Toprol-XL and hypertension

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'm 35 year old woman and am on Toprol XL 50mg (generic version) once a day at night for palpitations. I am also on LisinoprilHCTZ 20/25mg for hypertension which was controlled with that and now Toprol. After two weeks was lightheaded to the point where I couldn't function at times, heart rate would be in the 90-110 range which is high for me and ringing in my ears usually during these times. At the bad times my left shoulder and hand would go numb. Finally the doctor is cutting me to 25mg but I'm wondering if that would really do anything and I have to get off of it all together. My heart is healthy but do have palpitations, any suggestions?

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!!

I'm 50 years old. Have been on beta blockers for at least 10 years. Recently I developed a wheezing and then got the cold from hell. I was referred to a lung specialist who asked me to stop taking Toprol-XL immediately as it was causing me to wheeze and have shortness of breath. I stopped taking Toprol and the wheezing stopped. I'm still coughing though. I hope it goes away soon. I think I'm going to look into natural cures for my hypertension. These meds have too many side effects.

I started taking Toprol XL seven years ago to control palpitations. Side effects I have experienced include loss of hair, coldness in my hands and feet, probably due to the lower blood pressure, and, believe it or not, palpitations. I am somewhat, but not entirely, certain that the palpitations that I originally suffered from were from poor exercise, stress and a bad diet. The new palpitations I get are from squatting, reclining in certain positions, raising my legs up in a certain way which I attribute to side effects from this drug. I am trying to cut down on this drug, but it is hard. My heart has grown accustomed to it and it acts up whenever the dosage is reduced, no matter how slowly I do it. I want to get it down to 12.5 mg. I take about 18-19 mg now (I cut the 25mg in half and take one of the halves and cut it in half again). Some things about this drug: take it consistently, e.g., same time with same amount of food. It will give you some harmless, but scary, palps if you do not keep a regular pattern. Indeed, I can usually tell when a palp is Toprol-induced. Another thing is to be wary of doctors who have you double or quadruple a dosage at one time. Years ago my doctor told me to go from 12.5 to 50 mg after I complained of some palps that I now know were Toprol related. I thought he was nuts because my pulse was already way down due to this drug. I envisioned myself fainting. being a bad patient, I upped it to 25 instead. Later, after looking at a Holter monitor readout, the doctor calls me and says lower my dose to 25 because my overnight pulse was getting to a point that if I took anymore Toprol the pulse would be dangerously low. I never told him I did not listen to him. But I have to say I have not suffered all of the side effects listed on this site such as depression. The drug was and has been effective in controlling the palps that were driving me crazy. My palps were very bothersome and this drug gave me peace of mind. But, looking back, I think I could have brought about the same results with a healthier lifestyle. I am very cautious about taking myself completely off of it entirely and will do that with the guidance of a doctor, not the one mentioned above of course. But they are hard to find. Most of them will tell you beta blockers are the greatest and if you take dosages as low as mine there are no problems whatsoever.

36 yr old female. Was started on Toprol -XL in Sept 07 during my angiogram to relax my heart and lower my heart rate. Have also been on Lisinopril for several years prior for hypertension. Since starting the Toprol, I have had increasing depression, lethargy, shortness of breath, chest pains that have worsened, my feet are FREEZING all the time, I have gained 17.5 pounds, my fasting blood sugar is now up to 160-170 range, I have had many headaches (like the kind you get when your BP is sky high) and the other thing I have noticed is that my BP is bouncing ALL over the place. Last week it was down to 90/54 and I felt horrible. Then it will go up to 140/99(ISH). Find it really hard to finish my own sentences lately, and if I had nothing else to do, I could easily sleep 12-16 hours a day-everyday. I am down to 12.5 mg a day, and will be speaking to my cardiologist about this asap, had NO idea that Toprol could have been the culprit until I was told about this site. Thank you to everyone for sharing their stories, and good luck and blessings to all.

I am a nurse of 20 years and was placed on Toprol XL for super ventricular tachycardia (SVT) over a year ago. I was place on 25 mg dose after a stress test, ekg, echocaridogram and 24 hour halter monitor. I was not feeling any better and I was having periods of weakness, profuse sweating and being clammy. The cardiologist had me wear a 30 day event monitor and it showed frequent PVCs and runs of SVT. So he increased the dose to 50 mg. I continued to have the weakness, tachycardia, PVCs, extreme weakness, poor concentration and extreme periods of sweating with becoming clammy and some chest pain. Oh and I started having severe left leg pain that I had not had since my back surgery, so I went back to my pain specialist for treatment. I became so depressed, thoughts of life not worth living, poor endurance, not able to sleep in bed due to severe leg pain and increasing bouts of tachycardia, irregular heart rate, weakness, and sweating this is while at rest or working the symptoms remained. I forgot to mention that my blood sugar was increasing during this time to the point of in danger of being a diabetic.

I decided to stop the Toprol XL after reading some of the side effects that are less common. I was able to sleep in bed for the first time in 6 months, no leg pain. I called my cardiologist and he told me my symptoms were not consistent with Toprol XL side effects or reaction and to double the dose of Toprol XL. I refused and changed cardiologist, one who listened to me.

The result is I stayed off Toprol XL, after 5 weeks it is getting out of my system. No more sweating spells, cold clammy spells, extreme weakness, I feel part of life again and ready to go back into the world not hide from it, my blood sugar is getting back to normal. I am getting my strength and endurance back but have to rest some still, oh and I am losing the 25 pounds that I gained while on Toprol.

I still have irregular heart rate and that is okay but I am on a new medication that really seems to work. Oh, and the spinal implant that I was to have has been cancelled because the leg pain is almost gone and I sleep in a bed not a chair.

well i'm not one to NOT TRUST my doctor... but he prescribed me toprol yesterday for hypertension HBP..30 yr old male/chef.. cant believe the comments on this site... couldn't be able to deal with one of these side effects never mind all of them...!!! i appreciate everyone honesty and hope weaning off wasn't an issue for you all. anxiety has never been a problem in my life.. nor weight gain.. deep breathes it is!!!!!!! peace out

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?

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've been taking toprol xl 50mg once a day for a couple of years now for "hypertension" along with atacandHCI 12.5 mg . I have gain A LOT of weight and it is very unusual! I was a vol. wrestling coach for 20 yrs. so I stayed fair to very active. I also work all day in my business as a jeweler so I don't get around as much lately. After reading posts on this sight, I am CONVINCED that My meds. are the majority to blame! I get edema if i don't watch the salts, but I took a bunch of copies from this sight to my Dr. and he about called me CRAZY! This weight problem didn't start until I took this stuff. I also am experiencing sleeplessness, frquent trips to the bathroom at night ( probably from the diuretics I NOW have to take), tiredness, and overall lack of energy. I will be seeking a second opinion about my meds and condition and will up date afterwards. STAY AWAY FROM THIS MEDICINE!!!!

I have been on Topol XL for two years now for hypertension. I started with a dosage of 25mg. but that was bumped up to 50mg. two months ago. I have tried to take off excess weight to cure the hypertension ( Toprol of course merely treats the symptom but does not cure). Not only was I unable to take the weight off, I even gained pounds on this medication. I was also fatigued, which did not help with my workout plan. I also experienced insomnia and panic attacks at night. (It gave me something to do since I could not sleep).
I told my Dr. and she agreed I needed to get off the med. She told me conventional wisdom now is to start with a diurtic for hypertension ( She was not the Dr who originally prescribed the Toprol). For the next couple of weeks I will be weaning myself off the Toprol. I have read some horror stories of what that is going to like.

I had wondered if it was just me and have found out otherwise from this site and others. I was put on Toprolxl 11/07 1x day for hypertension. The stomach problems began but I persevered and since I had been taken of my diuretic believed the bloating on my hands was because of thant not the Toprol. Anyway my BP and pulse rate got higher and higher then the doctor gave me back my diuretic and my dose of Toprolxl doubled to twice a day.I noticed that my fingers would still swell after toprol and the stomach--gas, constipation got worse. Today I called my MD and said I wanted off it. Am scared to eat anything. Feel tired and have dry mouth, stuffy nose. All this drug has done is cause misery

I had what a nurse called as a hypertension crisis with a 220/130 bp. I went to the ER in an ambulance. After trying me on several meds over a short period of a few days, I am now on Toprol XL 50 mg. and cardizem LA 180 mg. I have only been on Toprol for 1 day and I already have leg muscle weakness and feel a sense of depression that I never have. I am also dizzy and have some shortness of breath. The doctor says that my heart is strong and that all my blood work was great. I am just worried that it won't stay that way. I have an alternative medicine physician that I will be talking to and looking for safer alternatives. Does anyone know if only 5 days on bp medicine and then weaning myself off will hurt me?

Have been on 25 mg for about 6 weeks for hypertension. Wake at night with hands going to sleep. Very difficult to get my heartrate up to target range when exercising; gained about 8 lbs within 2 weeks.

I'm 56 yr old male. Started Toprol XL 25mg day for hypertension 2 months ago. I have experienced some of the common effects, like tiredness. But most annoying are muscle pains at tops of both arms; difficult to do many simple activities like getting dressed. Anyone else notice this?

I am a 32 year old male who has been taking Toprol (50mg) for nearly six months. My doctor prescribe it to me for hypertension and to be honest I felt better without it. Before taking this med I felt strong and like a young man, now I feel like a frail old man. Never before in my life have I felt so sickly. I know my body, better than any doctor, and I'm sure it's the Toprol. Like many other posts I experience shortness of breath, chest pain, anxiety, deep muscle pain, and dizziness. I find it disturbing that a majority of the comments here are negative. The side effects of this drug are worse than any symptom I had before taking the drug.

I am 42 and have been taking Toprol XL for 8 months now for control of hypertension. Started at 50 mg, went up to 100 mg. Side effects have been almost constant cold hands and feet (especially at 100 mg); occasional fatigue; difficulty exercising within 3 or 4 hours after taking it (heavy, tired feeling when running); sometimes very low heart resting rate (ll see how irritable I get in the transition.