Arrhythmias Support Group

atenolol will help slow down your heartbeat. for me, because i have a low heartbeat anyways, it caused it to intermittently drop down to 30 BPM or lower. doctor had me increase the dosage. after i woke up the second time on the floor, i quit taking it. there are other meds that can quiet down your palpitations, or PVC's. reducing caffeine; deep breaths; more water; walking; these are some that come to mind first.

I take attenalol for my Essential tremor and for my Atrial Tacchycardia -it is more "heart specific" than some of the other beta-blockers out there. It lowers the heart rate and the blood pressure. It makes you sleepy -so I take it before I go to bed, and it can make you dizzy if your blood pressure gets too low or if you change positions too rapidly. Hope that helps. Blessings, Teri

That is probably the most common complaint concerning Atenolol. I was on it a alittle while and had to be taken off because I could not function on it. It made me exhausted. My doctor took me off and put me on Sotalol which I was able to tolerate much better.

I was on atenolol for 2 years and recenly went off it b/c I didnt have the money to go to the dr but hopefully I will be back on it soon w/o it my heart rate is in the 150's

I had a lot of problems from atenolol when I first started taking it. Typically, the sideffects resolve within 1-2 months.
the action of atenolol is to block adrenaline from the cells of the heart. Unfrotunately it also affects other body systems.
I found the the right dose for me was not 25 but 12.5 mg twice a day.
Atenolol not only drops the heart rate, but also sometimes drops the blood pressure.
I felt very weak and tired from 25 mg twice a day. I bought a blood pressure monitor and I found out that my BP was only 80/40 or 90/50 on the med.
When I cut down on the dose, after about 2 months, the drowsiness went away and my blood pressure stabilized.
Now I just have to make sure I take my pressure and pulse daily, I have to drink alot of water and eat salt.
Ina ny case, please call your doctor regarding the way you feel. I am an RN, so I know enough to change my dose and monitor myself properly, where as most people don't have the same kind of experience with drugs as I do.
If you are not feeling well, your cardiolosit needs to know.
God luck!

I have been taking Atenolol, 25 mg twice a day, for at least 10 years now...it has been so long that I have lost count entirely. I have never felt any ill-effects from the medication. In fact, it has been a blessing. Prior to beginning it, my resting heart rate was often around 120-130, and with the Atenolol over all of these years, my resting heart rate is proudly around 60 beats per minute.

I took Atenelol from 2003-2006. Towards the end of taking it I found that I was having trouble staying awake. I was in college at the time and the only way I could stay awake in any of my classes was to have a big cup of coffee. Finally one night I felt as if I was going to pass out, my friend had a blood pressure machine. He took my blood pressure and it was really low. I drank some coke to try to increase the blood pressure, and went to see my doctor the next day. They took me off of the atenelol (I was taking it for tachycardia), and put me on a low dose of digoxin or lenoxin. The digoxin has been more helpful than the other medication, I've found.