Anyone on metoprol/ or other beta blocker?

[eatsrainbows]

I have been on it for about three months and have gained close to 40 lbs. the only thing that has changed is that I started with medication. I'm calling my doctor tomorrow to see if I can try something else (I'm on it for sinus tachycardia-my resting heart rate was going as high as 160 bpm). Anyone else have any experience with this drug?

[orangeblossom]

I've been on a beta blocker for about five years or so. I'm on nadolol. I too have sinus tachycardia. I think I was on metoprolol when I was first diagnosed, but it didn't work.

I haven't really had any side effects from it. I've gained weight, but that's due more to bad eating habits and not exercising.

Have you talked to your doctor about switching medications?

[Deleted]

I was put on Atenolol a few months ago for the same (except my RHR was around 100) and have gained a few (more) pounds. But now the near constant acid reflux/heartburn/nausea are making me unable to eat so I've dropped them!

Yeah. Between that and the muscle twitches, numb/cold extremeties, and dizziness, I'm asking for something else. My appointment is Thursday.

[eatsrainbows]

Thanks orange. I'm going to call him tomorrow and see if I can try something different. He mentioned when I last saw him that there a couple options if I have bad side effects from the metoprol.
Do you monitor your heart? How does exercising feel? I am so out of breath now when I workout.

[FloFTW]

I'm actually on metoprolol too. What's your dosage?

I've gained maybe 2 pounds but I also stopped breastfeeding when I started it. If you think it's the medication there are definitely others that you could try. I haven't had any negative side effects. (But I'm on it for high blood pressure.)

[Deleted]

Oh and did I mention I sweat like a beast now? Its horrific. Like, walking from one end of the house to the other leaves me drenched. Its ridiculous.

[eatsrainbows]

I'm on 75 mg once a day.

[orangeblossom]

Jun 4, 2013 16:20:45 GMT -5 eatsrainbows said:

Thanks orange. I'm going to call him tomorrow and see if I can try something different. He mentioned when I last saw him that there a couple options if I have bad side effects from the metoprol.
Do you monitor your heart? How does exercising feel? I am so out of breath now when I workout.

I monitor it in the sense that I see my heart rate when I check my blood pressure with my machine (which I should do more regularly).  Exercising isn't too bad, not nearly as bad as when I found out I had the issue.

I was actually losing weight and eating fairly healthy when the issues started, but had to stop until we could figure out what was what, because I was nearly passing out from almost any exertion.   

I had to do the 21 day remote monitoring several years ago, and apparently a lot of my issues were at night.  They switched my meds, and for the most part have been okay.  I also have high blood pressure, and every now and again they have to adjust the meds, sometimes down and sometimes up.

I can always tell when it's time for an adjustment.  For the most part it hasn't caused too many issues.  I get an EKG at every appt, an echo every year and depending on the cardiologist, a stress test.

[bunnyhop]

I've been taking metoprolol for over ten years now for inappropriate
sinus tachycardia with a resting heart rate that was similar to yours and an abnormal response to adrenaline.  I'd passed out twice and nearly passed out a couple
more times because of it.  I've been on a low dose the entire time, and a couple years
ago, I switched from the long acting Toprol XL to the shorter acting
tartrate version because of cost. I was the same weight the entire time I've been taking it (through my twenties, into my thirties) because I played sports, but I've recently put on weight because I'm not playing competitive sports anymore but haven't figured out how to eat like I'm not.  I haven't noticed any side effects at all, but maybe I'm lucky. If your dose is too high, would that mean that your heart rate couldn't get high enough when you exercise?  Just a thought, and I'm not sure of the answer.  

[bunnyhop]

Jun 4, 2013 16:25:44 GMT -5 eatsrainbows said:

I'm on 75 mg once a day.

Just for reference, I only take 25 mg, and it's been perfect.  Before it was 25mg once a day, now with the different type it's 25mg twice a day. 

[KKD]

I've been taking acebutolol since September, although for me it's because my blood pressure and resting heart rate are so low that it was causing me to faint. I take 200mg twice a day and haven't noticed any weight issues, aside from normal pregnancy weight gain. I haven't noticed any other adverse side effects either.

[eatsrainbows]

Jun 4, 2013 16:42:23 GMT -5 bunnyhop said:

Jun 4, 2013 16:25:44 GMT -5 eatsrainbows said:

I'm on 75 mg once a day.

Just for reference, I only take 25 mg, and it's been perfect.  Before it was 25mg once a day, now with the different type it's 25mg twice a day. 

I was already on 50 mg when I had to wear the monitor and have the echo done and my heart rate was still reaching 160. It's discouraging because I felt great before starting the medicine. Now I'm exhausted and getting heavy. I wish I could just stop all the Meds. So far there is no damage to my heart, but the cardio said that eventually the heart will begin to fatigue if its always racing.

[orangeblossom]

Have they done any other hormonal testing to see if that's the cause? I'm thinking thyroid, specifically hyperthyroidism, though that normally causes people to lose weight, not gain, but that's not always a given.

Have you gotten a second opinion?

[shostakovich]

I'm on metoprolol for a congenital heart condition. I've been on various medications for about 11 or 12 years now, and metoprolol is definitely better than my experience with propranolol or atenolol. I haven't noticed any weight gain (other than due to my laziness in previous years), but did have to drastically cut back on my dosage after I started running more. My cardiologist said that as I ran more, my heart strengthened and could pump blood more efficiently, and the higher dosage of meds in my bloodstream was causing my blood pressure to drop quickly and dramatically. After I got leveled out (and split my dosage to twice a day), everything was aces.

An aside: fuckstick, I would definitely talk to your doc about metoprolol. I was on atenolol for a long time, and finally got a new cardiologist last year who said that atenolol is one of the "previous generation" beta-blockers, but they've made great improvements re: side effects since then. I would also get the tingly fingers and poor circulation, but I've noticed a dramatic improvement in that since I switched meds.

[FloFTW]

My doctor says for long term use he usually starts on a low ish dosage of metoprolol because most patients seem to tolerate that the best but of course everyone is different.

I took atenolol and lebatelol while pregnant and for a mobth afterwards, and I felt REALLY weird on those. (My BP was stroke-level high though). I think though that I was so used to having high BP that having normal BP feels "tired" to me. Know what I mean?

I'd ask to try out a different kind.

[Deleted]

Jun 4, 2013 17:12:28 GMT -5 shostakovich said:

An aside: fuckstick, I would definitely talk to your doc about metoprolol. I was on atenolol for a long time, and finally got a new cardiologist last year who said that atenolol is one of the "previous generation" beta-blockers, but they've made great improvements re: side effects since then. I would also get the tingly fingers and poor circulation, but I've noticed a dramatic improvement in that since I switched meds.

Good to know, thanks!

[meemz]

There are so many beta blockers out there in the market, I would def talk to your dr about it. Do they think you are a candidate for an ablation or they are treating medically as of now?