Toprol-XL and fda

I decided a long time ago, Doctor's are not the best listeners!! I am a nurse, I know!! Read my post today June 18th. I have been praying for an answer to all my symptoms, especially the profuse sweating I have been having for the past year!!! I believe I have found my answer at this site. Thank God I found it. All because I was looking up info about Toprol because after the doctor increased my dosage yesterday , today my ankles and feet swelled up like balloons!!!!! Now I have pitting edema!!!
I have gone to a # of doctor's in the past year and a half and I think they believe it is all " in my head"!!! I have been so depressed. My husband has even threatened to leave me. NO interest in much of anything. I don't know what it is like to sleep anymore :-( My husband says " just close your eyes and sleep like a normal person". Maybe after he reads the posts at this site he will begin to understand that everything I have been going through is "REAL". I am calling my Dr. in the morning and she will WEAN me off this awful drug!!! My BP has been going up since I have been on Toprol instead of going down. I have wondered why the Dr. didn't just change the med. It really makes one wonder. DO the Dr's ever hear what we are saying???? I would be happy to share stories with anyone on this site. How many of you have experienced profuse sweating???? The doctor will WEAN me off this drug!!! :-)
God bless everyone!! I pray you all get off this drug!! It needs to be pulled by the FDA!!!
Joyce47oh ;-)

I was on toprol-xl for almost 8 years without many problems. i also take isosorbide mononitrate.A few months back I was switched to the generic version (metoprolol succinate er by sandoz) now i have many problems.First I have to say I am disabled with severe COPD. Although I do not feel depressed I have a lot of symptoms of depression. Remember I had no symptoms what so ever until switched by Walgreen's or HMO or Doctor to the generic version. Not sure what to do I have a doctor that does not truly listen,plus he did not want me on toprol xl to begin with. Even though it was good for me. Good luck people!

There is an important point that everyone here is missing. I had been on Toprol XL for years, brand name. Recently, a generic version by Sandoz has been issued. It is the GENERIC metoprolol that is causing the side effects, the racing heart, etc. If you can get the doctor to write "no substitutions" on the prescription, and get the original Toprol, you will notice the difference. the problem is, health insurance wants to push the generic, so you will pay more. but it's worth it to feel better!

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.

This website may not have saved my life, but it has certainly saved my sanity. Beginning in May 2007 I was prescribed Toprol XL for a supposed heart condition. I was instructed to begin with 50 mg per day and go to 100 mg per day after 10 days. Since I already had the 50 mg tablets, I simply started taking 2 of them together when I raised the dosage. On July 25 I ran out of the 50 mg tabs and filled a prescription for 100 mg tabs. Immediately upon starting the 100 mg tabs I began experiencing side effects which increased in severity daily. By Monday July 30 I was convinced I was losing my mind. Then I discovered this website, and read that many other people had suffered in the same way. What I have trouble grasping is why the same dosage had different effects. I tolerated the 100 mg/day dose just fine when taking 2 50 mg tabs, but the 100 mg was dreadful. I've checked the pills, and both the 50 mg and 100 mg are Astra-Zeneca products, not generic. The markings, shape and size are consistent with 100 mg tabs, so I haven't been inadvertently given an overdose. I immediately backed off the dosage, and am gradually going to reduce and stop the medication. I urge anyone who is having these problems not to stop at reporting them here, but also to contact Astra-Zeneca at www.astrazeneca.com, and to report them to the FDA's Medwatch website, www.fda.gov/medwatch. It may seem fruitless to contact Astra Zeneca, but they need to be made aware of these problems.

I have been on Toprol for several years. I used to be a ball of energy. Now I can hardly clean the house. I am having pains in both my arms. Have problems with insomnia and have to take Unisom each night just to sleep. Frequent bathroom trips at night keep me up. Obviously some of my side effects are the same as experienced by others. My question is, why the heck the pharmaceutical companies get away with putting this kind of stuff on the market. More importantly why does the FDA let them get away with it?

Physicians need to do a better job of listening to their patients and not just poo poo away their symptoms as all in your head. The stuff they are prescribing can be dangerous; they need to listen to the side effects their patients are reporting and address the issues.