Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[Justjules]

I just had a Google for you and there seems to be a lot of people who are having rebound effects from suddenly stopping higher dose long-term beta blockers. They seem to be suffering between 2 weeks to over 6 months, due to the drug blocking adrenal receptors which then goes haywire when you stop.

The women on one forum were mentioning MS like symptoms and were advising each other to gradually lower the dose over the course of 6 months, although you would still get some symptoms until everything goes back to normal. As you suddenly stopped yours, it has possibly set off this severe rebound withdrawal effect. They seemed to think that GPs were not well informed on how severe withdrawal can be.

Sometimes the right Googling can help you rather than worry you. If you put something like I did in 'beta blocker rebound how long' you will see the same sites and discussions.

If you do go back on them after your appointment you're waiting for then this will no doubt stop/reduce the symptoms, otherwise you could ask the GP to let you have a low dose to gradually reduce, because you are possibly experiencing quite severe withdrawal effects - just say you know others who have if they try to dismiss this.

Adrenal symptoms can be varied with anxiety rushes, twitches and shaking, and can also be a meno symptom due to the low oestrogen causing excess adrenaline to compensate, and high oestrogen in peri causing it as a direct effect. However, yours may be more to do with the BBs going by the other experiences I've just read about.

Dangermouse, I have had a look at some sites thanks. I have now frightened myself to death as it's obvious that what I have been experiencing has been withdrawal from the BBs. I am so angry and upset that both my GP who I trusted the pharmacist both said that because my dose was supposedly a low one I wouldn't have any problems just stooping them instead of tapering at least. I feel I can't trust anyone now and fear that I may have caused damage to my heart because of the shock I've given it by suddenly stopping a tablet that it has relied on for 20 years. It says you can have heart attacks and all sorts. I'm totally confused now as to whether I should re-start them and wouldn't now trust the dr's. This sort of scenario is exactly why I have health anxiety!!! Been here many times and now I'm very upset.

[coldethyl]

What were you taking JJ? I know at higher doses you are meant to come down gradually and I must admit when my GP upped my propranolol to 80mg a day even though I'd only taken it for a few days at that level, I dropped it by 10 over a a week or so.
I'd suspect some of the withdrawal effects are psychological as much as physical - I know I now don't tolerate my heart rate being over 80 as well as I did before BBs as I'm not used to it and it feels wrong even though it is a perfectly ok rate.
You're seeing your GP soon so mention to them that you don't think sudden cessation was a good idea and have that ECG she suggested so that you can restart them if you think that they really were helping.

[dangermouse]

Hey, it's a good thing you now know! If stopping BBs suddenly could cause heart attacks, GPs would be aware of this, it may just be one unusual case you read about. It's really important you research rationally and don't assume the worst.

Yes it's a shame all this time has been wasted with you suffering and worrying but now you can fix it. I suspect that going back on them will very quickly right the situation and then you can taper off slowly (if you need to). Please get the GP to advise you though and show them any info you have found as they just aren't aware of everything. However, it's very unlikely they are unaware of very dangerous interactions, side effects etc. This is probably where their focus is, so they don't learn about the debilitating, but non-life threatening side effects we all get frustrated about!

Please don't worry, you have some good info now so you can finally give your body back what's it didn't like you suddenly taking away. I for one feel very optimistic for you. 

[Justjules]

Just as an update, having the ECG on Tuesday and hopefully all will be okay and then I can go back on the sotalol Betablockers. I just hope if I can, that it will sort these awful symptoms out as I am getting very panicky about them now. This week, the shakyiness has got worse and on top of that I am having huge hypos in the day (I know my low appetite won't be helping that). Was dragged out by the girls at work for lunch the other day and had to walk uphill to the town and I thought I was literally going to drop....so shaky and legs felt like they were going to give way and palpitations so then I worried all night why. Then yesterday took my mum shopping as usual but had a massive hypo in M&S, felt my legs wouldn't carry me round town so we drove to supermarket and my poor 85 year old mum had to go round the supermarket by herself which really upset me. I'm scared to go out today as anything I do makes me feel panicky and dreadful. I just want to know what it is. Bumped into a friend of my mum who said she had developed an 'essential tremor' when she came off her Betablockers, but just her hands and had to see a neurologist so that hasn't helped! I'm on holiday in less than a month and can't face going whilst feeling like this.

[babyjane]

this all sounds quite rational.  I was taking a very low dose BB twice a day alongside an SSRI but when I started to feel better I dropped the BB.  For about 3 weeks I felt very odd and thought the AD wasn't working but I restarted the BB and feel more stable again now 

[Justjules]

Thanks BJ. Just didn't really want to be on a BB for the rest of my life!

[babyjane]

I don't really want to be on anything either but quality of life has convinced me, and to get to nearly 60 without having to resort to anything but my thyroid medication I haven't done too badly.  Don't judge yourself harshly JJ 

[Hurdity]

Hi Justjules - I haven't followed your thread in detail but if you originally took beta-blockers for heart palpitations associated with peri-menopause and you are post-menopausal and on HRT then I would have thought you shouldn't need them if it has been shown you don't have a heart problem. So - no need to be on them for the rest of your life depending on where you are in menopause and as you say try to come off them gradually to minimise sdie effects! Also presumably make sure you take plenty of exercise, and keep your weight within normal BMI range, eat a good diet, limit alcohol etc and your heart should stay healthy . I think the aim should be as babyjane say to be on as little as possible as you age - except for any hormone replacement - eg thyroid, insulin, oestrogen etc - after all we are post-menopause for many years - and I certainly want to stave off the time when i will need to be dependent on medication for as long as possible.

...and banish Dr Google

Hurdity x

[CLKD]

I was prescribed BBs at 80mg daily for 3 months initially, now on a maintenance dose of 40mg which I cut into half because I was getting headaches.  If I miss a dose my head feels aaaalll woooozzzy  .  Bugga 

[Justjules]

Hurdity,  I originally was prescribed BBs for anxiety and palpitations about 25 years ago!  Dose was reduced about 5 years ago to half.  Never been on HRT - tried a patch once but it gave me palpitations so didn't bother with it.  Because I have been on an AD together with the BBs for years, I think it masked most of the meno symptoms to be honest, apart from the flushes.  Apparently this is common.  I don't drink or smoke and am not overweight.  I don't exercise as I have heart anxiety and always think I'll drop dead! I just suffer from HA badly and anxiety in general.  All these awful symptoms I'm having i.e. the shaking is after I stopped the BBs or re-started the Citalopram - that's what I'm not sure about but if remaining on the BBs takes this away, I'm going to take them as it's been two months like this now.