Hello, my cardiologist prescribed me metroprolol 25mg twice daily. I take it for heart palps however I also have sinus tach and PAC's and PVC's. Anyway, I usually take is symptomatically, is that bad? I'm the kind of person that doesn't like to be on med's long term but my heart palps drive me crazy sometimes.

Dreamer,

I'm with you. There are several drugs that I've taken "as needed." Just be careful to keep your doctor in the dark, they HATE when you say that.
Last time I told my GP that I "titrate" my doseage of BP meds according to my needs he weny ga-ga...I don't tell him anymore!

I also use propranolol (similar to metoprolol) to abort migraines at the first instant that I see the first speck of colored "aura." It usually works.

First of all I would take the RX that your MD has given you. I am a Paramedic with a Fire Dept and I can not tell you how many times we have made calls because pt do not want to take their RX. Second of all taking the RX as needed is not going to help you in fact in can be very harmful, this is a RX that affects your blood pressure. If you have these concerns talk with the MD that prescribed it to you. Just remember the heart is not an organ you want to play with. Hope this helps and god bless...

I take metoprolol as needed, too. My doctor tells me it's fine to do this, and that it also helps to avoid the side effects that you deal with if you take it every day.

Beta blockers are often prescribed on an "as needed" basis anyway, so I wouldn't worry about it.

I have never heard of "as needed", for heart meds. BIG surprise to me. If I did that...my doctor would have a come apart and kick me out the door. :nono:

I have never heard of "as needed", for heart meds. BIG surprise to me. If I did that...my doctor would have a come apart and kick me out the door. :nono:

Well, it depends on the heart condition. Some arrhythmias/conditions need to be constantly prevented, and others only need to be controlled as they occur.

For example, I have SVT but I only ever go into SVT in the week or two before my period, and I can tell when I'm likely to because my heart starts to pound/skip more often. So, I take metoprolol to keep my heart rate down when I know it's likely. There's no need for me to be on beta blockers every day right now, because I am not prone to having arrhythmia every day.

However, someone with a dangerous arrhythmia that needs to be prevented, or someone with blood pressure problems, or heart failure, or whatever, does need to take meds daily.

Dreamer,

I'm with you. There are several drugs that I've taken "as needed." Just be careful to keep your doctor in the dark, they HATE when you say that.
Last time I told my GP that I "titrate" my doseage of BP meds according to my needs he weny ga-ga...I don't tell him anymore!

I also use propranolol (similar to metoprolol) to abort migraines at the first instant that I see the first speck of colored "aura." It usually works.

To "titrate", when does one really know to take prescribed medication? It seems to me heart medication is to prevent symptoms not wait until symptoms happen. It may be too late! Also, with some medication there is a threshhold amount that must be maintained in the system to be affective and to do anything less is to self-medicate and unwise.

There are exceptions for heart medicine. Crushed aspirin for a heart attack and nitroglcerin for heart pain...take as needed.