Nadolol vs.Tenormin

[actor]

Can anyone tell me if the BB nadolol\Corgard will work just as well as Tenormin for PVC's and PSVT Supression, or reduced episodes.  I did a drug profile comparrison at a site called www.drugdigest.org  and discovered that Corgard\nadolol has much less side-effects  tha Tenormin, which I've been on it for several years but the side effects in combination with my other meds is making me like vegetable. My assumtion is that if I can get an "equivlent" effect, or even close, wouldn't I be better off switching? Especially,when I see that it has a labeled use for Fibromyalgia and Anxiety, let alone suppressing catecholomines\stress hormones that we all know is a trigger for Arrythmias. my hopes are that I would decrease the\ side effects below ALL associated with  Tenormin, NOT nadolol. Will I get more breakthrough episodes if I switch and is it worth a try??
1.Cold hands and feet
2.Depression
3.Nervousness
4.Tremor
5.Insomnia, as well as some other undesireable effects tenorin has that Corgard doesn't or has much less of.

Thanks very much..
actor

[actor]

Thank you for your input.

First off, I should have told you my dosage, 25mg twice daily, which my doctors tell me is fairly a low dose compared to many of his patients who are on much higher doses. In any case,  I  have been on temormin for about 10years, I am always "hoping" like the rest of us, I can reduce my meds at some point or by luck and find another in the same family of BB's that, in the "hope" it would at least work just as well for my symptoms, and also provide just "some" decrease in the well-known OR most reported "common"side-effects and just "maybe" help me, especially because of the "combined" side-effects of ALL the meds I happen to be on and that I just might be able to do without.  Specifically, the Anxiety and full -blown Panic Attacks that were more frequent in the 90's but I will admit in the last 7 years or so are rare and I only get an occasional breakthrough. The toldfold problem I however have been plaqued with, is in addition to the above, of course like many, I have MVP w/trace regurg. as well as notoriuos "benign" termed,  atrial and ventricular arrhythmias. So, that is why I have to take "a" BB. Maybe it's just wishful thinking because I've tried Inderal, Zebeta, Lopressor, even Sotolol when the PVC's came in clusters for the first time in 2000, which I had my 1st episode of bigimeny and trigimeny and other multi-focus PVC's, as captured by a 30-day "cellular" monitor, very expensive unit, I will tell you,  but better than the basic ECG, 24holter and even the two week event monitor, which the latter of the two, had documented these sometimes evasive rhythms. Anyway, bottom line has anyone had ANY success with Corcard for "the double edged sword" condition of Anxiety\Panic  co-existing PVC's and PSVT over tenormin?? And if so do you think it's worth a try?? I know from my own research and as my doctor has explained to me many times that, I am one a "specific 1" type BB that is "relatively", as he termed, one of the "cleanest" BB's that doesn't cross the blood brain barrier, which is also a good thing, but as Artuad said, about it being non-selective (nadolol), does this mean it won't work as well for PVC reduction and ultimately SVT supression?(except for a once or twice a year "breakthrough episode) Right now my Interpolated PVC's , which I mostly get runs of when they return, are now in remission and sometimes they stay there for weeks and even several "Months" but when they return and they always do, they come back with a vengance, this has been going on for sevral years now. Sometimes I get lucky and they return but NOT in runs or clusters, and go away again. Again, I am happy with the original BB working pretty good for my arrhthmias but am still curious, as anyone else, if I can switch to Corgard\Nadolol, just about the ONLY one I never tried to replace Tenormin with over the years, again, mainly because of the side-effects I've had to endure for so long on it. I know, the old catch 22 situation. FYI,  I've been through the mill as far as diagnositic tests and differential diagnosis rule outs, as well as, many trial and errors of meds for my "alleged"co-exisitng conditions. I have a structually "normal" heart after 13 years of this  Panic and Arrhythmia's  onset and discovery of MVP as well I get ECG's  Echos and Thallium Stress tests anually. Now you all pretty have the WHOLE story.  

My other Meds:
1.Zetia 10mg. Just changed from a former statin (crestor 5mg) because of elevated liver enzymes.
2.Just went back on a PPI ( protronix) for the gastro probs. and slight acid refux that always seems to come on prior or during a bad run of PVC's or sometimes tachycardia episode, possibly IST?
3.Klonopin 1mg or 1mg  Ativan with my BB 2x daily. The beta blocker don't do it all alone, unfortunately. Beides, I sometimes have severe stress and anxiety, w/hand tremors "wiyhout" inducing the PVC's, Can't figure that one out. Adrenaline and it's relative hormones are surging and although they will make me highly anxious, I have no accompanying Arrhythmia. Now why the hell is that. Yet when they are active, if I urinate or eat too much or turn the wrong way, etc.. this triggers more?
4. Ambien CR for the Chronic Insomnia?
5. Lastly, Zoloft, I only take a half of a 50mg tablet a day, less than the suggested dose. I was on Paxil CR too many side effects, although that SSRI is believed to have less incident of arrhythmia. I was reading up on many of the side-effects for these SSRI's and it appears that Zoloft and Paxil are favored when it comes to PVC, exacerbation, as well as for panic. Yet yesterday, I was reading about the old favorite "Prozac" and wasn't aware that it's labeled uses included,  Anxiety, "panic" fibromyalgia and social phobia or stagefright which i also had way before the panic/anxiety or arrhythmia onset. Sorry for the long post. But I had to be as detailed and as specific as possible that way maybe some of you can share similar issues and your knowledge of the same, and if I am taking the right combinations of meds and whether or not some of which I am taking, "now" may be redundant and could or should be eliminated?? I appreciate any "expert" or knowledgable person's advice... I want to switch, as I stated above, or eliminate redundant meds, if at all possible.



Thanks to all
Actor

[Momto3]

BB's are notorious for cold hands and feet.  I swear I could keep meat cold on my feet!!  Yuk!  As for whether one BB will work better than another, that's kinda of trial and error thing.  Inderal worked best for me, and helped with anxiety, tremor, etc.

I could not takeTenormin at all.  I took one pill and within 20 minutes I was shaking all over.  Scared me big time!  I checked with my doctor who told me to stop taking the medicine (NOT a problem!) and that sleeping it off might help me feel better.  Apparently, it affected my central nervous system...never took it again.  Other people around here have had very good success with tenormin, which just goes to show how we're all different.

Good luck!

[Artaud]

Hi,

How much Atenolol are you on?

The side effect thing is kind of difficult to interpret. Depending on the study, anything that occurred to the participants is recorded, even if the relationship is obscure. Imagine a topical Toe Nail Anitfungus medication during trial, and 3 people suffer strokes. It does not mean that the drug caused it, but if it happened, it is recorded.

I usually use the Placebo vs the Medication tables. With the Placebo vs Drug table, if 10% of the Placebo group had a rash, and 5% of the medication group did, it is not likely that the Placebo gave the rash. Turn the results around, 5% of the Placebo group had the rash and 10% of the medication group did, we would blame the medication. But it still may not be the cause of the rash. If 5% of the Placebo group had a rash and 18% of the medication group did, the likelihood that the medication group did is certainly much greater. But not all of the 18%, since 5% of the Placebo group also had the rash. Perhaps 12 or 13 % of the medication group may be expected to develop a rash truly attributed to the medication.

The literature won’t be able to predict your chances of success. You’ll need to make an educated guess if you would like to try it, and convince your Doctor to that extent. Personally, Nadolol worked great for me, 20 mg in the morning and 20 mg at night, and I ended up with a resting pulse of about 54. Atenolol at 50 mg in the morning and 25 mg at night, and I have a resting pulse of about 60. I did not see any significant difference in my (at the time) 600 + PVCs daily.

Remember that Nadolol is a Non-Cardioselective Beta Blocker and Atenolol is Cardioselective. I quit Nadolol due to an increase in breathing resistance that I felt almost from the moment that I started. Also, you should expect Nadolol to have more systematic effects than Atenolol since it is Non-Cardioselective.

Nevertheless, if you don’t have Asthma give it a try.

Be well.