Toprol-XL and six months

TWO PIECES OF ADVICE:
DO NOT DRINK alcohol within 6 hrs and EAT right before taking Toprol. This should help with all mentioned side effects!
I have noticed that if I drink ANY alcohol within six hours of taking Toprol (before or after), my HR skyrockets to 190+BPM. I thought this might help others. Also, I MUST eat at least 2 slices of bread each time I take it. Otherwise, I will feel very dizzy, faint and have bad dreams.
If I eat, I have no side effects.
Also, there have been a couple times where I missed a dose or took it late and each time, I feel my heart starting to race and the PVC's coming back.

I have been on 25 mg of Toprol for 6months due to PVC's and rapid/ racing HR (160+)/ palps and BP spikes. My 24hr Holter (six months ago) showed 370 PVC's in one day, so I was put on Toprol. All other heart tests were normal. Anyway, it has worked wonders for me. I had another Holter done last week and there were NO PVC's and steady HR and BP. Since being on Toprol HR is 65, BP is 105/60 or so.

I am a 39 year old white male that had aortic valve replacement surgery five years ago. About three months after the surgery (which went off without a hitch) I had a tremendous spike in my BP that went on for a few days (200/100 - enough so I could see my heartbeat in my eyes!). My Dr started me on Toprol XL 75 and while it brought my BP down some, it didn't bring it down a lot. He moved me to 200 mg a day and now my BP is around 105/55 with a resting pulse around 50.

While I experienced many of the side effects listed here (feeling groggy, confused, etc) they only lasted a few months. I must admit that I did pack on about 20 lbs over six months. However, unlike so many who choose to blame drugs (or lack thereof) for their problems, I took it upon myself to start exercising and guess what?!? The weight comes off! I now weigh less than when I graduated high school, I am in better shape than any time in my life and I believe that exercise helps me sleep better at night. All of this even though I still take 200mg a day. Given that some of you say that you're practically dead at taking 25, I should be 6 feet under or weigh 400 lbs.

I guess what I want to say is that perhaps instead of jumping on the bandwagon here that Toprol causes all of your problems, perhaps you want to take your own health into your hands and begin to eat a little better and exercise (and don't give me "but my ankles are swollen!" excuse - there is something called water aerobics). I don't deny that it can cause some side effects, but it can work wonders with your BP. You just have to DO SOMETHING to help keep the weight off (which then help with the sleep problems, mental clarity, etc).

I have been taking 50 mg of Toprol for about six months now and have experienced the exact same side effects as the majority of you. I have been thinking that I have congestive heart failure but it turns out that the Toprol is causing these symtoms. The worst thing I am experiencing is chronic leg and ankle swelling and I have been taking 60 - 80 mg of Lasix to try to correct it but to no avail. This Toprol has helped my blood pressure and tremors but the side effects are too much. I am seeing my doctor to get another treatment. This is NUTS!!!!

IVE BEEN TAKING TOPROL FOR ABOUT SIX MONTHS AND DOING JUST FINE UNTIL UP ABOUT A MONTH AGO. I STARTED HAVING PANIC ATTACKS, SHORTNESS OF BREATH AND SOME TERRIBLE MOOD SWINGS,,, OH YEAH . AND WEIGHT GAIN CAN ANYBODY HELP?

I have been taking 50 mg. of Toprol daily for the last six months because I was having PVC's. After being on the medication for about a month, I started noticing my PVC's were unnoticeable, and I was thrilled because they drove me crazy, especially when it was time to go to bed. However, I am a lifetime weight watcher, and after 5 mos. on the medication I suddenly gained 10 lbs., and I was horrified. To make matters worse, strict dieting on the weight watcher's program and daily aerobic exercise did NOTHING to bring me back down to my normal weight. I am going to see my doctor this week because he knows how important my weight is to me (he saw me go down to 140 pounds after weighing in at 205 lbs). My doctor left a message for me when I inquired about this by phone that he thought it was unlikely that the Toprol had anything to do with my weight gain; however, I beg to differ. Even if the weight gain was not due to Toprol, then somebody needs to explain to me why I have not been able to take the ten pounds off..........

AFter I see my doctor, I'll give you all an update...

I have gained weight despite my eating habits staying the same. I experience cold sweats in the night. My head tingles and I become very dizzy. My chest (left side) feels like I am about to have a heart attack and I am only twenty nine. My doctor seems puzzled. I am weening myself off of it -taking it every other night. I started taking it for chest pains and irregular heartbeat / palpitations. It has not helped. I have been on it fot six months. Sometimes I feel like I am going to die. It is a horrible way to live.

I started taking Toprol about six months ago for rapid heart beat. The side effects I experience are mucus in my throat even though I don't have a cold or sinus problem, also it makes me always sleepy.

Have been on Toprol 25 mg for almost a year, and prior to that was at 50mg for about two years, prescribed for fast heart rate/benign palpitations and also for boderline high BP. Worked fine for BP and palpitations, but six months ago, BP went high again, so now on Diovan low dose and still Toprol 25 mg. Anyway, Diovan has fixed the BP. The most major side effect with TOPROL I believe is the cause for my shortness of breath. I have now began weaning myself off of the Toprol (with ok from Cardiologist) and hope to see an improvement with the SOB....it's been terrible. I get short of breath just talking on the phone, and I do not smoke. I'm hopeful that the symptoms will improve one my body is clear of the Toprol. Anybody else experience SOB from Toprol?

38 year old female, starting toprol xl 50 daily six months ago. After the first few days went down to 25 daily due to chest pain, migraine, mood swings.

Currently hoping to go off med - was prescibed it for palps, mvp, migraines, and anxiety.

I have gained weight and inlisted the help of a personal trainer 6 weeks ago - has helped but the weight won't come off.

I feel tired, nightmares occasionally, slightly depressed, moody, and lack of short term memory is effecting my job performance. I hope to get off this drug soon too.

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.