Metoprolol and Fatigue

[Deniro1979]

I am so drowsy, tired and weak since starting Metoprolol 3 weeks ago. I take 12.5 mg twice a day with food for my afib. I wake up refreshed. Several hours later some days I feel totally fine other days drowsy. But everyday around 2:30 or 3 pm I crash hard. Very tired. After a 60 minute nap I'm still a bit drowsy but better. Now it's 11 pm and like usual I feel much better but still weaker than before the med.

Is there any chance I'll get used to the drug and quit being so tired?

I know, I know tell the doctor....I will eventually but until then....???

Thanx!

[RNRita]

Metoprolol, like any beta blocker can cause fatigue. You may get used to it, probably will, but there are others that can help your afib that you may not react as badly with. I take atenolol 12.5mg (which is a 25mg tab broken) and I feel tired a lot. However, I have taken this for 30 years! lol

[bobthom]

You can try a different beta blocker but for me they all make me tired.  You can try the extended release version (XL).  You can also switch to a different beta blocker such as CoReg.  It didn't work for me, gave me the runs as well as being tired, so I've settled for just napping every afternoon. I'm on 25mg morning and night.  Tried upping to 50mg at night but then had to take a morning nap as well so went back 25mg each time.  I'm exploring vitamin options as well hoping to eliminate the beta blocker all together or get rid of the napping but no luck so far.  Taurine, CoQ10 and L-Carnatine seem to help some with keeping blood pressure in check.

[Deniro1979]

What about weight gain. I try so hard to lose weight and have been making some progress. Since starting the Metoprolol a few weeks ago I've gained 3.5 lbs. It's hard enough to lose weight having a pill make it tougher or impossible is disheartening.

Have any of you had weight gain? Will the pill continue to put weight on or make it tougher to lose? Or will the gain stop after the intial 3.5 lbs gain?

[tom_h]

Stay with it, and you should adjust.  12mg twice a day is a low dose.  By comparison, I'm on 50mg twice a day and dosages or 200mg twice a day aren't uncommon.  I believe your body will adjust given a little time.

[Deniro1979]

Oh, well that's encouraging news. Several days ago I cut the morning pill in half (6.25 mg) and kept the evening pill as prescribed at 12.5 mg. I am still fatigued but much less so, no full on crash in the afternoon but still not at full energy as before I started all of this. Also I've been logging my afib as I'm wearing the Zio patch and all my log entries are sight or very slight palpatations, so less striong than before.

It could be that I'm getting  used to the pill or the slightly reduced dosage. Either way it's encouraging.

Thanx for the input.

P.S. Can we edit these posts? I had a typo in my OP and was unable to go in and fix it?

[Jerry_NJ]

My long term experience with Metoprolol and Atenolol (similar regular release beta blockers) is my body seems to adjust over time in that my blood pressure returns to normal levels.  Still I can have trouble if I make a sudden change in physical activity, say jump to my feet after sitting for more than a few minutes.  I have on a few occasions fainted... happily always with a sit down on my part first... or being stabilized by a nearby person.  As for fatigue, that can be a side effect for sure. Your does level is quite low in my experience (I take 25 mg twice a day, have taken as much as 100 mg twice a day...ouch, that was trouble big time).  Is the beta blocker helping control you AFIb?

[Deniro1979]

Yes, I think my afib rumblings are muted a bit. Not 100% for sure just yet. On one hand if I drink drink straight caffeinated Starbucks (which I love and miss), don't have large quantities of Vodka (8 oz in a couple of hours) and don't have big stress I don't have many palpations but it can happen. Since I have cut back or cut out on those not sure if the reduced palps are from the Metoprolol. Probably a combo. But the main reason I was given the med is because during vigorous sports I can get spikes to 230 bpm, usually 192 bpm and sometimes I'm in AFIB during those spikes. I still get those spikes.

Just want the 3pm crash to stop.