Toprol-XL and thighs

Hello all,
I'm a 45-yr old Air Force Major (Male) recently diagnosed with asymptomatic chronic Atrial Fibrillation (As in I have it and was walking around not knowing it). When I went to see the cardiologist, my B.P. was only 120 / 74 (Which, until they changed the rules, used to be normal)and he puts me on Diovan 80mg once a day plus Coumadin 5mg. Well the Diovan almost made me faint and I had numbness in both arms, plus a funky rash, kind of like chicken pox showing up on my arms and thighs.
I went online and read horror stories of Diovan so I stopped taking it immediately (I had only taken four doses and never had any horrible symptoms until after I took the meds!). Then the Dr. put me on an Event Monitor and it showed I was indeed in A-fib all the time, plus at night, my heart was racing briefly to 200 a minute while I was sound asleep. So he puts me on Toprol XL 100mg once a day.
Immediately I had trouble sleeping (Which I never had before, ever!) with crazy dreams and tossing/turning. My B.P. dropped to 88/65 and my fibrillating heart rate was 64!!! I was so mad because I actually felt better before the meds. I found this site and saw what everyone was posting and immediately took myself off the Toprol XL.
The day after stopping the Toprol I had slight chest pains (Like angina or gas bubble) but they went away on their own. I slept fine the next night.
I'm having an Electro-Cardiversion done on the 21st July to see if I can stop the A-fib and get in normal rhythm. I know the Dr. is going to be mad at me for stopping the Diovan and Toprol, but I'm sorry, I'm convinced there is a better way to beat all this (Namely exercise and eating right). Being in the service means you have to be Mr. Physical and Mental "perfect" all the time. I cannot afford to be diagnosed with depression in my line of work! Thanks to all on this website and I wish you the best.
PS. for those who think I'm being ignorant of my medication, I have a nice fat insurance policy and Power of attorney for my wife and kid in the event I keel over!!! I may be medication intolerant but at least I took care of my family.

Iv'e been aking Toprol -XL for 25 mg for 3 years. Gained 25 pounds, muscle and joint pain, depression.Mornings are a challange. My legs are stiff, crampy and it's difficult to walk.I wake fron arm and shoulder pain.Please respond if toy have the arm and leg pain symptoms.Help!

Been on this drug for less than one year...have gained 25lbs. never had weight on stomach before, But most pressing problem since January 1, it was very sudden onset with sharp pain, and now it has been a dull muscle pain and weakness in my thighs..can barely walk when I first stand up!..and also treated since October for a stabbing pain in my foot...have had PT, cortisone., multiple xrays....it has subsided at last. I am going off Toprol....my body is absolutely rejecting it. I take no other meds. How do people start going off this...my doctor told me never to go off it abruptly....any suggestions how it has been done without complications.l He did admit to me that medicines are poison, and one has to chose the least worst of them....I don't think so!!!

I have been on Toprol XL (25 mg/daily) for 6 months (F/41). I was really glad to come across this message board in a frantic search of "weight gain with Toprol XL". Have gained 10 pounds in these 6 months and for the life of me I cannot get any weight off, my body is just stuck where it is at. My problem is I have to lose weight since I am overweight about 40 pounds right now so this is so frustrating to me. At least I am not alone, thanks for posting your problems also with weight gain. I take Toprol for my fast beating heart, was having bad palps last January. Toprol does work well in keeping my B/P down (tends to be just a bit high) and the palps are non existent for me on this drug. I do have swollen ankles (at night) ok in the mornings. But the weight gain is really making me go crazy especially when I need to lose weight. This just isn't going to work so this morning I am cutting that pill in half and getting the heck off of it. I do find that if I stay away from sugar/caffeine my palps really don't bother me nearly as much. I went on it because the job I had was very stressful and brought back my palps again after not having them (as bad) for several years. I just hate those "fluttering" heart beats, they are hard to deal with and Toprol takes them away and keeps me "calmer" so I will miss Toprol for those effects, but not the weight gain! Thank you for this message board, it's been so helpful.