Metoprolol and Dizziness: What Users Say

• Anonymous
• December 29, 2019

For High Blood Pressure "Getting off this medication is brutal. I only took it for 2 months and I was never sicker. Side effects of dizziness, blurred vision, tachycardia, chest pain, muscle weakness, and paresthesias. Getting off it took about 6 months with rebound effects of jitters, sweating, tachycardia at random. It was no different than getting off heroin. Twice while in public, the side effects were so severe other people called an ambulance and I went to the ER. This medication is lethal, at least for me. I heard some people say they felt really good on it??? You don't know until you try a med how you will react. I put it on my allergy list. There is a light at the end of the tunnel when you are getting off it. It takes time and should be done with medical supervision. It took me 6 months to get over the rebound effects. I feel like a drug addict that survived rehab and made it through!! Hang in there!"

• Lin...
• August 7, 2019

For High Blood Pressure "Beta Blocker Rebound... the Docs will tell you that this metoprolol is out of your system in 3 days. It may be out of your blood, but it is not out of the nervous system for at least 3 months. Thus... there is no longer inhibition of norepinephrine, which causes the elevated HR and the anxiety reaction. It crosses the blood-brain barrier and is lipophilic (stored in fat tissue), which stays in your system longer. Both myself and a friend of mine have weaned off this drug, and we are still having mild Rebound symptoms with elevated HR, shaky knees, and sweating. While taking the drug, the side effects were very intense. Dizzy, racing heart, muscle weakness, exercise intolerance, palpitations, constipation, flushing, etc. This is a horrible drug, and I wouldn't give it to a dead dog! Try to be patient with the rebound effects. I was told it does eventually subside so you will feel normal again. Hope and prayers for all getting off this drug!"

• Leu...
• June 27, 2019

For High Blood Pressure "Metoprolol is a horrid drug. I was started on 25mg 2x a day and only for the past 2 months. My doctor said it was a TINY dose. Nothing tiny about it. I have been so dizzy, blurry vision. So I am trying to wean off, and it's a miserable ride. I have palpitations, some chest pain. I wake in the night with ringing ears and racing heart. This is Beta Blocker rebound and I'd rather have a craniotomy. I have headaches, tinnitus, poor exercise tolerance. (I was athletic) in addition to the palpitations and chest pain. I am trying to wean at 12.5 and now down to 6.25 daily until I can ditch this horrid drug. It seems many people have had the same struggle. I pray I can get off and get back to normal soon. Good luck to all of you working hard to get off this drug."

• Don...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• June 9, 2023

For High Blood Pressure "Good quality of life one year ago. Had plenty of energy and was mentally sharp. One year later I feel horrible fatigue, loss of strength, dizziness, vision issues, loss of balance, no sex drive, and more. This drug was killing me. Stopped taking it and finally started to feel normal again. Naturally, my MD was upset I did it on my own. Do not take this drug."

• Don...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• June 9, 2023

For High Blood Pressure "Good quality of life one year ago. Had plenty of energy and was mentally sharp. One year later I feel horrible fatigue, loss of strength, dizziness, vision issues, loss of balance, no sex drive, and more. This drug was killing me. Stopped taking it and finally started to feel normal again. Naturally, my MD was upset I did it on my own. Do not take this drug."

• Mar...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• June 19, 2021

Metoprolol for High Blood Pressure "I was experiencing palpitations and higher than normal blood pressure. I have a generalized anxiety disorder that I have been experiencing since I was 30 years old. My doctor prescribed me Metoprolol Succinate ER and BAM! My blood pressure is normal and my pulse rate is back in the '70s! I have not experienced any side effects. None, zip. I have tried an alpha-blocker before, but that one gave me dizzy spells when I stand up from a sitting position, and I would feel like passing out. This medication works well for me and helps greatly with my anxiety issues as well."

• Sun...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• March 10, 2021

Metoprolol for High Blood Pressure "My blood pressure and heart rate went up several times during the winter storm in Houston, so I went to the emergency room and got put on this awful medicine. I started off on long-acting, felt horrible, got put on fast-acting and still feel bad. I have just about every symptom they have on their page - weakness, fatigue, dizziness, itchy skin, off-balance, panic attacks, can't sleep, blood pressure drops low, pulse drops too low, joint pain, muscle aches, hair coming out, headaches, scalp hurts to even gently pull my hair, etc. I go to the doctor soon, I have to get off this stuff. I feel horrible, no energy, and I have a 6-month-old to look after."

• Deb...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• June 5, 2021

Metoprolol for High Blood Pressure "I was on Toprol-XL and experienced many of the 41 side effects listed on the website but not included with the warning label. I experienced nausea, diarrhea, heartburn, dry mouth, drowsiness, fatigue, insomnia, anxiety, lightheadedness, cold feet & hands, shortness of breath, wheezing, fluttering heartbeat, shortness of breath with mild exertion, dizziness, loss of appetite. I went to the doctor and ER several times fearing a heart attack but was found to be in good health. No one knew what was wrong until I researched and found all my symptoms under this medication. I stopped 2 days ago and blood pressure is now normal and most symptoms have gone away and improving. It takes about 7 days to feel normal per the website. I will NEVER take this medication again. Be careful, the side effects mimic other potential health issues. See your doctor and seriously look up side effects of Toprol-XL. A very nasty medication!"

• Anonymous
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• June 14, 2023

For High Blood Pressure "This drug has terrible side effects: 50 mg. I had bad chest pressure, shortness of breath, dizziness, swollen legs, ankles, and feet, depression, extreme tiredness, on and on. It did not lower my pressure, it actually increased my readings to over 200."

• MWa...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• December 25, 2020

Metoprolol for High Blood Pressure "I have been on this drug for 2 years. I have ringing ears, blurred vision, bloated feeling all the time, and gained 15 pounds. I'm going to get off this drug. I have taken 50mg twice a day. The first year I also had dizziness issues when getting up from a lying position. Not to mention diarrhea. This is a horrible drug."

• gre...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• October 18, 2022

For Atrial Fibrillation "About 2 months ago, I started having issues with my heart beating fast and many more symptoms. 2 weeks ago, my new heart doctor (never had to go to one before) put me on 100 mg metoprolol right off the bat. The first day I literally passed out. I called my doctor, and he bumped me down to 50 mg. I've only been taking 25 mg. Every day I take it around noon, and within 2 or 2 1/2 hours, I can feel when it kicks in fully. My side effects I've experienced so far are: extremely fatigued, heart feels like it's beating out of my chest, nightmares, intimacy issues, vertigo, constantly feeling sick like I'm going to pass out, weak, tired, feet are freezing, and I have trouble sleeping. I go to the doctor in 3 days, and I'm going to inform him (even more than I already have) that I want off this medicine. I'm hoping to figure out the cause of my original problem and how to fix it, since instead of one issue, I now have about 12 issues daily. I would never suggest this medicine to anyone, it is absolutely horrible."

• MJE...
• October 3, 2016

Metoprolol for High Blood Pressure "Metoprolol 75mg daily. Dizzy & off-balance, nausea, weight gain, joint pain, extreme fatigue with breathlessness, hair loss. I accidentally cut down on taking it when I had the flu. Lost 10 lbs due to hardly eating for 1 1/2 weeks. Noticed that I was thinking more clearly, had no nausea, joint pain was pretty much gone, and I had more energy. Checked BP, and it was still in the normal range. Am weaning myself off and am down to 25mg daily as I continue working to diet. Easier to lose weight now, too. I can breathe much more normally now and have better balance."

• Anonymous
• April 21, 2020

For Atrial Fibrillation "Usually during exercise my heart rate will go anywhere from 130-199 within 15-30 min of exercise. Almost every time after my workout, my heart will send off PVCs for a few hours. I come from a strong family history of heart disease on both sides of the family. One day after my workout, I started getting PVCs and felt extremely dizzy. I went to the hospital where I was diagnosed with AF. This was not a huge shock as the majority of my family have it. I was given a low dose of metoprolol (12.5 mg, one in the AM and one in the PM). I've been on it for a couple of days now, and I'm ready to throw in the towel. I feel dizzy approximately 3 hours after taking it, light-headed, occasionally nauseous, with tightness and shortness of breath. My heart rate has dropped to around 50 bpm, which is low for me considering my usual heart rate was 70/80. My anxiety is through the roof. I don’t like the feeling I am getting. I am cutting my dosage to one in the morning only to see how I go until I can speak with my doctor about it, as you cannot stop these tablets abruptly."

• Jac...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• June 13, 2023

Metoprolol "I have good reason to believe that Metoprolol gave me Vestibulo-Ocular Reflex Dysfunction. I was taking 12.5 mg twice per day for tachycardia and bounding pulse caused by ADHD medication. I had only taken four doses when the dizziness started on March 9th. Although dizziness is a common side effect of beta blockers, this dizziness was and still is one of the most debilitating things that I have ever experienced. It's persistent from the moment I wake up to the moment I go to sleep. A constant sensation of swaying, as well as a false perception of objects in the environment moving, even when they are not. I discontinued it on the day the dizziness started, but I have had little to no improvement since then."

• Str...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• January 7, 2021

For Premature Ventricular Depolarizations "No prior history of cardiac issues or anxiety, 30-year-old female, been working through COVID as a nurse, unsure if I ever had COVID. Was recently diagnosed with “stress-induced” PVC/PACs, symptomatic and pretty frequent but not enough to require any immediate treatment when I went to the ER. Thought it was anxiety, then it persisted every couple of minutes, a swift kick to my chest, losing my breath, so I gave in after almost a day of relaxation techniques. The ER doctor started me on metoprolol. Awful. They helped the symptoms, but I felt like rubbish. Dizzy, tired, my vitals were fine, but just that 10-15 point drop in my blood pressure was giving me headaches and dizziness affecting me! My resting heart rate was in the 50s, which was concerning at first, but I was asymptomatic, so no issue, it gave me anxiety though and made me restless at night. I started on 50 mg, was only taking 25 mg by the end of it after 2 weeks and was switched to propranolol. Much better after a couple of days on that medication, way fewer symptoms."

• Str...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• January 7, 2021

For Premature Ventricular Depolarizations "No prior history of cardiac issues or anxiety, 30-year-old female, been working through COVID as a nurse, unsure if I ever had COVID. Was recently diagnosed with “stress-induced” PVC/PACs, symptomatic and pretty frequent but not enough to require any immediate treatment when I went to the ER. Thought it was anxiety, then it persisted every couple of minutes, a swift kick to my chest, losing my breath, so I gave in after almost a day of relaxation techniques. The ER doctor started me on metoprolol. Awful. They helped the symptoms, but I felt like rubbish. Dizzy, tired, my vitals were fine, but just that 10-15 point drop in my blood pressure was giving me headaches and dizziness affecting me! My resting heart rate was in the 50s, which was concerning at first, but I was asymptomatic, so no issue, it gave me anxiety though and made me restless at night. I started on 50 mg, was only taking 25 mg by the end of it after 2 weeks and was switched to propranolol. Much better after a couple of days on that medication, way fewer symptoms."

• Mom...
• February 10, 2021

Metoprolol for High Blood Pressure "I am 29, female. I developed Graves’ disease/hyperthyroidism after having a baby. When my endocrinologist put me on propranolol for the fast heart rate hyperthyroidism gives, I was relieved! But once my thyroid was in normal range, I asked to be taken off due to it making my already lower blood pressure very low. So, I got off, and I noticed I still had a fast heart rate and ignored it since this is something I was used to since I was a teen. I finally got tired and pushed for answers since my endocrinologist was concerned it would eventually cause heart damage working too hard. So, of course, I freaked out. I was diagnosed with inappropriate sinus tachycardia and put on metoprolol, and 5 months in on half of 25 mg, I’m very short of breath since Christmas (NOT COVID), dizzy, beyond a normal tired, extremely cold, and lack of drive."

• RaC...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• April 19, 2015

For High Blood Pressure "Been on metoprolol for about 3 years. Yes, it's an effective blood pressure lower, but as a woman, I have absolutely no sex drive, have gained about 30 pounds, and cannot get rid of it. I also experience dizzy spells and lightheadedness all the time. Don't know what to do!"

• Dal...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• October 1, 2019

For Supraventricular Tachycardia "I was prescribed this drug in the ER for SVT and it was the worst experience ever. Before taking this drug, I would have episodes of heart racing, but I would be normal. After taking this for a week, I felt weak, dizzy, and developed chest pain. Then one day, I had such bad chest pain that I ended up in the ER. The same doctor who prescribed this at the first ER visit told me to double the dose even after I tried to explain the side effects. I doubled the dose for one day, but this was the worst experience of my life. I was throwing up, my urine was red, I was so dizzy and disoriented that I needed help to go to the bathroom, but worst of all were the tremors and the feeling like my blood was itching and tingling. My heart rate dropped to 52 and blood pressure to 90/55. I stopped taking this drug the next day but am still suffering from tremors, anxiety, and panic attacks. This may work for some, but it destroyed me."

• Hop...
• February 21, 2017

Metoprolol for High Blood Pressure "I was on 50 mg of Metoprolol twice per day and had a few high readings of 200/80 due to anxiety. Doctor raised me to 100 ER twice per day plus Losartan. I feel like a zombie. It has lowered my BP but I have several side effects listed such as dizziness, tiredness, confused at times, dry mouth, burping, and a few other side effects. I have been on this high dose of ER for 10 days, and I don't think I will be able to take this drug in such a high dose much longer. The doctor wants me to go for heart tests to find out why my pressure went so high. High blood pressure runs in my family, and I could stand to lose 20 pounds which I am trying to do."

• Che...
• August 4, 2021

Metoprolol for Supraventricular Tachycardia "I hate this medicine! I was having back-to-back panic attacks for five days straight just to find out it bottomed my blood pressure out. The worst brain fog I have ever experienced. My vision was horrible. The dizziness alone was horrific! I couldn’t understand why I had no energy, and panic set in constantly,"

• ind...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• August 10, 2019

For High Blood Pressure "So, two years ago I went on Effexor/Venlafaxine for anxiety panic disorder. I was on Celexa for 10 years prior, felt it wasn't working. Okay, so my dose was upped to 150 mg of Effexor and I ended up in emergency with my heart at 180 beats per minute. They slowed it down after two shots of two different meds and I was put on metoprolol at the hospital. Not thinking it was Effexor that it just happened and got all tests done saying I had benign supraventricular tachycardia. My BP was high, I decided to get off Effexor, which was awful, not even close to an exaggeration. My BP dropped back to normal and so did everything else. I am off of metoprolol because I was on 50 mg in the AM and PM and after I got off of Effexor it made my blood pressure very low and heart rate very low as well. I was getting really dizzy and had to lay down because everything was spinning. After I stopped, it all went away. Crazy ride. I can't live like that, no orgasms, depressed and sad, no motivation on metoprolol, weak, no energy. Pass."

• nor...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• October 23, 2024

Metoprolol for High Blood Pressure "This is a good beta blocker. It is time-released. I have a fast heart rate and high BP. Toprol-XL, when you take it, slowly releases the medication over a 20-hour period. It really controlled my BP and heart rate, and I don't feel dizzy or tired. I take the 100 mg."

• Ash...
• December 2, 2020

For High Blood Pressure "After having my last child, I was diagnosed with postpartum thyroiditis in April and placed on metoprolol 25 mg BID. At first, it was helping with my increased heart rate and elevated BP. Symptoms were mild at first: dizziness, shakiness, and cold extremities. I have been to the ER several times due to SOB or feeling like I couldn’t catch my breath. They found nothing. I recently went two weeks ago for GERD and feeling SOB. After reading all the reviews, I’m seeing why. I am always tired, stuffy nose all the time, can’t sleep, and super depressed. Went to see the cardiologist, and he told me to quit taking it because my heart is fine and BP is fine. I was scared, but I stopped taking it one day ago, and now when I get up to walk, my HR is 120-135. Resting is 90ish. This medicine has done more harm to me than I’ve realized. I pray I can get past this detox journey."

• Jew...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• May 6, 2022

Metoprolol for High Blood Pressure "This is the only medication I take. It is for high blood pressure. Since taking it, I have swollen feet, dizziness, weakness. I really don't like how I feel. I will be talking to my doctor to see if I can stop this medication."