Toprol-XL and racing heart

I started Metaprolol Succ. 2 weeks ago when I had a racing heart and ended up in the ER. I was actually dehydrated and low in potassium plus going through a fungal detox and that's why my heart was out of whack. The metaprolol has put me on the couch for 2 weeks. Extreme dizziness like I am being pushed down to the ground, depression, crying, fear, some diarrhea,shortness of breath, feeling drugged out, fatigued, weird vision, and the most awful high anxiety I have ever had! I cannot believe someone could have this much anxiety and not jump out of their skin. The first few days I was taking this, I felt great! Then it just went downhill.. I am trying to take magnesium and inositol (all natural) to help curb the anxiety. I told the doctor to wean me off of this, NOW! I am only taking 25 mg per day and I was told to cut it in half for 4 days and then stop. I can't wait to get this stuff out of my head and system. I never had high blood pressure and taking something for high blood pressure is just not right for my system. All I really needed was magnesium/potassium to get my heart under control. I am going to start Enzymatic Therapy Krebs Cycle Potassium/Magnesium in a few days.

I HAVE BEEN ON TOPROL-XL FOR 2 YEARS. 25 MG. IN AM AND BLOOD PRESSURE WOULD FLUCTUATE UP TO 170/116 AND GO BACK DOWN TO 140/85. THEN WAS ALSO PUT ON NORVASC 25MG. IN PM. I ALSO AM HYPOTHYROID WITH HASHIMOTOS. MY SIDE AFFECTS HAVE BEEN EXTREME. SWEATING, HAVE TO CARRY A PAPER TOWEL OR SCARF TO WIPE SWEAT OFF, SPACED OUT, TIRED, FORGETFULNESS, RACING HEART, LEGS ANKLES SWOLLEN, THEY FEEL SO HEAVY, WEIGHT GAIN, EYES WATER, NOSE WILL HAVE NASAL DRIP, CONSTIPATED, SORE NECK, HEADACHES, THE LIST GOES ON. THIS SUMMER I WENT TO THERAPY FOR MY NECK, HAD ECHO AND WORE 24 HR. HEART HALTER, WHICH I HAVE FOUR EXTRA BEATS, WENT TO ENDRICONE DOCTOR WHO RAN TESTS FOR EVERYTHING, 24 HR. URINE, TESTS CAME BACK WITH TSH HIGH, EVERYTHING ELSE WAS NORMAL BUT FOR MY HEART EXTRA BEATS ENDR. AND FAMILY DOCTOR TOOK ME OFF NORVASC AND PUT ME ON TOPROL-XL 25MG IN PM ALSO AM. WELL FEELING LIKE I WAS READY TO GIVE IT ALL UP, LIKE I WAS DYING, I QUIT TAKING IT LAST NIGHT AND HAVE THOUGHT ABOUT THIS ALL YEAR, TRYING PEPTACE AND CELERY SEED EXTRACT. I FELT SO BAD THAT I KNOW IT COULD BE DANGEROUS TO QUIT THE TOPROL-XL LIKE THAT BUT I FELT LIKE MY HEART WAS GONNA BURST AND IT WAS GANNA TAKE ME OUT ANYWAY, AND DOCS. WOULDN'T LISTEN AND I HAVE BEEN IN TO THEM A LOT WITH ALL MY ISSUES. I AM 56 AND HAVE ALWAYS BEEN ACTIVE, OUTDOORS TYPE PERSON. I WALK 2 MILES ON TREADMILL EVERYDAY AND 30 MIN. OF TAE-BO EXERCISE. I WORK 5 DAYS A WEEK AND HAVE LOTS TO DO AT HOME. THEY TRIED TO PUT ME ON CYMBALTA, LEXAPRO, ELIVOIR FOR THEY SAID WHEN YOU FEEL THAT BAD YOU CAN GET DEPRESSED, I TOLD THEM NO, I AM NOT ADDING ANY MEDS. KNOWING I WOULD GET WORSE. PEOPLE AT WORK, MY FAMILY WILL SAY YOU DON'T LOOK LIKE YOU FEEL GOOD OR IS SOMETHING WRONG, HOW COMPLICATED IT WOULD BE TO EXPLAIN. SO I AM LISTENING TO MY BODY CAUSE FEELING THAT BAD ISN'T RIGHT SO I HOPE THIS WORKS. I COULN'T FEEL ANY WORSE ANYWAY. SO GOOD LUCK TO YOU ALL AND ALL OF US ARE UNIQUE TO FIND WHAT MIGHT WORK FOR US, AND MOST THOSE PRESCRIPTIONS ARE FOR ONE THING AND THEN TRIGGER OFF OTHER THINGS THEN YOU GOTTA TAKE ANOTHER MED. FOR THAT. I AM GLAD TO FIND THIS SITE.

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!

What started out as a simple visit to dentist became a nightmare. My BP was high l73/90...so I went to a doc to get something for the BP. I knew it had been creeping up. I should have been more vigilent and done my own research first. He prescribed l00 milligrams of the generic brand--metropolol. I questioned the dose, but he said it was safe, and I needed something to bring my blood pressure down right away.

By the third day I felt like I had a hangover when I woke up. I started feeling not quite right. Tiredness, depression, and headache. My BP got higher. On the 5th day my heart started racing, with a pulse in the l30's. I spent 6 hours in the ER. My pulse was in the 60's, but BP 210/110. They injected me with 5 mg of the stuff, and also gave me clonopine. My EKG had been normal at the doc visit. In the ER it showed abnormal with sinus tachycardia and First Degree AV nodal block. It returned to normal, and by BP dropped to 150/80 with the clonopine. My glucose was also high at 300. I could feel an immediate relief with the clonopine. Heart enzymes normal. ER doc denied that the Topol caused the racing heart. He said that's not a side effect..perhaps there was an underlying cause. He did say the episode could have been triggered by low oxygen to the heart. I think they all stick together----he's not going to say the first doc was an idiot.

They wanted to transfer me to the "big" hospital for cardiac workup. I refused, since I had an appt.with a cardiologist in a couple days, and the doc that prescribed his awful med. I didn't think my insurance company should fork out $50,000 for an adverse effect from a drug.

I had been doing heavy exercise the morning of the racing heart...it was after I sat down I noticed the increase in pulse rate. NO ONE gave me any warnings..not the doc, or the pharmacist. Both said this was a safe drug.

I cut the dosage in l/2 for two days, until I saw the cardiologist. He said ok to stay on the clonopine for now, and a diuretic. I feel much better, and BP has dropped to the l40's over 80 something...pulse near 80. I am going to do a stress test. Based on a heart scan, 3 arteries have 0 plaque, and two mild.

I read that this drug is not recommended as first choice for BP. In the UK they're weaning people off of it because it causes diabetes, and there's other better drugs out there. I did not wait to "ask my doctor" to take me off of it. I told him I am not taking it....I don't know how much longer he will be my doc. I don't think he should have started at l00 milligrams to begin with...and should have started out slowly at the least.

Caveat emptor (buyer beware) when it comes to this med...and do your homework, and don't be afraid to fire your doctor!

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!

was on 200mg of Toprol for 7 years. I had all kinds of side effects it was awful till I did some reading on the internet about this drug. I decided to wean myself off this awful drug cut pill in 1/2 took 100 mg for 10 days, cut pill in 1/2 again took 50mg for 10 days, cut pill in 1/2 took 25mg for 10days cut pill in 1/2 took 12.5mg for 10 days stopped pills for 1 week heart started racing took 12.5mg stopped racing heart went another week with no pills racing heart again took 12.5mg stopped racing heart. Am now trying to go as long as possible without pill I am listening to my body and if I need 12.5 mg I take it. This stuff stays in your system for up to 30 days so you need to go at least 30 days with no pills to see if you still have side effects. Don't start this drug you will be sorry. Doctors know if they get you on this stuff they will have a patient for life. I refuse to take any more perscription drugs too many side effects that no one tells you about.

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 have a tendency for high blood pressure, and due to several major stress factors, I knew my pressure was high & I was having anxiety attacks & not sleeping & migraines. It was my pressure. It was like 137/100. My heart rate was fast. I'm 41. I started ToprolXL 25 mg & really felt better for a couple months. No more headaches. I did, however, always think I'm hypoglycemic or perhaps diabetic. I feel like I need to eat sugar with this med. My scary problem is that I decided to lose weight & started working out at a much higher intensity than my normal walking. I feel REALLY weird. It's like this med is fighting your heart rate when you work out & I feel like I need major sugar. I feel like my heart is swishy in its beats. I'm calling dr tomorrow to get in. The warnings do say that when you are diabetic or hypoglycemic, this med could mask it, but I feel like my blood sugar feels lower taking this med. I also feel like I still have racing heart, but I was under terrible stress & running around when these symptoms started like 2 or 3 days ago.

I take metoprolol to control a ventricular tachycardia (50mg 2x/day). I feel extremely fatigued, diarreah, abdominal pain, disturbed sleep, racing heart. I have been on it for nearly a year but my dose was doubled from 50 to 100 last month. The side effects seem to have gotten worse in the last 2 weeks. Does anyone know if it builds up in the system? and how long it takes to reach "therapeutic levels"?

It's strange that I'm seeing racing heart rate as a side effect... I am on toporol xl 12.5 to control my rapid heart beat and it has been effective. I do get leg cramps and fatigue though, and if I get a little stressed out I feel like passing out. I was experiencing anxiety and waking in the night before I began toporol and it has seemed to cure this for the most part.

Numbness in lips and racing heart. Pulse went to 120 for a few house while sitting down at desk, never did this while on Micardis alone. Have been on Toprol 25mg for one week. Have mild hypertension numbers at 135/85 before Micardis and now BP ranges from 117/70-157/90 when fully anxious.

Anyone out there with chronic anxiety and on these meds?

When I was in hosiptal,because of heart attack, my blood presure had never higher than 104/60, but my cardi doctor put me on 25mg toprol , plavix ,lipitor and 500mg niacin and 325 Asprin after 1 week, I had rashes, racing
heart beat but pulse at 45-59 in average, BP average 85-46, both of my leg feel heavy, tingly, pain and short of breath on walking, lying down and going up stair, dizziness, sore everywhere in my back, neck , chest ( I thought , I am going to have another heart attacked). I was scared that I am going to be cripple. Now I am off toprol and Lipitor (which hurt me a lot). Be caution, my primary doctor agnor my compliant many times and just prescript me the anti itch cream, and don't care I almost got killed by the side effect, if I din not going to ER myself, I was in very much pain and terrible condition and staying in hosiptal for treatment again.

Has anyone here experienced dizziness, tightening of the throat, muscle aches, racing heart, nausea, from this medication. I started taking 50 mg. and am at 12.5 now but still experiencing these symptoms.

I started taking Torpol 100 MCG the night of the day I ended in the ER for high blood pressure due to a too high a dose of my thyroid medicine. I have an underactive thyroid, and my med had been increased in the last month or 6 weeks before. It takes a few weeks for the full effect of a thyroid med increase to take place. I didn't realize what it was at first but was having bouts of nausea and dizziness.

Now I still get the racing heart. I went through all the stress tests at the cardio and they were all normal. On Toprol, I get the anxiety, some chest tightness, but sometimes my heart races. Maybe the dose needs to be adjusted.

I never had high BP before this. It was 175 in the hospital, and last night I took my thyroid med at 9. An hour later my heart was racing and I had anxiety and that almost numb feeling all over. By midnight I got up and took my BP. 189/89 Took my Toprol, even tho I wasn't due to take it til the next morning. It helped some, but woke again at 3 with the anxiety.

My cardio says my heart is fine and I'm not going to have a heart attack or anything. I'm not convinced! It's scary. I am hoping that once we get my thyroid med straight, my BP will return to normal. I'm seeing my primary doc this morning to test my TSH again - that's the hormone level of your thyroid.

A friend of mine's mom took Toprol and had all kinds of muscle and joint aches. She finally conviced her doc it was the Toprol, and when she went to another BP med, the aches went away.

At any rate, I think I want to get off of Toprol after all the nasty things I've read about it here.

Heavy chest, dizziness, fatigue, anxiety. Now trying to go off and have horrible tremors, racing heart, hightened anxiety.

I just started taking Toprol today for tachycardia,increased BP, which my dr says may me hyperthyroidism. I have been waking up at 3 am for days with a racing heart. No racing heart now with Toprol XL 50 mg, but my fingers feel swollen and I can't sleep. I feel short of breath and my muscles hurt. After reading all of the comments, I will call the dr tomorrow and ask for something else. This drug is scary.

I started Toprol .25 for in the beginning of July for high blood pressure and it brought my blood pressure down about 30 points, along with alot of fatigue. After a week they increased the dose to .50 mg and I had nightmares, a racing heart and no change in my blood pressure. I tapered off the meds and have been off them for 3 days, but still have the racing heart. This stuff is poison.

I have been on Toprol for over 2 years now. Started off with 25mg, then 50 mg and now the Dr. wants me to take 100 mg a day. I haven't started the 100 mg. yet. I don't think I will take it. I experience palpatations and racing heart beats.

I just happened upon this forum and now I understand why I have extemely cold hands at times, numbness and tingling and unexplainable pain in my right knee and hip. My eyes are either dry or so watery I cannot see. I am tired and lethargic during the day, but can't sleep through the night without waking up. My brain feels like mush.

I am currently on a King of Hearts monitor and have sent several transmissions in. Although I have experienced many irregularities in my heart beat, they tell me it is "normal". Okay, I wonder, why am I taking Troprol and spending $35 a month for my co-pay if nothing is wrong?

I am frustrated and don't know what to do.

I had two abblations a month apart to fix Wolff-Parkenson-White Syndrome that I was born with. I am a 31 yr MWF. The Toprol XL 50mg helped lower my fast racing heart rate (resting heart rate 100-140)after surgery, but I and my husband have noticed several side effects:
5-10 pound weight gain, even with drinking 80-90+ ounces of water a day with a good diet.
VERY moody.
tired all the time.
hard to wake up in the morning, even after taking a three hour nap in the middle of the day.
no drive to do anything, not even sex.
very vivid dreams.
But my heart rate is normal now, 65-80 bpm while at rest. I will be going off this medication in 2 weeks. CAN'T WAIT!!!

My feet itch at night non stop. I have had a significant weight gain. ( I am normally very small), I often wake up to seeing what seem to be very real beings of some sort in my room that disappear when I stand up. I feel totally fine during the day, however and my bp and racing heart seem to be doing much better. Is there anything else that does not cause the hallucinations and itchiness? I tried Norvasc and it did nothing for the bp, just made me sleepy and nauseous.