Toprol-XL and pharmacist

I suddenly had high blood pressure. I was put on a heart monitor for 21 days because I was experiencing frequent palpitations. I was given 25 mg Metoprolol ER the genic for Toprol XL on June 6, 2008. I had the usual symptoms extreme fatigue, headache, constipation,swelling, weight gain for the first month. I am 59 yrs. old.
The second month I started to have horrible nightmares, and headaches that would not go away. On Aug.12 while driving home I started to hear voices, had blurred vision and hallucinations. I was driving fast and screaming to make the voices stop.. I ended up in a parking lot. I was crying and for a minute I had a bit of reality. I called the cardiologist office and told the nurse what was going on. She said to immediately stop the meds because I was having a rare serious side effect. I sat crying for awhile and was able to call a friend to pick me up. I stayed at home for 4 days. The entire time my hands shook and my headache was horrible. It was one week before I was able to function properly.
I called my pharmacist and she told me that this drug affects the central nervous system. 2 % of 100,000 people have this side effect. I told her that it was not written on my paper with the prescription. She said that because it is so rare they do not have put it on. She printed out the side effects for me from her web site. A site that is only accessible to pharmacists or Dr.'s. My Dr. wants me to try Cardizeim now and I do not want to because I am afraid. I told him that the BP was down to normal but he still wanted to because of the palpitations. I was given the option of the Cardiziem or seeing and Electrical Man at the Cardiology office. As of yet I have not taken the Cardiziem. This is the first time I have read this web site and I hope that this information may help someone. I finally feel good again except for the rapid heart beat and glad to be alive.

I do not feel horrible but Im starting to experience a sort of constipation. I'll go a day and a half struggling to produce a bowel movement. Then finally I get a satisfying result. It's a struggle though. I push and push and push. I've been on 50 mgs for three months. I have to refill today. I will mention this to pharmacist. My appointment is not till the end of September.

I have taken toprol for seven years. I never had any bad side effects and it controlled my blood pressure most of the time. However, I suffer from anxiety and depression and was recently put on Lexapro. My heart rate dropped into the 40's and I was exhausted all the time. Turns out Lexapro interacts with Toprol in that the drug (Toprol) does not break down in your system and keeps building up! Because the Lexapro was helping my anxiety I decided to lower the Toprol dosage. Down to 12.5 mg and still extremely low heart rate and fatigue. Decided to go off the Toprol and monitor my blood pressure, which has been amazingly good so far. Went off completely six days ago and it has been rough. Anxiety, insomnia, pounding heart, heart palpitations. This stuff is a real B*tch to get off from. Have talked to both the pharmacist and my doctor and both said to NOT start taking it again. There are plenty of newer medications out there. I also experienced weight gain when I first started taking it...I think because it slows your metabolism down. So now I am on xanax to counteract the Toprol until the Lexapro kicks in more. It it isn't one thing, it's another.

50 yr old female ( gasps @ 5-0 still)

I've been on ToprolXL for some time now. I started with Tenormin and felt FINE! The doctor then decided it was not the 'right medicine' for me and changed me to a 'new and better medication' names TOPROL XL, He started me on 50mg a day. I had experienced rapid heart beat of at least 150 bpm up to 200! My heart had to be stopped in the ER to get it back to being a normal rhythm. At the time I was 39 yrs old :( SCARY! I had every test imagined. Heart tests, lung and leg scans. You name it, I had it done to me ( thankfully, to make sure it was nothing serious). Although I do consider a heart beating that high to be serious! I already have a anxiety disorder, I noticed that my panic attacks are worse now more than ever! I am very very lethargic. Just thinking about doing ANYTHING makes me tired. I even getting tired when I talk too much! My mouth is always excessively dry. I put on weight and even paid for a diet that consisted of 2 'shakes' and one meal per day. Followed it to the "T"! and nothing ?! I've recently read that ToprolXL can lead to all kinds of diseases. One of them being Lou Gehrig's (ASL) :( I am SO very upset that medication is prescribed supposedly to make a person feel better AND I don't think I've physically felt this depleted and depressed in years! I want medical answers and I need support and words of encouragement from everyone that has been on this drug , most especially those weaned off ot it and are on a better drug. Most of the people I notice taking TOPROL XL are taking it fro HBP or symptoms other then the one's I have. I am SO confused now :(

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!

I am a 41 yo woman in good health. I started Toprol xl about 3 years ago for a heart palp that would happen maybe once a day, and occasional racing heart beat. I did great for a long time on 25mg once a day. Then about 6 months back I was switched to generic due to insurance issues - they only want to pay for generic.

It took me a while to figure out what was happening, but several problems started happening over the last few months that I am sure were from this generic drug. Suddenly I was having vivid dreams - fish swimming on the ceiling, cats with heads 5x too big! Worse yet, over about 3 months I gained 20 pounds with no difference in diet. And I was getting more and more tired. I started looking into what could be causing these crazy effects - I was only on Toprol and birth control pills.... well, it was not the birth control!

So, I decided to wean myself from the Toprol. I decided I prefer a heart palp and occasional racing heart to this!! I gave myself a couple of weeks of lesser doses, then 5 days ago I stopped it altogether. I am having some horrid "rebound" or withdrawal effects! Numb/tingling hands and feet, headache and - surprise! High blood pressure! I never, ever took this med for HBP, and I have never had HBP! I always had a nice, low blood pressure, even when 9 months pregnant! Now it's running around 135/93 - I work in a medical office, so I got one of the nurses to check it on Tuesday...she sort of freaked! She said she has seen much higher, but mine is not normal. So we have been checking daily, and it's staying up there. I am so mad to think Toprol could have damaged my body in some way so that my blood pressure may not stay messed up for life. I have read online that the rebound effects can last up to a month, even with a fairly low dose like I was taking. Does anyone know if a month is about right? If my blood pressure keeps this high, I suppose I will have to seek treatment at some point. Ugh!

On the plus side, I don't feel so tired. No vivid dreams since I stopped the Toprol, and much better sleep! I feel "clearer" mentally. I just wish the tingling hands and feet would stop - and the high blood pressure!

I am 49 years old and have been in great health until about 6 months ago due to some stressful situations with one of my nephews. My blood pressure was 140/80 at the highest. At this time...I began to have some mild heart palpitations and was put on Toprol XL (50 mg.) suddenly my palpitations became more intense and occurred more often. Then I began to have panic attacks and vision and memory problems. My doctor then prescribed Xanax .25mg. for the panic attacks. I weaned myself off of the 50 and began to take .25 mg. I really wanted off of it so I tried to cut that in half for several weeks. After about a month...I went off of the medicine for several days and began to have some strange symptoms. My arms were tingling and numb, I woke up sweating, my head felt strange...so I went back on the Toprol (25 mg.). I really would like to get off of all of this medicine. I have never been one to take anything and I am far worse than I ever was. I just wonder if doctors read this information and if the drug company takes note of any of this. I think this is a very strong drug that is over prescribed. I worry that I have damaged my heart with this drug. I am just not sure what to do. Please help...

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?

On December 5th, I reported that, after stopping the Metoprolol, I was having some minor withdrawal symptoms. As an update, this week has not been good. I've had tightness in the chest, sleeping poorly and some gastric problems. It is now three weeks since the last dose. How long does it take to become symptom free?????

Update - 7th day with zero Toprol. Feel just awful... Breathing has not improved, tight band feeling around chest keeps coming and going like before. B/P spikes, headaches, etc. The Diovan (80mg) was making me cough and making chest tightness worse - so she tried me on Dyazide - made me dizzy and sick to my stomach. This has been just one of the WORST experiences of my life. I was SURE all my problems were related to my (4) years on Toprol - but on day 7 with NO TOPROL and not feeling better I am depressed, discouraged, and just want to curl up and cry and cry and cry. I have ended up in the ER three times since the weaning began - once for breathing, once for pulse (over 215) and once for severe abdominal pain. My family thinks that I am 'mental' and that it is all in my head???? I cannot take much more of this.....

I took Toprol for almost 2 years then in Aug generic came out Metoprolol and I switched over. I was taking 25mg. After a few weeks, I noticed numbness in my index finger and middle finger. Then it happened in other hand. Doc said I had tendinitis in one hand and slept wrong on the other...I was also depressed and having panic attacks. From the onset of taking Toprol my sleep was disturbed,but thought it was age related. Once I went on Metoprolol insomnia set in. Then my feet went cold and numb and my arms were so heavy and tingly and my joints hurt. My right shin hurt to touch as well. Vision was cloudy and had trouble adjusting to light changes. Finally it dawned on my that the changes occurred about the time I started the generic. I went back to doc and he pretty much told me I was crazy, prescribed Xanax and a session with a psychiatrist! He switched me back to Toprol and I felt no better then he switched me to
Atenolol with same result. By this time, my chest was on fire and I had extreme difficultly breathing. Called doc and he told me to stop cold turkey. I did and thought I was going to die one day. Throat closed up blood pressure soared. He stopped me on Nov 11 or 12th. I have been on nothing. Blood pressure is not leveled. When I first sit down it is like 140/93. If I wait a few minutes it goes down to 120/80 or a little lower. I was expecting to feel a lot better by this point in the game. I still have numbness in my pinky and ring finger and in my toes. If I take Advil it lessens to where it is not so bothersome. Anyone know how long this stuff takes to get out of your system? I am shopping for a new doc since mine know things I am a hypo. I am a 39 yr old female with no other health issues. Was originally put on for stress related palps.

60 yr old/young female: I started generic toprol (metoprolol 50mg xr) yesterday (11/22/07). Took about 3:00 PM. The next morning around 6:00 AM, I had a hot flash that equated to one you would have if you had taken niacin. Body was burning and I was sweating. Looked in the mirror to see if I was flushed, because of the severity of the hot flash I thought my body would be totally red. It wasn't. I called my pharmacist to report this event. He researched and found no evidence of such. He did say that it did not rule out the possibility that it was caused by the Toprol. Asked me to keep him posted as his customers were the ones that helped him be able to report side effects to other. Well I found this site and low and behold I have read of the hot flashes and all of the other problems. I will not be taking this medication. I am not a pro medication person anyway and related that to my dr, but at some point you feel you have to have trust in someone. I don't trust medications. I know at some point in my life I will probably have to take something, but not Toprol. Sounds as though it will cause more problems than it will cure. Thanks so much for your input. It will prevent me from having to wean myself off this mess. Oh yeah, I was also feeling the depressed, anxiety mentioned. Not at a high level , but just knew I wasn't myself. That was after just one dose. I can't imagine how it would have progress. I feel very blessed.

I started taking Toprol XL on Wednesday 11-14. I had been admitted to the cardiac unit after having to be given 2 nitro pills and also a nitro patch to get my chest pain to go away and my blood pressure to come down.

That evening my cardiologist put me on 50mg of Toporol XL. I have had a headache pretty much since that night, that just won't go away. I had an anxiety attack last night that left he crying for no reason pretty much all night long, I have not slept well since the night they put me on it, I have been sick at my stomach since that night, I have been dizzy and not feeling like myself since that night, and I also continue to have a feeling of something being wrong, even though all the bllod work and the stress test came back good.

They told me that my problem was stress related and for the next 2 weeks am to try and remain stress free. But everytime I take the medicine I continue to feel worse with these same symptoms.

Hi, I was switced from Atenolol to Toprol-XL 50 mg about 1 year ago for palpatations and it seemed to work very little papations now. However, I am currently experiencing right upper quadrant pain and my triglycerides are over 500. I am told I it is drug induced fatty liver disease? I am slowly weaning myself off this medication because you can not just quit per/pharmacist. I also have gained weight which I can not lose, hair thinning, hard to concentrate, elevated triglycerides, calf pain after walking or excercising, fluid retention, feet swelling etc..... for those of you who are on it I would suggest having your triglycerides and liver enzymes checked.

Hello, my doctor has me on Toprol xl 50mg and just a week ago lowered it to 25mg. Since then i have had mild dizzy spells and just feeling of uneasyness. Please let me know if this is normal and if anyone out there has experienced this when they had Toprol xl lowered by DR.
Thanks

I have had episodes of arrythmia for the past 20 years. I had my second cardio conversion about 10 weeks ago. My doctor prescribed Toprol to control the arrythmia before (25mg) and after my cardio conversion (12.5mg). For the past six weeks I've been experiencing extreme discomfort in my chest from what I though was heartburn or some form of GERD. After reading these posts, I'm convinced it was caused by the Toprol. I've been taking it in the morning and strangely this was when the heartburn was the worst. Reading these posts allowed to put two and two together. Today I skipped the Toprol--and no more heartburn today. I've had no problems with the arrythmia since my cardio conversion. (I also take a low dose (50mg) of flecainide daily.)

Toprol is a very weird drug guys.

I was given a large Rx dose after I had quad bypass. First came the night sweats, then feeling in a fog and tired all the time, horrible nightmares, weight gain, zero sex....finally I told my Dr. He said to cut back on it but do it very slowly. I now take 12.5 mg a day.

My pharmacist said that Toprol is one of the BEST drugs....yeah right!

Male, age 63

It has worked fine for a few years. In the beginning I was taking a Generic only to suddenly realize it wasn't working and my skipping beats were as active as ever. Upon questioning the Pharmacist, she allowed that LEGALLY, the drug companies only had to put %80 of the active ingredient in the Generic drug! I was put on Toprol and everything was fine until one day my lips began to swell up especially in the morning and then a few weeks later I got a nasty migraine and I never get headaches. I suppose it could be anything but I have my suspicions. The next step is to contact my Cardiologist.

A pharmacist heard my breathing and told me I was over medicated. My doctors prescribed 20/12.5 Benicar, olmesmartan, twice a day for systemic hbp and Toprol once a day for pulmonary hypertension. I gradually stopped taking the Benicar because I could barely function, felt like I had been beaten down all day, had the sharp pains from one point to another and couldn't remember anything short term. I'm also allergic to sulfa which is an ingredient in olmesmartan. I'm only taking Toprol. I feel 200% better. The "charlie horses" aren't nearly as bad and the sharp pains and muscle tenderness are gone. My short term memory is better as well. I drink lots of water and take a potassium supplement. As a result, I retain much less fluid.

Was on 25mg of Toprol for 3 years with no side effects. Started taking 50 mg last week because of increased PACs noted on heart monitor (24 hr) and have experienced anxiety, gritting teeth some hours out of the day and extreme fatigue other hours. Hope my body finally calms down but am having trouble working! Talked to my pharmacist who says the anxiety could be a side effect even though it's not common.....just like Benadryl, which makes some people hyper and others sleepy.

I, too, was originally prescribed Toprol XL 50 mg last 1/5/06. I took it for about two weeks then stopped and switched to Benicar. Toprol was too potent for me. Although I like the relaxed feeling and being able to fall asleep right away, I dreaded falling too sound asleep. This drug caused me to have nightmares and vivid dreams. Every night, all my fears and phobias seem to play itself out in my dreams. I'd wake up thinking it all actually happened! Very creepy! I also felt that heavy and hollow feeling that someone else here described. I really felt sad and depressed, lack of energy, sleepiness, night sweats, lack of appetite--which would have been a plus :), but with all the other side effects, I just didn't think it was good for me to continue taking it. We are currently on the experimental stage on which meds work with the least horrible symptoms. I am also on HCT and Lisinopril. I stopped taking the latter due to incessant, hacking coughs.

I'm glad this website is here, as now I know my symptoms from all these meds are not at all uncommon. Most doctors will never tell patients what side effects these drugs can cause, so as not to scare or plant ideas in their heads. Their job is to prescribe what they think will control HBP...then they just wait how the patient will react. It's up to us the patients to listen to our bodies and complain if we must when the drug has adverse effects. They will switch you to a better alternative. If that is too costly and wasteful....make sure to ask your doctor to give you samples first before you fill that Rx, because even if you tell the pharmacist not to fill the 30-day prescription, the price per pill is more expensive. At least that's what my Costco pharmacist told me. I really think these doctors get a payback/kickback, what have you, for prescribing these drugs. So, ask a lot of questions before agreeing to take anything. Doctors are humans--not God. Their opinions a
re subjective and YES, they make mistakes too.

I, too, was originally prescribed Toprol XL 50 mg last 1/5/06. I took it for about two weeks then stopped and switched to Benicar. Toprol was too potent for me. Although I like the relaxed feeling and being able to fall asleep right away, I dreaded falling too sound asleep. This drug caused me to have nightmares and vivid dreams. Every night, all my fears and phobias seem to play itself out in my dreams. I'd wake up thinking it all actually happened! Very creepy! I also felt that heavy and hollow feeling that someone else here described. I really felt sad and depressed, lack of energy, sleepiness, night sweats, lack of appetite--which would have been a plus :), but with all the other side effects, I just didn't think it was good for me to continue taking it. We are currently on the experimental stage on which meds work with the least horrible symptoms. I am also on HCT and Lisinopril. I stopped taking the latter due to incessant coughing (more like barking).

I'm glad this website is here, as now I know my symptoms from all these meds are not at all uncommon. Most doctors will never tell patients what side effects these drugs can cause, so as not to scare or plant ideas in their heads. Their job is to prescribe what they think will control HBP...then they just wait how the patient will react. It's up to us the patients to listen to our bodies and complain if we must when the drug has adverse effects. They will switch to a better alternative. If that is too costly and wasteful....make sure to ask your doctor to give you samples first before you fill that Rx, because even if you tell the pharmacist not to fill the 30-day prescription, the price per pill is more expensive. At least that's what my Costco pharmacist told me. I really think these doctors get a payback/kickback, what have you, for prescribing these drugs. So, ask a lot of questions before agreeing to take anything. Doctors are humans--not God. Their opinions are subjective and YES, they make mistakes too.