Yep I've been taking it for several years. My dose has increased over time, I'm now taking 200mg / day. At first it seemed to really help with afib, now not so much - diminishing returns I guess. But it does keep my BP right around 110/75 and my resting HR around 50, and both of those things feel pretty good to me.

It's generally a well-tolerated beta blocker. If you go into the ER complaining of heart-attack-like symptoms, metoprolol is likely one of the first drugs they'll give you.

A lot of people complain of fatigue with metoprolol, but I never had that problem. I think it has a milder side effect profile than some other beta blockers, but your mileage may vary.

I'm also on Metoprolol 25mg twice a day. Not sure what it does for Afib. I guess I've only had one episode while on it so that's good. Right? It keeps my resting rate around 60. I try to get my heart rate up when exercising and only make it to about 118. Not sure about any side effects. I'm on so many meds and feel all kinds of crappy so it's hard to fault a single medication or any at all for that matter.

They started me on it at the ER, I was very fatigued as it lowered my BP. My PCP lowered it to 75 mg. Succinate and it seems to be better. The cardiologist offered to change it to something else but as I am getting use to it and have not had an episode in two weeks not going to mess with it. We will revisit it next month.

laurab

I was on Metrop after first few episodes. I tolerated it well. 25mg twice a day, sometimes just at night. When it didnt keep me out of AF, I asked Cardio about it. He shook his head, probably wont keep you out, but it makes me feel better about your rate.

Thanks for taking the time to help. you're the best!!

Well it works for me I found out ghe hard way. I am scatter brain enough but heart going all over the place versus being slightly more scattered than befoe is worth it.

laurab

Can I vent a little here about my Metropolol? I was put on a small dose to begin with, but had to increase over time. I was up to 75mg. 3x day but had to decrease because it was making my muscles weak plus I was almost passing out from that dose. But no heart symptoms on that dose. Then I was decreased to 50mg. 3x day. I had several drs, pharmacist, tell me that if I had to take more than 50mg. 2x day then I should switch to another med. I was told by one dr. during an appt. that the dose I was on was fine, that he had other patients taking more than that and did fine. The next time I saw him, he told me to only take it twice a day, and skip the afternoon dose because that high a dose could stop my heart! I've tried decreasing and can take 37mg. in a.m. and afternoon, but at night I need the 50mg. I was also told by a specialist that once my heart rate was in the 80's, that my body was too used to the med, so I might need a higher dose and could take up to 100mg. 3x day. My PCP told me to only take 25-50mg. once or twice a day. Well, that definitely won't cut it. I guess I just have to go by what my body reacts to, huh? It is making me tired, after tolerating it well for over a year.
Well, hope to get my monitor next wk. and see what's going on. If I want to have symptoms, all I have to do it decrease it for a while.

My symptoms are.....feeling like my breathing is labored, like I'm exercising, then I feel palpitations, then the dizziness starts. After about an hour of that it feels like torture. Some times I feel fluttering. Some times my heart rate and BP will slowly climb over two or three hrs. It's like that almost constantly without med. I have also had three episodes of full on fast fibrillation when on the med. The first time was 10 min., the second half an hour, the third an hour.
Well, I hope this makes sense. Am just frustrated and had a hard day, I think from the Metrop making me so fatigued. Thanks for reading. At least I can vent and usually there's someone who understands. :)

graciesgirl: Everyone is different. I'm 235 lbs, and was on metoprolol for over five years. When I first started the cardio put me on 50 mg once a day. My heart rate went to 38 BPM at rest and my ankles swelled. She said, guess that was too much. So then I would cut the pill in half, and was taking it at night. When I woke up, I would be lightheaded with low blood pressure. So I started taking the pill in the mornings, that worked much better ...then I had a stroke and ablation and was able to eliminate the metoprolol for four months afterwards. Then my heart started getting irregular again, so I take a metoprolol when I feel an episode, that seems to work for me. Now I'm taking a drug for recently discovered hyperthyroidism. My heart is feeling better and I sleeping better. Haven't had to take a metoprolol since I started the thyroid suppression drug.

Like I said, everyone is different, each body reacts to the drugs in their own unique ways. BTW, I work out in the gym 3 hours 3x week and virtually never have issues in the gym, beyond what one would expect from working out.

Gracie writes ". I was also told by a specialist that once my heart rate was in the 80's, that my body was too used to the med, so I might need a higher dose"
Most meds require that adjustment, usually to the higher dose. Makes it all the more difficult to stop if you decide to. Interesting that one of the first treatments for AF was Digitalis, which came from the plant Foxglove. For every med, with the exception of insulin and epilepsy, there is a plant/herb that will provide the same results without side effects.

I think I've read on here before that our response to metoprolol could even differ depending on whether we are on the slow-release, long-acting, once-a-day dose (succinate, maybe?) or the kind that is made to be taken a couple or few times a day (tartrate?).

I know that when I was first on it, it was 50mg of the extended kind, then upped to 100mg of the same when they saw the results of my treadmill test, then lowered to 25mg once a day when they added flecainide due to the afib.

I have never really had any side effects from it, but then again, I had been on another beta-blocker for hypertension for about a decade earlier in life. It seemed to work just fine to control my rate.

I hope it is going well for you, Juniebe.

I wonder if Graciesgirl might be getting too much conflicting advice due to too many doctors involved in the decision. My PCP always defers to the specialists when it comes to any meds she had not personally prescribed.

I have taken 25mg twice a day for 3 and 1/2 years, both before and after my ablation. I really don't know if it helps, but I don't want to make changes since I am doing ok.

Gah! he gave me the extended release, which I don't think will be of any help, as I'm already on Coreg 2X day. I will quit the Coreg and start the 50 mg Met once a day, but I really have my doubts after what I've read here. Some cardios really aren't that good, guess you need an EP. But this guy is so highly recommended and supposed to be so all that at Johns Hopkins I really thought he would know.

Juniebe: Johns Hopkins? That should get you in Dr. Hugh Calkin's door. I had an appointment with him once. Very personable and knowledgeable. petey

Petey, I'm lucky enough to have an appointment with him in March.

Finding out that maybe the metropolol is causing my a-fib! And they have me on the timed released kind three times a day! I have decreased the dose and have had no dizziness, or a-fib symptoms (a bit of fluttering) since I decreased. I don't feel so heavy either except for after I take my one dose a day. It's at night, so I sleep through most of it. I sure hope this fixes it! And to think I was taking up to 75mg. 3 x a day. No wonder I've felt awful. Surprised it didn't stop my heart.
Was able to have a great Thanksgiving (we celebrated the day after) thanks to the reduction.