Beta Blocker Side Effects (Insomnia)

[khaarina]

I have been on Atenolol for tachycardia for about a year and a half. Lately, I have had suspicions that some of my symptoms might actually be side effects of this drug, so I tapered off. Once I was off completely I noticed that my insomnia was gone. Insomnia has been one of my biggest problems for a year and half half and suddenly it was GONE. But, as expected, my tachycardia came back and I had to start taking the Atenolol again. As soon as I started taking it, my insomnia was back but my heart rate was back to normal. I also think that Atenolol is causing other problems and may even have caused or exasperated my NMS. Has anyone else has similar concerns about beta blockers? Are there other options for controlling my heartrate?

[Guest Alex]

Hi Khaarina,

I believe there are even some published studies showing that certain betas -particularly those crossing the blood brain barrier (propranolol and metoprolol are 2 I know of as I experimented with both) can cause sleeping issues: insomnia, interrupted/unrefreshing sleep, vivid dreams, nightmares etc.

I'm having a hard time convincing my dr of this - he said that insomnia is too common a complaint in the general population and he has not ever had any patient complaining about this. Truth is, ever since I decreases my propranolol intake - particularly the evening dose, I sleep much better - almost as good as before I started taking pills.

Alex

[Guest Alex]

here you have a relevant article

www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/09/120928085629.htm

a bit of a caveat on the melatonin supplementation the article suggests: it may lower your bp. So if you already have problems with your bp you need to be careful there.

Absolutely check with your dr, regardless of what you decide.

Best,

Alex

[khaarina]

So I went to my Cardiologist today and told him that I believe the Atenolol is causing my insomnia and he just shook his head and said "Nope." He said that beta blockers can cause insomnia, but that usually happens with higher doses and I'm only on 25mg a day. He then went on this spiel about how patients shouldn't look too much into symptoms and side effects because they just end up conjuring new problems. So we should just be sick and stop trying to figure out why and how to fix it? Um, no! He did switch me to Metropolol (another beta blocker) just to appease me, but he wouldn't even consider putting me on anything other than the beta blocker. I'm going back in a month (maybe). I guess we will see then if I get any sleep this month (sigh).

[Guest Alex]

Sorry Khaarina,

i have the same issue with my drs not willing to accept that meds have side effects . I had to come off several meds to prove my point, and even after that my dr was skeptic. I am currently working with a different dr - not. POTS specialist per se, but an open minded willing to listen and learn kind of guy.

You know your body better than the drs. Hopefully you'll tolerate the metoprolol better.

Hugs,

Alex

[ramakentesh]

it decreases melatonin production

[tinkerbella]

I wish you the best. I can't tolerate any BB's. They all give me Vivid Nightmares, that my cardio agrees are unacceptable.

For the heart rate Clonidine and Mestion can be used when BB's can't be used.

[khaarina]

I wish you the best. I can't tolerate any BB's. They all give me Vivid Nightmares, that my cardio agrees are unacceptable.

For the heart rate Clonidine and Mestion can be used when BB's can't be used.

Thanks, I will bring these up to him if the Metropolol doesn't work out.

[boymommy3]

I have been on Metoprolol XL since December and I think I am doing ok with it. I started out at 25mg but got bumped up to 50. I did definitely have some crazy dreams at first but that did go away. They weren't really nightmares but they were really weird and vivid and had that continued I would have considered changing. Some of those dreams I really wish I could forget!

However, I will say this.....I really have this feeling of not being myself. It's very hard to explain. I can't figure out if it's just my illness, this Metoprolol, or the Celexa I take (20mg). I wouldn't call it depression or sadness, just not myself. I do kind of feel like I have lost my joy even though I wouldn't characterize it as depression. Prior to all of this I was a pretty hyper/boisterous/happy-go-lucky kind of gal. I have never had problems with depression and have always found it easy to be happy even in difficult circumstances. So, now....I just feel like my happy-go-lucky kind of went somewhere. Also, for the past two or three nights I have woken up in the middle of the night to my heart racing so now I am starting to wonder if the Metoprolol is not working as well. I have been more symptomatic all the way around this week though.

I tend to think it has more to do with the Celexa (which I have taken before and have done wonderful on) than the Metoprolol, but I am not sure. I do know that BB can cause depression. Maybe it's a combination of the two....who knows, but for what it's worth that's my experience with this particular BB.

I do however, HATE this feeling of not being myself, but at this point I am not willing to rock the boat and try something else. I want to give this stuff a little longer.

[khaarina]

I do however, HATE this feeling of not being myself, but at this point I am not willing to rock the boat and try something else. I want to give this stuff a little longer.

Yeah, part of me wishes I hadn't "rocked the boat," my blood pressure has been all over the place the past few days. Hopefully I adjust soon and it will have been worth it. I am sleeping a little better, about as well as I was on Atenolol so not great, but not as bad as when I stopped and then started again. I have also has some vivid dreams and even what I think was a hallucination. I hadn't been able to sleep all night and I was laying in bed the next morning kind of in a daze and I thought there were bugs all over my blanket. It only took a minute to realize it wasn't real, but it definately freaked me out. I used to think beta blockers were no big deal because they are so commonly prescribed, but not any more.