Hello,
My resting pulse had gotten up to 120s and my BP was 140s/90s or higher, so doc gave me atenelol: 25mg/day at first and then 50 mg/day later. (I also take lasix 80 mg/day) I am feeling so much better - I am not really having any side effects to speak of and I no longer feel like my head is going to explode or my heart is going to pound out of my chest. I am so glad. My only concern is if my dose is too high - I am not dizzy - although maybe a little on standing - my pulse is down in the 70s now generally (resting) and my BP is running 110/70s or so. I also have thyroid problems....do these numbers sound ok (I will be 41 next month, have history of long term diet pill use, am currently overweight - but losing, high cholesterol, EF 66%). Thanks for your help....
Kathy

PS Do I need anti-biotics at the dentist?

Hi~
That does not sound too high to me at all. I am taking 25mg of metprolol and my resting heart rate is usually in the low 60s. My doctor told me as long as it's not below like 55 then I should be fine. 70s sounds great!! Especially if you aren't feeling any other side effects. Sometimes I get that feeling of dizziness when I stand up, but I think that is just from the change in blood pressure. I would say you are doing just fine!! I'm glad it is helping you. :)

Thank you for your reply - it helps the BP and heart rate to be able to relax about having the dose right if you know what I mean - I am an anxious person - so every little bit of reassurance is healthy - thanks very much!
Kathy

Hi Jack,
I am on 50 mg/day....I did not know about the warning so thank you for telling me - it's amazing how many meds I've been given without the doctor telling me specifically what the warnings are - but I don't plan to quit any time soon - I have a thyroid problem and must take synthroid so I have to balance that with my heart rate and BP and these meds...it's taken me two years to figure that out and get to this point - thanks for the feedback - I'm glad to hear I'm finally at a good place.....
Best wishes,
kathy

Hi Jack,
I thought the lasix was high too - I was getting terrible muscle cramps and starting taking 550 mg of potassium glocunate and drinking gatorade out of desparation - it's been a lot better....I didn't know how serious a medicine it was (once again) thanks for telling me....I do retain fluid - I do not know why - I thought it was the HBP or the thyroid - part of that started with my hypothyroidism

As for the weight - I weighed 117 my whole adult life then wham at age 37....I always exercised and then I gained 60 lbs in one year - then they found thyroid nodules and thing have been downhill ever since - it's all connected.....I do check my weight, body temp, BP and pulse every day and keep a record as well as number of hours slept and my meds and food each day.

I do feel like I'm standing at a fork in the road health-wise. I wonder if I can take less lasix? I know it takes water off the heart too and my endocrinologist just had to raise my synthroid dose two days ago so I don't want to mess up my good heart and BP readings right now.....I am losing weight - 13 lbs so far.....

Thanks for your words of encouragement - I do want to turn this train around....I do feel like my this age is the time to do it....I am hopeful....

Best wishes to you,
Kathy

Hi Jack,
Thanks so much for the info - I got so sick with my thyroid - with brain fog - I couldn't think well enough there for awhile to research my meds and then so many things were going wrong with my health I couldn't keep up with researching my meds - so I am grateful to you for the info....thanks to you - I noticed my lasix were scored and just took a 1/2 tablet today....the nurse this week made a comment about my blood draw having something to do with dehydration that I didn't really understand - but I bet it is what you are talking about....I have been trying to watch salt...Thanks again - I REALLY appreciate it - It's difficult for me to work full-time, be sick full-time, and keep up with all my ailments and their constantly changing treatments!
Best wishes,
Kathy
PS What are the causes of fluid retention? I thought it was part of HBP but never thought deeply about it....my endo always checks for it - so I thought it could also be part of my thyroid disease....

Hi Again Jack,
Thanks so much for that info - I greatly appreciate it - really!
I think I may be retaining due to my hypothyroidism - since you told my 80 was a high dose of lasix I've been taking 40 mg and feeling a bit better - not so many muscle spasms and cramps - Thanks so much.....I am trying very hard to get this turned around - I really never had to think about health at all until age 37 (40 now). I could eat whatever I wanted and not gain weight, do weekend warrior stuff and not pay for it etc.....now I've got to change everything and it's taking awhile to change my lifestyle - I used to exercise regularly all my life too, but since I've been sick with thyroid disease this has been harder to do - But I'm trying to keep my head above water - lots of health problems have precipitated from the thyroid disease....Thanks for your encouragement to listen now and change now.....it helps - it really does....
I'm sorry you've gone through all those things, I appreciate you sharing what you've learned from it with me and others.....hope you get better soon....
All my best wishes,
Kathy

Hi Jack,
You were right - my blood test came back and my potassium was low - 3.3 range was 3.5-5.3. The doc prescribed potassium chloride 10MEQ. I stopped the lasix altogether but then I swelled up and gained 5 lbs overnight....I don't know if retaining this water is dangerous - I filled the potassium script this morning - but I was hoping that if I stopped the lasix my body would self-correct the potassium problem. But I'm taking another med that can affect the potassium so....I guess I better take it....I'm having tingling in my hands, feet and mouth....I'm too young for all these pills, but I'm hoping that I can get back on the right track one of these days....lose the weight and get healthier...been watching the salt...I also take estrogen I forgot to tell you before which could be c ontributing to the edema....as well as the thyroid - btw I had normal TSH readings and my thyroid was still amiss - it took an ultrasound to find out I had thyroid nodules....anyway I wanted to thank you for the info you gave me before or I wouldn't have known to take all this seriously....Thanks very much....
Best wishes for the holidays....
Kathy

I was taking 25 mg. of Atenolol and tried to come off of it by taking 1/2 a pill a month and then 1/4 pill a month. My heart pounding was getting worse and felt so much anxiety and panic I went back on it the other day just by increasing it to 1/2 pill a day. Tomorrow I will take the full 25 mg. It made me feel alot calmer but still having the heart pounding off and on along with the anxiety. I see the dr. on Friday to go over my test results for my thyroid. I just had an increase in thyroid meds too so some of my problem could be my thyroid. I heard that Atenolol has an affect of the conversion of T4 to T3 thyroid hormone? Atenolol is what they give people that are hyperthyroid. I just feel a mess right now...hope it gets straightend out shortly. This heart pounding is awful! I am up now because I fell asleep and suddenly woke up about a 1/2 hour later and couldn't go back to sleep. :yawn:

Hi Gramstoo,
I too am up tonight - I tried to lower my antenolo last week - but had more shortness of breath so I put it back to 50 mg. I am seeing the cardiologist on tues...before I went on the antenolol I was having a lot of trouble with my heart rate being too high that seem to be related to my synthroid dose - the endo keeps my dose kinda high to suppress my nodules.....so in some ways I guess I was getting a little hyperthyroid (without the weight loss of course :( ) and the atenolol helped bring my heartrate down....I hadn't heard about the effect on t4 to t3 conversion - if that's so we might need to add t3....I have some but don't usually take it (cytomel)....I too have terrible anxiety/panic....
Sorry you are having trouble and I hope you get better soon....
Best wishes,
Kathy