Moe869...I know this is VERY late, & hopefully, you are fine now, but a Calcium Channel Blocker is NOT a Beta Blocker. It is in a different class of bp medications. It would seem that you came off the Atenolol COLD TURKEY.
No wonder you were having issues. Beta Blockers MUST be weaned. On the other hand, if you were to suddenly stop the Calcium Channel Blocker...no problem. It doesn't need weaning.
I am having the same conditions since I switched and stopped my atenolol (50 mg). I am curious did you get off the atenolol okay? My doctor took me off my atenolol a couple of days ago and prescribed a channel blocker due to my heart rate that was low (48 to 50). I am feeling the same symptoms as what you went through while off atenolol and also went to er. They did an EKG, blood work and did a chest X-ray and told me everything was fine. I thought that switching from one med to another may not cause any harm but I may be wrong. Need some advice.
I have been on 75mg atenolol for PVC's and NSVT for years. When I tried to tapper down the atenolol I had very disturbing ectopic beats so I immidealtely began taking the full 75mg a day. I have always done great on the beta blockers as I have no real side effects except for sometimes it causes fatigue. On the other hand It has really helped the ectopic beats, but surely did not git rid of them completely.
Thanks for your comments. Coming off this stuff is like coming off of Kryptonite for Gods sake....I am 44, extremely healthy with the exception of needing to treat some mild hypertension, but this Atenolol....cure way worse than the disease for me...and it's like the mafia...once you get in, it may kill you to get out!! I wish my doctor had put me on a low dose of some nice, easy to manage ACE inhibitor and been done with it. As I withdraw I am experiencing massive fatigue, serious anxiety, and a boatload of PVC's and PAC's. I'll let everyone know when I'm out of the woods.
When I quit I was scared so I went really slow. Cut in half took half dose for about 10 days, then half of that for 1 week, then every other day for a week. Was ok with it.
I have quit my 25mg of atenolol on a few occasions and the only thing it did was cause my heart to get faster again (I take it for a fast resting HR). It never helped my PVSc anyway. I had to go back on cuz my heart went right back to 96 BPM and accelerated too quickly on the treadmill. You always should wean off of a beta blocker, so do as I say, not as I do. Try cutting in half (if scored) for a few days, then half every other day for a few days, then off. See what happens. No, it should NOT take months.