tiny bit, it sure wouldn't hurt. Yes, 110/60 is abit low according to what they call "normal". This may just be "normal" for you. It is NOTHING like benzo tapering at all. Somedays I have forgotten to take mine! LOL!.

Yeah, I cold turkeyed 3mg of xanax, so I know the feeling....eessshhhh!!.

Maybe even a switch of meds. I take low dose atenolol. What were yours called metroprolol??...

E-Man...:)

[Enduronman]

This is what I take...
It's older, and also cheaper too but avoids "nervous system side effects"
I use it for anxiety and angina...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atenolol


E-Man..

[ab123]

At this point, I haven't been sleeping well, I'm off balance, very on edge and nervous about the whole situation. I am having some significant difficulty focusing at work which is not helpful and I just took two personal days to try and cope. I'm just debating on if it's worth the disruption and nerves to come off of it.

That's only up to you! Remember though, what doesn't kill you makes you stronger, and since its in our nature to shy away, and not want to do anything that makes us anxious. Maybe if you do decrease your dose You will feel better without the extra drugs in your system in the long run. I totally understand, we've both got crazy hearts!!! But it won't hurt us!I for one know you absolutely can do it, and get the book Hope and help for your nerves, seriously will help you!!and if you decide not to taper your dose for now,..that's okay too!!I got your back: ) we all do.

[SSMommy]

Thanks A.-

This was just day two and I know my body is adjusting but I started to really think about what I went through over the last two years and it put a lot of perspective on it all.

The reality is that I will continue with the lowered dose because ultimately I will feel better knowing I can trust my body again. Last time it was in medicated it was failing me.

BUT I will also be ok with it if I have to take the medicine again. I started to feel much more positive about the whole thing tonight. I'm gaining more confidence in the lowered dose.

I did some googling on the correlation between pectus and arrhythmias and visited the PE forum and it just reinforced this whole thing.

I've been through a shit storm and I am still here.

I can do this.

Thank you for all of the support. It has helped me so much and I hope you find some relief soon as well. :)

[ab123]

You go girl!