beta blocker side affects

[bigkev414]

Hi - For the past 2 years or so I have been taking low dose of Atenalol (Tenormin) daily to regulate my SVTs which I've had for years, and it has helped a lot. The problem is that it upsets my stomach (have all kinds of gastric problems) so bad that I feel like i want to die. Starts up as regular as clockwork 1 and 1/2 hours after I take it. Feels like somebody has grabbed a big handful of my 'guts' and twists and  keeps doing it for hours, and I also feel puffy when I breath. Doctor says its either the meds or the ER.  Have tried taking with food, without food, different times of the day etc and it's always the same. Anybody else have these problems - any suggestions will be greatly appreciated

[Mom2four85]

I took prevacid and zantac for almost 2 years at different times for constant nausea and it helped somewhat.  I told my dr and she switched me to Dexilant (60 mg) which worked wonders and may help if you take something like this as someone else suggested - ask your doctor =)

[tom_h]

54 years.  My first episode was at 6 years of age. 24 hours of +300 bpm, before it was discovered. Cassic case of "That which doesn't kill me, can only make me stronger".

[olf_art]

I also take attenolol and Prevacid. Have been on Prevacid for over  years and recently developed irregular heartbeats. There is a recent warning  put out by the FDA that says that long term use of prevacid can result in low magnesium levels which in turn can result in irregular heartbeats. Look at http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0000964/ for more info. I am currently being tested to see if prevacid in causing my heartbeat problems.

[DeltaDawn23]

How long did you have the SVT before you had your ablation?  I'm worried that my paroxamal Afib has gone on (since 2003) so long that my chances of ablation curing it may be less.

Any thoughts?

[tom_h]

The doc says it either meds or the ER.

You mention that you're taking Atenolol to control SVT.  Do you know what kind of SVT you have?  Have explored the other possibility of an electrophysiology study with ablation to rid yourself of the SVT permanently?  Many of us here have had it done.  I'm going 5 months without an episode.

[DeltaDawn23]

I take a proton pump inhibitor (Prevacid) each morning for reflux and my primary care doc says it quiets the vagus nerve (near the heart) down, helps with irritation that might cause irregular beats.  I try to take it an hour after my dose of Atenolol -- I want to make sure I'm absorbing my Atenolol.  I think Jeric is on to something -- I'd ask the doctor.

[1scrappychic]

Can you take it before bed and sleep through it maybe?  Is there an option of other meds?

[jeric]

What about taking another med, like a stomach med (I'm not sure which one it would depend on your symptoms) before taking the beta blocker?

When I used to be on this one medication it just tore my stomach apart, but because it was the only thing that I could take I was on 3-4 preventive medications to counteract those problems and prevent them from happening.

I know it seems crazy to add more medications on fix the side effect of another medication, but if that is the only thing that works for you then you gotta do what you gotta do.

I would suggest talking to your doctor about trying medications to help prevent this that you could take before the beta blocker. I would also suggest considering a GI consult, they may be able to better tell you what medication would prevent this from happening after taking the beta blocker.

Hope this helps!