Hello,
I am currently taking several hbp meds listed below:
Spironolactone 100mg
Catapres patch .2mg (clonidine)
Terazosin 12 mg
Toprol XL 100mg
I have been reading some of the posts and hoping someone can give me some hope. I FEEL AWFUL ALL THE TIME. I can hardly make it through the day and struggle to put in 40 hours a week on the job. I don't know how much more I can take. I called the nephrologist last week and complained of the fatigue. She took me off Atenelol which I had been on for years and put me on Toprol XL. I feel no difference.

I have the following symptoms:
FATIGUE (debillitating), sleep disturbances, depression, feeling of heaviness in my body especially legs, anxiety, feeling of hopelessness, and constant achy pain between shoulder blades.

These drugs are controlling my bp, but don't think I can tolerate the side effects. I am 40 yrs old, but feel 60. I can only exercise 30 minutes at a time. My legs get so heavy, I can barely lift them. I have always been a high energy person.....Have gained weight because I have no energy at the end of the day to exercise.

I am thinking of calling my nephro and demanding I be given different meds. I say demand because I called last week and asked to be taken off the clonidine (catapres) but was told that was impossible. I should also state that I am allergic to ACE INHIBITORS.

Is it unreasonable to think there may be other meds out there that may help?

Please give me some advice.

I would get off the beta blockers those can really drag you out . I thought I was half dead when I was on Toprol XL.

I would get off the beta blockers those can really drag you out . I thought I was half dead when I was on Toprol XL.


I'll second that. I was on 200 mg of Toprol XL for a couple of years and finally got off of it earlier this year. I could barely drag myself through work - even had to take a nap when I got home! :rolleyes:

I switched to another beta blocker, but it doesn't affect me nearly as much as Toprol did....it was horrible.

Good luck!

The bata blocker and clonidine will sap all your energy. I was on 50mgs of atenolol and .1 clonidine. I was so tired and depressed I couldn't get through the day and then I couldn't sleep at night. I think any beta blocker combined with clonidine is going to make you feel fatigued. I have read that when taken together they each make the other stronger.
I weaned myself off the clonidine first and then the atenolol. Maybe you could try either verapamil or diltiazem of the CCBs.
Cass

Thank you all for your input. It is funny because I have had 2 good days in a row and am hoping that the meds might be working themselves out (HOPEFULLY). If the fatigue comes back as strongly as it was, I know I need to get them changed.

scholar,

Why are you seeing the nephro; an underlying kidney condition, or just hypertension?

It's the chlonidine/ beta-blocker combo that is laying you. I'd expect that Toprol and atenolol would behave very simiarly in this regard. Like stopping hitting yourself with a blue hammer and replacing it with a green one :D:D:D!

The terasozin (and alpha blocker) can also cause the weakness. Are you taking it for your porstate. FOr ONLY BP control, this isn't a really good drug choice.

Overall, you are on too many drugs increasing the chance of untoward side effects to close to 100% IMHO. SOME of them are not pulling their weight and should be dispensed with. If your only problem is BP control, you can fiddle eliminate one drug at a time, keeping close watch on the effect of your BP AND your fatigue. Use only the drugs that are WORKING and scotch the rest. If your doctor won't help you in this regard, then tell him only what he wants to hear...they are such DELICATE creatures, we must treat them with kid gloves.

Of course if you have kidney disease or heart failure, then less drug fiddling is advisable.

I was seeing the nephro because my family doctor couldn't seem to get the bp under control. The neprho I went to was supposed to be an expert at lowering bp. They also wanted to eliminate kidneys as reason for spiking bp (Thank God kidneys are ok)

I want to get off so much meds. Since this neprho refuses to work with me in changing the meds, I have an appointment with a new nephro this week.

Thanks again.......I am hoping this new doctor will be more willing to try different drugs......


y are you seeing the nephro; an underlying kidney condition, or just hypertension?

It's the chlonidine/ beta-blocker combo that is laying you. I'd expect that Toprol and atenolol would behave very simiarly in this regard. Like stopping hitting yourself with a blue hammer and replacing it with a green one :D:D:D!

The terasozin (and alpha blocker) can also cause the weakness. Are you taking it for your porstate. FOr ONLY BP control, this isn't a really good drug choice.

Overall, you are on too many drugs increasing the chance of untoward side effects to close to 100% IMHO. SOME of them are not pulling their weight and should be dispensed with. If your only problem is BP control, you can fiddle eliminate one drug at a time, keeping close watch on the effect of your BP AND your fatigue. Use only the drugs that are WORKING and scotch the rest. If your doctor won't help you in this regard, then tell him only what he wants to hear...they are such DELICATE creatures, we must treat them with kid gloves.

Of course if you have kidney disease or heart failure, then less drug fiddling is advisable.[/QUOTE]

Toprol xl and clonidine made my mom fatigue. Toprol xl was the worst bp med (norvasc was a close second) she said she has ever taken.