For Those Who've Taken Ivabradine

[heathmcev]

Hi everyone,

I just started ivabradine about 10 days ago. I'm just on 1.25mg right now to let my body adjust slowly (like so many potsies, i'm a virtual magnet for medication side effects! Lol). It took about 8 days on it for my HR to start to decrease. I'm still getting some tachycardia standing but things are definitely improving even on this small dose. I've been thrilled to not have any of the issues I had on beta blockers (like low BP & crushing fatigue) - it's been a very "clean" experience so far. I had been planning on increasing to 2.5 mg -- the dose my pots neuro wants me on -- but have held off due to insomnia issues. The last 4-5 nights have not been fun. Last night I didn't fall asleep until 4am.

I'm just wondering if anyone else has experienced insomnia with ivabradine. It may not be the ivabradine at all - could very well be stress-related... but i thought it worthwhile to reach out and ask since this has just cropped up since being on the med. I've been hesitant to pin it on the ivabradine because otherwise its been a relatively harmless-yet-effective drug, and *i really want it to work* so I can get relief and hopefully more energy.

I may go off it for a few days, then back on to see if the insomnia pattern follows the med...

Would love any thoughts from you all who have taken it! Thanks!!

-Heather

[Kooky]

Hi Heather,

I've been taking Ivabradine for about three weeks now (2.5mg twice daily) and I can't say that I've noticed any change in my sleep pattern so far. I do seem to get a few more headaches than usual and at certain levels of light I get these really wacky visual disturbances that I'm not sure how to describe. If I move my arm (or anything), even slowly, it has this sort of motion blur effect though the outline left behind is bright white and very defined.

I am glad to hear that you seem to be getting on well with it so far and hope that it isn't the medication causing your insomnia.

Kooky.

[heathmcev]

Thanks Kooky!

I had read the warnings about the visual stuff, so I hope for you it subsides or eases up as time goes on. Apparently it can do that in some people. I have issues with sensory overstim from pots without the ivabradine, so hopefully it won't exacerbate them for me. So far so good!

Have you had success with lowering your HR and having fewer tachy symptoms? I'd love it if the shortness of breath just standing still eased up

I'm trying to go on the assumption that the insomnia is not due to the med, and see how things go. Maybe it's something that will pass as I adjust to it.

[Kooky]

As you mentioned your sensory overstim I'll add in that I do have issues with light sensitivity as a symptom and the Ivabradine does seem to make that worse. Sunny days (rare here in England!) and places that are well lit like shops and supermarkets look brighter than ever but not to the point of being unbearable.

I've had a lot of success so far with lower heart rate. Without medication I'd have a resting heart rate of around 80-85 bpm and now I'm anywhere from 55-65bpm. I am not exactly sure how much my standing HR has changed numbers wise but I can definitely noticed a difference. I don't get palpitations nearly as often and can actually walk around at a slow, leisurely pace without being breathless which is amazing! That's not the case for stairs, they still tucker me out and I still get moments when I'm aware of my heart beating and being tachy but they are fewer and further between than they were before.

All in all at the moment I think the side effects are worth putting up with for the good Ivabradine is doing me. Like you, I am hoping that as I get used to having the med in my system the whole visual disturbances and other bits n bobs will settle down.

Please keep us updated on how you're get on.

Kooky

[RichGotsPots]

Any updates?