what rate to cut back on atenelol? - Heart Disorders Message Board

wxKathy2 · 12-25-2005, 09:08 AM

Hi All,
I think I need to cut back a bit on my beta-blocker (ringing in ears, elevated glucose and pulse rate of 46 this morning)...I am taking 50 mg/day....is it safe to drop it to 25/day or do I need to taper it more? Can someone suggest a safe rate of tapering? My PCP doc who prescribed it isn't being too helpful - he let me loose with no recheck of anything with the atenelol 50 mg/dayand 80 mg of lasix/day - my potassium got low (my endocrinologist found this) and now I am worried about my atenelol being a bit too high...my BP is running 106/60s (have to balance this with thyroid meds - so don't want it much higher).....thanks for your help!
Hope everyone has a peaceful and healthful new year....
Best wishes,
Kathy

PS Forgot to mention I think it's aggravating my asthma a bit - tolerable, but noticable....

Kathy C · 12-25-2005, 04:46 PM

Never adjust your blood pressure, thyroid, or arrhythmia drugs without consulting your doctor first. You never know what they are going to do.
There is always someone you can get ahold of regardless of the day of the year. Docotors have someone on call for them and there is always teleahealth or that sort, walk in clinics, and if you are that bad there is always the ER. Each person is put on a specific dose for a reason and what i would think to be acceptable to cut back to is not necessarily what your doctor would consider safe. This subject is one i would not take any thoughts on from any kind of board other than if it were suggested to call your doctor.

Kathy

wxKathy2 · 12-25-2005, 05:36 PM

Thanks Guys - This is my first time on BP meds and my first time dealing with heart issues - so I am very grateful to you for your help - I will call my Doc tomorrow and talk to him about it - I keep a daily log of BPs and heart rates and meds etc...so I will take that and talk to him about my concerns....I guess I got a little spooked this morning when I saw that 45 pulse....I'm having trouble with postassium too so in general I'm just a little anxious about all this.....which doesn't help anything....Thank you for your feedback - as I said this is my first time dealing with these meds and sometimes I don't realize how much more serious they are than any meds I've taken in the past....Thank you!!
Best wishes to you!
Kathy

PS Pulse 76 this evening....BP 117/81 must have been a hard sleep last night??

Lenin · 12-27-2005, 07:43 AM

Yep,

Whack it in half. I doubt that 25 mg. will make you feel anything but good but watch out for any bouts of tachycardia much over 100 unless you are working out and measure for any BP spikes.
I was able to ween off completely in a week with only a couple pitter-patter episodes.
I went from 50 to 25 to nothing.

wxKathy2 · 12-28-2005, 06:37 PM

Well - I had another pulse rate this morning of 47 so I do think I need to lower my atenolol dose....I have been really fatigued and having edema so maybe it would help with that and I could lower my lasix and get my potassium back on track too (had to take potassium prescription because it got too low).....this all seems really complicated to me - wish I could lose 50 lbs and get off everything - have lost 13 lbs so far, got an eternity to go....I will watch BP and heart rate closely and especially the synthroid too - I am heading for 25 mg of atenolol I think....thanks for all your feedback everyone....will notify doc too....
Kathy