Coming (down) off Beta Blockers
Discussion
Interested to hear from anyone who's been temporarily on beta blockers, or - of course - from one of the expert docs who help so much around this part of PH.
Background: Best friend being investigated for breathlessness, was put onto beta blockers (Bisoprolol) and aspirin as a precaution while ECG, CT scan and Echo-CG done, etc. No issue found so referred back to GP and simply told "can stop taking BB and aspirin".
5 days later (last Sunday night) we're in A&E (friend suffering scary palpitations and NHS 111 said go straight there) and after a five hour wait to see a doctor, another ECG, BP check, etc... "we can't find anything wrong, possibly it's a 'rebound' from stopping the beta blockers".
After another episode of palpitations yesterday, we do more googling and turn up various online "clinics" advising that Beta Blockers should be withdrawn gradually (e.g. half daily dose for a week, then half dose every other day for another week, etc.).
So, was "just stop" as wrong as it now seems, or is that usually ok?
Background: Best friend being investigated for breathlessness, was put onto beta blockers (Bisoprolol) and aspirin as a precaution while ECG, CT scan and Echo-CG done, etc. No issue found so referred back to GP and simply told "can stop taking BB and aspirin".
5 days later (last Sunday night) we're in A&E (friend suffering scary palpitations and NHS 111 said go straight there) and after a five hour wait to see a doctor, another ECG, BP check, etc... "we can't find anything wrong, possibly it's a 'rebound' from stopping the beta blockers".
After another episode of palpitations yesterday, we do more googling and turn up various online "clinics" advising that Beta Blockers should be withdrawn gradually (e.g. half daily dose for a week, then half dose every other day for another week, etc.).
So, was "just stop" as wrong as it now seems, or is that usually ok?
Dave2P said:
5 days later (last Sunday night) we're in A&E (friend suffering scary palpitations and NHS 111 said go straight there) and after a five hour wait to see a doctor, another ECG, BP check, etc... "we can't find anything wrong, possibly it's a 'rebound' from stopping the beta blockers".
?
Just a note for your friend.?
I had similar back in 2017
A couple of vìsits similar to above, "nothing wrong with you"
Did anyone put a stephascope to his chest?
I only ask as a month after several visits a nurse heard my leaky heart valve.
Missed on several visits where ECG's were done which didn't pick it up.
Dave2P said:
So, was "just stop" as wrong as it now seems, or is that usually ok?
There's bound to be an element of dosage & duration affecting what you'd then do for withdrawl.But it wouldn't exactly be a surprise for a GP to get it wrong and skip an important detail around how to stop.
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