Toprol-XL and few days

I have only been taking Toprol xl 50mg. for a few days, but i notice a difference already. (I take this to block migraines.) I feel out of it when i take this drug. I cannot sleep anymore! i cant fall asleep... and when i finally do, i am up a few hours later. I have been having weird dreams. (not about spiders, but other vivid, crazy dreams) Do you get used to the drug after a while and are able to sleep???? anyone know?? I have problems with anxiety and depression... and i think that lack of sleep would only add to that. I know that since i started taking toprol, i have mood swings like crazy. I will be happy and having a good time, then i will just switch and starting going off the handle. (about the littlest things too) So i ask, why do we take these drugs if we cant sleep, eat, think, have mood swings, etc???

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 am a 39 year old white male that had aortic valve replacement surgery five years ago. About three months after the surgery (which went off without a hitch) I had a tremendous spike in my BP that went on for a few days (200/100 - enough so I could see my heartbeat in my eyes!). My Dr started me on Toprol XL 75 and while it brought my BP down some, it didn't bring it down a lot. He moved me to 200 mg a day and now my BP is around 105/55 with a resting pulse around 50.

While I experienced many of the side effects listed here (feeling groggy, confused, etc) they only lasted a few months. I must admit that I did pack on about 20 lbs over six months. However, unlike so many who choose to blame drugs (or lack thereof) for their problems, I took it upon myself to start exercising and guess what?!? The weight comes off! I now weigh less than when I graduated high school, I am in better shape than any time in my life and I believe that exercise helps me sleep better at night. All of this even though I still take 200mg a day. Given that some of you say that you're practically dead at taking 25, I should be 6 feet under or weigh 400 lbs.

I guess what I want to say is that perhaps instead of jumping on the bandwagon here that Toprol causes all of your problems, perhaps you want to take your own health into your hands and begin to eat a little better and exercise (and don't give me "but my ankles are swollen!" excuse - there is something called water aerobics). I don't deny that it can cause some side effects, but it can work wonders with your BP. You just have to DO SOMETHING to help keep the weight off (which then help with the sleep problems, mental clarity, etc).

I started taking the generic of Toprol (metaprolol) 3 months ago. I'm on 150mg per day for a rapid heartbeat, I'm 39 years old. It has helped my heart problems but I don't know if the side effects are worth it. I experience major fatigue that may last a week at a time and subside for a few days, aches in my back and neck (which I've learned may also be attributed to the Lipitor that I am also on), and my worse symptom is constant diarrhea. Some days I will run to the BR 15 times in one day. It seems to subside by dinner time, but that is probably because I stay away from food all afternoon. I'm fortunate that I am a stay at home mom I can't imagine having to go to work in this condition!

Been on Toprol XL for 4 years. I am 64 with SVT and mitral valve prolapse. I was started at 50mg daily and got relief but when breakthrough SVT started the dose went up to 50mg in the AM and 25mg in the evening. I still have breakthroughs but can wait them out. I did notice that my SVT or palpitations seemed to be triggered with an imminent BM. I have been diagnosed with fibromyalgia but coincidentally....it started with severe muscle pain when I started taking Toprol XL. I wasn't told that this could be a side effect.HMMMM When my insurance was discontinued (retirement) I started taking the generic due to cost. I haven't noticed any difference between the two. I also noticed that after a SVT episode I have a increase in urination....Toprol or SVT? I also noticed that I am very aware of an increase in a feeling doom. I have had ekgs etc and my heart is in good shape otherwise.

I'm a 53 year-old male and do regular Cardio Exercise every week and have for 31 years.
A cardiologist put me on Toprol XL 25 MG on November 22nd. The Doctor prescribed it because I add heart irregularities and palpitations which resulted in me going to the hospital as I didn't know what was happening and never had heart palpitations before in my life. I went to the emergency room and they got me stabilized but brought in cardiologist. My heart returned to normal function in a few hours and was result of taking a decongestant as well as Lisinopril 5 MG. I had just started these drugs and had been on them for three days when the heart palpitation instance happened. The decongestant is ... I had done a two hour hard workout at the gym which I do regularly 3 times per week and then the heart irregularities started on day 3 of taking the two drugs. A cardiologists now has stuck me on this Toprol 25 MG after that day because it helps with irregular heart beat plus my blood pressure was a bit high around 140/90. I immediately started noticing side effects from the Toprol 25 MG but stayed on it plus the Lisinopril 5 MG and 325 MG Aspirin for about 12 days at that dose. I started side effects like tremors, tiredness, constipation, strange dreams, anxiousness, impotence, and struggled to do my workouts etc. I made some lifestyle changes like eliminating caffeine, alcohol, etc and that plus the medicine reduced my blood pressure below 120/80 a bit. I stopped the Lisinopril on December 3rd and my blood pressure is still normal and reduced the Toprol to 12.5 MG at the same time. I did research and the doctor also thinks the irregularity was due to the Decongestant and Lisinopril I had taken for 3 days as both have heart irregularity and palpitations as a side effect. I decided I want to get off the Toprol XL altogether and let my body go back to normal functioning. All my problems were brought once I started taking medicine and the only real problem I have is high blood pressure which I can control now with life style changes and natural supplements. I called the cardiologist's nurse and she said not to do anything until I see the doctor on December 18th. I had already decided to cut the dose in half to 12.5 MG on December 3rd anyway and the side effects got better, but then I had instance the other night after taking a spin class at the gym whereby my heart beat stayed up around 82 bpm for several hours and normally is 59 pbm. I also felt anxious and couldn't get settled to sleep real well. I read on the warning label that your not supposed to work out during the process of reducing the dosage so I guess I will have to stop working out until I'm off this stuff. I have been an exercise person for 31 years doing at least 5 hours of Cardio Exercise per week and then racing bicycles in the summer months doing 10-12 hours of Cardio Exercise. I really want off this drug so I reduced to 6.25 MG today and will stop working out I guess until I'm off. I feel a little shaky and feel sort of like I could faint if I did to much exertion since reducing to 6.25 MG today. I was wondering how long it take to get off this Toprol since I was only on it for 12 days at the 25 MG dosage and should I keep cutting the dosage and go down to 3.12 MG after a few more days and then eventually off after a few days at 3.12 MG? Then how long once I'm off should I wait to return to my rigorous exercise routine?

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.