Side affects of Bystolic compared to Coreg CR

[Jack54]

Has anyone taken both of these medicines? I don't mean at the same time, lol. I have been taking 20 mg of Coreg CR (continuous release) and have gained a lot of weight in a short period of time. I am considering talking to my cardio and trying a switch to Bystolic. Both are the latest generation of beta blockers, and do more than the older beta blockers.

Another thing that would help me is to know if Bystolic drains the energy from you like most beta blockers because of what they do. The heart disease I have has a lot to do with my energy also, so maybe everyone isn't drained of their energy from beta blockers. Bystolic is new in the US, but has been approved for use in Europe for years.

I would appreciate any information at all. Thanks for reading.

Jack

[BionicBabe]

I take Coreg CR 20 mg per day. I have noticed since taking it, my energy level has decreased, but then it seemed to improve, but then I started on Lisinopril and energy level dropped again, then after a month or so improved, then I got sick a lot (have small kids with big mean germs) and my energy level fluctuates, so don't know what to think. All this has occured over about a 4 month period...probalby not long enough to make me any kind of expert. My question are: How much is energy loss related to meds? How much to my heart condition? How much to my life in general (mom with two kids, baby and toddler, special education teacher...stressful existence I lead)? I have actually lost weight since starting Coreg, but a lot of that is because when I was told I had V-Tac and a possible cardiomyopathy, I couldn't eat hardly anything for about 2 months due to nerves. Then once my appetite returned, I just haven't eaten as much and am trying to follow as close to a cardiac diet as I can. I also keep very busy with the little ones. I've heard a lot of comments about Coreg and weight gain though. I like the adrenaline blocking affects of Coreg. With Coreg, when I get anxious, my heart doesn't get all loopy. I think for that in itself, the stuff is worth it. Sorry, don't know anything about Bystolic but am interested in learning more.

[Jack54]

Thanks so much for your reply :)

Boy howdy do you lead a stressful life......I do not see how you do it without lots of help. Congrats to you for keeping things going.

As you know, Lisinopril is an angiotension converting enzyme inhibitor or ACEi. I have taken Altace which is also an ACEi for over 5 years. I think the worst or most frequent side effect of this class of medicine is that a cough develops that causes you to have to stop the med. It is an allergic reaction. Other than this side affect, I think these are probably the best heart meds for not causing side effects.

All beta blockers cause fatigue, exercise intolerance, and lethargy to some extent. We are all unique, so it depends on the dosage and the strength/conditioning of our hearts and bodies. Beta blockers limit how fast and how forceful the contraction of our heart is. They actually reduce blood circulation in our extremities because there is less output from our heart. BUT they save more lives than any other heart med for those of us with damage to our hearts. They should not be used for BP control, even though they do an excellent job at it. There are too many side effects associated with them.

You are a young person with much more energy than an old post mi patient like myself. I have Diastolic Heart Failure caused by CAD. BUT I remember when I started beta blockers before the mi. I think that I was 48 (8 years ago). My doctor started me on it due to rapid heart beat (tachycardia) and high blood pressure. Boy it sucked the energy right out of me! I hated it. I lost a lot of weight and abruptly stopped it (I thought I didn't need it anymore), which is a NO NO! But I didn't know though....2 months later I had an mi and stroke.

So, I can tell you that the likelihood that Coreg is energy draining and Lisinopril is probably not, is high. This is just from my experience.

You can beat this cardiomyopathy for sure! It happens all of the time.

G-d Bless,

Jack

[Twilight_Princess]

I took Bystolic for a couple of months and it didn't drain the energy out of me. My Cardio doctor took me off of Bystolic because I was having chest pains - not sure if the Bystolic caused the chest pains or if it was caused from stress - I've been under a lot of stress lately.

Let me tell you something about Bystolic. It is wonderful! It lowered my blood pressure and it didn't cause any major side effects.

I was on Atenonol (sp?) and I had the worse side effects from taking it. I only took it for 2 weeks until I couldn't take it anymore! I was tired and looked tired too and I had no energy at all. I felt like my mind wasn't with it too - a spacey like feeling - that was weird.

Anyway, I would recommend asking your doctor about Bystolic. I would recommend it to anyone that has to take a beta-blocker.

[BionicBabe]

Thanks for your comments. I am taking the attitude that I can either beat the cardiomyopathy or at least not let it get any worse and try to live the best life I can! Sometimes it's hard to maintain this attitude. I hope you find the info you want regarding Coreg and Bystolic and that you will share it with us once you figure it out. My doctor also started me on Coreg due to VT and he says it is also prophylactic for my focal cardiomyopathy. I'm curious, why do you say beta blockers shouldn't be prescribed for high BP? I don't take them for that, but know many who do. Thanks!

Carmen

[Jack54]

My oh my...... My mouse just feel off the desk and I lost a rather large post to both of you. Let me thank you for now and I promise to get back with you Gals.....I am so sorry

Jack

[Jack54]

Thanks so much for the good news on Bystolic! This is really encouraging.....I have CAD, 6 stents and lots of chest pain already, so maybe I won't react with more chest pain. I also have Diastolic Dysfunction and possibly Diastolic Heart Failure.

I take lots of fast acting nitro for angina. Oh yeah, my mouse didn't "feel" off the desk, it fell off the desk, lol. It really takes the wind out of you when you lose a large post....

I took Atenolol for over 5 years until I developed drug induced Lupus. There are many drugs that are capable of this. That is when my cardiologist switched me to Coreg CR. Since then my angina has been much better and I like Coreg for the alpha blocker it has. It is the number 1 recommended beta blocker for heart failure. Yest I cannot take the weight gain, which is a side effect that a high percentage of people who take it have gained lots of weight.

You can go to "ask a patient".com and look up what people have written about side effects of many, many drugs. Bystolic is not listed. It is fairly new in the US, but has been approved for use in Europe for quite some time.

I read your post about taking Cardizem LA, which you know is a calcium ion cellular influx inhibitor (slow channel blocker or calcium antagonist). I read of all the possible side affects and the most serious as I see, is taking it along with a beta blocker. That is contraindicated. I would also watch for arrhythmias.

My wife takes Lisinopril, a long-acting angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor (ACEi), and Norvasc, a long-acting calcium channel blocker (CCB). She is fine except for some swelling in the ankles.

I take Norvasc in order to try to remodel my heart and reverse Diastolic Dysfunction. Some of these are wonder drugs. A cardiologist at the Cleveland Clinic diagnosed me with DD, and prescribed Norvasc for me.

Again thanks so much for the news :)

Jack

[Jack54]

Thanks for your comments. I am taking the attitude that I can either beat the cardiomyopathy or at least not let it get any worse and try to live the best life I can! Sometimes it's hard to maintain this attitude. I hope you find the info you want regarding Coreg and Bystolic and that you will share it with us once you figure it out. My doctor also started me on Coreg due to VT and he says it is also prophylactic for my focal cardiomyopathy. I'm curious, why do you say beta blockers shouldn't be prescribed for high BP? I don't take them for that, but know many who do. Thanks!

Hi Carmen :)

Keep that positive attitude. I know many with Cardiomyopathy and the ones that are doing best are the ones that are outrageously optimistic, lol. Really....You need the constant support of people with Cardiomyopathy.

Maggie Mag, a member of this board, has Cardiomyopathy and is an RN. She is as knowledgeable as many doctors. Read her posts....

Thanks for your well wishes for me to find out about bystolic. I am calling my cardiologist today....

Beta blockers are very serious medications that have a wide range of side affects. They are to numerous to find in one article many times. You must really research them to find out the full impact.

First they reduce the output flow, and output pressure of your heart. This reduces the blood that circulates within our extremities. This can cause exercise intolerance. They reduce the bodies natural production of Melatonin which causes sleep disturbances and nightmares. Over the years they can cause Type 2 diabetes because they increase blood glucose levels. Some can increase cholesterol. They cause impotence, lethargy and depression. They reduce the pressure in the brachial artery, where our BP is measured, and other peripheral arteries, but do not reduce the blood pressure inside of the aortic arch (which is more/most important) as well as the CCBs and ACEi's.

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) still have a beta blocker and diuretic as the first line of treatment for high BP, but these guidelines will change this fall. I have read this in several medical articles.

This is all due to really recent research and trials, but I think what lead to the research and trials was common sense when you think about the affects of beta blockers versus ACE inhibitors with or without diuretics, and CCBs with or without diuretics.

If one has really hard to treat high BP, then beta blockers must be tried and used if successful.

I received an article from "Heartwire" a couple of months ago in my email that thoroughly discussed this matter.

What I am trying to say, and what the research suggest is that for uncomplicated high BP, beta blockers are not the first line of choice for treatment since all of the newer medicines such as ARBs and slow calcium channel blockers are here and working well.

Beta blockers save many lives every day. They keep me and maybe you alive, as well as millions with serious heart problems.

Take much care of your sweet self,

Jack

I have looked up some articles for you:

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http://www.lownfoundation.org/content/view/262/78/

http://www.boston.com/yourlife/health/diseases/articles/2007/08/07/doctors_urged_to_curb_reliance_on_beta_blockers/

http://www.australianprescriber.com/magazine/30/1/5/7/

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/63707.php

"Beta-blockers
Beta-blockers used to be a popular treatment for high blood pressure, but now they only tend to be used when other treatments have not proved successful. This is because beta-blockers have more potential side effects than the other medicines that are used to treat high blood pressure.

Beta-blockers work by slowing down your heart rate, and the force of your heart. This reduces the pressure at which the blood is pumped out of your heart and around your body."

(Good article here)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beta_blocker