Atenolol; How long for side effects?

[Andy Domonkos]

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

[Karen]

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.

[computer90]

A related discussion, atenolol was started.

[howard cross]

hi,
i myself take atenolol tab 50mg. im a white male 33
it took me awhile to get adjusted to it. i did not like the way it made me fill and i still do not. i fill tired but my dr. say i will get use to it. i sweat alot and i fill that it more that normal, i fill myself go up and down. can it be from the medication? i also started using vit/B12 along with my medciation   but i felt no different and there were no difference in my blood pressures. i run and go to the gym. i have evon had to change my pace of trng, getting light head and dizzy. could it come from the blood medication?
if you have any answers please email me at
***@****  thanks mr. cross

[John Hansen]

Hi, ALL:  I've been on diltiazem for along time along with lisinopril.

I run all the time (usually 4 miles a day) and have lost 30 pounds but still the bp readings seem to spike up toward 200/95 fairly often.  Usually after I run they dip to 125/70 and then slowly start back up again.

I've asked my doctor if my body could have just become so used to the two medicines above that it is not responding well anymore - they said it could be did not change it - just adding a diuretic (which make me weak and sick)

My side effects with diltiazem are weakness, aches in the back and sides (mostly when I am running) and while I hear all the various meds have similar side effects - I'd sure like to get some of those lower readings I hear mentioned here from beta blockers, etc.  I can't take them, though because of asthma that is not severe now but has been at times.

[peggy]

I have been on 25 mg atenolol for a year following an episode of tachycardia after using a health club's treatmill. I had a stress test (w/injected radioactive material & pictures of my heart in a CAT like machine) and diagnosed with a hyperdynamic left chamber. I had previously been diagnosed with a MVP and put on 12.5 mg atenolol daily - diagnosed with a 24 hr heart monitor. However, several weeks later it was discovered I was pregnant & the meds were stopped. After my child was born, June 1992, I was again on the atenolol for approximately 3 months before it was decided I didn't need meds any longer. All was fine until this treadmill incident. I must also mention I am 46 years old and perimenopausal. I was taking HRT when this treadmill incident occured. Also of interest, I was diagnosed with bursitis in my left hip and had sciatica --- all during my hormone replacement therapy. When I quit taking the hormones (after 4 years), I no longer had hip or back problems. I relate them to the same achiness you have when you're very pregnant and/or in labor and you have to switch which hip you lay on because of the pain. My doctor doesn't think there's any relation whatsoever between the hormone & my hip pain. I am also wondering if I still need the atenolol at this time -- since I had problems before relating to hormone changes (pregnancy), perhaps I was having the same problem because of the hormone replacement therapy? Does this seem feasible? I've tried to find info on "hyperdynamic left chamber" with no success other than one article which mentioned a 5 year lifespan!!!

I am also on 5 mg zocor for high cholesterol and 40 mg prozac for depression. I was on prevacid for GERD, but my insurance would only cover it for 2 months, so I take 2 10 mg pepcid daily (which doesn't help the throat-burning much). I believe all this has been caused by the oncoming menopausal stage --- and I'm wondering if I need any of these meds now that I'm off the HRT.

Also, when I asked the doctor about the heart diagnosis - I was planning a trip to the dentist & in the past was instructed to take antibiotics because of the MVP - and she said I do NOT have a MVP. What's going on?

Thanks,
Peg

[Roy Parham]

"I am 29 years old and have taken Atenolol as treatment for an irregular heartbeat for several years now.the irregular heartbeat is a side-effect of a c-shaped curvature of the spine occuring from the shoulders to the pelvis. since i have been on this medication for a few years, should i be reexamined periodically to ensure that current dosage is adequate and if so how often?"

[Chris Ellis]

I recently was prescribed Atenolol due to hypertension. I am taking this Rx along with nifidipine(60mgs.) Please comment.

[domingo lopez-torres]

I STARTED TAKING ATENOLOL A WEEK AGO DUE TO CONSTANT PALPITATIONS ESPECIALLY AT BED TIME.   I'M A RUNNER AND I RUN 5.5 MILES A DAY.   I HAVE A LITTLE CONCERN ON THIS MEDICATION BECAUSE IS SUPPOSED TO LOWER THE HEART RATE AND EVERYONE KNOWS THAT WHILE EXERCISING THE HEART RATE WILL GO UP. I JUST LIKE TO KNOW IF THERE IS AND INTERACTION IN BETWEEN EXERCISING AND TAKING ATENOLOL.  IF NOT HERE PLEASE SEND THIS RESPONSE TO FOLLOWING E-MAIL ADDRESS JUST IN CASE I WON'T BE ENABLE YO GAT THE ANSWER ON THIS SITE.   IM' PLANNING ON RUNNING HALF MARATHON NEXT MONTH AND I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE SURE EVERYTHING IS FINE WITH THIS ORDEAL.  THANK YOU


***@****

[Sam Becker]

Thank you for being on the www.  I was not informed about the chest feelings I also have experienced (apparently) from atenolol @ 25mg twice daily.  I was also not told that I have a "heart disease" only that my athletic heart (oversized left ventricle since high school workouts) manifested atrial fibrilations after a June-July high-altitude vacation, and that the atenolol would re-train my upper heart muscle to beat without fibrilations. Thank you for providing me with added perspective to my problem, particularly with atenolol's potential effect(s) on my breathing.  Can you indicate any of the new medications that could replace the atenolol?  I heard a rumor that there is at least one new drug that does exactly what atenolol does but without ANY side effects.

[Leigh]

My doctor prescribed me atenolol for my low blood pressure.  I am only 16 years old...this worries me...should i be taking this medication?  I have taken a few tests, and the last test i failed, that was the tilt table...i had black and the other things associated with what this test is made for...but can you tell me if i could be taking atenolol? esp at my age?

[Vivek]

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 or any other physical problems whatsoever prior to this episode. Parents & family members don't have any heart problems.
      A line in reply will be highly appreciated.

Thanks
Vivek

[Anna]

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.

[NICOLE]

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.

[mrs J A Burgmans]

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.

[CCF CARDIO MD - DLB]

There are lots of other good medications for high blood pressure that your doctor can try.

[Andy Domonkos]

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

[CCF CARDIO MD - DLB]

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.