Drug Ratings for TOPROL-XLAverage Rating: 2.5 (774 Ratings)
Compare TOPROL-XL with similar: |
Results are sorted by Gender with males listed first Key to Ratings: 1=LOW (I would not recommend taking this medicine.) |
| RATING | REASON | SIDE EFFECTS FOR TOPROL-XL | COMMENTS | SEX | AGE | DURATION/ DOSAGE | DATE ADDED |
  | F M | | | | |||
| 2 | blood pressure, rapid heart rate | This is my second entry. The last entry I was still taking the drug. I had experienced hair loss after a month or so, but the nightmares, the sleepiness was very bothersome. The loss of libido, the hairloss, all vanished after about two weeks without taking it. I returned to using clonidine, which helps hot flashes. | My husband and I both gained weight and were unable to lose weight during the time we were taking it. I was disappointed that the drug had so many side effects when it does such a great job on the BP. | F | 54 | 2 months | 2/20/2005 | 2 | HBP | Nausea, dizziness, headaches, lack of mental sharpness, memory loss, vision problems | The headaches and the fogginess are the worst part of taking this drug. Every Dr. that I have been to has only sung praises to this drug, but it makes me feel horrible. I need to find a Dr. who will give me another drug. | F | 37 | 1.5 years | 2/8/2005 | 2 | High Blood Pressure | I have takent Toprol for about a month. Tired 24/7, I snap at people at the drop of a hat, I have been depressed and I cry more than I used to. I don't think this is good but I can't get anyone to listen. They say just to give it time. This is no way to live. I'm usually a pretty happy person. Not any longer. | F | 41 | 30 days | 3/29/2005 | 2 | Rapid Heart Beat | WIEGHT GAIN! I've been sleeping for the past year. I thought it was yet another side of my depression but since I've started tapering off I'm more lucid and alert. I've been tapering off for about three weeks now...on my own. This medicine seems to have helped my bloodpressure which was only in the /80s anyway but I couldn't breath well, I couldnt function and I thought I was just getting old. | Just my opinion, but now that I'm almost off this stuff...I wouldn't ever touch it again. | F | 39 | 1 years | 5/1/2007 | 2 | hypertension-atrial fibrilla | slows one down | I recently got peyronie's - guys look it up. It is listed as a side effect of toprol even though MD didn't believe this until I showed it to him in a PDR. Tried to change to verapramil but with cholesterol meds liver enzymes messed up so back on toprol 100 mg. I also have to take 40 mg of lisinopril and 12.5 of hydrochlorate - messed up bp. I'm in good shape and not overweight. I exercise 3 x a week. When I start exercising it is hard but after 10 minutes I'm ok. Last yr. I hiked Mt Washington- a real feat for me. I am going to have ablation for afib- if anyone has had this let me know. Look up peyronie's!! Thanks | F | 60 | 12 years | 4/20/2007 | 2 | rapid heart rate, dysautonomia | dizziness, nausea, constipation, visual problems, increased panic and anxiety, out of body feeling, feelings of not being able to control movements of arms, hands, and legs, difficulty making complete sentences, difficulty typing this information. | I have had an extreme fear that something terrible is wrong with me (brain tumor, ms, parkinsons) After finding this site, I feel better. I started decreasing my dosage 2 weeeks ago from 25 mg to 12.5. I have an appointment with dr. in 10 days. I wish I knew if I could stop taking it now altogether or if I should cut the 12.5 in half. If anyone has suggestions, please email. | F | 41 | 1 days | 4/27/2007 | 2 | hypertension | Blood pressure is OK, borderline taking 50mg. I have experienced dizziness, headache (right after taking the medication), extreme fatigue, and most importantly increasing swelling of the feet and legs (cannot wear shoes). At this point, I've been instructed by the doctor to reduce the dosage to 25mg for a week to see if the swelling goes down. | It worked for a year for a co-worker, until she could not take the stomach problems any more. The doctor says that the swelling is unusual, but I see lots of people experiencing it. | F | 52 | 3 months | 6/6/2005 | 2 | HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE | DIZZINESS, CLOGGED EARS, EXTREME TIREDNESS, GAS. I HAVE BEEN TAKING THIS FOR ABOUT 9 MONTHS, THE FIRST WEEK A BLACKED OUT TWICE, i FELT BETTER WITH THE HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE | F | 49 | 9 months | 6/19/2007 | 2 | HBP | weight gain, chest pain, hard to catch my breath, tired all the time, increased gas and gas pain, increase back pain. Anxiety!!! easy to anger, hard to determine if it was my heart or just heartburn | was only taking the 50 mg. Dr. told me to take 1/2 tablet for 3 days then to start taking Diovan. Today's the first day completely off the Toprol and I feel much better already! | F | 43 | 5 months | 6/26/2007 | 2 | high blood pressure | buzzy head, jelly legs, foggy brain. Worst headache of my life when I first started. Tired, sleepy, visual and sleep disturbances, very sensitive to motion, crying with no warning and for no good reason. No appetite but weight gain thru the waist and stomach, dizzy, diarrhea, palpatations. The cold hands and feet have subsided as have the vivid dreams. What is weird is I don't have every symptom every day so never know when I can function and when I can't. | Started on 25mg per day, have cut back to 12.5. Most of the time my blood pressure is fine; some days the systolic pressure is high. I like that it has lowered my pulse rate and seems to have an anti anxiety effect. Before this I was on Benicar and Clonidine and that was much worse. Am afraid to go back to the doctor for fear of being put on something with more side effects. He told me that none of these meds has side effects and if not for this web site, would think I was crazy. This is the only medication I am on. | F | 65 | 5 months | 7/2/2007 | 2 | High Blood Pressure | Irritability, loss of energy, weight gain, depression, wheezing, coughing, nightmares, headaches. | Being on this was a miserable experience. I do not take medications, because my system has a weird reaction to them, and it did not like Metoprolol at all. I felt terrible, and after being off it 3 days, I feel much better already. | F | 38 | 1 months | 3/30/2008 | 2 | SVT(sinus), MYP, irregular heartbea | Loss of hair, weight gain, fatigue, chest pain, shortness of breath, sudden drop in blood pressure then it shoots back up, ALL OVER THE PLACE, I need this medication, but the side effects are awful. I'm anxious and I have to get on some anti-anxiety meds. I don't like that because I'm a drug addict and I have to stay off addictive medication. My body is dependent on Topral and I hate it. I feel like my heart is going to stop working on this medication. Don't take it if you don't have to. | Only works well for a short % of people. do your research before you start this med. Oh if your anemic around that time of the month, consider cutting your dosage in half. You blood pressure will drop and pulse rate will go up. You'll become very ill, very quick. | F | 29 | 4 months | 6/28/2008 | 2 | PVCs | Burning/itching on arms & hands, depression, nausea, bad dreams, fatigue & insomnia | At 25mg per day, no problems taking the drug the first 2 days except for the dreams, and it diminished the PVCs. On the 3rd day, severe itching and burning feelings started on hands & arms, along with nausea. By the 4th day, the PVCs were back as often as before, along with all the other symptoms including depression. After the 5th day with no letup in symptoms, I decided to stop cold turkey. The PVCs were the same, and I hated the side effects, so why take it? Dr. said they'd be "weaning" me off someday anyway, so I guess I beat them to it! | F | 50 | 5 days | 8/3/2008 | 2 | arrhythmia | acid reflux, headaches, headaches, headaches, headaches ... | I have occasionally taken Toprol XL for arrhythmias. Recently, I took a single tablet of Metroprolol (50 mg) and have had headaches since! I've had to leave work early because of the headaches!!!! And BTW: while only 25mg of Toprol XL will calm my palpitations, I need 50 mg of the generic! Avoid the generic if you can!!!! | F | 43 | 1 weeks | 9/20/2008 | 2 | hypertrophic cardiomyopathy | I was on 200 mg. for 3 years - weight gain of 60 pounds in first six weeks and continued to gain an additional 90 pounds during the 3 years - finally got doc to drop dose to 50 mg. and woke up first morning on lower dose feeling like I had come out of a fog - my mind was clear. Not sure if side effects I feel (heavy legs, fatigue, aches, etc.) are due to the drug or the weight now - generic (which usually is fine for me) version did not work - had a return of symptoms (took me a month to make the connection). | F | 51 | 6 years | 8/27/2008 | 2 | SVT's/ PVC's | Very fatigued, feel like always in a fog, dry eyes, headaches, numbness in hands and feet, and very irritable. | I would recommend discussing looking into all options before deciding on this med. I am going to insist when I see my EP doctor in the next couple of weeks to wean me off. I have not felt like myself since taking this drug. | F | 37 | 7 months | 1/12/2009 | 2 | PVC's occuring in patterns | Very, very, very short of breath with very minimal exertion. Strong heartbeat in my neck. Blurred vision. Fatigue | I am in the process of changing cardiologists to get a second opinion. Scheduled for event moinitor (again). Holters don't seem to catch all the arrhythmias. | F | 49 | 3 months | 1/18/2009 | 2 | Hypertension/Palpitations | tightness in throat, numbness & tingling in hands and feet, fatigue | F | 37 | 60 days | 11/6/2008 | 2 | Hypertension | extreme fatigue, dizziness, lightheadedness, depression, weight gain, slow heart beat in the 40s. I do all the right things to control my blood pressure- very athletic, eat all the right things, no salt or processed foods, etc.- but I have a family history of HTN. | I was on 100 mg of metoprolol and 120 mg. of Diltiazem. Before finding this website I thought I was spiraling downhill. I don't have a history of depression, yet I felt so blue. I had racing thoughts, irritability, hopeless feelings, lack of motivation, and such crippling fatigue that I had to force myself through the day. I am the mom of two wonderful little girls, and I wondered why my life was so wonderful yet my outlook so bleak. After reading these reviews, I went to my PCP who tossed another beta blocker at me without any thought at all. Not confident in that thoughtless prescription, I went to a cardiologist specializing in HTN, and there I received an in-depth exam and exploration of my issues. I asked her about something I read here, that beta blockers are banned in Britain. She said not so, that they did a study and found that of all the classes of HTN drugs, beta blockers did not offer additional protection against stroke and heart disease, like other hypertensives, | F | 35 | 6 years | 11/11/2008 | 2 | heart palpitations | unbareable fatigue,drowsiness,the feeling of the drug being in your body,severe achiness (as if the flu- without the other flu symptoms. | F | 44 | 30 days | 5/3/2009 | 2 | hypertension | Almost continuous mild nausea and 'discomfort' in upper left abdomen, and difficulty swallowing (not like an allergic reaction--have had that experience--it's different!) after an increase in dose from 50 mg to 200 mg. With increase in dosage, also suffered from insomnia--waking up at 4 or 5 a.m. | In addition, two of the 3 pharma companies that were making the generic were forced to stop production due to poor quality. It was when I began using the drug from PAR that all the side effects greatly intensified. Am going to begin the brand name as soon as it arrives. Am also going to gradually decrease dosage, as I think that 200 mg is more than I need. Side effects definitely do NOT outweigh the benefits, as there are many other meds that can treat hypertension. | F | 62 | 2 years | 4/26/2009 | 2 | slightly elevated heart rate | fatigue, feelings of depression, some flu-like symptoms, heart rate would not go past 110 when i exercised. | I was only taking a tiny 12.5 mg dose and was surprised by how it affected me. My mother takes it in higher doses with no problems, so I am not sure why I reacted that way. I just don't think it is the right drug for me. The only positive thing i did notice is that my feelings of anxiety were improved taking this medication. | F | 37 | 14 days | 8/29/2009 | 2 | HTN | Dizziness, tinnitis, anxiety, blurred vision, headache | Things started out ok on this, but after 3 weeks I had to go off this medication from the side effects, which mostly cleared up within 24 hours. Also, it only decreased my BP slightly. | F | 47 | 3 weeks 25 MG 1X D | 5/10/2013 | 1 | pvcs and pacs | headache shortness of breath anxiety got worse stop sleeping I didn't have energy to do anything depression got worse i didn't know what was going until i started to read the side effects of toprol and it fitted all the symtoms i was having so i am coming off of it a little at a time it also make my blood pressure go up | please please be carefully before you let the drs put you on it | F | 62 | 3 years | 10/30/2009 | 1 | High blood pressure, tachycardia | Experienced foggy/lack of memory. Couldn't carry on conversations, at times, for forgetting what I was saying or couldn't express myself. Weight gain of 20+ lbs although eating healthy. Hair loss on top of head (usually thick). Vivid nightmares after days of sleeplessness. Tired during the day. Hard to get started in the mornings... no motivation. Tightness, painful swelling in arms and hands. Blurred/poor vision. Ringing in ears or 'white noise' rushing sound like butterfly wings. | Doctor prescribed AmbienCR for insomnia which meant sleeping through my days offs (did not take all of the time). This led to MORE nightmares when I DID sleep. Diagnosed with IBS and was prescribed Elavil which led to dry mouth and itchy skin. Became more depressed and they added Lexapro to the concoction... to hell with it. I've been off the Toprol and Lexapro for 3 days and feeling better. Having spurts of 'giggly' talking. Slept without taking Ambien, this weekend. Wondering if some of this weight gain and hair loss will improve. Personally... I wouldn't recommend these 'side effects' on anyone... won't take it again. Weaning off WITHOUT doctor's consent... he can bite me! | F | 52 | 19 months | 11/15/2009 | 1 | hypertension | When I started the drug it gave me chills and motion sickness. I was on a minimal dose of 25 mg. for blood pressure. After 4 months I started having palpitations (heart pounding but no rapid pulse) about 2 hours before next dose was due. I also had chest tightness and shortness of breath doing very little, and I do NOT have a history of asthma. I had some chest twinges with exertion, such as climbing stairs. Getting off of it was HELL! | Withdrawal from this drug was AWFUL! My doctor cut the dose in half, and on the fourth night I had palpitations, heat and tightness in my chest, shakiness, ice-cold hands and feet, and my hands were white! It felt like all of the adrenalin that had been suppressed burst through. I almost went to the ER, but the symptoms were so vague I didn't know what to do. It almost felt like a heart attack without the chest pain, or like an addict's withdrawal. In the morning I was freezing like I had the flu. My MD put me on Xanax to treat the symptoms until they calmed down. The second drop, which stopped the med, I had chills, cold white hands, and palpitations on the fourth day again, but less severe. I found out that 1 out of 100 people has a withdrawal effect from this drug. No beta blockers for me ever again!!!!!! | F | 53 | 4 months | 11/19/2009 | 1 | Resting Tachycardia | Dont take it no matter what it is old and out dated and it can KILL you and if it doesn't do that the side effects are insane and the WITHDRAWAL is HELL.. Please if you reading this do your research and get on one of the newer drugs and keep it at a very low dose so you don't have to go through what my experience of a true living nightmare has been... also remember you pay the DOCTORS to work for you and they are human not GODS.. listen to your own inner voice.. | F | 35 | 3 years | 5/25/2009 | 1 | Chest Pain and High BP | All of a sudden i started to have pain ,--very severe---in my ear and my eye watered so much, it swelled almost closed. I went to the dr. who ran many scans, and they show one of my jaws is out of line , so he called it tmj., But--I am going to get off Toprol, because I believe that Toprol is the culprit ! ! ! I have NEVER had any trouble with tmj before , so since the pain in my ear is soooo bad, I read that Toprol can cause gland and ear problems, and tinnitus. I am going to wean off. I only take 12 and 1/2 mg. , but I still think Toprol is the problem . I feel bad, and can't seem to function problem. Has anyone had ear pain on this stuff? PLEASE let me know. cbt@centurytel.net | F | 75 | 2 weeks | 7/12/2009 | 1 | HBP | This medicine is horid! Could not breathe - very short of breath, chest pains all the time, no energy, no sex drive, depressed all the time. No ambition to do anything, gave up doing most everything except work. I would come home from work and crawl right into bed and watch TV - muscle aches, headaches, dizziness, felt like I was in a fog always, couldn't think straight. I am now on Azor and trying to come off of the Toprol....that has been very hard to do. Every time my dose is decreased I get heart paplations, shortness of breath, so dizzy that I can not drive, shakiness feeling inside, and these symptoms last for 3-5 days - just in time to decrease the dose again. Once off, I will never let them put me on a Beta blocker again. | F | 47 | 5 years | 6/11/2009 | 1 | High Blood Pressure | Weight gain of 20 lbs. with no change in lifestyle, puffy all over, waking up in the middle of the night and can't get back to sleep, labored breahing during any physical exertion. | I have been taking this med for approx 4 years. I am DONE with it!! I thought it was just me feeling so crappy. I was happier and healthier before taking this drug. I will find an alternative method for treating my HBP. | F | 41 | 4 years | 4/6/2009 | 1 | Blood pressure | Suffered severe upper and lower G.I. illness. | AstraZeneca has way too much MILK SUGARS in Topol's fillers. If someone is lactose intolerant they cannot take this pill! I ended up in ER and overnight for observation as I was so dehydrated from vomiting and diarrhea. Subsequently had a colonscopy and an abdominal angiogram that both proved negative. Doctors didn't know what caused my illness...it came on right after I was on Toprol for about 2 weeks. Prelude was hideous smelly flagellation immediately after I was on it before the diarrhea and vomiting started. I e-mailed AstraZeneca and they basically blew me off. | F | 56 | 3 weeks | 4/8/2009 | 1 | Hypertension, shortness of breath | Weight gain, hair loss, insomnia, profuse sweating, ringing in ears, inability to concentrate, short term memory loss, nightmares | This drug was added to the current blood pressure med that had controlled my blood pressure for the past 10 years. I was put on Topral XL when my blood pressure started to rise. I truly believe it is (White Coat syndrome) I moved to different city and started seeing a different doctor. (I was with my previous doctor for over 20 years.) My blood pressure only rose when I went to the new doctor. I have very thick hair but since being on the drug, My hair is thinning to the point I'm almost ready to purchase a wig. I have not truly slept through the night since being on Topral XL. The sweating is horrible and embarrassing. I am on Weight Watchers and prior to starting Topral, was doing very well. Now in spite of exercising and eating according to my WW plan, instead of loosing, I'm gaining weekly. I have been on Topral for for 3 months an I have gained 25 poounds. My hands and feet are swollen to the point of I'm not able to wear my wedding rings. My doctor has reduced the dosage and continues to tell me that "my body just needs to adjust. The benefits out weighs the side affects." Ive taken it upon myself and I will not be refilling my prescription. I have been weaned to 12.5 mq once a day and I'm going to take it every other day and eventually discontinue Topral all together. I can not take the insomnia, because it causes me to be cranky and irritable and tired during the day. I'm going to loose my job if I don't discontinue taking Topral. | F | 51 | 3 months | 4/18/2009 | 1 | 50mg | weight gain, worsening anxiety, fatigue, joint pain, significant insomnia | I started taking this for Atrial Fibrillation, this year my doc wanted to increase it because of a slight elevation in BP at the office 130/80. I said no way and finally decided to seek another opinion. I have only one episode a year and occasional flutters which I now know may be a side effect as well. My new doc suggests coming off , so I am starting the taper. I can't wait to feel better. | F | 53 | 5 years | 8/6/2009 | 1 | SVT | I was dizzy, couldn't even get out of bed, weak, sick to stomach, threw up, blured vision, dry mouth,very low blood persure, constintly cold,sleepy all the time, whole body was sore, and still had pain and trobel breathing. The symptoms were worst then the actual epsoid itself. | I was taken toprol for bout 2 weeks and just stoped taken it myslef and felt better just like that. I dont like the meds and flet that i did not need to take the med. i was taken 25mgs and it felt like i was going to die. | F | 21 | 2 weeks | 11/26/2008 | 1 | SVT's and Lone Atrial Fib | I first noticed insomnia, stomach upset with weight loss, tingling finger tips and then came anxiety with increased palps (connected, I'm sure). The overwhelming feeling of "un" wellness is mostly how I feel with taking this med. | Hate the med with a passion! I also cannot walk my neighborhood without going into tachycardia for the first ten minutes which also affects my anxiety level. I regret the day I took the 12.5 mg's of Metoprolol as well as the 12.5 mg's of Toprol XL I currently take. I am going to wean from this 12.5 but can you cut a XL half in half? My Cardio suggested a washout from the BB and attempt at CCB. Anyone had success with this? | F | 47 | 18 months | 11/30/2008 | 1 | High Blood Pressure | Weight gain, Excessive Sweating, heart palpatations, vivid dreams, hallucinations, exhaustion, insomnia, body aches, heavy legs, depression | I took Toprol for 4 years. I gained 50+ pounds, had the worst dreams ever. They were so real, I would get out of the bed and put on my glasses to make sure I was seeing what I thought. Sometimes I would see actual performances. If I wake up and see a light, any light, even on the alarm clock, some figure would appear. I and my family thought I had lost my mind. I sweated like a maniac for no reason, you would think that I had just ran a marathon. My body ached, legs would be so heavy, especially upon waking. Sometimes I had to lay in bed longer because my legs were achy and too heavy to get up. I had brain fog, couldn't concentrate and my night vision was almost zero. I never felt like doing anything, the only thing I wanted to do was sleep. I never got a good night sleep, sometime I didnt sleep at all. Being on Toprol was HELL!!!!!!!!! I am off now and I feel like a different person. | F | 43 | 4 years | 4/19/2008 | 1 | high blood pressure | fatigue, short of breath, tired, confused, difficulty withdrawing | don't take it. | F | 60 | 5 years | 4/20/2008 | 1 | High b/p | Irritability, brain fog, chest tightness, fatique, sadness, coughing, dry throat, sweating, & itchy dry eyes. | Never took meds until stent placement & ended up with high b/p so I know it's the med. On 25mg but I'm starting to take 1/2 & ween off. I felt better before the meds! My time on earth ends with Gods decision & not before! | F | 56 | 30 days | 12/15/2008 | 1 | fast heart rate and high B/P | Get off the Toprol and the generic too. I was on the generic for one year and I have just about all the side effects that others have written about. SO, it is going to be hello Bystolic and good bye Toprol and the Generic Metoprol. Goodbye 100 mg!!! | These drugs are nasty. Might work well for some and some refuse to believe that all the side effects they have could be this medicine. I finally woke up one day and said enough for there are other medicines out there. I gained lots of weight which looks like solid fat. Nothing fits, my fingers, ankles and other parts swell. I ache in the knees, have zero energy. Have nightmares that one would think I was in a bad movie, plus I was sleepy in the day time. I would fall asleep in the chair. Since I have been on Bystolic for four days, not much has changed, except peace of mind, but I think the Bystolic will work if I have to go to 10 mg, from the 5, I will. I WILL NOT take Toprol or the generic Metoprol again-it just did too many bad things to me, just like it did most all the other people who have written in this site. There are too many other medicines out there to continue to take this medicine. I wish I had been brave enough to stopped it long ago and maybe this roll of fat around my | F | 60 | 1 years | 12/21/2008 | 1 | SVT/Palpitations | extreme fatigue, trouble breathing | I had an ablation seven years ago for SVT and have been mostly symptom free since then. I was hospitalized for palpitations and erratic heart beat two weeks ago and after one day on a halter monitor was prescribed metoprolol 25mg. I have been beyond exhausted since taking it. Was initially told to take it in the mornings but could not make the 45 min. drive to work. I switched to taking it at night but no amount of sleep gets rid of my exhaustion. I feel clumsy, sleepy, and am very quick to tears which is very unusual for me. I'm trying to get another rx, but would honestly much rather have another ablation than continue feeling like a zombie. | F | 24 | 2 weeks | 1/15/2009 | 1 | high blood pressure in dr's office | Exhaustion, loss of hair, dry mouth, joint pain, heavy legs, loss of ambition coupled with depression, low libido and other side effects too numerous to mention. | Dr. did not believe my high blood pressure was "white coat" and scared me into this medication. After 3 years of this poison I finally bought a monitor, weaned myself off the Toprol ever so carefully over time and found that it was indeed "white coat" All side effects disappeared. I feel like myself again. | F | 54 | 3 years | 1/16/2009 | 1 | Palpitations | Alot of weight gain (40 pounds in 5 years), joints ached, muscles ached, hands swelled, bloatedness, extreme fatigue, felt like I was dying a slow death | I took Toprol (generic form) for 5 years because of palpitations or SVT. The first 2 years seemed ok but didn't realize I was having night hallucinations until my husband woke up during one of them and realized that my "stories" of what went on during the night were actually hallucinations. Told the doctor and didn't believe me but changed it to Toprol XL. That is when the real problems started. My joints started aching, muscles aching to the point I couldn't walk. My hands swelled up, etc. I gained 40 pounds which I've never had a weight issue before and I was told it was because I was getting older. For my aches and pains, I was told to take 800 mg Motrin because the aches and pains happen with age!! Mind you I was only 35 at the time of my first complaints. I finally came off of it 2 months ago and I've been fine (no palpitations) and getting back to my old self. This drug is toxic!!!!! | F | 39 | 5 years | 2/3/2009 | 1 | PACs/PVCs | Listless, weight gain, depressionl, headaches, bloating | Coming off it is a weird, long process. I had to wean myself off, and am still going through the side effects of the last cut from 12.5 to 0 mg. It has been worth it, though, without a doubt. | F | 37 | 3 years | 8/26/2008 | 1 | tachycardia | It has been almost a yr. since I had an ablation done and stopped taking the toprol xl. This is to help all of you who are struggling with the side effects. ie, anxiety! Don't give up or give in. Don't let the Dr. put you on benzos or antianxiety medication, believe me it will make it worse. I know how terrible the withdrawal is, but the other medications will not help in the longrun. Don't believe your Dr. either when they tell you that the Toprol would not cause your symptoms. I wish someone would have believed me about the withdrawal and had just helped me through it mentally. I was put one everything from anti anxiety to benzos, nothing helped until I got myself off of everything. It took almost a yr. I suffered from ringing in the ears, esophageal spasms, palpatations....on and on, all from the drugs I was giving. So this is what I did... I purchased a detox hypnosis cd and listened everynight. I went on the homeopathic pharmacy website and purchased some the the products | F | 69 | 1 months | 9/4/2008 | 1 | High Blood Pressure | Weight gain, major depression, feeling like I didn't want to leave my house, no energy, anxiety | This is the worst medication I have ever taken and I will never take a beta blocker again. I was on 25mg for about 2 and a half months. I made my doctor wean me off of it. I went from 25mg to 12.5mg for a week then half of that for a week. I have been off of them completely for a week and still having extreme anxiety and some depression. Does anyone know how long it takes to completely get out of your system? Thanks, Kim | F | 41 | 2 months | 9/8/2008 | 1 | htn/mvp/ and to slow my heart rate | gained about 18 lbs within 5 mos | i 1st started taking this rx back in oct. '07, it has helped out with slowing my heart rate and with palpitations due to my mvp, but the weight gain is outta control. i've always been dieting and aware of my weight, but since taking this drug, my weights gone up almost 20 lbs. my appetite has increased and my desire to workout is just not there. my dr. is switchin drugs, so hopefully, i can get my weight back under control, but keep my bp down, slow the heart rate, and keep the palpitations to a minimum. | F | 30 | 8 months | 8/6/2008 | 1 | High Blood Pressure | I was taking Toprol for 6 months and began having Premature Ventricular Contractions (PVCs) and heart flutters. Thank you all for sharing your experience with this medication. A few months ago I decided to stop taking it. I first started taking 1/2 a dose for a week, then the next week I took half of that and then the next week 1/2 of that dose. The next week I stopped entirely. I immediately felt better, more energy I've lost weight but best of all the number of PVCs started to decrease. I still had them and I was also taking Diovan so about a month later I stopped taking the Diovan too. I don't recommend stopping all blood pressure medications but I had to try to elminate these, to see what was causing the problems with my heart. After stopping the Diovan, I felt about the same, still getting occasional PVCs. As time went by though, I noticed they were coming less and less. It took about a month but I have not had any PVCs at all for awhile now! It seems as though Toprol s | I can't say if my experience applies to everyone but personally I had serious cardiac problems with PVCs while on Toprol. I had to wear a holter monitor which also showed this. I am blessed with a wonderful doctor who is supportive and willing to work WITH me to get to the root of the problem. She explained that she felt the Toprol slows the heartbeat and that my body was trying to compensate for that. She felt it best that I should not go back to taking the Toprol or that class of drugs since she felt my body didn't handle the Toprol well. If you've never had heart flutters and PVCs and started taking Toprol, and are now having heart problems, please check to see if Toprol might be the issue. | F | 53 | 6 months | 8/11/2008 | 1 | High Blood Pressure | Weight gain, swelling, hair loss and shortness of breath. | If a medication does more harm to your body that good. what is the use. these side effects I believe can be dangerous over a long period of time. Take control of you health. eat right and exercise. I have been off this medication now for 2 weeks and I am feeling so much better | F | 62 | 6 years | 3/25/2009 | 1 | Migraines | Severe headache & chest pains | Was on the metoprolol extended release for approx. 6 mos. when I was told they no longer could get it. They substituted the Toprol-XL and I spent 2 nights in the hospital with severe chest pains, extremely dangerous blood pressure readings & the worst headache I've ever had. After 3 days of vomitting and going thru withdrawl (I was reducing the dose by 1/2 during that time) I started a new medication. Due to change I'm now facing a number of issues trying to get back on track. | F | 40 | 7 days | 2/23/2009 | 1 | Resting Tachycarida | Boy I tell you what got on 50 mg of Toprol XL and my body adjusted very quickly because heart rate went up and got taken up to 100mg still did ok, it controlled my heart rate and bp (even though I didn't and don't have high bp), accept weight gain about 25lbs. And it was fast also had funny pains in my chest and acid re flux which I never had before. Then I was put on a Hormone called Yaz and it made my heart soar, but the docs didn't want to see it that way and raised me up another 100mg and then my HELL began!! Trouble sleeping, couldn't lose weight no matter what regime I was on, constipated, dizziness, light headedness, major anxiety, and then one night I went blind, it went away but I dropped 50mg immediately. Then still had problems I got off the Yaz but my body had got to adapted to the High dose of meds and since I didn't have high BP it started to soar my bp up and down insane up's and downs'. And my heart rate would go soaring if I started moving around to much. Finally coul | STAY OFF this DRUG | F | 35 | 3 years | 2/22/2009 | 1 | High Blood Pressure/High Heart Rate | Weight gain, depression, no energy | I have been on this medicine for almost 6 years and have complained countless times to my doctor how unhappy I am with it. He refuses to change my medicine! My blood pressure readings are still high. Maybe he gets a kick-back from the makers of the drug. I am being forced to seek a new doctor. | F | 32 | 6 years | 3/7/2009 | 1 | High Blood Pressure | Headache, hair loss, weight gain, depression, no energy or sex drive, earache, moodiness, jitters, hallucinations, memory loss, confusion, just overall feeling of being in a dark hole. It was terrible :(. | I took this for a month, and it was the worst month of my life. I was prescribed 50mg, but my Doctor told me to start on 25mg, because of how my system doesn't handle medications well. It was a horrible month, and I'm so glad to be off this medication. NEVER will I take it again. I stopped taking this and within 3 days, I started to come out of the fog, and after a week off it, I feel 95% better. I haven't had a headache in a week and my ears are not hurting either. This medication is the pits. | F | 38 | 1 months | 4/3/2008 | 1 | prevention of migraines | I've been on this medication for about 1 1/2 yrs or so after being taken off of Inderal, another beta blocker. I have gained so much weight it's unbelievable. It did subside the headaches, however, my stomach has extended now, I have heartburn so bad, I'm on prevacid for acid reflux now. I started out taking 50 mgs. I have cut myself down to 25. I am now being weined off . My Dr. said to take every other day for 1 to 2 weeks. | I will never get back on any beta blocker again unless it's for a life threatening disease. I'll live with the headaches and hope I lose the weight. | F | 58 | 1 years | 3/30/2008 | 1 | HBP | Horrible asthma type breathing problems, heart racing and an increase in B/P. Leg pains, exhaustion, insomnia and nightmares. | Was on Toprol for 5 years 25Mg, then 50Mg, then 75 Mg, then back down to 25Mg - now weaning off. Horrid drug and weaning off is HORRIFIC. I wish I had never gone on this medication. | F | 34 | 5 years | 3/4/2008 | 1 | headaches & anxiety | I have had on and off head pressure everyday. Cold hands and feet. I always feel cold. Jittery. Didn't help my blood pressure seems to make it higher. I just feel like crap on it. | I have been weaning off for 3 days. I started at .25mg and now I am at 3 quarters of a pill. St this dosage I think I am have withdrawls. I have bad chills. Last night I went to bed and just kept shaking. I wake up feeling more anxious and jittery. | F | 42 | 2.5 months | 2/9/2008 | 1 | rapid heartbeat | sweating ,cold hand and feet, leg cramps, blurred vision, not sleeping maybe 2 to 3 hours a night, NO SEX DRIVE. | Side effects so bad i thought i was going to die. Dont take this medicine unless you feel you need it. Iwas taking generic toprol. | F | 47 | 3 months | 2/9/2008 | 1 | high blood pressure/rapid pulse | I too feel like I am going insane. High anxiety, I worry about everything. They put me on ativan for the anxiety, but told me not to take too much as it is addictive. I am trying to cut down on the dosage (I take 100mg). It has made me even more anxious, making my heart race. Does this go away? Also have gained weight. | F | 61 | 9 days | 2/18/2008 | 1 | HBP | 25mg to 50mg to 75mg and then back down to 25mg (over the course of 5 years) - severe breathing problems that developed after being switched to the generic and then back to the regular. | Does not help my HBP - I am currently weaning off and the withdrawl is HORRID. Migraines, head pressure, eye strain, heart racing and pounding, chest tightness. I have (3) more days to go then off completely. Anyone know how long it takes for the effects to go away and when I can expect improved breathing? Thank you. | F | 34 | 5 years | 2/20/2008 | 1 | High Heart Rate & Initially Thyroid | I am currently experiencing the following: Terrible anxiety that does not stop, panic, high heart rate, stomach cramps, nausea, stomach burning, dry throat at night, tight throat, trouble eating, strange dreams, trouble sleeping, trouble concentrating, ears popping when I swallow, etc. | Can anyone give me some advice? My original dose was 25 mg per day at night. I am down to 12.5 mg per day at night. I have been to the emergency room, which did not help. I am also on Xanax, Prevacid & a Birth Control pill. My doctor does not know whether to quadruple my dose or get me off of this stuff. | F | 37 | 2 months | 1/10/2008 | 1 | arrythmia | general lethargy and numbness in hands and feet. | This drug is poison to the system. I don't know how companys can keep it on the market. I was only on it for a month at a very low dose 1/2 of a 25 mg. tab at bedtime. I stopped taking it in Oct of 2007 and have been suffering ever since. Not from heart anything, but from adrenoline rushes. Don't ever use the word anxiety or your Dr. will think you are crazy. I used the word and my Dr. has had me on more medication for anxiety. It has been unbelievable!! Now she wants me to see a shrink. Well guess what..I do have an appt. with an endocrinologist, but in the meantime I have been doing some research...guess what really helps the adrenoline rushes? Aleve. It blocks the hormone that causes pain and adrenoline. Can you believe it? I have been symptom free for a week now and am sooooo thankful. I used to feel like an electric current was running through my body and had a god awful whine in the back of my head. For those of you who have your Drs. permission to get off of Topro | F | 68 | 28 days | 1/2/2008 |