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Atenolol; How long for side effects?
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MedHelp Member's Question

Atenolol; How long for side effects?

by Andy Domonkos, Dec 16, 1999 12:00AM
After one week I have still been experiencing side effects of 25mg Atenolol including lethargy, occasional muscle pains in feet, cold extremities, overall tiredness.  The most disturbing is the short breathed, pressure feeling in my chest.  Last night while laughing I had some wheezing and productive coughing (some fluid).  I have bronchitis during severe chest colds and the wheezing was similar although I did not need my inhaler.  



How long does it take for one to get accustomed to these side effects or are they permanent?  The most disturbing is the short breath/pressure in the center of my chest.  Is this chest pain or is it centered in the lungs since Atenolol supposedly constricts bronchioles?  



Otherwise, my BP lowers to 115-120/65-70 with a heart rate of 55-65.  I am a 41 y/o white male 167lbs.  Thanks for any advice or expeience.



Andy

Doctor's Answer

by CCF CARDIO MD - DLB, Dec 16, 1999 12:00AM
It may take a few more weeks to get used to the tiredness. However, if the atenolol is causing your wheezing to flare up, this is probably not a good medicine for you. That side effect will probably not get better with time. YOu should talk to your doctor about switching you to another medication.
Member Comments (16)

by Andy Domonkos, Dec 16, 1999 12:00AM
Thank you very much, I have contacted my GP's office about the wheezing.  If I knew it would eventually stop I would tolerate it.  I don't like playing trial and error with Rx's for fear of trading off one set of side effects for another.



Andy

by CCF CARDIO MD - DLB, Dec 16, 1999 12:00AM
There are lots of other good medications for high blood pressure that your doctor can try.

by mrs J A Burgmans, Apr 25, 2000 12:00AM
I have been three times to the doktors over red spots on my backside and neck face behind the ears and now red blotches on my cheeks , the red spots are like small boils and have left red scars on my body. The doktor said no way was it caused by atenolol and gave me antibotics which didn't help at all.



This afternoon i have just been to a stand in doktor who said also the same but said i have bronchitus gave me an inhaler and antibiotics and said that was caused by Atenolol and to take half a tablet till my doktor is back.



This skin condition is causing me to be depressed and cry alot.

by Karen, May 02, 2000 12:00AM
I take atenolol for M.V.P.  I have a real problem with joint and muscle pain.  I have been checked by a rhumitoligist - he found nothing wrong.  I have read where atenolol can cause these pains,  and lupas like symptoms.  Is this correct? I also am always tired.  Is there a drug that would be better?  I have taken this for about 10 years.  before that I took corgaurd for the same problem.

by NICOLE, May 15, 2000 12:00AM
I have recently been diagnosed with neurocardiogenic syncope and have been taking Atenolol (25mg) for approx. 4 weeks.  I stopped taking it for three days and now that I've resumed, I feel "funny."  I was also prescribed Zoloft (50MG) and I will begin taking this tomorrow.  What should I expect?



I have also had two miscarriages between 10-12 weeks and I am concerned that my NCS may be the cause since neither of my babies ever attached to the placenta in order to receive the blood supply.  



I am a 31 year old, black female, weight:  230lbs.



Please HELP!  I am very afraid.

by Anna, May 30, 2000 12:00AM
My doctor recently increased my Atenolol dose from 50mg a day to 100mg in the morning and 100 at night.  Since then, my blood preassure has been under control except when the time to take my pill again approaches my blood preassure does go up (150/90-95) Is this normal? Also, I am very concerned about one specific side effect and hat is the decreased sexual drive.  Is this normal too? What other medication can I take that will not decrease my sexual drive and still lower my blood preassure? I am 30 and female.

by Vivek, Jun 12, 2000 12:00AM
Hi there

       I am 28 yr old, 120 lb male, non-smoker & non - alcoholic completely healthy until I lifted a 100 lb Television on 24th April, 2000. Initially I developed low back pain. Took Ibuprufen for 3-4 days. Pain was subdued, but after that I started getting numbness in the lower middle back on the left hand side of the spinal cord. I consulted a orthopaedic doctor and asked me to take VIOXX for 10 days. I took VIOXX for 4 days. Numbness was little bit improving and underwent physical therapy classes for a couple of days. All of a sudden, on one night, on the 11th day of lifting the TV, I started getting pulsations/throbbing on the back & at the back of the head. These were so powerful that they took away my sleep. I underwent MRI of my lumbar spine to rule out prelapsed disk which came out to be -ive. I have to take the sleeping pill to aid some sleep. These pulsations were non-stop & gets precipated when I lay down and back rests on the mattress & head rests on the pillow. X-ray of the thoracic spine was normal. The orthopaedic surgeon I am OK from their angle.

     Underwent blood tests, T3/T4 was normal. At the same time my pulse shot up from 70 to 110-115. And my BP went from 105/70 to 130/85, 135/90. Underwent EKG, echo & Holter. MRI's of chest ( to rule out aortic dissection) and of abdomen ( to rule out adrenal masses, pheochromocytoma) were normal. I was put on 20mg propranolol/day.It gave little bit relief from pulsations, but pulse was hovering around 85-90 and BP around 125/85. I took that medication for 14 days.

    As the sympotoms were not getting better, I was put on Atenolol. Now I have taken it for the last 15 days (12.5 mg BDS), my BP is stabilized around 120/75-80. As soon as I take this medicine, within couple of hrs my pulse goes down to 70-75 and then slowly increases to 95-100. Wake up pulse in the morning is 95. But even at the 70 pulse rate, I am still having the pulsations( though not as powerful as earlier) in the back & back of the head. My whole back and head do the vertical motion & I can easily calculate my pulse from these motions. The doctor advised me to stop/taper the Atenolol after 15 days. Once I tried to taper, my pulsations grew so intense in the night, that I could not sleep. The other time while tapering it off, during the night I felt burning sensations & pulsations on the left chest (away from the heart) and I also noticed so many nerves doing up & down motion as though they were restless. And this grew intense if I lay down on the left side of the body. The nerves motion was for a period of 1 minute and then stop for a while and the cycle repeated. At that time my pulse (80) and BP (120/75) was normal.

        My humble question is, are these symtoms normal when u try to taper off atenolol ? Moreover is there any end for my continuous pulsations which are irritating me for the last 30 days? I am at a loss why I am getting pulsations and which is causing it? And what could be the possible cause of sudden increase in my heart rate & BP? I don't have any asthma