Sotalol and Anxiety: What Users Say

• Po ...
• January 26, 2011

For Atrial Fibrillation "Was prescribed this for Atrial Fibrillation. After ONE dose, I experienced: light-headedness, nausea, dizziness, chest pain, fast heart rate, high blood pressure, severe depression, slightly blurred vision, fatigue, anxiety, heart missing a beat often. At the time of writing, it's three days after my one dose (I stopped it immediately) and am still encountering some of the above side-effects. I am on no other medications, nor have I been."

• Nas...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• September 11, 2018

For Ventricular Arrhythmia "I've been on this medication for 5-6 years. It's true my energy level is not what it used to be when I was younger, however, at 70 years old, I realize I was going to have to live with a new set of circumstances. Things change, life changes. My doctor added hydrochlorothiazide (water pill), and I no longer have water retention. I adjusted my lifestyle, take my time more, walk a little slower. Gained some weight, but switched to a non-GMO, non-gluten diet, walk every day, and lost the extra weight. No more knee buckling, faints, sleepless nights with rapid and uneven heart pounding, anxiety, or trips to the ER. Have also found the original white pill works better than the blue generic. The blue seems to have less original medication in it. I find I can live with a slower heart rate and lower blood pressure, but also added a protein drink and use a supplement in a bottle of water that contains electrolytes."

• mik...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• September 9, 2021

Sotalol for Atrial Fibrillation "Sotalol slowed my heart rate and seemed to prevent afib. Then, after more than 3 years of no problems taking 40 mg x 2 per day (80 total), I started getting weird anxiety attacks. Trying to stop the drug was a nightmare because it sent my fight-or-flight reaction into overdrive. The cardiologist seemed to think that stopping the drug quickly would be fine, it wasn't. I learned that beta blockers help prevent the activation of fight-or-flight, and some people get a huge rebound effect when stopping beta blockers. Trying bisoprolol and metoprolol tartrate instead didn't help in the long run. If I could re-do my life, I would have never taken a job that prevents you from sleeping from 10:30 pm to 6:30 am. Always stick to that sleep schedule, exercise for 30 mins a day, eat a more balanced diet, and never take a beta blocker unless it was strictly necessary. I'm writing this in the hopes that it will help someone else. If you take this, it's really important that you take it at the same time each day."