Right solution symptoms and conditions

I was prescribed Toprol for an irregular heart rhythm (eventually diagnosed as premature ventricular contractions) that developed suddenly when I was 54, despite an active lifestyle, low-normal weight (110), low stress levels, and low blood pressure (100/60). I felt as though my heart was skipping beats, and the "catch-up" beat was so strong my entire chest seemed to vibrate. The Toprol stopped 98 percent of the PACs virtually immediately. But within days I noticed occasional numbness in my legs, and my hands and feet turn icy cold for no obvious reason. I'm also quite tired till late afternoon (I take the Toprol around 10 p.m.), and I just feel "blah." No suicidal, but generally unmotivated. I am often sleepy--at least until around 1 or 2 p.m, when the Toprol starts to wear off. I'm not ready to stop taking it yet--though these reports are sobering--because the PACs made a normal life impossible. But I'm going to be cautious, and if other side effects appear, look for other options.

My beautiful 11 year old daughter was on Adderall XR 20 mg per day for 4 years. After about 2 years she started to develop some minor facial tics. After 3 years the facial tics were worse along with severe head shaking and she also started to develop trichotillomania (obsessive compulsive hair pulling). The hair pulling continued until she was almost bald. Her grades began to drop and she withdrew herself from her friends and family. Finally, we took her off the medication in October 2007 at age 12 and she immediately stopped the tics and hair pulling. We have found 3 other families whose daughters have developed these same symptoms after being on this medication for at least 2 years. We have filed a report with the FDA as our own doctor had no idea that this medication was causing the hair pulling. Now 5 months later her hair is growing and the tics are approximately 97% gone. We have taken her to a homeopathic doctor and she is doing absolutely great now. Marks have gone up and she is smiling and socializing. I am so happy we have our daughter back. The side effects of this drug was definitely not work it.

I wanted to give an update. I'm the 31 year old cancer survivor who posted yesterday about my concerns with Toprol XL and some side-effects I was feeling. After a trip to the doctor, everything was made clear to me.

After having some bloodwork done and a chest x-ray, we determined that I, in fact, have congenital heart failure. This is when the heart is unable to pump blood fast enough to the body's organs. The result is weight gain due to fluid retention, shortness of breath, and especially trouble breathing when lying down. So, I imagine, the body's natural remedy to this is to speed up the rate in which the heart pumps, to compensate and get the needed blood to the body. That would explain my elevated heart rate.

Toprol XL did exactly what it was supposed to do: lower my heart rate. But, in my case (and, as it seems to me, might also be the case for many of the people posting here), that was not the right solution for me. Slowing the heart rate caused the natural side-effects of congenital heart failure to emerge. So, what I thought were side-effects of Toprol XL were in fact simply the my body's "normal" state, being someone with this heart condition.

As of today, I have stopped taking the Toprol XL and have been placed on a few new medications in its place. I have been correctly diagnosed now, and I look forward to feeling better soon.