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Hi all! I have recently started to have a very strange feeling a...

Posted at 10:28 AM on May 14, 2008 by sebek, #30464
Hi all! I have recently started to have a very strange feeling and thought I would post here to see if anyone else can elaborate on it. I switched from private healthcare to the VA system in March 2008 and the MD at the VA immediately switched me from Toprol XL 100mg per day to Norvasc ( Amlodipine Besylate) 5mg, a generic version and from Zetia 10mg to Zocor. This is mainly due to the fact that the VA does not have the Toprol XL or the Zetia in their pharmacy. I am a very active person, work out 3 times per week, play tournament level racquetball and generally stay very active. I was feeling fine on this medication for almost 3 years with the only side effect being a little light-headed feeling with hard physical activity. Approximately 2-3 weeks after changing meds I started to get this lumpy feeling in my chest and then it started to progress into an air hunger feeling which felt like my breath was being taken away for a split second. I called the MD at the VA and requested to go back on metoprolol tartrate, which is what the VA has in place of the metoprolol succinate (Toprol XL). The air gasp feeling has only gotten worse and with any excertion I become tired now and start to get the gaspy feeling. Very scary. When it started to get real bad one evening I called 911 and went to the emergency room. Tests came back "ridiculously normal" the ER MD stated. Went back to the VA and the same MD, who doesn't listen, says I am under stress and prescribed me Paxil. I am completely lost as to what to do. I am going in to have another EKG and a holter monitor put on as well as a stress test. Does anyone have any advice for me? I am desperate to get this resolved as fast as I can. Feel terrible lately and the MD doesn't seem to be listening to me. Help!
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Reply about 1 year ago on Jun 20, 2008 by harmonytx, #9351

Hi, Your story sounds way too familar, and I hope by now you are doing better. I also hope you're not still taking Paxil, it is known to have yet another set of problems/side effects to deal with.

After taking Toprol for almost three years, I have noticed common threads among many of us. Feelings of anxiety seem to be one of them, which often include chest tightness, difficulty breathing, and as far as myself I have even felt like I needed to constantly yawn to try to catch my breath.

I don't know what your doctor was thinking, but ANY doctor should know better than to just remove you from Toprol without gradually reducing the dose. AstraZeneca's website even warns about the possibility of having a heart attack if quitting cold-turkey. Good grief, no wonder you didn't feel well. I get upset when I hear of yet another doctor doing something careless out of ignorance.

I don't know, but I suspect your body is still trying to adjust to the horror of the 'rebound effect' as noted by AstraZeneca. Apparently discontinuation of this medication causes elevated Blood Pressure episodes until your body adjusts to not taking it.

I hope if you're doing better you will find time to post here again and let us know how coming off of this medication has affected you. Many of us are still struggling with being afraid to quit taking it, so any hope shared would be a good thing....take care, Judi

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Reply 2 months ago on Sep 07, 2009 by nicole87, #22799

I am wondering if you are now off this medication and feel better from not taking it, because I am havin ght e same side effects. I feel some days like I can't breathe, like I'm going to suffocate. Im 21 and have been taking this for 8 months inappropriate sinus tachycardia. Im currently on 50 mg XR. Ive never had shortness of breath before going on this medicine.

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