I've been on 200mg of Toprol XL for two years now and it isn't doing very well at controlling my BP. It also makes me very tired and apathetic. My GP also has me on 120mg of Verapamil. When I told her the Toprol wasn't working and made me feel bad she then wanted to increase my dosage to 300mg a day. I will not do that. I now read that Verapamil and Beta Blockers don't mix well? I go in to see my Heart Doctor 6/15 and we will have a talk about all of this.
Anyone have any thoughts or experience with Toprol mixed with Verapamil?
Thanks,
Nitehawk

These two drugs both lower heartrate. I was on Atenolol (a Bata Blocker simular to Toprol) and Verapamil ( A Calcium Channel Blocker) Dr.s don't like to use these two together because together they may slow the heartrate so slow that it could become a problem. Why don't you ask the dr. to up the Verapamil to 240 and lower the Toprol. Verapamil loweres BP better than a Bata Blocker (so my dr. said) Unless there is a reason you need the high dose of Toprol. I'm sure you know there are also many other BP meds avalable to try.
Some times Dr.s have a hard time understanding how hard it is to cope with these side affects. They are only interested in lowering the BP.
Good Luck!
Cassiebel

I was on toprol xl 100mg and verapamil 240 mg. My gp also would not listen, so i went to my endo. I am now on 240 mg of verapamil, and stop the toprol. Toprol caused me to have so many back side effects that i just could not cope. I now take verapamil, hctz, avapro. So far, i am doing much better and my bp has finally stablized. Bp when i was on toprol xl was 170/75. It is now about 120-125 /60-70. But most of all I do not have any muscle pain, tiredness or any other side effect. I agree with Cassibel, may you should see if the verapamil can be increased. Good luck.

jtu91952 - Hi
I was wondering, when you got off the Toprol, did you have any problems such as rebound hypertension or tachycardia? I would love to get off atenolol but am afraid of the consequences.
BYE :rolleyes:
Cassiebel

Thank you for the replies. :) I have the same question about Toprol. I have weaned myself down to 100mg a day plus the 120mg of Verapamil and my BP is about the same if not maybe a little better. :confused: I usually take 100mg of Toprol in the morning around 6:30 or 7:00. Last week I didn't take it and by 1 PM I felt it. Sort of a shakey nervous feeling also my heart beat seemed very strong but BP was 170/90 pulse 70. I was at work and had a few Toprol in my desk, took 100mg and within 30 minutes everything calmed down. Hopefully I can wean myself down to 50mg and then switch over to verapamil or something else.
Thanks again. :)
Nitehawk

jtu91952 - Hi
I was wondering, when you got off the Toprol, did you have any problems such as rebound hypertension or tachycardia? I would love to get off atenolol but am afraid of the consequences.
BYE :rolleyes:
Cassiebel
No. All I felt was instant relief from the side effects of toprol. But I must add that i was on another bp pill (lisinopril/hctz) as well as the verapamil. Others on this board said you must wean from toprol, but I didn't :rolleyes: , my pain using toprol was too severe. i must caution that the nih suggest not stopping toprol suddenly. I choose to not heed that advice because toprol gave me a weird, zoned out feeling. It interferred with my walking programs. My dr refused to take me off toprol (it had no effect on my bp) so I just cold turkey stopped. It took 15 days before i was normal and able to walk my usual 3 to 4 miles. My walking partner is an 80 yr old woman in good health and she was walking faster than me. ;)

That's insteresting! How long were you on it before you quit. By the way congrats to your walking partner. I hope I can even walk at all at her age (LOL) I do love my walking, although I have to do it at home on my treadmill or at the mall in the summer (I live in SE TX 90 to 100 degrees in summer)
Thanks for your reply
Cassiebel ;)

That's insteresting! How long were you on it before you quit. By the way congrats to your walking partner. I hope I can even walk at all at her age (LOL) I do love my walking, although I have to do it at home on my treadmill or at the mall in the summer (I live in SE TX 90 to 100 degrees in summer)
Thanks for your reply
Cassiebel ;)
I was on toprol for 4 yrs. I just stopped using it Feb. or March of this yr. I use my treadmill in the winter. I live in upstate NY, very cold :D

jtu91952,
You said your Doctor refused to take you off of Toprol and it wasn't doing anything for your BP. I can really relate to that. :) That is exactly my Doctor's attitude as a matter of fact, she wanted to increase my Toprol dosage! :rolleyes: The stuff doesn't control my BP very well at all.
Nitehawk

jtu91952,
You said your Doctor refused to take you off of Toprol and it wasn't doing anything for your BP. I can really relate to that. :) That is exactly my Doctor's attitude as a matter of fact, she wanted to increase my Toprol dosage! :rolleyes: The stuff doesn't control my BP very well at all.
Nitehawk
Nitehawk, I can definitely relate to that. I don't know if you go to a cardio, but I did, and he agreed wth me that the reg dr probably had me on too many bp pills, but he refused to do anything, so I did it for them. I guess it depends on how bad the pain before a person will do what's best for them. I swear, i could not walk more than five/six steps then i would have to stop and rest. It took me two or three hours just to go on my normal of 3 to 4 miles. It usually takes no more than 30 minutes. If a med isn't helping me and i know it can't cure me, then why take it. :D My bp is now under control with hctz, verapamil, and avapro. I am having problems with avapro, but no pain or hives so I think I'll keep taking it. It's only drawback is it makes my skin looks old and dull. With good cosmetics I'm just fine. :D

I swear, i could not walk more than five/six steps then i would have to stop and rest. It took me two or three hours just to go on my normal of 3 to 4 miles. I can totally related, one of the meds I am on is making me tired, I think it is the calcium channel blocker,

I am stopping to take deep breaths and lean down trying to keep from dropping to my knees could it be the avapro or the verapimil? the avapro did not seem to do that I took it for a month and the verapimil two weeks.

RR sometimes you have to do your own research, and doctors I don't know about them, they try we have to be patient, I guess that is why doctors have patients who are patient and that is why the word is used for clients of doctors.LOL

RR