Bystolic and Depression: What Users Say

• Str...
• October 26, 2019

For High Blood Pressure "I was started on 5mg Bystolic 4 months ago. It took me to a very dark place. So tired I couldn't function, no concentration, legs and shoulders hurt, don't care about nothing or no one. It did slow down my racing heart. I have been borderline diabetic for 5 years but last test showed I have crossed the line, my doctor said the Bystolic probably pushed me over the line. It can mess with your sugar level. Wish he had told me that before I took it. He cut me back to 2.5mg. My energy came back some but I still have no motivation. My spark is gone. Still have pain in legs, shoulders, and neck. The simplest of tasks is overwhelming. My doctor is determined to keep me on it. He thinks all my symptoms are just in my head. I guess my A1c can be made up in my head. He wants me to try depression medicine but I decline. I was happy and motivated before I started this mess. I just want to feel good again, not blah all the time."

• Cor...
• August 4, 2016

For High Blood Pressure "I am ashamed to admit I have taken this drug for over a year because I have to be pretty stupid to allow a drug to take so much living away from me. I used to ride my horse, do my own construction work, and just enjoy life! Now, I know what depression is. I struggle to sleep ten hours a week! I have very little functioning memory. I am so angry. If you happen to be at a doctor appointment when one of the drug reps is hauling in the free food and free drug samples, you'll wonder by her attire just what she is selling. Yes, I told my doctor over and over about the problems and her answer is more drugs! Anti-depressant, sleeping pill, and the list goes on. I tried to get myself off of it but can't because of rebound."

• Mim...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• April 18, 2019

For High Blood Pressure "I’ve been taking Bystolic since 8-18. My pulse rate dropped to 45 and blood pressure to 100/20. All my symptoms completely went away. No feeling my heart flutters, no chest heaviness. Now all that is great, but immediately I stopped caring for anyone or anything. All I want to do is sleep, although I take this drug at bedtime. As long as everyone leaves me alone, I feel great, but I lose my temper very quickly. I can’t exercise, I have no energy. If I try to do anything active, I can’t breathe. The loss of energy and motivation is ruining my life. Calling my doctor tomorrow."

• Bor...
• February 1, 2016

For High Blood Pressure "It was effective in lowering my blood pressure from 150/95 down to 128/83 on average. However, this drop came at a tremendous expense to my lifestyle. I've felt very low energy, occasional dizziness, headaches, and a general lack of interest in anything. My appetite dropped, and I stopped feeling life inside me. In a nutshell, harmful side effects make this drug ineffective in solving BP problems."

• JZa...
• July 17, 2021

For High Blood Pressure "I took Bystolic 3 days ago (5 mg) after being on metoprolol 25 mg for 4 yrs. Like night and day. No side effects for me. Huge difference on day 1. I'm in my early 60s, no medical conditions, neither diabetic nor overweight, exercising 14 yrs in very good health. Metoprolol about ruined me. Felt like someone was sitting on my chest, blurred vision, insomnia, extreme fatigue, light sensitivity, no motivation, borderline depression. I had a very bad reaction to it. Both Rx's took BP from 140/80 to 120/70. I now sleep 7-8 hrs a night (4-6 on metoprolol). My thinking is clear on Bystolic too; no brain fog. Bystolic is like taking a daily vitamin; I take it and forget it; afterwards, I feel okay all day and night. Metoprolol was like sitting in an oxygen deprivation tank, fatigued, tired, half knocked out, unable to sleep more than 2 hrs at a time; it was debilitating for me. Bystolic is worth every penny to me."

• Car...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• August 14, 2018

For High Blood Pressure "After trying a number of antihypertensives, all of which made me sick, including lisinopril, Norvasc, valsartan, irbesartan, and others (hyponatremia, anemia, insomnia, fatigue, depression), the last one they gave me was Bystolic 10 mg. Felt bad, cold hands and feet, tingling feet, fatigue, insomnia, etc., so cut pills in half. On 5 mg, tingling went away, but a blood test found low sodium and anemia again, so I stopped completely. Now BP is higher than ever, and after 3 months, my feet still feel cold, even on a hot day. Referred to a specialist. Fingers crossed."

• H S...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• April 11, 2023

For High Blood Pressure "Not worth the side effects. Works great for lowering heart rate, BP, and anxiety. Causes horrible weight gain that is impossible to lose while taking the medicine. Also causes shortness of breath, wheezing, and chest pains, to the point I now use an inhaler. Severe depression. I never had before. Numbness in hands, water retention, especially in ankles, raised cholesterol, extreme fatigue and lack of motivation, and night sweats. Hoping to come off it soon."

• H S...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• April 11, 2023

For High Blood Pressure "Not worth the side effects. Works great for lowering heart rate, BP, and anxiety. Causes horrible weight gain that is impossible to lose while taking the medicine. Also causes shortness of breath, wheezing, and chest pains, to the point I now use an inhaler. Severe depression. I never had before. Numbness in hands, water retention, especially in ankles, raised cholesterol, extreme fatigue and lack of motivation, and night sweats. Hoping to come off it soon."

• Bri...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• December 28, 2019

For High Blood Pressure "25 years old, sensitive to most medicines, and this was another one on the blacklist. Headaches occasionally, insomnia, loss of sexual desire, heart palpitations, depression, dizzy when standing up or squatting down, tired when sitting down, and short-term memory was terrible."

• PTC...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• November 12, 2018

For High Blood Pressure "This drug had some weird effects for me. I'm 21 and was on 5 mg for one year. I felt tired a good amount of the time, but I tried to remain active and exercise. When I did exercise, my endurance was great. I went from running 15 minutes a few times a week before this drug to running 45-50 minutes 4-5 times a week, and I never really wore out. I think it was because it increased nitric oxide bioavailability. I just never wore out during exercise, but always felt like I could take a nap. Just weird. Also had the vivid dreams and made me apathetic. Just not something I wanted to be on long term."

• Mar...
• November 8, 2019

For High Blood Pressure "I have been on Bystolic 2.5 mg for about 5 years. I read a previous comment about becoming depressed after starting on this drug. I too suffer from depression and have also gotten to the point where no one and nothing interests me. For about 3 weeks now, my blood pressure has been all over the place, and I increased my dose to 2 pills a day. I still wake up with high blood pressure. I am going to a cardiologist to change my medication and hopefully finally get out of this slump I have been in for way too many years. Btw, I also suffer from bad migraines, which, according to my doctor, were supposed to be minimized with Bystolic. They have actually gotten worse over the years."

• nan...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• July 26, 2012

For High Blood Pressure "Too expensive, caused depression and restlessness, caused nightmares every night."