Started feeling bad and different (more disoriented, numbness, sleep problems) a few days after my latest refill of metoprolol tartrate and now I notice pharmacy changed my generic brand from Mylan to Caraco. Pills look different but I've identified them as correct doses. I feel worse but I can't be sure that's it. I'm trying to get specific documentation from each manufacturer including side effect rates, but I can't seem to find it. Any advice? Anyone else had a problem with Caraco? Is there data sorted by manufacturer?
Could changing generic brand of metoprolol tartrate caused problems?
Question posted by palisades11 on 11 Aug 2012
Last updated on 4 January 2024 by dat1272
13 Answers
dat1272
4 Jan 2024
I googled complaints for metoprolol mylan and this thread came up. I have begun having the same issues of arrhythmia, breathlessness, chest pain, bradycardia, that suddenly came on after picking up my prescription refills a couple weeks ago. Since the worst symptoms start within an hour after taking my am and pm dose of metoprolol, i began to wonder if the change in manufacturer in this last refill indicated something in their formula that my body doesn't like. I experience arrhythmia with other meds when there is an intolerance. However, unlike everyone on this thread, my issues started after my pharmacy switched from the generic I've been on for the past 9 months to Mylan. Unfortunately i don't remember the name of the previous manufacturer, but the pills looked entirely different which is what made me notice the new company name.
Thought i was going crazy! Now, I can go to my doctor and pharmacist and say with certainty that mylan brand cannot be tolerated by my body. I wonder if it has more to do with the body getting used to a particular formula and then being changed suddenly to a different one. It's obvious these generics are not all following the exact same formulary.
s_profitt
16 June 2021
I recently received Caraco instead of Mylan. It was if I was not taking the medicine at all. I had heart palpitations, sweating, out of breath, etc. Fortunately, I was able to get Mylan again and have since returned to normal. I will never take Caraco again.
Momma7211
23 May 2021
I am so relieved to now learn that I am not crazy & not on the verge of having another heart attach. I had been taking (2)25mg Mylan Metoprolol (a.m & p.m) for 4yrs following my having 2 heart attacks &, subsequent, 2 stents. Had no problems with the medication until Kaiser switched the brand to CARACO a couple months ago. I started having extreme fluctuating daily BP readings at home, occa heart pain & a concerning EKG at the Nurses' Clinic --- resulting in an ambulance ride to the hosp, where I spent 2 days in the ER Cardiac Observ Unit & had many more EKGs & a 4hr Stress Test. Result: Nothing wrong-? My concerned PCP MD appro'ly increased my heart meds & prescribed a 3rd BUT--- BPs, irreg heartbeat readings & heart pain have worsened. I am eager to share all of your comments with him this week. Need Mylan. MYSTERY SOLVED !!!
LiamNana
8 Dec 2020
Went to pick up my medication from Walmart and was horrified to see it has DOUBLED in price! I asked why and pharmacist told me it was a different manufacturer and they were out of the original. I was out of medicine so I had to take it. The "new" manufacturer was Caraco and when I looked at the last bottle (empty) it was Milan. There was a difference! I felt sick to my stomach after taking the Caraco and did have some strange heart thumping with the new Caraco medicine that I never did with the Milan. We have to wonder what is going on with the change, the DOUBLE in price and Walmart. I'll not accept Caraco in my next prescription.
I, too am glad to see that it is not just me and we must do something about this.
LiamNana
8 Dec 2020
By the way, my medication is not for heart medication. I'm very disappointed these days in Walmart Pharmacy and the entire industry.
GrannieLinda
1 July 2019
I merely googled a question about changing Metoprolol manufacturers and this was the first thing that popped up. I am so relieved to find other people with similar complaints and that I am not alone or crazy. In February 2019, my PCP switched me to 25 mg of Metoprolol Tartrate twice a day, because I had been cutting a 50 mg pill of the same drug in half. I tried using up the 50 mg tabs I had on hand, but for convenience, switched to the 25 mg tabs. I began having distinct arrhythmia and occasional shortness of breath and my heart rate was in 30's and low 40's, so, of course I called my family doctor. Because I was "symptomatic" I got sent to the ER and enjoyed the hospitality of the 'short stay' unit for 48 hours. And $$$ not covered by Medicare and my supplemental. They could find nothing wrong with my heart. Recently, I realized that perhaps 20-30 minutes after taking the 25 mg pill, I felt anxious with flip flops in my chest.
No pain but very disconcerting. Tonight I began reading the book BOTTLE OF LIES and realized I should look and see who the manufacturers were of my two different doses. The 50 mg was MYLAN and the 25 mg was Curaco/Sun. To be sure, I went back to cutting the 50 mg MYLAN tab in half and took a half-tablet 2 hours ago. Absolutely no pounding heart, no nothing. I would swear on a stack of Bibles that it is the manufacturer, Curaco.
1221421
7 Feb 2019
I had taken Mylan since April 2015 with no problems. My Drug policy Humana has a relationship with Walmart Pharmacy so, I switched from CVS (Mylan) to Walmart and they did not carry Mylan. I was told all generics are the same. Wrong!
Walmart gave me Metoprolol Tartrate 25mg from Alembic Pharmaceutical. I developed rapid heart beat but it came and went so, I continued to take it. Then Walmart switched in December 2018 to Caraco and after 3 days got very sick with a G.I. problem. I ended up having to get an ultrasound. I was sick for over a month. I've never had any G.I. problems in my life and am very healthy. My Gen Doctor said she hadn't seen me since 2015 because I never get sick so, she sent me to get an ultrasound. I go to a cardiologist for BP meds. This is the first Rx I've had in 30 years. I'm a newbie as far as Rx is concerned because I've always been so healthy.
I called Walmart and told them I needed Alembic back because I had serious G.I. problems with Caraco. They only had 30 pills so they gave them to me and they said they can't order Alembic anymore. Now I can't get a benefit from my drug policy because Walmart keeps changing Pharmaceuticals looking for the cheapest drugs I suppose. This has totally screwed up my Drug Policy as well.
I'm looking at going back to CVS and asking for Mylan and hoping my CVS will be able to fill my RX in the future consistently with Mylan because these pharmacies should not be playing games with people's health by changing Pharmaceutical Companies every few months looking for deals, especially with Hypertension medication !
emmett97
18 Jan 2018
My pharmacy switched my Metoprolol from Mylan to Caraco and within days I felt like my heart was doing cartwheels. It would race and then I would feel irregular heartbeats. I always maintained a good blood pressure while on the Mylan brand and had no side effects. I took my blood pressure and it was 167/100! It was a struggle to find a pharmacy that still has the Mylan brand, and when I did, within 5 hours, my heart was back to normal, and my blood pressure is now 125/78. I know they say the pills are the same from brand to brand, but the inactive ingredients are not, and not everyone's body absorbs the medication properly when the inactive ingredients are changed. I thought I was dying! So scary. I wanted to share this in case someone else is experiencing similar changes, I found that CVS still carries the Mylan brand.
lkng67
30 Aug 2017
I recently was switched by Walgreens to the Curaco version of Metropolol Tartrate at Walgreens when I moved by prescription from Mayo. It does not work as well. My heart is racing 8 to 10 hours later. My 50 mg pills are making me anxious.
Charlotte Hughes
28 May 2017
I am having similar problems. I am call g pharmacist andc doctor if need be.
louise 2
28 May 2017
I had to change pharmacies to get mfg. by Mylan. My BP has leveled out and I am only taking half of 25mg twice a day.
Catherine2727
27 July 2017
Had four nightmare days (and especially nights right after taking it) from exactly this switch. My heart was beating so hard and so irregularly accompanied by weakness and malaise, that it felt like I needed a bypass or was having a coronary. Began to suspect a connection with the change in generic, and saw this blog.
Yesterday morning my husband went and got what the pharmacy had on hand of the old generic (18 tablets). Aside from the sensitivity from the strain on my heart from taking the substitute generic those days, actually the first good night without irregular heartbeat.
After talking to a lady of my acquaintance and her mother last night found out she also had exactly the same reaction to a switch in manufacturer for Metoprolol Tartrate earlier this year. Her pharmacist told her it was not uncommon.
She told me her pharmacist noted it in her profile, and they did the same for me this morning. Most of the time if you tell them you will switch pharmacies, they will somehow make provision and come up with the medicine you need.
Appreciate again this site. It let me know that what I was suspecting was also experienced by others.
louise 2
12 May 2017
My pharmacy changed from Mylan to Carac. After 2 days my BP was out of control and I went to the ER and was admitted to hospital. The stress test showed no problems and my cardiologist blamed to much salt in my diet (which hadn't really changed that much). The only real change was the prescription. I will insist on a different mfg. now. The problem was not me.
70Vette
3 Jan 2017
Yes, I have the same symptoms. I especially noticed after and during my routine exercise. I wonder how many people have gone off to the emergency room as a result of this switch?
margechandlerjohnson
11 Nov 2012
YES! My husband was switched yesterday from the Mylan to the Curaco Metropolol and has been on the Mylan generic for at least two years with no problems. This morning, two hours after taking the Curaco generic, he started feeling disoriented, dizzy and having vision problems with the Curaco. We have called the drugstore and they agreed to special order the Mylan lab generic. Very weird.
palisades11
12 Nov 2012
Thank you - as a followup, my pharmacy said they couldn't (or wouldn't) order Mylan for me, so I switched to another pharmacy (actually another Walgreens in the chain) which carried the Mylan. When I returned to that brand my problem symptoms disappeared! Needless to say I'm sticking with Mylan, although as we know everyone is different and many will not experience any problem. But it's good to know it's possible and I/we are not crazy. Fortunately the pills look different, otherwise they would not have bothered to mention that they changed brands! The patient (or partner) needs to be vigilant!
margechandlerjohnson
12 Nov 2012
Right on. We were getting the Mylan Metropolol from another Walgreens, but this Walgreens, although they only carry the Caraco generic, told us they could order the Mylan for us and it would only take one day, which we are going to do.
kaismama
11 Aug 2012
Its the same medication, however it could be a different base, and that could be causing you trouble. I would ask my pharmacist if he can get you a list of the inactive ingredients in both pills. One might be absorbing better then the other. Or an additive could be a problem for you.
Inactive
12 Aug 2012
I think you may be right as I've never had any trouble with mylan generics. Never heard of the other manufacturer.
Peace and have a great evening,
Sweetest Hippie Chickie
Related topics
heart attack, sleep disorders, metoprolol, sleep, pharmacy, generic
Further information
- Metoprolol uses and safety info
- Metoprolol prescribing info & package insert (for Health Professionals)
- Side effects of Metoprolol (detailed)
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