Metoprolol and Shortness Of Breath: What Users Say

• 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!"

• 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!"

• Lil...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• February 20, 2017

For High Blood Pressure "Stay away from this drug. Real bad side effects. Tired all day. Anxiety, panic attacks. Can't breathe. Short of breath. Feels like your organs are shutting down slowly. They should lock the doctors up for prescribing this poison medicine. Wow. I thought I was dying. And I think I came close. It messes with your eyesight and all. If you die and take this medicine, it's the reason. They will say you died from natural causes to stop a lawsuit. But this medicine is dangerous. I was only taking half of 25mg, dang near killed me."

• 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."

• Mar...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• June 13, 2022

Metoprolol for High Blood Pressure "Heart rate goes to the 30s. Gives me shortness of breath, feel sick. I have no energy. Taking 50 mg Metoprolol Tartrate three times a day per doctors' orders, but I feel like I'm overdosing. I believe this medication is poison. Slowly cutting back and getting off this medication. Have to go to doctors, and they just tell me to ignore side effects. I will not ignore them, and I'm getting to where I don’t trust doctors."

• Sam...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• August 29, 2019

For High Blood Pressure "Was on a quarter of a 25mg metoprolol pill for a week. I felt like I was slowly dying. I had difficulty breathing just walking to the bathroom, nausea, headaches, I felt starving, was shaky and uneasy on my feet, was mentally out of it, my heart rate would jump from 80 to 120 throughout the day for unknown reasons and I felt like I was going to pass out at any moment. My psychiatrist put me on it to slow my heart rate to try and help my anxiety. I had been on it as a teen and was fine, I guess something changed since then. I’ve been off it for a few weeks now and I’m still feeling unwell, my eyes are easily strained and I’m getting migraines, I just want this nightmare to end, I hope I feel like myself again soon."

• Chi...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• August 13, 2019

Metoprolol for High Blood Pressure "My blood pressure (BP) since 2017 ablation and hybrid maze has been 130/90 heart rate 50 before 2 x Tikosyn, 1 x 50mg Metoprolol. I take the drugs 1 hour apart, as soon as I take the Metoprolol BP goes to 165-180/130-120, heart rate 60-70. I feel dead, fatigue, to the point of falling asleep, sedentary, short of breath...in other words all the symptoms described by all. My EP doctor said to increase the Metoprolol to 1 x 100mg, I told him my cardiologist suggested to take two 50mg when my rate increased as needed. He said to make an appointment to see the cardiologist who has known my condition for 2 months. The cardiologist said BP is not that high and recommended no changes. I am besides myself and have lost faith in my Cardiology Clinic."

• STa...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• July 12, 2021

For Supraventricular Tachycardia "This medication is absolutely TERRIFYING. I was prescribed on 07/07/2021 at a dose of 25mg 2 times a day. Today is 07/12/2021 and I had to call my cardiologist and demand that I’m taken off of this. It gives me tremors, anxiety, chest pains, shortness of breath, my legs and arms turn weird colours, I am crying randomly for no reason, it makes me extremely intolerant to heat to the point where I had heat exhaustion so badly yesterday that I was almost rushed to the ER. It’s the scariest experience with a medication I’ve ever had and even though I’ve only been taking it for a few days I’m 150% more scared than ever to stop taking it because I’m afraid of what will happen if I do. I was on propranolol for almost a year before being prescribed metoprolol and I never had any issues with it. Metoprolol literally makes me feel like my life is finishing."

• 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."

• Goo...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• January 13, 2020

Metoprolol for High Blood Pressure "My primary put me on 25 mg per day due to palpitations that started after going off of HRT patch after 25 years. Cardiologist put me on Chlorothalidone since BP was running in mid 130’s/90. The first few days were fine, then my eyes were always red and itchy, upset stomach, out of breath so much that I couldn’t even walk across the room, and terrible insomnia with horrible nightmares! Asked if I could reduce it to half. Three weeks later and nothing changed, so weaning off by taking every other day for three weeks. This is horrible, now I know why my cardiologist wanted me on thiazide for a month to see if palpitations stopped after lowering BP. By the way, my BP is still the same. I don’t have insurance."

• 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."

• Ano...
• April 26, 2012

Metoprolol for Atrial Fibrillation "I've been on Flecainide for 12 years for A-fib but have recently been having more and more episodes. So my cardiologist also prescribed metoprolol (the smallest dose possible - 1/4 of a 25mg tablet twice daily - due to my being very sensitive to other beta blockers). My blood pressure dropped (wasn't high in the first place) and my heart rate dropped to the mid/low 40s. I was also very light-headed, had low energy, some shortness of breath, and sometimes nausea. Discontinued (by doctor) after one week."

• Sem...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• October 31, 2018

Metoprolol for Supraventricular Tachycardia "Oh man, where do I begin. I am female, 52 years old, and I take 75 mg of Metoprolol a day. I have been on them for 5 years. It does a very good job of keeping my heartbeat in the 50s and 60s when resting, but it goes up too high when I get up in the morning to take a shower. I was 165 pounds when I started taking the pills, and now I am 216 pounds. It has terrible side effects like feeling very fatigued, being unable to think clearly, shortness of breath, my libido has disappeared completely, chest tightness, constipation, and blurry vision. I saw my cardiologist three weeks ago, and he is talking about doing a maze procedure. I am at a point where I would do anything to get off of the Metoprolol."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• January 29, 2015

Metoprolol for Supraventricular Tachycardia "I was having heart palpitations every day to the point where it was really scary for me. Sometimes flutters, other times skipped beats, and still others I can't explain. I had a Holter monitor and stress test, all came back fine. The cardiologist told me nothing to worry about. They gave me this med 25 mg a day, 1/2 tab in the morning and 1/2 in the evening. In the first week, I felt tightness in my chest, found it hard to breathe, and it made me extremely sleepy and spacey. I almost stopped taking the med, but I continued into my second week after my doctor told me to continue, side effects would subside. I am so glad I took their advice. It's been 2 months, and my palpitations have subsided. I get a few here and there, but not as intense. This was a miracle drug for me."

• gar...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• July 2, 2016

Metoprolol for High Blood Pressure "I can only take 1/4 of a 25 mg tablet a day, and I still get extremely tired. Any more and it makes my blood pressure go up. 1/4 tablet keeps my blood pressure pretty normal on systolic, but heart rate and diastolic are too low. I have trouble breathing."

• Roc...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• September 28, 2017

Metoprolol for High Blood Pressure "Went to have foot injury x-rayed at urgent care and spiked a blood pressure of 195/110, maybe due to pain. Was given this by IV in the ER, then pills for 3-4 nights at home. It lowered my blood pressure by like 20 points per day, and I was fine for 2 days, but then had episodes of exhaustion to the point where I had to lie on the couch for hours to recover from simple housework like washing pots. Was also short of breath like I had run 5 miles. Swallowing felt weird. Got disoriented while driving. It's a 9 on effectiveness but can't tolerate the side effects. Am 63/F."

• 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."

• Ros...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• May 25, 2017

Metoprolol for Supraventricular Tachycardia "My experience is that while Metoprolol Succinate ER controls my sinus tachycardia, I have difficulty with glucose control, high triglycerides, swelling in my ankles, severe muscle cramps at times, and shortness of breath. Before taking Metoprolol, my memory was great, now not so much."

• Sca...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• April 7, 2022

Metoprolol for High Blood Pressure "This is an update to a post I made in October 2021. I discontinued Toprol due to nasty side effects after only 2 months of use (severe anxiety, panic attacks, severe depression, insomnia, swelling of extremities, bloat/gassy, blurred vision, icy hands/feet, arrhythmia, shortness of breath, chest vibrations). It's been 1 year and 3 months since discontinuation. I am STILL experiencing off and on arrhythmia. I've had a thorough exam and testing with 30-day monitoring from 2 different cardiologists. My heart is very healthy, no blockages, no disease. Neither cardiologist can find any reason for the persistent arrhythmia, nor will they believe me when I tell them I think the Toprol caused this long-term persistent arrhythmia. I've also had extensive endocrinology testing and nothing is coming up as a reason for this arrhythmia. NOTE: I've never in my entire life had any heart arrhythmia or palpitations UNTIL I took Toprol, and now it's a regular occurrence. This cannot be a coincidence."

• Cat...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• January 13, 2021

Metoprolol for High Blood Pressure "I recently switched from 50 mg to two 25 mg tablets of generic Metoprolol Succinate ER. Within days, I was having constant panic attacks, and it felt more difficult to breathe despite decent pulse oximeter readings. The company has had issues with poor quality since 2007. Beware and ask for non-generic is my recommendation."

• Kia...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• July 12, 2022

For High Blood Pressure "I'm 33 years old, and the doctors diagnosed me with high blood pressure after COVID. I was taking metoprolol 100 mg at night. This medication gives me severe insomnia, depression, anxiety, chest pain, and difficulty breathing after taking it. I told my cardiologist about my symptoms, but they didn't really believe me, so I started weaning myself off it. The withdrawal symptoms are pretty uncomfortable too: chest pain, very bad anxiety, still have insomnia, and still dealing with depression. I wished I never put my hands on this drug. My tip is when they give you medication, please research all the side effects before starting to take it. I wish I got more help from doctors on how to wean safely and deal with withdrawal symptoms."

• Ace...
• July 29, 2010

Metoprolol for High Blood Pressure "Took metoprolol and hydrochlorothiazide for several years. Seemed to reduce blood pressure to acceptable levels. About a year ago I experienced shortness of breath at times along with some fluid in lungs. Turns out that metoprolol (Lopressor) can cause that. Got off the metoprolol and lungs cleared up. Not taking it anymore."

• Ram...
• Taken for 10 years or more
• December 2, 2020

Metoprolol for High Blood Pressure "I have been taking Metoprolol Tartrate 50 mg BID for 10 years. Experiences are: heart does not always rest long enough between beats, lack of sleep, memory loss, headaches, white pimple in mouth (just started a month ago), runny nose, tiredness, low energy, constipation, shortness of breath while resting, hypertension, and aching feet. I will be 77 a few days from now. Found an OTC that can replace this drug, but must go off very slowly. All in all, this drug is now too strong for me as I will be talking with my heart doctor very soon."

• Ann...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• May 17, 2018

Metoprolol for Supraventricular Tachycardia "I've tried to use this drug two separate times, and in less than two weeks, extreme, almost suicidal depression set in, along with fatigue, shortness of breath, and a constant heavy feeling in the chest. It made my diastolic heart failure feel much worse. At night, my heart rate was 45, even when I was wide awake. All this on just a 25 mg starting dose. I had the same reaction to propranolol several years ago. I'll live with the SVT far more comfortably. Quality of life counts!"

• szu...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• November 19, 2016

Metoprolol for Left Ventricular Dysfunction "Just wanted to share my experience getting off Metoprolol ER 25 mg and switching to Diltiazem ER 120 mg. After a pulmonary embolism (no symptoms except PVCs), I suffered PVC with anxiety and panic attacks, even while treating blood clots with Coumadin. I was put on 25 mg Metoprolol ER to help the anxiety and PVCs - it helped immediately. I stayed on several years. I continued the dosage and tried to stay/get in shape. I steadily gained weight, assumed it was age. Exercising felt impossible. After a year or so, I was also having afternoon hypotension upon standing quickly. I developed symptoms of asthma and chest tightness plus fatigue. I was switched to Diltiazem. After 8 days of body adjustment (with a small amount of Ativan for 2 days), I again feel human."