Does Metoprolol Work For Anyone?

[Tammy]

Since I continue to have horrible adrenaline rushes/storms and also sudden onset of tachycardia spells with any form of exertion - standing in one spot, putting away laundry, going to church, walking, sometimes just sitting, when I get upset, etc. , I continue to try and find something that will help. Usually all the beta blockers I've tried make me horribly weak and extra dizzy/lightheaded. I've tried Inderal, Atenolol, Pindolol, Diltiazem and so far they all have really yucky side effects that make me need to end taking them after a few months/year. Anyone else find that Metoprolol works for them? I just really want to find something to help, but feeling hopeless at the same time.

- Thanks -

Tammy

[DSM3KIDZ]

Metoprolol caused me horrible depression and fatigue. I now take Bisoprolol which is in the same family as Metoprolol but gives me zero side effects. I hope you find something that works for you soon. I read your other post re: church and it brought tears to my eyes. I just wish I could tell you things will get bettter but with this illness it's soooo unknown.

I'm here for you though. I know we haven't connected in awhile but how about you send me a pm when your feeling up to it, I need the support as much as you.

Hang in there and keep your eyes focused on the Lord and you'll find contentment

Dayna

[lloppyllama]

Hello,

Its too bad you havent been able to find anything that helps yet. Metoprolol is the first BB i have been put on and so far (a little over a month now) i would say that it helps!!! It has slowed down my heart rate when i am at rest significantly. So for me i have no complaints about the drug, and from my experience would say that it is deffinetly worth trying!

Hope it works for you if you give it a go!! Good luck!

Mary

[doctorguest]

You may be extremely sensitive to beta blockers, and many patients with autonomic dysfunction have beta1 receptor hypersensitivity. You probably need to start on very small doses of beta blockers - quarter or less of the smallest dose available - to feel the benefits without experiencing significant side effects. You can discuss with your doctor as to what type of beta blocker to retry, but in my experience, a very small dose of Atenolol - i.e. 1/4 or less of the 25 mg tablet once a day- may be a good option to start with.

[Poohbear]

As you know, we are all so different and thus, medication trials are just that....trials!!!

Having said that, I am sensitive to many many medications and metoprolol is the one that I CAN take. However, I learned the long, hard, slow way that tiny doses are all I need. I have my metoprolol compounded and I literally take 1 to 2 cc's which is equivalent to 1 to 2 mg.

This is enough to bring my heart rate down when needed but still small enough where I don't have side effects or asthma from the BB's.

Compounding my medications has been a life saver for me and this may be something you want to look into at some point as well. Thoroughly check out your compounding pharmacy and practices though.

Good luck.

[blackdog]

Can someone explain what a compounding pharmacy is? Also what do mean compounding your meds?

Sorry if I seem a bit thick but I've never heard that term used in Australia. Lol

[Poohbear]

RJH,

A compounding pharmacy is one that makes a medication specifically for you. For example, the lowest manufactured dose pill of metoprolol is a 25 mg pill. If I break that pill in half it would be 12.5 mg which is still too much for me. Quartering the pill is difficult and still too much for me.

A compouding pharmacy, in this example I am using, uses the same main ingredient that the pharmaceutical company uses to make the pills but alters the strength as needed. They take the powder form of metoprolol and mix it with whatever inactive ingredients are needed to create the strength I need. Then, I end up with a prescription that works for me--meaning 1 to 2 mg of the drug at a time vs. the manufactured pill in which it's difficult to get less than 12.5 mg even in the lowest dose pill.

Many women now use compounding pharmacies for HRT. The thought behind it is if you can take only what YOUR body needs then you may greatly reduce the side effects or complications.

It works for me in the case of metoprolol. If I take the higher dose pill form it kicks in my asthma, makes me too groggy, depressed etc. Taking it in a tiny dose works for me without the side effects.

It is sometimes difficult to get Dr's on board though----my Dr's are now really supportive but initially some of them struggled to believe that such a tiny dose of BB would work and most of them did not even know drugs could be compounded. I "lucked out" once while in the hospital and I had a Dr who looked at all we had tried, saw how reactive my body was to medications and decided to try me on an infant dose and it worked. We were all shocked but excited to find something!!

To this day, my Dr's still get a chuckle that this tiny dose actually works for me (they say most adults would never respond in any way to this tiny dose) but they are believers after seeing my case.

Without the ability to get this drug compounded there would be nothing I could take (tried them all already).

The down side to compounding pharmacy is that there is greater room for error because there are not the checks and balances that a mfg. plant/drug company has. You really have to know and interview the pharmacist. Learn what their training, background and experience is. Learn where they buy their supplies etc etc.

Another down side is that it is more expensive because it's 'custom made'. Some insurance companies will pay and some will not. Most are pretty good about it if you can show documentation of the drugs you already tried and can substantiate the need for a small dose.

***Another option to consider in regards to medications. ASK a pharmacist if the medication you want to try is available in a liquid form (they may have to order it but often it is available). I have found that this is another good option because you can adjust and lower the dose this way as well. I tried nortriptyline (sorry if i'm spelling this wrong...I'm really tired) in liquid for nerve pain and was able to greatly reduce the dose by taking liquid.

[flop]

Another option for getting small doses of a beta-blocker is to ask your doctor about one of the "heart failure" preparations. These patients are started off on baby doses of bb. For example I take Bisoprolol, the original dose to treat hypertension is 10-20mg daily, I take the "heart failure" strength tablets which are 1.25mg.

Flop

[yogini]

I was really interested to read this discussion. I have been taking a 1/2 or 1/4 pill of atenolol for the past couple of years. I discovered this was the right dose for me by accident. I was trying to wean off atenolol and could not go further when I got down to 1./2. I was extremely dizzy and tired on higher doses of atenolol and can funtion so much better on a lower dose. I wish I had known to start off on a lower dose off the bat. My cardio does have a couple of other (non-POTS) patients that take baby doses, but this is the first time that I'm hearing an explanation for it. I wish more doctors would know to start patients more slowly. Since many people aren't able to take BBs, I wonder how many are "missing out" because they took too big a dose.