Toprol-XL and fog

I just started Toprol XL on Friday (four full days ago). I was put on it to decrease heart rate and palps, I have Inappropriate Sinus Tachycardia. I am 35 years old. I was prescribed to take 50mg twice a day, and I am on the generic. Almost immediately, stomach upset started with diarrhea. I still had some palps at 25 mg. twice a day, which the MD told me to start with for about two days. So, after doing the 25mg for two days twice daily, I went on to the 50mg twice daily. Last night I slept for twelve hours straight, and then felt like I had a sedative after I got up. After taking my next 50mg dose this morning, I got so sleepy again, and felt like sleeping and was in a fog after the twelve hours of sleep last night! I can't imagine mixing anything else with it that causes drowsiness, you would pass out. I feel like I can't think clearly,and feel more crabby and irritable. I called the MD this am. and was told to go back to 25mg twice a day, and that side effects would lessen over time. I have had this sinus tachycardia problem for years, and got diagnosed with it officially in 04. It is very annoying, with shortness of breath, pounding heart,and feeling like you are running a race which sitting still. I have also had an increase in feeling like it skips a beat. All this prompted the Toprol usage. It does help the heart rate and palps, but now I feel so tired I can hardly put one foot in front of the other. I try to walk for thirty min. at least five days a week, and today it was all I could do to make it. I have to watch my twenty month old daily, and I can't keep up with his energy now for sure. I plant to go back to the 25mg twice a day starting tomorrow, and maybe eventually get to the 25mg once daily. I never would recommend anyone stopped something like this cold turkey, you could find yourself in the ER, never play with any heart meds!! I pray that a slow decrease will be the answer to finding some symptom relief of my condition, yet still being able to function daily. Thank God also I am a stay at home mom for now, starting this and trying to work, I would be sleeping on the job!

I'm a 30 yr old healthy male. I went to the ER, and then the Dr., about 4 weeks ago after waking up with intense pain in the veins of my right arm and having pounding palps. I had just been told some extremely stressful news the night before, so I was pretty sure this was blood pressure & stress related. ... EKG showed Wolf-Parkinson-White syndrome, so that's what the Dr's assumed was the problem. I never knew what it was called, but I've had my heart race due to WPW many times since I was a young child .. this did not seem to be related. This was just pounding.

The cardiologist put me on 50mg of Toprol XL daily to control the WPW - even though that wasn't acting up. I left confused. Pharmacy issued generic Metoprolol Succinate mfg. by Sandoz.

I didn't want to be on meds, so I didn't take it for the first few days, hoping that I would return to normal. After all, I just woke up with this all of the sudden.. I had been fine the day before. Palps continued, though, so eventually I relented and started taking the meds.

The first two or three weeks were filled with ups and downs. Exhaustion, palpitations and anxiety would come and go.

This past weekend things got really bad. I began having anxiety attacks -- I think that's what it was, I'd never had one before -- and my vision was totally screwed up. I couldn't focus on anything and was sensitive to some lighting. Black text on a bright white screen (lcd monitor) was especially hard to read. I was completely in a dazed & confused state. Loud noises and crowds were bothering me... which was awful, considering it was my best friend's wedding. Also had headaches, lightheadedness & loss of appetite. These side effects came and went on Friday & Saturday and were pretty constant on Sunday & Monday.

I decided to quit Toprol cold-turkey on Sunday. I have been 2 days without. I have used L-Theamine to reduce stress and keep my blood pressure steady. It seems to be working. I also began taking CoQ10 today after reading some good things about it here.

My vision & mental focus is beginning to improve after 3 days of disabilitating problems. Anxiety has also improved. I even attempted to "get back to normal" at work today, but had to leave after only an hour of strenuous exercise in the heat. Vision problems returned, anxiety set in. It's like riding a really freaking scary roller coaster, except with a legitimate fear that this thing might kill you.

I will update this as time goes by, to let you all know how things worked out for me. I'm really hoping to be mostly back to normal in another day or two, since I haven't been on for very long. Hopefully this will be of help to someone in the future. Damn, I Wish I had never gotten on this stuff.

I started taking Toprol 4 months after having my baby. I never had High Blood Pressure until I was 2 months pregnant and It continued throughout my pregnancy. Four months after giving birth my BP kept creeping up so I went to my doctor and she prescribed 25mg of Toprol. I have been taking Toprol for a year and a half, I have gained over 20 pounds, I have felt like I have been walking in a fog, loss of concentration, been diagnosed with depression, I have slept at night but not feeling rested. I went off the meds for an allergy test and immediately realized that I was sleeping better and feeling rested, so I was monitoring my BP and It has been okay so I have stayed off the meds. I never realized that my problems could have been linked to this med until I went off the Toprol. My question is how long before the weight will come off. I was working out 5 days a week and watching what I ate for over 2 months while on the Toprol and no change. I am hoping that since I am off of Toprol I will start dropping a few pounds soon.

WEIGHT GAIN, NUMBNESS IN FINGERS AND FEET. LET PAIN. I ALREADY HAVE RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS, MIXED CONNECTIVE TISSUE DISEASE, THYROID DISEASE AND AM MISERABLE ON THIS.

I GAINED 12 POUNDS IN TWO MONTHS. I'M IN A FOG AND CAN'T REMEMBER ANYTHING. HAVE REALLY BAD LEG PAIN TRYING TO EXERCISE.

I THINK THIS DRUG SLOWED MY METABOLISM.

I was put on Toprol XL 6.5 yrs ago. My heart rate had soared to 130+ and b.p. was elevated. So my family doctor put me on Toprol XL 100 mgs. From day one I felt exhausted. He told me that would soon clear up and not to worry, we needed to be more concerned with my heart rate and b.p. I listened and was a good patient. After a year of total exhaustion and having to quit my job I asked to be taken off Toprol. He said it was the only medication that would control my heart rate and b.p. together. He agreed to reduce it to 75 mgs. After a few months I went back and said it was still too much! My b.p. was better as was my heart rate so he lowered it to 50 mgs. Things got a little better at least I could get out of bed by 10:00! Fed up I lowered it to 25 mgs. and tracked my b.p. Finally I told my doctor and he said as long as my b.p.was better 25 mgs.was ok. By this time though I was having other symptoms, body aches, joint pain, mind fog. He attributed it to arthritis and put me on Vioxx. 2 pills later I stopped due to chest pains. The symptoms I had experienced over the past 2 yrs continued so I sought a new physician. Once again he said Toprol XL was the only medication I could take for tachycardia and high b.p. My b.p. was again elevated so my meds were increased to 50 mgs. he wanted to go 100mgs., I said NO!
In 2004 I was diagnosed with Fibromyalgia, the pain had become so bad now it was debilitating. I had all the full blown symptoms of Fibro, extreme exhaustion, body aches, joint pain, mind fog, depression etc etc. So I sought treatment for Fibromyalgia for 3 yrs. Not so successfully I might add.
I should note that I had none of these symptoms before Toprol XL.

During a recent Gynecology visit my b.p. was extremely high. I told her my story about Toprol. She said point blank, They are NOT listening to you. I think all the side effects you have been having are due to the Toprol XL.She sent me to a Cardiologist. God bless her!!
After many tests he immediately took me off Toprol. He put me on another medication instead. I am having withdrawal side effects from Toprol, shakiness, shortness of breath, heart rate acceleration and mind fogginess. But, anything is better than another day on Toprol. He told me what I was experiencing was normal withdrawing from Toprol. He also assured me there were many other alternatives to Toprol and if the new medication doesn't work there are other options.
I think Toprol XL is the next drug that should be banned!! I pray everyday my life will return to what it was before Toprol XL and that I will not have any lasting side effects from this horrible drug.