Toprol-XL and water weight

I lost 30 pounds on Weight Watchers in 2005 - lost it in 6 weeks (on the proper diet) because of my insanely fast metabolism. Shortly after that, I was put on 25 mg of Toprol XL for PACs/PVCs. Upped that to 50 mg after I started getting migraines. Gained 55 pounds in the process, though I tore a hamstring in a couple of places and put a lot of the weight loss up to months of inactivity.

Then I started back on WW and tried to lose. Did everything just right--nothing. Added exercise and adjusted my points. Still nothing. Finally googled "toprol metabolism" and found tons of people complaining of the same types of problems.

I finally got down to 12.5 mg of Toprol and my body has adjusted to it, and in the last 2 weeks I've dropped 10 pounds. I'm debating going off it altogether, since there's nothing wrong with my blood pressure, and since lowering it clearly helps.

Note to anyone who tries this - every time I lower the dose I tend to gain a little weight (it's mostly water weight--I bloat up when I lower it for some reason) while my body adjusts, but it always comes off. So if you lower your dose (with doctor's permission, of course), don't be disheartened if you gain at first. You'll get there.

Today is my ninth day coming off Toprol (had been on 25 mg for 2 1/2 years, then 50mg for 1 1/2 years) - today is the first day that the Dr. does not want me to take any Toprol. It has been SO DIFFICULT... Extreme chest tightness, shortness of breath, heart palpitations, headaches. She has me switching over to Diovan (80 mg) which I have been taking for 7 days now. I want to believe that everything I am feeling is from the Toprol Withdrawal and not NEW side effects from the Diovan - but I am scared. I feel really awful, I have no energy. I lay in bed waiting for the bad feelings to pass and they do not. I have lost 7 pounds in the past (2) weeks. Not sure if it is from going off the Toprol - or just not feeling that well. This website has been my only source of sanity and peace. Anyone else gone off this and can tell me what to expect? THANK YOU!

I am 50 years old and was put on Topral 2 weeks ago for HBP and PVC's. I had
been on a diuretic and Potassium supplement because of slight high blood
pressure for 9 months, and that's when the PVC;s got bad. 4 days after
starting the 50MG of Toprol and stopping the diuretic, my calves started to
swell up and get puffy with edema. I weighed myself and saw that I had gained 8
pounds in 4 days! I went to the Dr. the next day, assuming he would take me off
the Toprol, but he said to stay on it, because it was contolling the PVC's and
that the Edema was caused by my stopping the water pill! So, I went back on the
water pill and weaned myself off slowly for the past 9 days. Now, today, the
edema is back. I am scared that I am going to get Heart Failure because of the
water weight gain, or DVT, I want off the pill! But I can't stand the constant
PVC's and I was near suicidal with that! I don't know what to do? Does anyone
else have this leg swelling? Does it go away? Is it dangerous? My husband
died last year and I need to stay well for my teenage daughter, but this is
ridiculous! I'd rather have had the slight HBP and not taken any of this at
all. if there is anyone out there who cares, please answer me, I'm so scared!
And now that I have read al these posts with the other awful side effects, I'm
twice as scared. I know many peolpe on Beta-blockers, and they have no side
effects. What is wrong with me?

Kathy

I am 50 years old and was put on Topral 2 weeks ago for HBP and PVC's. I had been on a diuretic and Potassium supplement because of slight high blood pressure for 9 months, and that's when the PVC;s got bad. 4 days after starting the 50MG of Toprol and stopping the diuretic, my calves started to swell up and get puffy with edema. I weighed myself and saw that I had gained 8 pounds in 4 days! I went to the Dr. the next day, assuming he would take me off the Toprol, but he said to stay on it, because it was contolling the PVC's and that the Edema was caused by my stopping the water pill! So, I went back on the water pill and weaned myself off slowly for the past 9 days. Now, today, the edema is back. I am scared that I am going to get Heart Failure because of the water weight gain, or DVT, I want off the pill! But I can't stand the constant PVC's and I was near suicidal with that! I don't know what to do? Does anyone else have this leg swelling? Does it go away? Is it dangerous? My husband died last year and I need to stay well for my teenage daughter, but this is ridiculous! I'd rather have had the slight HBP and not taken any of this at all. if there is anyone out there who cares, please answer me, I'm so scared! And now that I have read al these posts with the other awful side effects, I'm twice as scared. I know many peolpe on Beta-blockers, and they have no side effects. What is wrong with me?

Kathy