Still having problems with beta blocker - Heart Disorders Message Board

Leela_C · 08-06-2006, 03:05 PM

Hi all.

I posted two weeks ago about my low heart rate due to a beta blocker I had been on for 5 months. [url]http://www.healthboards.com/boards/showthread.php?t=411205[/url]

My cardiologist told me to take half and for the last two weeks I have been fine. Thursday, at work, I felt extremely weak and dizzy and when I checked my pulse it was right around 50. I pretty much felt this way most of the day. I even tried drinking caffeine and nothing raised my pulse. So since then I have only taken a quarter of the beta blocker each night. Now my heart is doing all kinds of crazy things. When I lay down my pulse rate stays between 50 and 60. As soon as I stand up or do any moving it shoots up to 80-100. I do smoke (please, no lectures, I am trying to quit) and I have only had 2 today because when I smoke my pulse goes up well over 100. Maybe this will make me quit for good, who knows???

Anyway - this is really scaring me lately. My cardiologist keeps telling me there is nothing wrong with my heart, but there must be something going on. Why would my heart speed up so much by just standing up? I was doing fine on this beta blocker for 5 months. Why would I all of the sudden become so sensitive to it? I have done nothing all weekend except lay around on the couch because I am so scared of what is going on with my heart. I will probably call the cardiologist tomorrow morning, but I feel like such an idiot because he keeps telling me there is nothing wrong. I don't know what to do any more. It seems like half of the bisoprolol makes my heart rate too low, and a quarter doesn't make it low enough. UGH! I have been feeling so much better lately up until all this.

Any comments? Suggestions?

I read something online about sick sinus syndrome. I shouldn't be symptom searching online, but I am just desperate for an answer right now. Does this sound like SSS? Or is my doctor right and there is nothing wrong?

Leela_C · 08-06-2006, 04:29 PM

I also wanted to mention that my heart feels like it is skipping more now. It takes my breath away when it does that.

Also, eating makes me nauseated. I don't know if that is related, but I just thought I would mention it. I guess that could be just the stress over all of this.

Please help! Thanks.

Wynslett · 08-06-2006, 04:54 PM

I'm going throuh the same thing. I was taking 75 mg of atenolol, and my heart rate was going into the 50's and I felt dizzy and nauseated. My Dr. has me taking 12.5 mg of atenolol now, my heart rate is back into the 60s, but that's where mine usually stays however I feel much better when it's in the 70s. My heart palps have increased dramatically since cutting my dosage, it's scaring me. I have an appt on Tuesday to see exactly what's going on. Hang in there. I find that getting up an moving around helps me a lot, even a stroll around the block makes me feel a little better. Take care.

Leela_C · 08-07-2006, 07:43 AM

Hi Wynslett. Thanks for the reply. I used to take my bb at night, but with all this stuff I have been so afraid my heart is just going to stop beating during the night that I started taking it in the morning. When I got up this morning my heart rate was 120...just getting out of bed. So I took 1/4 of my beta blocker and it didn't help at all. So I took another 1/4 about a half hour later. Right now my heart rate is about 68, but I just got into work and I have to walk a long way just to get to my office. I'm sure it will get lower as the day goes on. I feel so stupid to call my cardiologist again because he is just going to tell me there is nothing wrong, like he always does. I know, I should probably get a second opinion but I have been with this guy for a year and he has had all the tests run. I am so scared over this. It is running my life right now.

What are you taking atenolol for? Is it just for a high heart rate, or do you take it for high blood pressure too?