Toprol-XL and diovan

Well.....ain't this drug wonderful!! Glad I came here first. I am currently on Diovan 80mg. basically doing very well on it, but I started to loose some hair, and do have some sinus issues, so talked w/Doctor he gave me a prescript. for Toprol XL yesterday, got it filled (my proper prescription for 3mos. supply mail in is written for the Brand Name) the prescrip. I filled yesterday locally (he gave me 2mos to fill locally before sending in my mail in prescrip.) My God! When I read the patient info, scared the living crap out of me! See if I TAKE that medication - NOT! I will stick with the devil I know, Diovan and hope that the hair loss thing will resolve itself. I suffer from anxiety, so can push my BP up at will, and it's been up since I started stressing on the hair loss - I have made up my mind to just try and chill about it, but Diovan appears to be one of the least "evil" of the BP meds I'v taken so far. Lisinopril was a nightmare, Diltiazem wasn't too bad, but thought my teeth were going to fall out! I swear, the anxiety about these meds. does nothing to help ones BP but I definitely am not taking this poison, probably would make me stress worrying, I'd give myself a stroke. I am making a copy of the patient info. and sending it to my Dr. (whom I love by the way) and ask him "what the hell were you thinking Doctor?" Good luck everyone

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.

Hello all,
I'm a 45-yr old Air Force Major (Male) recently diagnosed with asymptomatic chronic Atrial Fibrillation (As in I have it and was walking around not knowing it). When I went to see the cardiologist, my B.P. was only 120 / 74 (Which, until they changed the rules, used to be normal)and he puts me on Diovan 80mg once a day plus Coumadin 5mg. Well the Diovan almost made me faint and I had numbness in both arms, plus a funky rash, kind of like chicken pox showing up on my arms and thighs.
I went online and read horror stories of Diovan so I stopped taking it immediately (I had only taken four doses and never had any horrible symptoms until after I took the meds!). Then the Dr. put me on an Event Monitor and it showed I was indeed in A-fib all the time, plus at night, my heart was racing briefly to 200 a minute while I was sound asleep. So he puts me on Toprol XL 100mg once a day.
Immediately I had trouble sleeping (Which I never had before, ever!) with crazy dreams and tossing/turning. My B.P. dropped to 88/65 and my fibrillating heart rate was 64!!! I was so mad because I actually felt better before the meds. I found this site and saw what everyone was posting and immediately took myself off the Toprol XL.
The day after stopping the Toprol I had slight chest pains (Like angina or gas bubble) but they went away on their own. I slept fine the next night.
I'm having an Electro-Cardiversion done on the 21st July to see if I can stop the A-fib and get in normal rhythm. I know the Dr. is going to be mad at me for stopping the Diovan and Toprol, but I'm sorry, I'm convinced there is a better way to beat all this (Namely exercise and eating right). Being in the service means you have to be Mr. Physical and Mental "perfect" all the time. I cannot afford to be diagnosed with depression in my line of work! Thanks to all on this website and I wish you the best.
PS. for those who think I'm being ignorant of my medication, I have a nice fat insurance policy and Power of attorney for my wife and kid in the event I keel over!!! I may be medication intolerant but at least I took care of my family.

My doctor took me off metopolol (genericToprol), and my last dosage was a week ago. I suffered weight gain, tiredness, and muscle fatigue during my 18 months on the drug.

I have 2 questions - how long will the drug remain in my system, and has anyone who experienced weight gain while on Toprol or the generic, lost any weight after stopping it?

Thanks, Tony

I'm a 43 y/o male, on Toprol-Xl (25mg) and Diovan(80-mg) for high blood pressure. I've been on Diovan since it hit the market (no side effects at all) but recently developed a fast heart rate with no explaination. I saw a cardiologist and he put me on 25mg of Toprol-XL once each day.It's been 7 weeks and I'm fairly well adjusted with few minor side effects (slow pulse, cold extremities, weird chest feelings when the Toprol starts to wear off) and a major side effect (lack of sleep and weird dreams).

I read an article that Toprol-XL is time released and the medication has it's peak affect 8-hours after taking the dose. I was taking the medication with dinner, but would then wake up at 3:00 am, wide awake, couldn't fall back to sleep. I now take the medication with lunch and my sleep patterns have improved considerably. My incredibly, sometimes scary, dreams have tapered off too. My blood pressure is picture perfect (usually 115-125 over 70 to 80) and the bursts of rapid heartbeats have stopped altogether (I had an echo stress test, echocardiogram, blood work, 3 EKG's) and all were normal. My cardiologist said all my side effects are normal and that if i couldn't tolerate them he would switch my beta blocker.

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!

Hello All!!!

I have posted here a few times about my Toprol XL experiences - yuck the worse being shortness of breath and sever breathing problems, anxiety, depression, and heart palps...

My Dr. has tried several other drugs to control by HBP (Diovan, etc.) - all with too many side effects. So for now I am on a low dose of Toprol XL while we continue our search. I cannot STAND IT - the longer I am back on it the worse my breathing becomes - and it is not really helping the HBP.

My question is - has anyone tried a natural supplement with good effect - like Hyperexol, etc.??? I would really prefer to try something natural rather than ANOTHER prescription with side effects.

Thank you!!!

I was weaned off 50 mg Toprol over an 8 day period (after having been on it for 4 years) and then had been off it completely for 10 days -- when my Dr. decided that what I was feeling could not POSSIBLY STILL be side effects from Toprol Withdrawal and so put me BACK on it at a lower dose (25 mg instead of 50 mg) - and 80 mg of Diovan (along with Prilosec OTC for acid reflux and a Hiatal hernia) - the Diovan made me so sick, I developed a bad cough and pains in my upper chest so I stopped that --- and low and behold after being back on the Toprol 25 mg for 2 days -- the severe chest tightness is BACK and worse than EVER -- it is horrible. I am a 33 year old woman with asthma (5'3 @ 135 pounds with no other health problems) -- my problem is without meds my B/P runs 140/110 (they say that it is genetic and that I do not work out and have a desk job - because I do not drink or smoke and I am not overweight, and I eat a very healthy diet) -- but the meds they want me take for it give me so many side effects I cannot STAND IT.. I don't know what to do -- I go back to my DR. Wed for a follow-up but cannot stand this chest tightness until then.......... Being 10 days off Toprol I was still have chest tightness and breathing difficulties -- but not as often and not as severe - so I thought maybe it just took a long time to get out of your system... My Dr. said I should have been feeling better after 3-5 days so that it could not possibly be the Toprol. I am at my WITS END and do not know where to turn or what to do.

Update - 7th day with zero Toprol. Feel just awful... Breathing has not improved, tight band feeling around chest keeps coming and going like before. B/P spikes, headaches, etc. The Diovan (80mg) was making me cough and making chest tightness worse - so she tried me on Dyazide - made me dizzy and sick to my stomach. This has been just one of the WORST experiences of my life. I was SURE all my problems were related to my (4) years on Toprol - but on day 7 with NO TOPROL and not feeling better I am depressed, discouraged, and just want to curl up and cry and cry and cry. I have ended up in the ER three times since the weaning began - once for breathing, once for pulse (over 215) and once for severe abdominal pain. My family thinks that I am 'mental' and that it is all in my head???? I cannot take much more of this.....

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!

Day six of weaning off the Toprol. Had been taking 50mg when I was told to change medications. I took 25 mg for 4 days and since have been taking 12.5 mg daily. Chest tightness is excruciating at times, shortness of breath off and on (more ON than off) - headache, and tons of anxiety, barely sleeping because chest tightness makes breathing difficult. And all this with taking 80 mg of Diovan to help keep the rebound effects down. This is such a HORRIBLE experience. I hate it. Wonder when I will start to feel better.......

An update to my recent postings - on Saturday 11/24/07 - I began the step down of Toprol and the transition to Diovan 80 mg -- it is DIFFICULT. My B/P at times has skyrocketed, I have gotten headaches, and intense chest pain. The finally straw was when my pulse went over 200 and woke me up @ 5:30am - my husband rushed me to the E.R. and the Dr. confirmed that it was side effects from coming off the Toprol -- he said that I should have been given a long term acting anti-anxiety medicine to help me "not feel the side effects" as much. They tested my heart, etc. and all tests came back great - so he prescribed me some Valium to help get me over the worse of the re-bound symptoms and said that I should start to feel some relief in a few days - but to keep on it because getting off this medication (Toprol) - is the best thing for getting my asthma back under control.

I have been on toprol for two weeks. I was on atenolol before that for about10 months. Does anyone get head pressure from this stuff. I have constant head pressure. I also get depression and very dry mouth makes it hard to swallow.
I want to go off. I am only on 25 mg once a day. Doctors act like they don't want people off meds. I only went on cause I started with anxiety a year ago and makes my blood pressure wacky but not to high. Like 140/85 I use to always have low blood pressure. I got to get off cause it's causing me anxiety with the side affects.

An update to my post from yesterday - went to my Doc. and she wants me to take 4-7 days to wean from the Toprol, before I start the Diovan 80 -- she is concerned about the rebound and withdraw effects.

My Asthma Doctor wants me off Toprol ASAP - he thinks that it is making my asthma worse. Said to go to my Primary Care Physician and switch to Diovan - said that immediately switching to Diovan means that I do not have to wean off the Toprol - does anyone know if this is true? Any help would be greatly appreciated. I take 50 mg of Toprol daily for HBP.

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?

PEOPLE, PLEASE DO NOT DISCONTINUE THIS MEDICATION SUDDENLY, IT CAN BE DANGEROUS!!!

I have been reading about this medication here for some time, and I feel concerned when I read about someone deciding to just quit taking it suddenly. I personally intend to quit as soon as I find a doctor with enough knowledge to help me wean off of it in a safe manner. I've been on it for two years, and the side effects have grown worse than my original health problem, so I understand wanting to just up and quit taking it, but after learning the hard way, I've found out it's not so easy.

Do your homework, read and learn about the potential 'rebound effect' and by all means, talk to your doctor before doing something that may cause you to be in danger ( as in having a heart attack)...if you don't believe me, learn for yourself, the information is easily researched.

Blessings, and good luck...

I am a 34-year old women who started 50 mg of Toprol-XL 4 days ago for a rash of panic attacks I experienced earlier this week, after having high blood pressure and occasional panic attacks in the last 3 months. Since then, I've had migranes for the past 2 days, bad allergies, stomach pain, loose bowel movements, slight difficulty breathing, frequent urination, and tiredness/lethargy during the day with trouble sleeping at night. I was already feeling strange my 2nd day on it and called my internal medicine doctor, who, of course, told me to stick with it. At this point, I'm ready for safer, natural alternatives. I'm will call the doctor tomorrow to tell him that my mind is made up and ask for instructions on how to wean off of it safely.

38y.o F taking toprol 100mg once a day for hypertension x 15mths History of Hypothyroidism which is controlled w/ synthroid and closley monitored w/ lab work.
Experience weight gain, unable to lose weight w/ diet and exercise including w/ a nutrionist and personal trainer. Hairloss, lack of libido, chronic joint pain, swelling in hands and ankles/feet, back pain and/or muscle aches, lack of interest in everything, no energy. Major swelling after high sodium intake. Ear drainage, tingling of extremities especially in feet and fingers, visual disturbances. Blood Pressure is okay.
Has anyone experienced an improvement since they've stopped using toprol?

I have been on Toprol xl 200mg for over 3.5 years now. due to high blood pressure problems. and Hmo Doctors who refuse to change meds. typical of hmo systems. I dont like this medication and have been fighting with Doctors to get off it.( no luck) as yet! I have tryed myself a few times doing it slow at small dose, however I have withdraw symptoms! and im forced to go back to the medication again. I think most Doctors fear this problem so they try and pass the buck to a hmo cardiologist, who only tells you, I dont do that - go back to your primary Doctor? its like running in circles !
bad part I have every know side effect from this medication, Doc gave me 4omg of Diovan to counter act the toprol effects.. ahhh! that didnt help.. make them worse..and caused more effects ! blurred vision -chest pains
short term memory loss, Hair loss, and thinning real bad.. I have counted over 56 side effects for just toprol xl alone.. and another 31 for Diovan
plus the fact Diovan was recalled one time before.. and then changed and re-released again.. I feel like the walking dead - Im so tired all the time..
and boy! if your out in the heat.. 85deg F. or more.. watchout people.. you can pass out cold ! from this crap - its got some real bad effects when it gets hot outside. stay in doors and out of the heat ! unless you have to work like me.. I guess one day I will find a good Doctor who will help me
for now, Hmo systems stink ! but im stuck with one till October.. then its bye bye for Hmo's for me.. there has to be a better way to go !
Toprol xl is not the ansure or cure ! by the way I get palpitations off and on from diovan or toprol xl .. its very strange... hate this medication

I have been on Toprol XL for over 2 years and I can't believe what I am reading on this website. I am so glad that I googled. I have had many of the same problems and I am taking 100 mgs once a day. I cannot lose wait, my memory is horrible, I am always tired, I even had the itching thing go on, my joints ache some thing fierce, so bad that I went to a joint specialsit to have them checked because I thought that I may be getting arthritis at 37. I suffer from both depression and anxiety and was given this medication called Lexapro and had a panic attack in the middle of the night so that was the end of that. I have also had the sleeplessness and the sleeping too much and most importantly the edema of the hands, ankles and feet. I can't wear shoes that are too flat because they swell, I can't wear shoes that are too high because they swell, I can't eat salt because they swell, I can't stay out in the heat or humidity for too long cause they swell, I am so tired of swelling I want to scream. I also get very bad leg cramps and leg pain when I walk too far, also my menstural cycle is crazy. I bleed so much (sorry guys) that I have to buy new at least 2-3 new pairs of jeans a month because of "damage". I get overly fatigued and everything because fo blood loss. I am so tired of this it is not funny, but I like the fact that it is time released and is somewhat gentle. I am going to speak to my doc next week about changing though because I thought that I was in a very small group that was having these issues, even down to the inability to lose weight.

Taking toprolxl for about 2 months for high blood pressure along with diovan(320) mg. daily,I have gained weight and am totally fatigued,so I cut my toprol in half and for about a week now,I feel like my old self my energy is returning and I feel like a different person.so I am slowly getting off this medication and also my bp seems to remain low just with the diovan and one half of toprol.

I started Toprol XL after I was hospitalized with rapid heart beat...I was on Diovan HCL for high blood pressure and had
virtually no side effects. The doctors took me off of it and put
me on the Toprol to regulate my heart rate. I had another
bout of rapid heart rate and my dosage was increased to 50 mg a day. I have overwhelming fatigue...I used to work out
every day and now I can barely do just normal activities. I
practiced karate....not now. I have headaches and my legs
feel very heavy. Does anyone else have these symptoms. I
am a 56 year old female.
Thanks,
Janis

Hair thinning anyone? blurr vision ? confusion daily? cramping and aches and pains all over ? headaches ? dry mouth? ringing of ears? dry eyes when waking up ? cant sleep and nightmares? short term memory loss ? upset stomach tummy aches? itching all over ? gas and trapped gas ? tired -no get up and go, and when you do get up and go, you cant ! for long? waight gain of 8 to 10 pounds ? cant loose waight - ? sore inside of nose ,with running nose ?
anyone got these symptoms. im on 200mg toprol xl per day with 40mg diovan . I also get intermitten palpatations .
b.p is down to almost normal now, but I feel the walking dead
here..with all the side effects - im seeing a cardiolgest in a few days ! cant take it anymore side effects ! I dont feel normal anymore.. what is normal ?

Have been on Toprol 25 mg for almost a year, and prior to that was at 50mg for about two years, prescribed for fast heart rate/benign palpitations and also for boderline high BP. Worked fine for BP and palpitations, but six months ago, BP went high again, so now on Diovan low dose and still Toprol 25 mg. Anyway, Diovan has fixed the BP. The most major side effect with TOPROL I believe is the cause for my shortness of breath. I have now began weaning myself off of the Toprol (with ok from Cardiologist) and hope to see an improvement with the SOB....it's been terrible. I get short of breath just talking on the phone, and I do not smoke. I'm hopeful that the symptoms will improve one my body is clear of the Toprol. Anybody else experience SOB from Toprol?

I have taken BP meds for about 20 years and never experienced this effect ever. In the last year a new Doctor because of insurance purposes change my meds to Toprol from Diovan. He increased and decreased several times and then had me stop,cold turkey. Which I should have never done. My hair fell out and I experienced mood swings, chest pains, and numerous other side effects. I have since went to another Doctor and have been regulated. I went from 180mg of toprol to only taking 10mg of Altace now. Thank goodness I found out in time.

Male, 52 years old. Was on 50 MG Toprol XL for 1 year. My weight increased from 190 to 200 pounds. Recently my doctor increased my dosage to 100 MG a day. My weight has increased to 210 pounds despite exercise and watching diet. Now, my joints hurt and I just feel like a tired old man. I'm getting off this stuff by cutting the 50mg's in half and just taking 25 mg's for awhile. I also take Diovan, but Diovan by itself it does not control my BP which at its worst can be 145/95. My wife likes me on Toprol because it makes me less irritble. I'm hoping daily exercise will drop my BP to the point that I will not need BP medicine.