Toprol-XL and neurologist

OK FOLKS -HERE'S A GOOD ONE FOR YA- Just over a year ago I was on a heart transplant list. Today my heart function is normal and I am off ALL HEART MEDS. Even after finding out my heart function level was normal I was still living a nightmare for some unexplained reason. After MONTHS of tests and everyone telling me I was nuts a neurologist finally found out I was having seizure activity. Funny how my "seizure activity" feels EXACTLY how I felt when they increased my beta blocker dosage. I'm telling all of you.. This beta blocker helps some but they are burying their mistakes. I now know all of my ER trips, only to have them laugh and have them send me back home, were do to seizures caused by beta blockers while I had heart failure. I'm lucky to be alive.... and now that my heart function is good I have to fight this seizure BS. *REMEMBER THIS - Only YOU know what your body is telling you.. LISTEN TO IT! But do be careful.. You can't just stop taking a beta blocker.. Good luck all cuz we sure need it!

I started taking Toprol XL after being diagnosed with SVT back in May of 2003. I was only in my late 20's & was very trusting, at the time. I was recently sent to a cardiologist because I was having horrible chest pain & the Toprol XL 50 MG wasn't working at keeping the heart rate down. The GP put me on a double dose as well as Cardizem to help with the chest pain & rapid heart rate. I was already on Lanoxin 0.5MG, the highest dose allowed. The cardiologist took me off of the Cardizem right away because he said that is was too stressful for the heart to be on that much heart medicine. I went though several tests & was told by the cardiologist that I didn't have SVT & that this was actually Postural Tachycardia (POTS) & Neurocardiogenic Syncope. I was taken off of Lanoxin, but kept on Toprol XL 100 MG. He put me on lots of salt & water to increase my blood volume which would help my blood pressure when standing. That was in June of 2007. All went pretty good, I thought, until January 18, 2008 when I was working. My heart rate went up to 136 just standing or walking across a room. I called the doctor & talked to a nurse who suggested that I take another 1/2 of a Toprol. I did that & felt better for awhile, but it was short lived. I had been having chest pain, rapid heart rate, fatigue, muscle pain, joint pain, headaches, nausea, vomiting, short term memory problems, rapid weight gain, hair loss, cold extremities, & other things I can't think of right now for what seemed like forever. My gynecologist & my cardiologist first thought that I had thyroid problems, but all tests have come back negative. They then thought that maybe it was from the birth control pills that I had been on for the ovarian cysts. I was changed from one medicine to another & at first I thought that was what was wrong. I am now certain that all of the problems that I have been having were & are a result of the Toprol XL. I was even told that all the problems were "psychiatric in nature". I know that that isn't it at all! I have never had anxiety problems & the GP now thinks that's all that is wrong with me & wants me to go on Zoloft. I tried it, but became so ill that after one pill, I quit. I now plan on weaning myself off of the Toprol XL without the GP's knowledge or consent. The cardiologist was planning on weaning me off at some time in the future, but I am starting without him knowing it at the time. I'll just tell him when I see him next month. Thanks everyone for alerting me to the facts about this medicine. If I had known then what I do now, I'd have never consented to starting it in the first place. My only question is, are some of the "side effects" going to be a permanent thing for me or will they eventually go away? Any advice would be welcome! Thanks again!

I am a 56 year old female who was very active ranching, balng hay taking care of irrigation etc. 3 years ago I had pain in my left arm and my heart was racing went to the E.R. where they did a 12 lead ekg. Could not find anything wrong other than my blood pressure was up to 160/90 they gave me ToprolXl 100 mg and told me to see my primary care physcian. Which I did. He continued the medication.

Since that time I have complained to all of the symtoms I have seen on this site. With one exception. Two months ago I was watching TV and had double vision. It only lasted for a few seconds but noticed the next day my peripheral vision was gone. I made an appt with an opthomologist and he spent 3 hours with me and recommended an MRI which was conducted some 2 weeks later. I was referred to a neurologist who ran a lot of blood work. My first batch of blood work showed a raging inflamation. They started testing for MS, lymes, lupus etc. Last week i met with my neurologist for the follow up blood work report. Everything is normal he says but by the way you have myathenia gravis. You get double vision again you call me I will give you medicine. Like I am a two year old.

I have researched myasthenia and the one thing you dont want to do is be on a beta blocker or a calcium channel blocker, as both of these will aggravate the condition. I called him to ask that he change my blood pressure medication. He says I wont do that. My primary care physcian is no longer in practice with the original medical group and has left the area. I saw him only 2 weeks ago and nothing was mentioned. The point is folks Don't trust anyone. Oh and by the way the side effects you are seeing mimic myasthenia gravis. Now no one knows what causes it for sure. Stress is a factor. But if you have not been tested get yourself tested. I may not even have this disease but I am getting off this medication and I am going to find out for sure what in the heck is going on. By the way I have seen a cardiologist last month without a referral because I wanted answers and he says there is absolutely nothing wrong with my heart...so why was I put on this medication? Heaven help us all.

Just resumed my 25mg of toporol XL after a miserable 5 day trial on lisinopril. My main symptoms are PVC's, chest tightness (chronic), lightheadedness. These seem to be somewhat helped by the medication, and I wonder about upping it to 50mg (MD fine with that), but I really don't want to be on it. Originally put on for high BP (150/90), and persistent PVCs. I need to lose about 40 pounds to get the BP back to normal, but if this toporol puts the weight on that is truelly a catch 22. Anyone find any supplements that could be helpful? Please feel free to email me. Thanks Liam

just an update to my June 15 comments regarding my husband and his side effects with Toprol XL..as of his last doc visit his blood pressure was perfect as its been since weaning off of 100 mg. all depression has lifted and he now sleeps like a baby at night and is wide awake during the day, and no more weird dreams..the tremors have stopped completely and his confusion is gone and his memory loss is only slight..The doc wouldn't lower it from the 25mg that it is now..he is concerned that it will have an adverse effect to take it to 12 1/2..so for now we will stay with it..being aware that the risidual effect is most likely the 25mg. in the meantime he is going for an appt with a neurologist just to make sure other things aren't going on..but I believe its all the Toprol. the change in him from the 100mg a day to now is amazing.

well, this has been an enlightening forum.. glad to know im not crazy. I started taking toprol xl about 1 1/2 months ago..and it's been DOWNHILL ever since. I went to the ER one day with a rapid heart beat and overall weird feeling, they say it was either a panic attack or dehydration. anyway, the first 4 days after that i took 25mg of metroprolol, and my first side effect was tingling and pain in my leg. Then, my Dr. prescribed 50mg to keep my BP and palpiations down. Since then, i've felt bad EVERY day. Tingling in legs, arms, face and lips. Fatigue. Consitpation and Gas. Nausea. CRAZY dreams. An overall bad/weird feeling. Weird heartbeat. Though, I have to say i havent had any weight gain. I told my Dr, his first idea was i was having panic attacks, i tried zanax for about 2 weeks, didn't really help. He insists what im feeling isnt from the toprol...(must be in my head?) I had blood work and and echocardiogram-everything came back normal. I guess he's all out of ideas so his next suggestion is for me to see an neurologist who i'll be seeing this week, if that doesn't work, he suggested a psychiatrist... That's not gonna happen. If it comes down to it i'll just have to ween myself off these crazy pills.. After reading all these posts, i'm convinced it's the toprol....