Toprol-XL and blood pressure

My heart doctor had put me on toprol xl for my heart arrhythmia but I was also having really bad dizzy spells and feeling like I want to pass out before the toprol.I did pretty good on it for a good while.then out of no where the dizzy speels started back up and feeling like I want to pass out.Had all the other tests and nothing abnormal was found.But I'm still having the same problems.I had done an oxymeter test and found that I was only getting 79% oxygen to my brain.Then was put on an oxygen concentrator.It worked for a short time but the symptoms came back.So I called the doctor Friday to see if I could quit taking the toprol.They you can't quit cold turkey cause you could have a heart attack.That's scary..And I'm a 44 year old female.I'm not quite ready to go just yet.Especially from quitting a medicine.

I noticed that everyone has written here the side effects of the Toprol XL but no one has said that they have had success on getting off the drug. I'm 39 years old and I have had some side effects from it too. I'm on Toprol XL 50 mg once a day and everyday my neck gets hot like it's on fire,my face gets flush, my feet sweat and my hands get ice cold. I keep my faith in the Lord that he will help me find a way to get off this poisoning medicine. My blood pressure was 164/110 and I ended up in the hospital back in August of 2008 and after running all the test they chalked it up to anxiety. My belief is that it's the medicine. I'm going to try to find a Doctor who is a Homeopathic and see what he says and I will let you know what I find out.

I wrote on my side affects on sept. 7th on this site. I have been off topral xl for about 2 months, and my heart beats normal now, my legs are not swollen, no headaches, long story short, most my symptoms gone. I can think so much clearer. My blood pressure now goes from 160/90 to 117/84 which last weekend I did try Diovan hct, a new blood pressure med. and Sat. and Sun. were a nightmare. I do know how dangerous it is to have high bp. for my brother-in-law passed a year ago nov. 2nd and my aunt Bev 3 years ago. But I am happy with my decision to continue the Peptace and Celery seed extract and monitor my bp. closely. My son went to Doctor for his bp. and Doctor said that they get some kind of a kick back from meds. like topral so maybe thats why they push it along with other meds. True or not, I still can't figure out why they kept me on it when I asked them to take me off cause I felt so bad. It sure did take a toll on my whole body. Good luck to ya all and listen and feel what your body is telling you. I know whats good for one is not good for all.

I have been on Toprol XR generic brand metoprolol since February 2008. No side effects originally. My blood pressure wasn't extremely high but enough that I needed something. Just recently, my BP has sky rocketed. Dr. upped med from 25 mg per day to 50 mg per day. In the last month, I have put on 18 pounds. I am lethargic, not sleeping well at all. Mostly 2 hours a night. I don't have nightmares, just can't sleep. I want off this drug. It isn't controlling my bp anyway. I have a doctor's appt. in a few days. I don't look forward to the withdrawals but it has to be better than the alternative and staying on it. I am afraid of CHF. My legs, hands and face are swollen from fluid retention. I have pitting edema in my legs. I am not having trouble breathing but I don't want that to happen before I decide to go off of it. The website has helped me to realize it is the meds and not me. Thanks for the support.

I suddenly had high blood pressure. I was put on a heart monitor for 21 days because I was experiencing frequent palpitations. I was given 25 mg Metoprolol ER the genic for Toprol XL on June 6, 2008. I had the usual symptoms extreme fatigue, headache, constipation,swelling, weight gain for the first month. I am 59 yrs. old.
The second month I started to have horrible nightmares, and headaches that would not go away. On Aug.12 while driving home I started to hear voices, had blurred vision and hallucinations. I was driving fast and screaming to make the voices stop.. I ended up in a parking lot. I was crying and for a minute I had a bit of reality. I called the cardiologist office and told the nurse what was going on. She said to immediately stop the meds because I was having a rare serious side effect. I sat crying for awhile and was able to call a friend to pick me up. I stayed at home for 4 days. The entire time my hands shook and my headache was horrible. It was one week before I was able to function properly.
I called my pharmacist and she told me that this drug affects the central nervous system. 2 % of 100,000 people have this side effect. I told her that it was not written on my paper with the prescription. She said that because it is so rare they do not have put it on. She printed out the side effects for me from her web site. A site that is only accessible to pharmacists or Dr.'s. My Dr. wants me to try Cardizeim now and I do not want to because I am afraid. I told him that the BP was down to normal but he still wanted to because of the palpitations. I was given the option of the Cardiziem or seeing and Electrical Man at the Cardiology office. As of yet I have not taken the Cardiziem. This is the first time I have read this web site and I hope that this information may help someone. I finally feel good again except for the rapid heart beat and glad to be alive.

I lost 30 pounds on Weight Watchers in 2005 - lost it in 6 weeks (on the proper diet) because of my insanely fast metabolism. Shortly after that, I was put on 25 mg of Toprol XL for PACs/PVCs. Upped that to 50 mg after I started getting migraines. Gained 55 pounds in the process, though I tore a hamstring in a couple of places and put a lot of the weight loss up to months of inactivity.

Then I started back on WW and tried to lose. Did everything just right--nothing. Added exercise and adjusted my points. Still nothing. Finally googled "toprol metabolism" and found tons of people complaining of the same types of problems.

I finally got down to 12.5 mg of Toprol and my body has adjusted to it, and in the last 2 weeks I've dropped 10 pounds. I'm debating going off it altogether, since there's nothing wrong with my blood pressure, and since lowering it clearly helps.

Note to anyone who tries this - every time I lower the dose I tend to gain a little weight (it's mostly water weight--I bloat up when I lower it for some reason) while my body adjusts, but it always comes off. So if you lower your dose (with doctor's permission, of course), don't be disheartened if you gain at first. You'll get there.

i am a 43 yr old male.........i was put on 100mg a day of metoprolol and it did the job of lowering my blood pressure and heart rate. however after about a year of taking the meto my orgasms would take anywhere from 1.5 to 2.5 hours to achieve. at first it was nice to go longer tham usual, but it has became a problem for myself and my wife. i sometimes think i will have a heart attack trying to release, we go thru bottles of lube to keep her from hurting, and my mood became very bad, i was looking for things to complain about, threatening people at work and so on. i started weening myself off meto 2 weeks ago my dividing the pills in half, and went to see my doctor this week. he prescribed lisinopril 10mg and had me divide my metoprolol in half again for another week. already my moods are 100% better, but i still have trouble achieving climax with sex in timely fashion. i hope that problem goes away soon. i am curious, am i the only male here having problems climaxing?

55 year old female
I have been on Toprol 5 years. 50mg. it works for me but since it went generic,I wonder...I am on 10mg lexapro and December started the vivelle-dot for my hotflashes. It is now June and the last 4 weeks my hair is falling out big time.
It is so thin I have to wear a scarf as not to scare small children at work.!! :)
I have talked to a couple of hairdressers and they have told me many of they're clients with thinning hair were on Toprol.
Anyone heard of this? Please help me figure this out.

I was on it for 6 months and the Dr. decided to change my medications. Toprol wasn't keeping my blood pressure down. I had bad chest pains and severe sweating so after 2 weeks he put me back on the Toprol. Bad mistake every time I took the Toprol My heart felt like it was skipping a beat and I would black out. Now I can't take it either. I'm on lisinopril now. Which is fine, it's keeping my blood pressure down. But still felt like my heart is skipping beats, ended up in the E.R.
they did pick up the skipped beats on an ecg and decided it was prob because the toprol is still in my system. My heart feels like it is racing all the time, and I'm having anxiety and shaking. I wish this stuff would get out of my system. good luck to everyone.
sabrina

I have taken toprol for seven years. I never had any bad side effects and it controlled my blood pressure most of the time. However, I suffer from anxiety and depression and was recently put on Lexapro. My heart rate dropped into the 40's and I was exhausted all the time. Turns out Lexapro interacts with Toprol in that the drug (Toprol) does not break down in your system and keeps building up! Because the Lexapro was helping my anxiety I decided to lower the Toprol dosage. Down to 12.5 mg and still extremely low heart rate and fatigue. Decided to go off the Toprol and monitor my blood pressure, which has been amazingly good so far. Went off completely six days ago and it has been rough. Anxiety, insomnia, pounding heart, heart palpitations. This stuff is a real B*tch to get off from. Have talked to both the pharmacist and my doctor and both said to NOT start taking it again. There are plenty of newer medications out there. I also experienced weight gain when I first started taking it...I think because it slows your metabolism down. So now I am on xanax to counteract the Toprol until the Lexapro kicks in more. It it isn't one thing, it's another.

I started Metoprolol 6 months ago while in the ER. I was weak with a virus and every time I got up and did anything, my heart would race and would feel weaker. I have white coat syndrome so while I was in the ER my BP went up to 227/110. They gave me 25 mg of Toprol and a prescription for 12.5 mg a day. I have gained 17 lbs in 6 months, have zero energy, tired all the time, insomnia, and am depressed for the first time in my life,ad I know it has to be from the Metoprolol. I tried to quit it and 3 days later my heart was racing so bad and my blood pressure was real high. I want to try to quit it but am afraid to. Any suggestions on how to quit it?

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!

I have been taking Toprol-XL for a long time. I have recently been switched to the generic and it is not controlling my blood pressure as well and my heart is palpitating a lot. I think I had problems before with the brand name but this is far worse. Is there a possibility that this drug causes Fibromyalgia??? I've seen some posts about that and I was also diagnosed with it because of severe muscle pain. If anyone has noticed a trend please respond, I am desparate.

I was given Metoprolol, a generic for Toprol-XL several months ago, for high blood pressure. It was prescribed after I was determined to be allergic to Lisinopril. ( It caused a cough that lasted 3 months; I sounded like a TB patient.) Anyway, I have been taking Effexor for years, for anxiety attacks. Now that I take Metoprolol along with the Effexor, I am so tired and drained all the time, that I am contemplating quiting work. I go to the grocery, come home and lie down. I can't seem to have energy to breath correctly. My Dr. won't believe that this has anything to do with meds. I have now developed blood and mucous in my stools, diarrhea, and very urgent BMs. This all started after taking these two meds in combination for about 4 months.

Have been taking Toprol XL since about June 2007. About three weeks ago suddenly developed insomnia. Went to my Doctor this past Thursday and told him about insomnia problem and asked if it could be connected to Toprol XL. He said he was unaware of insomnia problems with Toprol but that I should cut dosage in half from 100 mg to 50 mg per day as I had not had any problems at 50 mg per day. My blood pressure has also shot up this past three to four day after being low at the start of the week.

My doctor prescribed Ambien for the insomnia problem Slept okay the first night obn ambien but did not sleep well last night.

I just want to get back to normal. So, I am going to stay on top of doctor to get over the terrible insomnia problem.

Wow. Thank god for this Bulletin! I was diagnosed with hypertension at age 28
and tried a variety of drugs with no control over the BP. So, about 2 1/2 - 3 years ago, I was prescribed 100MG of Toprol XL which seemed to control it well, but with debilitating long term illness. I had no idea until today that Toprol XL was causing similar grief to others. The horrible symptoms that I have been experiencing now for several years are Extreme Chronic Fatigue, Profuse Cold Clammy Sweating, Dizzy spells, weight gain, seeing specs of light and thousands of eye floaters, severe depression, muscle aches, headaches.

After reading about others with similar side effects, I am confident that it's from this medication. I have had all kinds of testing done including T3 & T4 Throid levels and a full array of blood work with NO LUCK! Regardless of the consequences, I am going to quit this damn medicine today because it appears to take 5 weeks or so to get it out of the body to notice a difference. I am so desperate for change. It is ruining my life because I can
't wake up, I'm always tired even though I get 10-14 hours of sleep. My wife and kids are bummed because I have no energy to do anything, EVER!

If you have any other suggestions or would like to comment about this.

Sincerely,

Sean

I started taking Toprol XL after being diagnosed with SVT back in May of 2003. I was only in my late 20's & was very trusting, at the time. I was recently sent to a cardiologist because I was having horrible chest pain & the Toprol XL 50 MG wasn't working at keeping the heart rate down. The GP put me on a double dose as well as Cardizem to help with the chest pain & rapid heart rate. I was already on Lanoxin 0.5MG, the highest dose allowed. The cardiologist took me off of the Cardizem right away because he said that is was too stressful for the heart to be on that much heart medicine. I went though several tests & was told by the cardiologist that I didn't have SVT & that this was actually Postural Tachycardia (POTS) & Neurocardiogenic Syncope. I was taken off of Lanoxin, but kept on Toprol XL 100 MG. He put me on lots of salt & water to increase my blood volume which would help my blood pressure when standing. That was in June of 2007. All went pretty good, I thought, until January 18, 2008 when I was working. My heart rate went up to 136 just standing or walking across a room. I called the doctor & talked to a nurse who suggested that I take another 1/2 of a Toprol. I did that & felt better for awhile, but it was short lived. I had been having chest pain, rapid heart rate, fatigue, muscle pain, joint pain, headaches, nausea, vomiting, short term memory problems, rapid weight gain, hair loss, cold extremities, & other things I can't think of right now for what seemed like forever. My gynecologist & my cardiologist first thought that I had thyroid problems, but all tests have come back negative. They then thought that maybe it was from the birth control pills that I had been on for the ovarian cysts. I was changed from one medicine to another & at first I thought that was what was wrong. I am now certain that all of the problems that I have been having were & are a result of the Toprol XL. I was even told that all the problems were "psychiatric in nature". I know that that isn't it at all! I have never had anxiety problems & the GP now thinks that's all that is wrong with me & wants me to go on Zoloft. I tried it, but became so ill that after one pill, I quit. I now plan on weaning myself off of the Toprol XL without the GP's knowledge or consent. The cardiologist was planning on weaning me off at some time in the future, but I am starting without him knowing it at the time. I'll just tell him when I see him next month. Thanks everyone for alerting me to the facts about this medicine. If I had known then what I do now, I'd have never consented to starting it in the first place. My only question is, are some of the "side effects" going to be a permanent thing for me or will they eventually go away? Any advice would be welcome! Thanks again!

I was put on Toprol xl (GENERIC) 3months ago. Its been a nightmare. I was put on it for rapid heartbeat. My blood pressure was great 110/70 sometimes lower. I was happy with it for about 2 or3 weeks.Its been all down hill since. Sleepless nights, horrible sweats, leg cramps from my knees down, cold hands and feet. And horrible headaches. It was at the point i didn't want to get up. Called my doctor and he said to stop taking it.Today is my second day without it and last night i finally slept all night first time in 3 months. Woke up with no headache and i haven't had any sweats. I see my doctor tom. I am not going back on. I don't think its the medicine for me.

I have been on Toprol XL for 4 years - was on 50MG - Dr. tried other meds for a while (bad side effects) - so put me back on 25MG of Toprol until we can figure out something else.

When I was off the Toprol I lost 16 pounds!!!! I have not gained any back being on a lower dosage.

I think it is causing me breathing problems and pain and cramping in my legs - any one else having this? How should you wean off?

Thanks!

Well, after reading all of these posts, I am starting to realize that my strange new aching knees and right hip might be from the Toprol. I have been taking it for a long time though, about 2.5 years and I only take 12.5mg a day. But, I did lose 20 pounds and now am at a decent weight. I probably could lose another 10 and be perfect weight. Every time I tell my doctor that my blood pressure seems fine, she says, "Oh well, it's good for your heart and it doesn't have any side effects so you may as well stay on it!" HA! So, I made an appointment to see her next Wed. and I want to wean myself off of this!!! Thanks everyone for opening my eyes!

Shortness of breath, foggy headed, joint pain, weight gain, stiff neck, clicking sounds, loss or flexibility of joints, tired. Felt old! Went on Toprol-xl for maintenance only. Never had high b/p. Talked with a friend, then found this web sight. Guess I'm not alone. Guess it's not me! Changed doctor now, one that will listen. She urged me to go off it and monitor my b/p. Took about 2 weeks, been off for a total of 3 weeks now. Feel great. Most symptoms are gone. No more inhaler and feel better. Clear headed again. Blood pressure is now high though. Don't know if it's me or the drug. Don't know if drug has done any damage. Had an ekg done. Dr. said heart is working to hard now. Wants to do a complete stress test. My wife and I are worried if its the Toprol-xl wearing off, or not. Anyone else had an ekg done. Does Toprol-xl damage your heart? Need answers. Looking for feed back. I'm only 53. Never had health problems before. Thought I was just growing old!

I am a 41 yo woman in good health. I started Toprol xl about 3 years ago for a heart palp that would happen maybe once a day, and occasional racing heart beat. I did great for a long time on 25mg once a day. Then about 6 months back I was switched to generic due to insurance issues - they only want to pay for generic.

It took me a while to figure out what was happening, but several problems started happening over the last few months that I am sure were from this generic drug. Suddenly I was having vivid dreams - fish swimming on the ceiling, cats with heads 5x too big! Worse yet, over about 3 months I gained 20 pounds with no difference in diet. And I was getting more and more tired. I started looking into what could be causing these crazy effects - I was only on Toprol and birth control pills.... well, it was not the birth control!

So, I decided to wean myself from the Toprol. I decided I prefer a heart palp and occasional racing heart to this!! I gave myself a couple of weeks of lesser doses, then 5 days ago I stopped it altogether. I am having some horrid "rebound" or withdrawal effects! Numb/tingling hands and feet, headache and - surprise! High blood pressure! I never, ever took this med for HBP, and I have never had HBP! I always had a nice, low blood pressure, even when 9 months pregnant! Now it's running around 135/93 - I work in a medical office, so I got one of the nurses to check it on Tuesday...she sort of freaked! She said she has seen much higher, but mine is not normal. So we have been checking daily, and it's staying up there. I am so mad to think Toprol could have damaged my body in some way so that my blood pressure may not stay messed up for life. I have read online that the rebound effects can last up to a month, even with a fairly low dose like I was taking. Does anyone know if a month is about right? If my blood pressure keeps this high, I suppose I will have to seek treatment at some point. Ugh!

On the plus side, I don't feel so tired. No vivid dreams since I stopped the Toprol, and much better sleep! I feel "clearer" mentally. I just wish the tingling hands and feet would stop - and the high blood pressure!

I am a 39-year-old female who was put on Toprol 25 mg about four years ago due to heart palpitations. The Toprol didn't affect the heart palps at all, but I liked the fact that it kept my heart from racing after I ate, which had been a problem for me since high school. I took it sporadically for a couple years. At some point I started the generic, but I can't remember just when.

About two years ago I noticed that I was hearing noises in my right ear. Gradually the noises prompted me to see my PCP. She thought my BP was a little high (about 138/80) and she doubled my Metoprolol dose right away to 50 mg. She told me the noises were caused by my blood pressure, not the medication.

The noises got much worse right away and I was hearing them almost 24 hours a day. Sometimes it was a whoosh-whoosh noise (which I guess is classic for high BP) and sometimes just like a faucet had been turned on in my ear. At this point I definitely suspect it's the medication itself, not the BP. On days when I don't take the med, the noises are much better or not even present. My heart does tend to race though, and the palps are the same either way.

I'd like to wean myself off the med, and if my BP elevates try a different medication. I can't stand the noises anymore so my priority is to stop them. I am curious if this particular side effect has happened to anybody else here?

I am 49 years old and have been in great health until about 6 months ago due to some stressful situations with one of my nephews. My blood pressure was 140/80 at the highest. At this time...I began to have some mild heart palpitations and was put on Toprol XL (50 mg.) suddenly my palpitations became more intense and occurred more often. Then I began to have panic attacks and vision and memory problems. My doctor then prescribed Xanax .25mg. for the panic attacks. I weaned myself off of the 50 and began to take .25 mg. I really wanted off of it so I tried to cut that in half for several weeks. After about a month...I went off of the medicine for several days and began to have some strange symptoms. My arms were tingling and numb, I woke up sweating, my head felt strange...so I went back on the Toprol (25 mg.). I really would like to get off of all of this medicine. I have never been one to take anything and I am far worse than I ever was. I just wonder if doctors read this information and if the drug company takes note of any of this. I think this is a very strong drug that is over prescribed. I worry that I have damaged my heart with this drug. I am just not sure what to do. Please help...

Hello,

Male 50, retired Federal Law Enforcement Agent on 50MG of Toprol XL for hypertension. Bad side effects, dizzy, light-headed, frequent blood pressure drops, pressure in head, lethargic and some tingling in extremities. Symptoms especially worsen after my 45 in walk/jog. The other day I made the mistake of taking this on an empty stomach in the morning prior to the exercise routine. gave me a heck of a wallop afterwards. Stress test, EKG, Holter recorder and blood work all OK. Dr. told me to drop dosage to .25. I'm thinking about dropping the whole damn bottle in the trash. Blood pressure is under under control now so between the retirement and better diet/exercise I think I can stay OK without Toprol. I think Doctors need to pay better attention to the adverse side effects from this stuff as I am reading in here.

Happy Holidays to all!!

55 year old who had been taking Toprol for over 4 years with no side effects to speak of UNTIL switched (due to UniCare health insurance) to the generic, which is making me soooo sleepy daily, so I had to find another answer, and I did...

I am also an herbalist and I have finally found some herbs that keep my BP down, so soon will be off of it all. Contact me if you are interested in getting your BP down naturally. These drugs are not good for us. You can make this herbal infusion at home. Contact me if you need help of information. I always rely on natural remedies and herbs, why not for BP - it is known to work, well, and it does!

I am a 43 year old woman in excellent health. One year ago, I was diagnosed with HBP and put on 12.5 mg of Toprol. I had a serious reaction to a cold medication that I took one month later and my blood pressure skyrocketed. My doctor doubled my Toprol. Immediately I felt extreme chest tightness, pressure, panic attacks, anxiety, depression and severe headaches. Until this time in my life, I had never even taken aspirin. I cut my dosage back to 12.5 mg. and now wonder if the extreme anxiety and feeling of impending doom is coming from this drug. I never had any problems before going on this beta blocker. Now I do not even know if I need it at all. How long do the side effects last if I stop taking this terrible drug. I have an appointment with a cardiologist in one week for some answers.

I took Toprol for almost 2 years then in Aug generic came out Metoprolol and I switched over. I was taking 25mg. After a few weeks, I noticed numbness in my index finger and middle finger. Then it happened in other hand. Doc said I had tendinitis in one hand and slept wrong on the other...I was also depressed and having panic attacks. From the onset of taking Toprol my sleep was disturbed,but thought it was age related. Once I went on Metoprolol insomnia set in. Then my feet went cold and numb and my arms were so heavy and tingly and my joints hurt. My right shin hurt to touch as well. Vision was cloudy and had trouble adjusting to light changes. Finally it dawned on my that the changes occurred about the time I started the generic. I went back to doc and he pretty much told me I was crazy, prescribed Xanax and a session with a psychiatrist! He switched me back to Toprol and I felt no better then he switched me to
Atenolol with same result. By this time, my chest was on fire and I had extreme difficultly breathing. Called doc and he told me to stop cold turkey. I did and thought I was going to die one day. Throat closed up blood pressure soared. He stopped me on Nov 11 or 12th. I have been on nothing. Blood pressure is not leveled. When I first sit down it is like 140/93. If I wait a few minutes it goes down to 120/80 or a little lower. I was expecting to feel a lot better by this point in the game. I still have numbness in my pinky and ring finger and in my toes. If I take Advil it lessens to where it is not so bothersome. Anyone know how long this stuff takes to get out of your system? I am shopping for a new doc since mine know things I am a hypo. I am a 39 yr old female with no other health issues. Was originally put on for stress related palps.

Today is my ninth day coming off Toprol (had been on 25 mg for 2 1/2 years, then 50mg for 1 1/2 years) - today is the first day that the Dr. does not want me to take any Toprol. It has been SO DIFFICULT... Extreme chest tightness, shortness of breath, heart palpitations, headaches. She has me switching over to Diovan (80 mg) which I have been taking for 7 days now. I want to believe that everything I am feeling is from the Toprol Withdrawal and not NEW side effects from the Diovan - but I am scared. I feel really awful, I have no energy. I lay in bed waiting for the bad feelings to pass and they do not. I have lost 7 pounds in the past (2) weeks. Not sure if it is from going off the Toprol - or just not feeling that well. This website has been my only source of sanity and peace. Anyone else gone off this and can tell me what to expect? THANK YOU!

I started taking Toprol XL on Wednesday 11-14. I had been admitted to the cardiac unit after having to be given 2 nitro pills and also a nitro patch to get my chest pain to go away and my blood pressure to come down.

That evening my cardiologist put me on 50mg of Toporol XL. I have had a headache pretty much since that night, that just won't go away. I had an anxiety attack last night that left he crying for no reason pretty much all night long, I have not slept well since the night they put me on it, I have been sick at my stomach since that night, I have been dizzy and not feeling like myself since that night, and I also continue to have a feeling of something being wrong, even though all the bllod work and the stress test came back good.

They told me that my problem was stress related and for the next 2 weeks am to try and remain stress free. But everytime I take the medicine I continue to feel worse with these same symptoms.

I have been taking it for two weeks. The first week I noticed severe itching lasting 30 minutes or more within 3 hours of taking the 50 mg pill. I also had headaches, insomnia, nightmares, ringing in my ears and short term memory loss. I thought these symptoms would decrease when my body adjusted to the medication. After taking it for one week, my blood pressure did not go down, but increased. I called my doctor's office to let them know. I should have reported these side effects at that time, but since I just talked to the nurse on the phone, I didn't mention them. The nurse told me the doctor wanted me to double my dose since it was not decreasing my blood pressure. I then began having swelling of the hands, feet, ankles & lower legs, joint pain, increased thirst, dry lips and mouth, shortness of breath in addition to the original side effects. The only thing that stopped was the itching. I am going to call my doctor's office Tuesday (we are in the middle of a 3-day weekend/holiday) and report all of this.

please do not take this drug!!!!!!!! 52yo male hard worker very active.3 years ago lost kidney from cancer did ok.on follow up visit the doctor said my blood pressure high 150/90 put me on toprol 50 mg.this was feb 2007 lost 25 lbs leg pains so bad could hardly walk.nite sweats. flushing,in a fog,depressed,so fatiqued had to leave work in aug.they uped my scrip to 100 2weeks ago it got so bad couldnt get out of bed looked up toprol on the web thank god i found this web site made copies took it to my doctor started weaning me off 2 more pills and i think i can go back to work im feeling better already.thank god i work for a good company and have a great wife or i would have lost everything.how can these people sleep at nite

Was put on Toprol XL while in the hospital. Taking 50 mg along with 50 mg of Vasotec. Discontinued the Vasotec because of cough. Put on Cozaar. Dr also prescribed hydrochlorothiazide which I decided not to take. For a month I was lethargic, no appetite or thirst, worsened sleep problems, and MAJOR depression. Started to research and decided it was the Toprol. On Wednesday I cut the dosage in half, by Saturday I started feeling more like my old self. By the following Wednesday I was back to normal as far as I could tell. Cut the dosage in half again and a week later, stopped Toprol all together. Best decision I ever made!!!!!

My Dr. started me on Toprol XL when I was constantly complaining of migraines. Imitrex worked the first couple times I used it, then it didn't any more. My blood pressure was not real high, but higher than normal so he suggested Toprol XL. He told me it would lower my BP and help prevent migraines. I started with 25 mg, worked up to 100 mg a day. I've been on it for over a year now and only have migraines about once every 3 months or so whereas before they were coming 2 and 3 times per month and lasting 2 to 4 days each time. My BP is normal and all seemed fine. About 5 months ago, I started having problems keeping my contact lenses in, especially at the end of the day or when I was tired. My eye doctor asked me what meds I was taking. Turns out one side effect of Toprol XL is drying of the eyes. After wearing extended wear contacts for 20 years, only taking them out once a week, now I have to take them out every single night. Other than that I really can't complain. It's worth it to me to not have the migraines. I have not noticed any of the symptoms on this web site.

Anyone having trouble with hypoglycemia? I just read in Wikipedia that can be a side effect of Beta Blockers. I have been noticing the"fog" after I take my doses but never connected the two. This week my blood sugar has really dropped. This is so scary!
And I too have most of the symptoms voiced here but this is new.

I am a 66 year old female with high blood pressure, 150 or 140ish over 90 or a bit higher. Was on 25,, then 50 then 100 and now 200 a day and also taking lisinopril. Can't sleep, and I always was a great sleeper. Not a big fan of taking drugs. Now she put me on Lipitor for 229 cholesterol. Feel I'm being overmedicated but Dr says it's just fine. Have a daughter who is a hospital RN and she says none of her patients take 200 doses. Does anyone else think 200 is unheard of?

I starting taking toprol xl 25 mg in Feb 2007. My blood pressure was high because I was experiencing dizziness from a neck injury. I noticed right away muscle weakness around my knees but I thought it was because of my neck and the dizziness. I thought that I was locking my knees more because of afraid of falling. And increased dizziness. But again I assumed it was still from my neck. My neck pain got better but then the muscle weakness got so bad I bought a cane to walk around at work with. One week ago a finally begged the Doc to take me off this medication. I took 1/2 pill for 3 days and then went completely off. I have not started having hot flashes yet, but with the withdrawal I have had a hot flash. My muscle weakness in my legs is better, but not gone. I am still trying to find out how long it will take to get this awful drug out of my system. The doc was convinced it was the drug, and I am scheduled for more tests.

Hi Toprol-XL Victims. I was put on this med because the doctor felt that I only needed to be on one blood pressure med and not two. I was told to take 100mg a day, but after telling the doctor that I almost passed out 5 times just after 3 days of use, he quickly cut it in half to 50 mg. There are days when my BP spikes. It's only spiked about two-three times over the past 6 months of use.

As with all of you here, I have good days and bad days. Mainly the fuzzy, cloudy feeling in the head, the shortness of breath when going up flights of stairs. My BP was 160-180 over 90. Now it stays about 98/62 - 130/78, and when it does spike it goes up to about 160 or so. Some days I get up and I feel just great...I just wish I had a larger % of good days vs. bad days.

I look at the alternative though.....I almost had a stroke one year ago, and that was not pleasant. I still suffer with slight palipations/seizures (have had two attacks so far). The doctor says it is stress related, but like I told him, I never had problems before. I watch what I eat now. I've lost a good 45 lb.s with another 65 lbs. to go. I'm hoping once I lose all of the weight the BP will drop by itself. I cannot stress enough the importance of removing salt from your diet...oh my goodness. I'll give you an example. One night I had ground meat over white rice (that was prepared on top the stove - no salt of course, but the meat brought its own bad elements to the table). I stood up to walk a straight line and wound up walking a slant. My BP shot up just from eating that.

So far this drug was the only thing to kind of keep me in check w/ my BP.

Hi,
I've been reading up on Toporal XL and read your posts, I too was put on med. about a year ago. They did all sorts of heart test and found nothing but an extra beat? I don't like taking medication unneccesaryly and after a few months stopped taking it. I slowly weaned mysefl off by streching the days, from one a day to every other day to every third day....I have no other health issues and I"m thinking if this is for heart and blood pressure , why am I taking it? .Not sure if I'm doing the right thing, but I'm afraid to get addicted to med. that I really don't need. I had a good Dr. for 30 yrs. and he retired. So I don't have much faith in a new Dr. Does he just want to run up my bill? Or do I need this? Test had run into the thousands, thank God I have insurance... So far I've been feeling fine. Sometimes I feel alittle dizzy. But the scarist thing was that I had passed out one day while working outside. Don't know if it was from the medication or heat stroke. I wasn't out to long and had plenty to drink, but then I hadn't ate yet...

I've been on TOPROL-XL( 50 mg) for about 18 months now. Gained 25 lbs. Lack of interest (consistently) in getting much done. I had an aortic valve replacement 12 years ago and they were recently concerned about an enlargement of the aorta-so they wanted the Toprol to reduce the blood pressure further. Its keeping the pressure steady but not a huge decrease. When I discuss the side effects- they smile beningly. I'm having difficulty with digestive tract issues, also, which seem to be connected with weight gain. Other than fluuid retention- anybody know WHY this cuases weight gain? Anybody had any luck switching to other medications??

just an update to my June 15 comments regarding my husband and his side effects with Toprol XL..as of his last doc visit his blood pressure was perfect as its been since weaning off of 100 mg. all depression has lifted and he now sleeps like a baby at night and is wide awake during the day, and no more weird dreams..the tremors have stopped completely and his confusion is gone and his memory loss is only slight..The doc wouldn't lower it from the 25mg that it is now..he is concerned that it will have an adverse effect to take it to 12 1/2..so for now we will stay with it..being aware that the risidual effect is most likely the 25mg. in the meantime he is going for an appt with a neurologist just to make sure other things aren't going on..but I believe its all the Toprol. the change in him from the 100mg a day to now is amazing.

I've been on Toprol XL 100 mg for about 18 months with great results as far as lowering my blood pressure. Until the past couple of weeks I didn't realize that the symptoms of major depression, horrible nightmares, memory loss and chronic fatigue along with sleeping day and night were more than likely due to the medicine itself. After along discussion with my doctor, he has started me on a schedule to wean me off this class of drug while watching my blood pressure closely for rebound side effects. And get this.....I've been a nurse for 30 years......please ask questions when your doctor orders a new drug!!!

I have been taking Toprol XL 25mg for about 10 months. I had triple bypass surgery. The only things I have notice is less sexual drive, trouble sleeping between 3 am and 5:30 am, and trouble staying awake between 11 am and 3 pm. My blood pressure stays around 100/55 avg and pulse around 70.

I've been taking 25mg of Toprol twice a day since the middle of February this year. Since then, my joints ache so badly, I'm so tired I can't function, and the nightmares! I thought for sure the Grizzly bear in my dream this morning had me for sure! My blood pressure is a bit lower than usual, but I haven't had the chest pain or noticeable irregular heart rate since I've been taking Toprol.
I guess to get a little, you've got to give a little. sigh.

Weight gain, sluggishness, memory fogs. I've been on Toprol for nearly 3 years and my 2 biggest areas of concern are my weight and memory. I've gained 25 pounds in 3 years (never had a weight issue before and I'm 40) and CANNOT lose it. I've been on a very restricted diet for the past 4 weeks while also power walking 30 min/5 days a week with NO WEIGHT CHANGE! That is what prompted me to look into possible effects of Toprol. During the past 3 years I've also noticed a problem with my short term memory which I naturally contributed to my depression. Well, the good news is that with my diet and constant exercise, my blood pressure has dropped to 118/78 and I am seeing my doctor and presenting many of the forum entries to her this week. I am going to have her change my meds and hopefully be able to come off completely. I'm currently on Toprol XL 50mg.

I will update on changes!

I have been taking 50 mg of Toprol for about six months now and have experienced the exact same side effects as the majority of you. I have been thinking that I have congestive heart failure but it turns out that the Toprol is causing these symtoms. The worst thing I am experiencing is chronic leg and ankle swelling and I have been taking 60 - 80 mg of Lasix to try to correct it but to no avail. This Toprol has helped my blood pressure and tremors but the side effects are too much. I am seeing my doctor to get another treatment. This is NUTS!!!!

Hi I have just started taking toprol 50mg a day..I have noticed that i am very tired and week . My blood pressure is still high about 170/90 most of the time with a pause rate in the 40s...I am 49 years old and work out 5 days a week i have noticed bloating and feel like crap since starting this drug..

take 25 mg toprol xl for 3 weeks --side effects are chills,aching leg and feet,anxiety feel like in a fog and has not lowered my blood pressure--hate this drug going to stop taking this med.

This medication has saved my life. I am in my mid 20's and have been taking Toprol for 2 years. Ever since 9-11 I have had a hard time keeping my anxiety under control. I tired a number of anxiety medications but Toprol was the only thing that could keep my heart rate under control.

When I forget to take the meds I experience an elevated heart rate. It goes away shortly after I take the next dose. After being on this medication for so long I've started to notice minor problems with weight gain, low energy, and depression. I think now that I have my blood pressure under control it's time to start ramping down the dose.

Talk to your doctor before you get off this medication. I quit cold turkey once before and my blood pressure skyrocketed.

I have gained 25 pounds on Toprol . my blood pressure is good .. never very high , in the first place .. 150 over 78 the highest ... I hate gaining this weight .. Is there anything else I can do to keep my blood pressure down ? My legs and feet are swelling also ... Never had this problem before taking Toprol ......