I decided a long time ago, Doctor's are not the best listeners!! ...

I feel so bad for you, and I can relate to much of what you are saying. I hope you can get off this medication without too many problems.
I was started on toprol xl almost three years ago for an irregular heartbeat that was bad, but not as bad as the side effects I'm now dealing with. I've gained 20+lbs. and I don't have the energy to do too much anymore. I didn't go to sleep until 4 am last night, I never sleep very well anymore. I've completely lost who I was before this medication. Because of the intense chest pains I get when I try to wean off of it, I continue to take it. I recently tried to talk to my doctor about it and he basically blew me off, saying lots and lots of people take this medication for years and if it controls my heartbeat I should stay with it. Just like you mentioned, he didn't seem to hear much of what I was trying to tell him.
I've even called AstraZeneca and told them how this medication effected me, and they transferred my call to a department that supposedly deals with reported side effects. Never heard from them again, though, so don't know if it did a bit of good to call them.
I agree with you...this medication should be pulled off the market. Reading the hundreds of posts here about all the problems it causes should be worthy of consideration by someone. I hope if you post here again it will be because you've managed to get off of Toprol and will hopefully be doing better....good luck to you, and take care...Judi

6-22-08
Well, I called my Dr. and the Physicain Assistant said "well, the things you are describing can be side effects to Toprol" . Hey, at least she admitted this!! She is putting me on another med. Lisinopril. BUT, I just read up on this and it says it can cause a dry cough. The Physician Assistant warned me to call her if I developed a cough. I am seriously going to look into an herbal alternative!!! My girlfreind just came lisinopril after hacking and coughing for 4 months!! When I called her and told her about my discovery about what I believe the Toprol is doing to me she discovered that this is the drug the Dr. changed her to after she took her off the lisinpril!! She is furious with the Dr. and calling her Monday morning 6-23 to tell her she stopped the Toprol on 6-20 a( after I shared with her the posts from this web site ).
My husband is also on Toprol and I called his Dr. and told him I want him weaned off. He is going to do so. Of course both Dr's tried to say " well, every drug can cause side effects and the side effects you describe can come from many drugs." I told BOTH of them."Please understand, I read posts for 3 hours and there were MANY MANY posts, how can that many people from that many different areas just HAPPEN to experience the SAME EXACT SIDE EFFCTS? I absoultely believe it is the Toporol!!"
I may print the posts and take them into BOTH DR's and let me read for themselves.PERHAPS SEEING IS BELIEVING!!
Will keep all posted how the weaning off is coming.
I only took 2 doses of 100mg ( and as I said my ankles and feet swelled up like balloons and my hands swelled also. ) I am now taking 50mg. Will do this for 1 week then 25 for a week then 12.5 for a week. Then I pray I will be off this horrid drug and feel alive once again. I found a great website that talks about the top 10 drug families you should not take. I discovered I am taking about 6 of the 10 and my husband at least 5 :-( We are going to work on those 1 at a tme!!
Best of luck to all and thank God for this site!!
Joyce :-)

6-22-08
Well, I called my Dr. and the Physicain Assistant said "well, the things you are describing can be side effects to Toprol" . Hey, at least she admitted this!! She is putting me on another med. Lisinopril. BUT, I just read up on this and it says it can cause a dry cough. The Physician Assistant warned me to call her if I developed a cough. I am seriously going to look into an herbal alternative!!! My girlfreind just came lisinopril after hacking and coughing for 4 months!! When I called her and told her about my discovery about what I believe the Toprol is doing to me she discovered that this is the drug the Dr. changed her to after she took her off the lisinpril!! She is furious with the Dr. and calling her Monday morning 6-23 to tell her she stopped the Toprol on 6-20 a( after I shared with her the posts from this web site ).
My husband is also on Toprol and I called his Dr. and told him I want him weaned off. He is going to do so. Of course both Dr's tried to say " well, every drug can cause side effects and the side effects you describe can come from many drugs." I told BOTH of them."Please understand, I read posts for 3 hours and there were MANY MANY posts, how can that many people from that many different areas just HAPPEN to experience the SAME EXACT SIDE EFFCTS? I absoultely believe it is the Toporol!!"
I may print the posts and take them into BOTH DR's and let me read for themselves.PERHAPS SEEING IS BELIEVING!!
Will keep all posted how the weaning off is coming.
I only took 2 doses of 100mg ( and as I said my ankles and feet swelled up like balloons and my hands swelled also. ) I am now taking 50mg. Will do this for 1 week then 25 for a week then 12.5 for a week. Then I pray I will be off this horrid drug and feel alive once again. I found a great website that talks about the top 10 drug families you should not take. I discovered I am taking about 6 of the 10 and my husband at least 5 :-( We are going to work on those 1 at a tme!!
Best of luck to all and thank God for this site!!
Joyce :-)