Just a quick note to you folks proscribed and taking Beta Blockers for blood pressure reasons. I was taking Bystolic, 5 mg a day which is a low dose. Sunday I noticed on the treadmill that legs were tired and it was harder to breathe so I quit 3/4 way through my two mile walk. Then, had tough time after climbing 3 levels of stairs at church as I was out of breath big time. Checked in with the doctor Monday A.M. and had an EKG. Turns out and my heart was missing a beat, called 'Blocked Heart" Not only missed every other lower chamber beat but only beating at 42 which is an at-rest beat. Heart would not speed up when lungs called for more blood from exertion. Doctor mentioned could be beta blocker drug but I may need a pacemaker to send the electrical signals to the heart to pump correctly. Doc said stop the medicine and made an appt with cardiologist. Went to cardiologist Tuesday AM and still missing beat and pulse at 44. I had stopped beta blocker after Monday so Doc said come back Thursday and lets see what has happened with stopping the medicine. Told me to become a couch potato and not exercise. Showed up this morning, Thursday, and EKG read a pulse of 80 (70-80 is normal), and missing beat was back and pumping correctly. Whew ! While a pacemaker is a fairly routine installation I was not looking forward to it. They apparently put it under the skin in front of your left collar bone and run the wire to the heart through a large vein there. They keep you overnight to be sure things are working correctly and then you get back to a normal life. Fortunately I don't have to experience all that. Lesson learned, if you are taking a beta blocker check pulse and blood pressure frequently. I bought an upper arm blood pressure device today to measure the pulse and pressure I will start on a different beta blocker tomorrow that does not affect the pulse. Have a great weekend, I sure am.
The above is great advice. Any time that you start taking a new (to you) medicine, you need to read the sheet that comes with it. Be aware of any possible side effects - all medicines have them. My late mother quit smoking. Four years later she was (incorrectly) diagnosed as having emphysema. I told her that you don't get emphysema four years after you quit smoking. To make a long story short, after seeing many doctors she went to Mass Eye and Ear clinic and it was found that she was having a reaction to the eye drops that she was taking for Glaucoma. They switched her meds, and the problems - shortness of breath and extreme fatigue - disappeared in a week or so. Supposedly only one in 10,000 patients has this reaction.
Talk about reactions! Elderly neighbour across the street from my house, was prescribed amoxicillin before having dental work on a tooth. Shortly thereafter, she suffered a sever reaction to the drug that hospitalized for 3 weeks. She was in grave condition during that period. She is still recovering.
Glad to hear you nailed it down. Good info. I was taking one of the Pril family of blood pressure drugs. I developed a constant tickle in my throat. Changed up to one of the Sartins and tickle went away. My sister complained about a tickle, and I asked her if she was on one of the Prils, sure enough. She changed and it went away. Always make note of any changes that occur when you take a new medication.
I was on a Bets Blocker and it zapped my energy, made me feel like the walking dead. Now I have another blood pressure med on the way.
I used to be on a Beta Blocker for my blood pressure, no serious side effects but my hands and feet were always cold. During a checkup I mentioned it to my doc, she switched me to a calcium blocker, problem solved. She said she didn't know why my previous doctor put me on a Beta Blocker my resting pulse is 68/72 bpm. I don't need a rev limiter Bob H.
I too had cold fingers etc. and a friend on the same Bystolic medicine had the same problem. Did internet research, found it to be a problem for some and mentioned to my Doc. We cut back from 10 mg to 5 mg and that seemed to help. Now off Bystolic for good!
