Toprol XL

Toprol XL (Metoprolol - controlled/extended release medication)

by Gemita - 2023-09-25 03:04:46

YTEKAS, I am truly sorry to hear that your beta blocker appears to be disrupting your sleep. Miserable as I well know.  You specifically ask whether there are any benefits taking a beta blocker after a pacemaker implant? 

Yes beta blockers can help to calm rhythm disturbances like PACs, PVCs caused by stress, anxiety.  They may also help to calm other arrhythmias like Atrial or Ventricular Tachy Arrhythmias while we are healing from our implants and getting used to being paced.  All my arrhythmias worsened following my implant and I had to take more in the way of medication to calm them.  If one beta blocker doesn’t work well for you, you could ask to try another beta blocker, or even to try a different medication like a calcium channel blocker (for example Diltiazem).  Alternatively if you can find other ways through relaxation, exercise, better hydration, avoiding caffeine, alcohol and making lifestyle changes, you might not need any further help.

All we can do is to experiment with our meds, working with our doctors to find the best medication for us. Controlling a rhythm disturbance can often be trial and error until we find a medication/treatment that suits.

A beta blocker will certainly help if we are feeling stressed or anxious, since it will block the release of stress hormones.  A beta blocker is not the best choice of medication according to my doctor/pharmacist to treat uncontrolled, high blood pressure, although it is often used to help with this in combination with other meds.  A beta blocker is also a useful medication in the treatment of heart failure and angina.

Unfortunately and confirmed by a sleep consultant, beta blockers can disrupt/decrease the sleep hormone Melatonin which is why beta blockers  can cause sleep disturbances.  This is happening to me too on Bisoprolol.

I see it is still early days with your pacemaker.  It took me several months to get used to pacing after implant when I saw much more in the way of arrhythmias.  I often see members asking whether their symptoms are caused by their pacemakers?  Perhaps.  A poorly adjusted pacemaker can certainly trigger difficult symptoms, including palpitations like PACs and PVCs and it may take time to get our pacemaker settings optimised for our needs and this part of the process cannot be rushed.  However, sometimes it is clearly not the pacemaker causing our palpitations which could be due to the trauma of the implant procedure itself or to something else like your thyroid, electrolytes, or to another health condition?   I hope all your disturbances settle quickly but if they do not, please speak to your general doctor too for some health checks.  

Beta blockers

by Selwyn - 2023-09-25 05:34:11

It would be best to try to ascertain the cause as to what the 'palpitations' are from.  You need to get some help in that department.  Your "high BP" could also now be a  problem.  Perhaps this shoud be monitored over 24 hours? 

There are numerous  treatment options. There are plenty of beta blockers available.  Beta blockers cross the blood-brain barrier depending on their fat solubility and influence the brain (anxiety and sleep) accordingly.  Different beta blockers have different effects. There is no benefit in taking them after a pacemaker if you are not having arrhythmias or high blood pressure ( though betablockers are used for other medical conditions).

I eventually sacked all beta blockers as I could not exercise with them and they made me lack energy.  I used Flecainide for my  atrial fibrillation prevention, though this is contraindicated with structual heart disease. I also used diltiazem.

  The other thing to consider, once you know what your palpitations are from, is whether a 'pill in the pocket' type of taking a beta blocker taking would help. This means treatment is only needed when it is needed. You could always try some other meds for your blood pressure, or for whatever is causing it ( eg. loose weight if you carry excess).

Toprol XL

by Julros - 2023-09-25 11:54:44

I take Toprol, 25 mg daily, and choose to take it at bedtime. I don't notice that it interfers with my sleep. I was started on it for both intermittant afib and nonsustained ventricular tachycardia. I have since had a successful afib ablation with no recurrance for 5 months. Also, no recurrance of NSVT. 

I also have cardiomyopathy, which the toprol also is recommended. 

I HATED beta blocker, but...

by TLee - 2023-09-25 14:28:15

I take metoprolol for afib, and I was OK with it until reports to my cardiologist showed the afib was still "poorly controlled" and doubled my dose--now at 50MG x 2. I hit a brick wall of fatigue like I had never experienced. I was too tired to function. I discussed this with my doctors, both primary care and cardiologist. My PC was for trying to lower the dose, but because I was having 0 afib, cardio said wait. Well, after a miserable year or so of waiting, it seems that my body (finally!) adjusted to the medcation. I am not nearly as tired and I am able to be much more active. I guess you have to weigh the pros & cons of everything, but I would also recommend giving it some time.