Rare Side Effect Of Metroprolol

[andersondebra]

Ok, I want to make people aware of a rare side effect of Metroprolol. Please let me stress here that it is rare, but something that people should be aware of. Let me tell you how insidious this side effect creeped up on me and nearly took my life.

I started on Metroprolol about one month ago after Bystolic did not agree with me. When I first started on it I seemed to have no problem or at least I thought so. The first week of taking it I started to have acid reflux after eating a meal, but did not think much of and attributed it to stress of the illness and possibly over eating. By the second week the acid reflux really started to get bad and I was having reflux even without eating. I was also beginning to notice that I was getting nauseated, but again attributed it to the dysautonomia, which I do tend to get when in a flare up. By the third week the nausea was now getting so bad that I was reaching a point of not really being able to eat or sleep. I knew at that point that something was probably not right and I needed to call my GI doc and get seen. So, I called and was told that I had to wait a week to get in to see her. At the beginning of the fourth week I was now noticing that my stools (sorry for this part but it is important) had now turned pale white or like the color of concrete or clay. the nausea was now so bad I had stopped eating and the acid reflux was out of control. I was also noticing that my fatigue which can be bad during dysautonomia flares, was now really bad. I also was beginning to itch all over and have terrible headaches and severe stomach cramping. I was really sick but still could not get into my doctor for another day. Finally, yesterday I had my appt. after explaining all my symptoms and my doc doing an exam, she became very concerned. She told me that I needed to have my blood tested right away and i was not to go home until she seen the results.

So, off to the lab and then back to her office to wait for the results. an hour later she calls me back in and tells me that my liver is in failure, which is why my stools are white (b/c you need the bile from the liver to help digest the food and give the stool its color) it also was why I was itching all over (the toxins that the liver clears out of the system was now backing up and seeping into my skin causing the rashes) The fatigue was because my body was becoming toxified from the liver not being able to do its job and clear out all the bad stuff. That was also the reason for the headaches.

I did become weak at hearing this and had to lay on the table so as not to pass out. Then I asked why and what is going to happen to me? She said we needed to find the reason and we needed to start with an ultra sound right away to see if the liver was damaged or if the bile duct was clogged and not allowing the bile to get through, so off to ultrasound right then. Two hours later my doc calls me back in and tells me that the liver actually looked good other than some minor damage probably from what was going on now. The bile ducts were also clear. So, what was it and how do we treat this, I mean I do not want to die! she tells me that we have to figure out what is causing it in order to treat it. so, the next step was to get more blood tests, check for hepatitis and toxins and go over everything I was taking (meds) and everything that I may have been exposed to (chemicals).

So, we started with my meds and there it was, the metroprolol has a rare side effect in a small percentage of people, actually this whole drug class carries this risk. Matter of fact if you look up the serious side effects of this drug it actually lists the pale stools, nausea, and stomach cramping and vomiting as a symptom that you need to contact your doctor about right away, because it can be causing liver failure. So, off to the lab again for more tests. This time the tests come back showing no hepatitis but a toxic liver, BINGO! we had hit on it. so, the treatment is first to stop the med immediately and then to drink plenty of water to help push the drug out of the liver. I am also taking enzymes right now to help digest food and only eating small amounts of soft food right now. I am also taking Zofran for the nausea.

Now it is a waiting game to see if the liver comes back "on-line" and if so, how much of the liver comes back. although, my doc thinks that I will probably regain full liver function b/c I was not on it long enough to do extensive damage. I can already see today that I am beginning to feel better, the nausea has improved by 25% . I expect each day I will begin to feel better and better. I have been told that this could take up to a full month to fully recover b/c my tissues need to rid all of the toxins as well as the liver and all the undigested discolored stool will need to pass.

In other words I will more than likely recover, but I wanted to let people know that this drug class does carrry this very serious rare reaction and I wanted to let people know how silently it started, so as to not really know what was happening to me. If anyone begins these drugs and begins to notice symptoms like this, please talk with your doctors right away and do not try to attribute the symptoms fo your dysautonomia, stress, or something that you ate. If it lasts more than three days call your docs and talk to them. It may be nothing but then again it may not be.

Debra

[HopeSprings]

:o :o Whoa! Oh my goodness, how crazy! Sounds like a great Doctor to be so concerned and take the time to figure this out. Glad it sounds like you will be ok.

[lieze]

Dear Debra I'm glad you are okay.

I hope that you feel better each day.

Let us know how you're doing.

[MomtoGiuliana]

I'm glad your doctor was able to determine the cause so quickly. I hope you feel much better soon.

[RockiesGirl]

Thank you so much for your post! Very informative and helpful ;o) Sorry you had to go through this and Hope you feel better soon!