I have been on metoprolol for about 5 months because of high blood pressure. I am a 42 year old male who has always been active. I had been taking Mavik 4mg before but asked for a more economical option since my insurance would not cover the medicine. I followed the Doctors orders and was tested every 3 weeks in which my blood pressure was always high. I am extremely nervous at the Doctors office and off course the BP is high but they would not take it after I had time to cool off a bit. Every visit they would weigh me in and check my blood pressure within the first minute of the visit. My dosage was increased from 10mg to 50mg then to 100mg during this time frame. Last month I started to experience dizziness, head aches, depression, leg weakness, sinus issues and waking up freezing in the morning. I had become very isolated and withdrawn from my family who I love very much. 3 weeks ago I experienced an anxiety attack. I have never had one before and had several after. One led me to the ER because I thought I was having a heart attack or stroke. I became very dizzy and my heart was racing. At the ER my BP was elevated but not dangerously 140/95. The people were treating my like I was crazy and after laying in a bed for 4 hours before a doctor would treat me, was given a sedative for a panic attack. I found this site and put 2 and 2 together and realized that the medicine had been causing my problems for more than 5 months. I told my doctor that I wanted off the med and we started a weaning process in which my dosage is reduced incrementally. It is my last day at 50mg , tomorrow I will start 25mg then 5 days later I will be off. The dizzy fog that I have been in is starting to lift and I am able to laugh again. My BP has been 110/70 all day. Get off the stuff !!! There has to be other options out there besides this crap that was put on the market in 1978.
Good grief, after reading your story I'm having flashbacks of all that I have and still am going through. I've been on it for three years and because I get so sick when I try to cut back (really bad chest pains from the rebound effect) I am forced to keep taking it. I wish I had quit in the very beginning.
I agree with you about never getting on it, this medication does many, many people more harm than good.
I called AstraZeneca's 1-800 number I got off their website and they transferred my call to someone who supposedly documents problems. I told them all the problems I have had. I don't know if it helped a bit but I hope more and more people find time to call them and let them know this medication is bad news for way too many people.
Good luck to you.
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