Toprol-XL and tachycardia

I've been having PVC's for about four months with tachycardia. My doctor put me on the generic for Toprol -- 50 mg. For two days I was dizzy, faint, weak and nauseated. But no PVC's or tachycardia. Because of side effects my doc decreased the dose to 25mg. five days ago. I felt better. No PVC's or tachycardia, just kind of felt out of it and tired. Yesterday I felt pretty good. My mind was clear and I was less tired, but last night my tachycardia returned with PVC's and I've had them a lot today. Do I need to increase my dose?

I was reading your post and had to reply to it!! I have been on toprol xl for about 10 years or a lil longer! Started out at 100mg a day now take 200 mg a day. Am a 37 year old female,feeling like a 90 year old female! For the past 3 years or so experiencing numbness started in my toes, now my left foot to right below my knee is completely numb,right foot and leg getting that way!My hands stay real tingly also! When they are not numb they hurt me so bad. I just couldn't believe your post when I read it! Been to neuro telling me I have severe nerve damage in arms legs and feet? I am like from what? Had all kinds of tests and MRI, nothing.... Thank you for your post,printing it out and taking it to my doc! Maybe we have finally got a diagnosis!!! Sounds like it is the meds to me,Not to mention I am also on 3 other bp meds! Just scared me saying I might have M.S. More like toprol xl huh? How is your numbness now? Was wondering if u experience pain w/ the numbness? Thanx T.

It seems as though a lot of people here have experienced what I have...shortness of breath, feeling like you can't get enough air, lightheadedness when standing, etc. I'm only 21 and on 50 mg of this sh**. The past 2 days I have cut myself down to 37.5 mg and hopefully this will help. Being anxious about not being able to breathe correctly makes it worse. I'm pretty sure the shortness of breath is not cardiac in origin as I have recently had a normal chest x-ray and echocardiogram. I even tried a peak flow meter to see if I had developed asthma, and my reading was 400, which is normal for my weight and height. 5'3, 108 lbs. I am convinced that it must be the Toprol, which I was taking for inappropriate sinus tachycardia. If I had some kind of cardiomyopathy (which causes shortness of breath) that symptom would be HELPED by taking the Toprol XL, as it would relax the heart. I want off this stuff, or at least reduced a lot.

Everyone here has such horror stories, so I wanted to post something positive. I have been on Metoprolol for 8 years. Just today I started taking Torpol XL because the ups and downs of the regular tablets was starting to bother me and. I have tachycardia and an arrhythmia that causes extra beats and pauses in my heart. (Upper chambers.)

Before taking metoprolol I thought I was going to die everyday due to my abnormal heart rhythms. But since taking the medication, I feel so much better. It really works to control the extra beats and I feel like I can stop worrying that I am going to have a heart attack and die (which is torturous to feel that way all the time.)

The only side effects I have had are some dizziness (which can be corrected by taking a smaller dosage) and a slight decrease in sex drive. Those ARE negative side effects, yes, but the good outweighs the bad for me. I feel like I can live a full healthy life now that my heart rate is under control.

I think I have been on this the longest of anyone who has posted....18 years. Never really have had problems ( some of the following once in a blue moon; never all at once!) but I have 'em all now! Weight gain, depression, outlandish dreams (exhausting) and/or sleeplessness, diarrhea..almost daily and incapacitating, joint pain, ad infinitum. I am miserable. Have no insurance so I can't undergo anymore testing. I have persistent tachycardia of atrial origin....that's all I know. Having headaches and bet my BP is above normal. I hate this medicine but I know it's dangerous to just stop. Tried weaning off a couple of times but the tachycardia returns full steam, 160+ bpm, pretty fast. I am not much fun anymore that's for certain.

I have been taking 12.5 mg Metoprolol for my palpitation and occasional racing heart. Few days ago I got a rapid heart rate again and I increased the dose to 25 my as original prescribed. Now I have chills, cold hand and feet, insomnia, shortness of breath, chest pain, etc. I have cut back to 12.5 mg. The problem is that even with 25 mg my heart races once in a while but I can't tolerate increasing this drug. I want to wean off of it. What is the best way to stop this drug?

I have been on Toprol 25mg XL for over three years now and I personally think it's a great drug. My doctor prescribed it to reduce my heart work load after I had a quadruple heart bypass at 47yrs old - not over weight. Initially, I felt tired, lacked motivation to do anything, dizziness when I abruptly stand up - still do, weird dreams, lack of sex drive including less rigid erection and less intense ejaculation, depression and also gained over fifteen pounds. Anyway, things have improved since, I started working out every day and quickly lost the excess weight. All the side effects have gone except for the occasional dizziness and the sex part. I can feel my heart go out of wack if I don't take the med. Stay away from the generic that you have to take twice a day - not as effective.

Back in July I was experiencing rapid heart beats and shortness of breath. I'm a 43 white female with a high stress job. I went to the doctor expecting him to prescribe a sedative. He hooked me up to an EKG which showed I had a left bundle branch block. He then ordered blood work, chest x-rays, an ultra sound, and a nuclear stress test. All test came back fine, but my stress test showed a heart attack, which apparently is common with the left bundle block. I then wore a 24 hour Holter moniter which indicated tachycardia. That's when the doctor prescribed 50 mg Metoprolol. My BP and heart rate are now almost normal and the shortness of breath has gone away. I still experience a mild heaviness in my chest, but that is only when I allow my self to be stressed. I have gained over 5 pounds in less than 2 months and my dreams are more vivid than usual. One side effect that was listed on my drug info sheet that I haven't read about on this site described a cough, which I have had for over a month. I mentioned the cough to my doctor and he said it was prob post nasal drip so he prescribed 180 mg Fexofenadine and told me to cut the Metoprolol in half so I would be taking 25 mg. The Fexofenadine has helped with sneezing that I have always experienced, but the cough is still there. The cough is not always severe, but it has interrupted my sleep twice and my job once. The last bad coughing episode lasted 90 mins during the night. Has anyone else experienced the coughing side effect of Metoprolol?

I was put on Toprol XL 6.5 yrs ago. My heart rate had soared to 130+ and b.p. was elevated. So my family doctor put me on Toprol XL 100 mgs. From day one I felt exhausted. He told me that would soon clear up and not to worry, we needed to be more concerned with my heart rate and b.p. I listened and was a good patient. After a year of total exhaustion and having to quit my job I asked to be taken off Toprol. He said it was the only medication that would control my heart rate and b.p. together. He agreed to reduce it to 75 mgs. After a few months I went back and said it was still too much! My b.p. was better as was my heart rate so he lowered it to 50 mgs. Things got a little better at least I could get out of bed by 10:00! Fed up I lowered it to 25 mgs. and tracked my b.p. Finally I told my doctor and he said as long as my b.p.was better 25 mgs.was ok. By this time though I was having other symptoms, body aches, joint pain, mind fog. He attributed it to arthritis and put me on Vioxx. 2 pills later I stopped due to chest pains. The symptoms I had experienced over the past 2 yrs continued so I sought a new physician. Once again he said Toprol XL was the only medication I could take for tachycardia and high b.p. My b.p. was again elevated so my meds were increased to 50 mgs. he wanted to go 100mgs., I said NO!
In 2004 I was diagnosed with Fibromyalgia, the pain had become so bad now it was debilitating. I had all the full blown symptoms of Fibro, extreme exhaustion, body aches, joint pain, mind fog, depression etc etc. So I sought treatment for Fibromyalgia for 3 yrs. Not so successfully I might add.
I should note that I had none of these symptoms before Toprol XL.

During a recent Gynecology visit my b.p. was extremely high. I told her my story about Toprol. She said point blank, They are NOT listening to you. I think all the side effects you have been having are due to the Toprol XL.She sent me to a Cardiologist. God bless her!!
After many tests he immediately took me off Toprol. He put me on another medication instead. I am having withdrawal side effects from Toprol, shakiness, shortness of breath, heart rate acceleration and mind fogginess. But, anything is better than another day on Toprol. He told me what I was experiencing was normal withdrawing from Toprol. He also assured me there were many other alternatives to Toprol and if the new medication doesn't work there are other options.
I think Toprol XL is the next drug that should be banned!! I pray everyday my life will return to what it was before Toprol XL and that I will not have any lasting side effects from this horrible drug.

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!

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'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?

was put on toprol 25mgs. one year ago by my heart doctor, for tachycardia which only happened after stress. soon thereafter i developed a numbness in the toes of both feet. i saw my my intrenist who didnt know what it was from. i left the country and was livinf abroad until aug 07. while ther the paresthesia of my toes got worse and started traveling up my foot and half of my calf. saw my internist and was advised to see a neurolgist. he put me thru a series of blood test and an emg. all came up negative. went back to the internist and asked her to review my records from sept 2006. first thing she noticed was that i had been started on toprol. she told me one of the side effects is paresthesia of the feet and or hands, and advised me to cut the dose in half for a few weeks and then in half again in a effort to wean me off of it. its been only 3 days since i began to cut down and already the numbness is starting to decrease. has any one else experienced this? does it go entirely away? please write. hopefull

my son is on toprol and i've never seen him sleep so much in his life. he has svt. atleast thats the reason they put him on this medication and say he will be on it forever or until something better comes along. he has no ambition. he used to be hyperactive growing up. maybe there is something else he could take for the tachycardia??? i'm so confused as to what to even ask the dr at this point.

Haven't been taking this medication very long started March 1st or so with 50mg once a day. But felt didn't need it so took it kind of sporadically the first week, every other day, then I tried just half the second week 25mg. Then I had to go back to full 50mg this past week, so basically 50 to 25mg for three weeks or so now, and I feel AWFUL. Now that I have dropped back to the 25mg the side effects have lessened but the anxiety is unbearable! My arms and hands go cold and numb. When taking it at 50mg felt very sluggish, cloudy mind, doomed feeling. It just doesn't feel right. I am only 33 years old they did a stress test on me this past Friday and 2-D echocardiogram. Tomorrow they are going to do some blood tests and a get a holter monitor put on me for 48 hours. To see if I "need" to be on this med. I dont' think I do, if it truly was something I needed or helped my body, it would help it not bother more. I truly think I may have some other underlying reason for the high heart rate, my BP has always been normal except when I was hospitalized and then once they had me hydrated and my sugars back to normal (I'm hypoglycemic) my BP went normal I just had the tachycardia off and on. So that's why the doctor in the hospital said to begin the Toprol Xl b/c it's SO SAFE I GIVE IT TO PREGNANT WOMEN!! His words. I pray for those women. After just the one week straight of 50mg when I dropped to 25mg a couple days ago it felt AWFUL to do that as well, today is much better Thank God. But can you have such strong withdrawals after such short period of time? And if so, that is scary in and of itself.

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.

36 yr old male. E.R. doctor prescribed generic toplrol for tachycardia March 9, 2006. Had really wacky feeling first week. Then anxiety, depression. Bad stomach problems. Would have to get up in the middle of the night for a bowel movement. It also screwed up my blood sugar. If I didn't eat every couple hours I would get a bad hypoglycemic attack where I couldn't focus and shaky with a really sick feeling. Was on 50mg twice a day. Cut it to 50mg once a day and felt 90% better. Slowly weaned myself off of it. Been completely off for 30+ days. Feel better and tachycardia is no worse than when I was on the med. Have always felt the tachycardia was caused by something gastro-intestinal . anyone else experience this?

Unbelievable, I am amazed by what I am reading. I started searching for Toprol side effects tonight because I am a 43 year old woman who is usually very active in the garden this time of year. I have been taking Toprol XL since last September. I can't work in the garden more than fifteen minutes without being out of breath and dizzy. I have no desire to push my lawn mower. If you knew me, you would know there was something seriously wrong if I do not want to mow the grass. I have gained 15 lbs for no apparent reason. I can relate to just about every one on this list. I feel awful most of the time, barely able to keep my eyes open. I also get occasional charly-horses in my legs and more often in my feet. I thought those symptons were due to my weight gain. I have tried to lose some of the weight but it won't budge. I have tried vitamins and trying to get more sleep. Nothing works. I take the Toprol for episodes of severe tachycardia in a-fib. I also have an enlarged left atrial chamber with an aneurysm. Is there some other medication I can take without these side effects???? I have immediately made an appointment to see my cardiologist. thank you for having this forum, I now know what is wrong with me.

My doctor took me off toprol and put me on a ace inhibitor
I was on toprol xl 100mg for 7 years. I gained over 100 lbs and was tired all the time. I started to experience anxiety attacks about 5 weeks ago. I want to know if she should have stopped my toprol without tapering me off. I have had angina, tingling in my head and headaches after being taken off. I did not expeience any of this before. i was told i could get tacartia from just stopping. does anyone know?.

I am currently tapering off of Toprol in order to switch to a calcium channel blocker (Norvasc). I have resting tachycardia of about 140/min. and frequent palpitations with rest and exertion.

I started on toprol 4 days ago for tachycardia (130 resting). I am a 32 year-old female. My adverse affects only occured about an hour or so after taking it except for the inability to wake up with an alarm sitting right beside my bed, until today. I had to come home from work and go to bed. I slept for 3 hours, the phone even rang while I was sleeping and it didn't wake me up. I've had CRAZY dreams. I feel as though I'm in a fog and don't want to do much of anything. I'm glad I found this board. I'm thinking I will just quit taking it and contact my doctor on Monday.

I took one dose of Toprol XL 25 mg for tachycardia and pounding heartbeat. After just one dose, I had extreme tingling in my lower legs and feet like the circulation was completely cut off. Also, some in my hands and arms but not nearly as bad. My feet and legs are still not back to normal after a day and a half of not taking it.

I've been taking toprol xl for BP since January. They've been playing with the dosages. I've been having tachycardia and have been experiencing shortness of breath. The cardiologists say there's nothing wrong with my heart. I can't sleep at night for anymore than 4 hrs.

I have been taking Toprol XL 25 mg for 3 months. I am excessively fatigued, have gained 15 lbs., have swelling in legs and ankles, decreased (almost non-existent) libido and no energy at all. I'm 49 yrs old and and was prescribed Toprol XL for tachycardia by my family doctor. He doesn't want to listen to complaints of side effects. Says my dosage is not high enough to cause these problems. I have to get off this stuff! It's ruining my life!

I've been on toprol for two years and am now weaning myself off it. The swelling in my ankles and feet has disappeared the pains I had in my leg muscles is gone. I have my balance back and have much more energy. Since stopping prolol, I have developed a mild tachycardia, buy I feel twenty years younger. My only regret is that I did not get off this terrible medication much sooner. I am in the process of finding a medication for the tachycardia which does not have such terrible side effects. If your doctor won"t take you off prolol, change doctors. Don't be afraidtoo take charge of your life.

I seem to have a quiet consistant tiredness that I can usually push through. I can't seem to lose weight. My tachycardia is much better.