Can Atenolol cause long term heart damage?

My heart feels like it's racing all the time, which didn't happen prior to starting Atenolol 5-years ago. I 100mg per day so I took 1/2-pill for 5-days then 1/4-pill for 5-days then nothing and I've been off for 7-days now.

My Dr. said they don't prescribe Atenolol to active people so got me off it and started me on Amlodipine 10mg, which I was allergic to so I have also stopped that and am off everything now (again, for 7-days as I was taking both drugs during the 1/4-Atenolol pill days).

My blood pressure ranges around 145/92 w/ BPM @ 85 while at rest now that I'm off of everything and really wasn't that much lower while taking Atenolol, just a few numbers lower is all.

I would really like to be med free, especially now that my heart is racing the way that it is and my chest feeling like my heart is ready to protrude through it.

Could Atenolol use over the years be causing this to happen and will it subside eventually? How long does it take for Atenolol to completely leave your system?

I don't eat red meat or pork and I eat lots of veggies so other than diet, are there alternatives that could help me reduce my BP that I may not be aware of (other than exercise, which I do 7-days a week) and a low sodium diet?

[cindy707]

The only one who should wean you off of Antenolol is your doc under their supervision because if you are not weaned properly you will experience something called rebound where it will send your heart pounding up to times three.  The statement that antenolol is prescribed for active people is untrue.  My own heart surgeon who is in his early forties healthy as a horse, runs marathons, etc. takes an antenolol a day as well as my regular heart doc...like my surgeon says...why would a human not take a pill that helps the heart to relax, not work as hard and lower your blood pressure?  And no antenolol will not weaken your heart at all but is actually heart healthy.  Granted your b/p is a little on the high side a low dose beta blocker like antenolol should help out but sometimes hypertension is just genetic and no matter how hard you try you may be stuck with it.  As far as the pulse goes...a normal pulse runs anywhere from the mid sixties to the nineties depending on the person.  As far as how long it takes to leave your system..it takes thirty days to totally saturate your tissues when you start out on it and the same to leave your system.  Antenolol is one of the safest beta blockers out there with the least amt. of side effects on todays market.  It is obvious you need to be on something..personally i would get a second opinion.........good luck with this.