# Metoprolol



## IllusionOfHappiness (Sep 6, 2007)

Got a new med for my racing heart beat, since klonopin would only reduce that at a dose that would knock me right out. Blood pressure's fine. Dose is 25mg (half a tablet twice a day).

Anyone been on this/what were your experiences/etc. etc.

The appointments never end. I have to get my thyroid checked AGAIN.

Oh well, this is a trial and it's not like I have to wait months to know if it's working or not. 2 weeks and I see the doc again.

Been a while since I had to check out askapatient.com but I thought this comment was funny:


> I can poop better! for years I couldnt lay a good log! but thanks to Toprol xl I now can bulid a cabin in the woods.


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## korey (Apr 25, 2006)

That's a...special comment, I suppose :eek

I take metoprolol (regular ol' Lopressor immediate-release; NOT Toprol XL) as both a way to counter the blood pressure problems that Adderall can cause _and_ my beta blocker of choice to help fight the physical symptoms of anxiety. I started beta blocker usage with Inderal, but it is too cardiac non-selective for an asthmatic like me, so I looked into the cardiac selective beta blockers and narrowed it down to metoprolol or atenolol. I don't remember what made me choose metoprolol over atenolol, but I do remember reading that metoprolol is reportedly better for those with asthma compared to most other beta blockers. I may have read some (most likely unfounded :b) claims that metoprolol has studies behind its potential use in treating social anxiety disorder - that may have been the deciding factor for my choice of metoprolol over atenolol, who knows.

At any rate, metoprolol is much better on my airways than Inderal was. I haven't experienced any asthma exacerbation since starting metoprolol. I take half a 50mg tablet up to twice daily. I think I remember reading that cardiac selective beta blockers become less cardiac selective at higher doses, so I tend to stay in the shallow end of the metoprolol swimming pool (nobody likes an asthma attack!) As for effectiveness, metoprolol works just fine. It is not as useful as Inderal was for vascular headache treatment/prevention, but eh, beggars can't be choosers, I suppose.

I've read some things about beta blockers potentially increasing the risk for type 2 diabetes. Does anyone happen to know what the deal is with this? Should any of us who take beta blockers for anxiety be concerned, or is the diabetes risk generally only for people who take beta blockers for actual dangerously high blood pressure (i.e. people who take hundreds of milligrams per day as opposed to 25mg or 50mg per day as we anxiety people tend to take)? :con


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## Noca (Jun 24, 2005)

korey said:


> That's a...special comment, I suppose :eek
> 
> I take metoprolol (regular ol' Lopressor immediate-release; NOT Toprol XL) as both a way to counter the blood pressure problems that Adderall can cause _and_ my beta blocker of choice to help fight the physical symptoms of anxiety. I started beta blocker usage with Inderal, but it is too cardiac non-selective for an asthmatic like me, so I looked into the cardiac selective beta blockers and narrowed it down to metoprolol or atenolol. I don't remember what made me choose metoprolol over atenolol, but I do remember reading that metoprolol is reportedly better for those with asthma compared to most other beta blockers. I may have read some (most likely unfounded :b) claims that metoprolol has studies behind its potential use in treating social anxiety disorder - that may have been the deciding factor for my choice of metoprolol over atenolol, who knows.
> 
> ...


I think the diabete's risk is for the obese people who have soaring blood pressures as it is. This is the same for Zyprexa, the diabete's risk is only because it makes people obese, then obesity causes the diabetes.


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## IllusionOfHappiness (Sep 6, 2007)

Well, it definitely helped me sleep last night. I haven't slept like that in a long time.

As for how it works for anxiety, I'll find out today.

Thanks for the replies!


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## laceyscott577 (May 3, 2013)

I took metoprolol experimentally (my mum's, she has high blood pressure) and found that AMAZINGLY my racing thoughts stopped and I felt normal. I took 25-50mg, but have found lately that it doesn't work anymore, quick tolerance to it. For me I decided to take it rarely in more extreme situations -- some meds I just seem to build immediate tolerance to. PS I thought the metoprolol was treating my bipolar disorder, even though it is quite unheard of, it treating that. lol (I'd say apparently it was treating my social anxiety. because I had this moment of whoa, I had a normal day where I didn't feel like running or squirming in social settings.


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## daniel83 (Jul 25, 2010)

how are you building a tolerance to a beta blocker??


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## metamorphosis (Dec 18, 2008)

Metoprolol can be very effective, usually more so for physical symptoms but I have found it to help with psychological symptoms at 25-50mg. Plus, it is lowering your high bp. Which is the more crucial/important thing the drug is doing!!!


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## viper1431 (Jun 6, 2012)

I found my body didn't like it whilst on nardil, ended up in hospital after only 1 dose of 1/4 tablet.
Prior to that I was on it for high BP.


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## alanamhb (May 13, 2013)

It is not as useful as Inderal was for vascular headache treatment/prevention, but eh, beggars can't be choosers, I suppose.


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## Keith G (Nov 8, 2014)

You people amaze me when you say this drug is for anxiety. After one day I was dealing with dizyness. I couldn't handle so I didn't take and now it is affecting my driving, I now am dealing with situation phobias and today have made more appear. I am affraid I will lose my driving privledges because I don't feel right driving. I was much better before taking the drug. The med was given to me due to a heart attack I had months ago. But it has been side effect after side effect that I top taking the drug. If i don't take a med for my heart I could suffer heart damage but when I do take the med the dang side effects cause me problems so I don't take the med nd the side effects are worse.

So what some things I can do? Will the dizzyness go away? I took a xanax to calm my heart..I have no intention to take this med because of the dizzyness. I did report this to the doctor answering machine but in the meantime I don't want to drive at all.


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## zoslow (Jun 2, 2014)

Keith G said:


> You people amaze me when you say this drug is for anxiety. After one day I was dealing with dizyness. I couldn't handle so I didn't take and now it is affecting my driving, I now am dealing with situation phobias and today have made more appear. I am affraid I will lose my driving privledges because I don't feel right driving. I was much better before taking the drug. The med was given to me due to a heart attack I had months ago. But it has been side effect after side effect that I top taking the drug. If i don't take a med for my heart I could suffer heart damage but when I do take the med the dang side effects cause me problems so I don't take the med nd the side effects are worse.
> 
> So what some things I can do? Will the dizzyness go away? I took a xanax to calm my heart..I have no intention to take this med because of the dizzyness. I did report this to the doctor answering machine but in the meantime I don't want to drive at all.


Try to get another betablocker prescribed. If you want it to be helpful for anxiety too a non selective blocker such as propranolol would be your best option.

People react differently to drugs and why you have dizzyness is hard to answer. Could be low blood pressure maybe or low blood sugar or there could be some other side effect.


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## Keith G (Nov 8, 2014)

*Franklry*

nurse told me to drink plenty of water. You know, I spent a saturday afternoon driving in a panic. I get to the place fine. Then I try to drive up a few hills that I have driven many times before ad all of a sudden I can't. So, I call the doc and left a message with these details and the nurse calls back and said one day shouldnt give me a withdrawl. Yet, there I was was siffering through a now created driving phobia. Roads I had driven over many times before are now causing me a panic. I stopped and got some water which seemed to help a bit. so, maybe I was really dehydrated?

I had a problem sleeping last night and took some medications that would help with my serotonin levels for the phobia's/panic attacks and today I seemed to manage all the steep hills. But there were atill some avoidances. Damn mind playing tricks on me and all.

i am dragging today and hope to start earlier tonight with sleep meds.


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## jim11 (May 23, 2011)

I took it for high blood pressure and heart palpitation. I feel a lot calmer after taking it since it slows down my heart rates. But I also suspect this is the med that caused me cough and worse, permanent ringing in my right ear.


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## watertouch (Nov 4, 2013)

Keith G said:


> You people amaze me when you say this drug is for anxiety. After one day I was dealing with dizyness. I couldn't handle so I didn't take and now it is affecting my driving, I now am dealing with situation phobias and today have made more appear. I am affraid I will lose my driving privledges because I don't feel right driving. I was much better before taking the drug. The med was given to me due to a heart attack I had months ago. But it has been side effect after side effect that I top taking the drug. If i don't take a med for my heart I could suffer heart damage but when I do take the med the dang side effects cause me problems so I don't take the med nd the side effects are worse.
> 
> So what some things I can do? Will the dizzyness go away? I took a xanax to calm my heart..I have no intention to take this med because of the dizzyness. I did report this to the doctor answering machine but in the meantime I don't want to drive at all.


I don't get it, im trying to understand...
You been prescribed an heartmedicine after having a heart attack...

And you quit the medicine and left a message on the Doctors answering machine?


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## Keith G (Nov 8, 2014)

*reply*

i was apparently on the metroprolol for nearly 2 months. Then I started forgetting to take the med. By the end of July 2014 I was completely off. when I tried to start the Plavix I woke with a bad back ache. I called in august and told the doc about the problems and they made me waite 2 months for an appointment. Needless to say this doctor dropped me. Found another docor and he suggested 50 mg instead of the 100 mg I was suppose to be taking. Last friday, I took the first 50 mg dose. All day I felt dizzy and I was winded. The paper work says to call the doctor with these symptoms. I expected to be put on another drug but the nurse said that one dose would not cause the problems I was having. I was to continue for a week and take the med with lots of water. But I am still concerned. I have since developed a driving phobia - not good since the city has lots of hills that I panic going over.

currently, I am also dealing with insomnia. This is usually a common occurance for me this time of year. I had some insomnia a month earlier but was able to qualm it after 4 days with Triptophane and so I am hoping to do the same again.

Phobias and insomnia usually indicate low serotonin levels.

So, between all this bS, I did leave a message because the PDR and paperwork says to contact the doctor should I have those symptoms.


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## watertouch (Nov 4, 2013)

^Ok, im not pooking this hornetsnest, but the symtoms you mentioned are commen side effect. Specially if you were moving around and such.
And one dose start working after 1-2hours. So the nurse was a bit off there...

Anyway good luck! Really crappy with the 2month waiting time though!!!


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## Keith G (Nov 8, 2014)

*Reply*

My choice is not to take the med. Rather be on something that I can tollerate better. TOo many unhappy people with the same that I have. I don't give a hoot that others are ok. I am not them. More concerend trying to beat my depression.


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