medications

[wmac]

I was wondering how well toprol xl is  tolerated in the general population. My doctor (regular doctor not cardiologist) wants me to try metoprolol (toprol xl) he gave me a very low dose of 25 mg and told me to break it in half for the first four days then take the whole pill there after. First off I do not like taking medications at all and second of all im so afaid of the side effects. I have heard many times that sometimes these beta blockers makes the promblem worse and I surley dont want that. Aslo I understand that if one has a problem with the medication they cannot just quit taking it they need to taper off is that correct. My history is pacs, pvcs mvp with little leakage, and nonsutained vtach (three pvcs in a consecitive row heart rate of 140). Now my doctor has prescribed this medication because I mentally am having a hard time with the vtach, I dont have alot problems but I do freak with every little palp. But he did say meds like paxil and etc. wouldnt be good because they can cause irregular heart beats and I surley dont need that. Now my cardiologist says im better off just living with the problem rather than to be on the meds, she says they can sometimes make things worse. Can you please help me I dont know what to do. Oh yeah I already have low blood pressure 90/62 and sometimes in the range of 108/6?. I also hear that the meds. just help with the symptoms and not really prevent v-tach or other arrythmias. Is that correct. So I guess my doctor is just treating the symptoms and not really the problem right. Thanks for your time I will waiting for your reply.

[CCF-M.D.-RCJ]

wmac,

Thanks for the post.

Q:"I was wondering how well toprol xl is tolerated in the general population"

Very well, actually.  Depending on the dosage, 25-50% will experience some fatigue.  Other side effects are much less common, but include light-headedness, constipation, depression, glucose intolerance, plus other even less common reactions.

Q:"Aslo I understand that if one has a problem with the medication they cannot just quit taking it they need to taper off is that correct"

The answer depends on the dosage.  Persons on small dosages can usually just stop.  Either way, starting or stopping beta-blockers needs to be done in counsel with a physician.

Q:"Can you please help me I dont know what to do. "

You are in the midst of a dilemna.  On the one hand you had an episode of NSVT, on the other you are afraid to take a potential therapy.

To settle this issue, you have a simple choice to make, which are you more scared of: the extremely unlikely possibility that you will die from VT (this is extremely uncommon in persons with a structurally normal heart, which I'm going to assume is true because you didn't say otherwise) or the extremely unlikely possibility that you would suffer a serious adverse affect from beta-blockers.

Or you can try to figure out why you are so scared of extremely unlikely possibilities.  This is where I would start.

Q:"So I guess my doctor is just treating the symptoms and not really the problem right."

Not true, beta-blockers are an effective treatment for suppressing ventricular arrhythmias.

Best of luck.  Hope that helps.

[Barbarella]

I too was put on a beta blocker (Lopressor) by our Family doctor because of high BP and skipped heartbeats. My resting pulse for the last 20 yrs was always 60 bpm I guess because I work out 6 days a week for these last 20 yrs. My resting pulse while on the beta blockers dropped to 30 bpm, and I had cut them in half hoping my pulse would go up, but it didn't.   Familiy doctor said "as long as you don't feel light headed or pass out continue taking the Lopressor".  I then had a referral to a Cardiologist (because of false positive EKG's), and he took me off the beta blocker IMMEDIATELY, saying "they sometimes do more harm than good". In my case they did not help my BP nor did they help with my skipped beats.  My family doctor too put me on Paxil, and it didn't help, but made me so tired I could not function, the more tired I was from the Paxil and the beta blockers, the more my heart skipped.  

My Cardilogist told me "the PVC's will not kill you, cope with them, and let them skip".  It helped me some, but I still worry when they start, and then I go into the full worry cycle, and the skipped beats are having a field day with my heart.

Good luck to you!

[Dr. Erik]

I am a 35 yearold male with PVC's, PAC's and A-fib. I take Toprol XL 50 mg and I have gotten no side-effects from it. It has helped my heart to beat regularly and prevents my heart from beating fast. You should have no probelm with this drug. If you have a problem with it during your first week of beginning the drug you can discontinue it without having to taper off of it.

[Dr. Erik]

Pluto makes some excellent points. Most importantly, Toprol XL and other Beta Blockers will increase life expectancy in people with known Heart Disease and arrhythmias. They probably increase life expectancy in people who are perfectly healthy as well. Beta blockers significantly decrease the work load of the heart and most likely prevents high blood pressure and many heart attacks. It's a great drug that is very well tolerated.

[Dr. Erik]

I am interested in hearing from anyone who takes Niaspan (Niacin) who also has PVC's, PAC's or A-Fib. I need to know how this drug might affect me if I take it. I have PVC's, PAC's and A-Fib. Thanks!

[Barbarella]

Follow the doctor's advise and the rest of the people who posted their support and opinions on this board.  I must've read your post to fast, and now realize that you also have VT (ventricular tachycardia).  With fast heartbeats like that the beta blockers do wonders.  I have a friend who suffered from severe tachycardia at times and the beta blockers helped her tremendously.  In my case my resting pulse was only 60 bpm to begin with and then with the beta blockers dropped to 30 bpm, and that is why my Cardiologist took me off.  Beta blockers have helped lots of people.

I know how you feel about taking medicine.  I used to be like that.  I was o.k. until they came out with a book years ago called "Prescription Drugs and their side effects" that is when I started to worry,  (even Preparation H can give you high BP I kid you not I read it), and since then all kinds of books and warnings came out. I'm sure its well intendet, and can save lifes, but at the same time it can produce great anxiety if people are afraid of side effects.

This is how I got off of my anxiety about meds and side effects.  First my husband threw out the book "Prescription Drugs and their side effects".  I do NOT read the inserts which come with the meds or read the sheet the pharmacy gives me.  I only ask "how I should take the meds" i.e. on a full stomach, empty stomach etc.  I pop the pills and forget about it.  Should I feel something out of the ordinary then I look at the sheet or insert of the meds or log on to the Internet. But the symptoms have to be moderate i.e. when I got extremely tired from the beta blockers, and took my pulse to find out it was only 30 bpm.

A doctor told me one time that for some people if they get told about possible side effects they worry about them, and "imagine them".

Hope this helps you some.  Don't be afraid.  Take the beta blockers like one of the posters said (was it Pluto?) if you don't try you will neve know.

Good luck!

[renee1952]

I would give them a chance and see how you feel while taking them..There is no law that says you can't go off of them once you start.I take toprol XL 50 mg daily for palps and to help control my diastolic BP. They do make me tired. I no longer wake up at night with my heart pounding and scaring me half to death, so for me, I would rather fight the tiredness than think Im dying about 3 nights a weeks.

[wmac]

I asked you if my doctor was just treating the symptoms and you said "not true, beta-blockers are an effective treatment for suppressing ventricular arrhythmias".  But dated March 29 04, to SBLB you stated "In persons with a normal heart who have NSVT, I use beta-blockers for symptom control, not to suppress or to prevent NSVT or to prevent VT. Practice patterns differ between doctors, however.
I dont understand.

[livelonger]

I am a 38yr female diagnosed with MVP 10years ago, I have been switched from inderal, valuim and tenormin, attenolol back and forth over the course of the years ending up on attenolol and I carry nitroquick. Last year I went through a bit of stress related depression because of my job and I was placed on paxil. I quit my Job and I am now self employed. Its taken 2 months to wing myself off paxil and I have gained 20 pounds. My doctor refers to my MVP as a desease and tells me I can not take any weight loss medications.  I try to walk 1/2 mile everyday, but still see no results.  Do you have any recogmendations on what else I can take along with my walking to help me loose this weight.  I weigh 135 pounds and it is the largest I have ever been in my life.

Thanks in advance