Heart symtoms

I've read a lot on here about people having heart palps or skipped beats. I've had quite a bit of that myself in WD. Tonight I had a symptom I haven't had. I was sitting back on the couch and my heart started quivering. It lasted a few seconds longer than a skipped beat or a flutter and it was very scary. I was wondering if anyone had experienced that symptom in WD. I'm getting very near the end of my taper so maybe because my brain is not getting much of the med, that might be the cause. I am 69, but I usually walk a mile or more 5 Times a week (if I'm not having a bad symptom), and the EKG and blood work I had done a couple of mos. ago as a regular phys. exam was normal. Thanks for any input here

I've experienced the same many times....I have a lot chest and cardiac symptoms and know I should have them checked out but with this covid virus running rampant I'm afraid to go to the ER when they happen. 

Hey grandma yep happens to me all the time, sometimes my heart feels like it stops too which is very scary. I’ve had heart Palps the entire time with bad chest pain. All tests clear except I had my first ever atrial fibrillation attack in February this year, was in hospital 2 days. Then another in august but I have meds to take when it happens now. I think wd has caused it all, never had heart problems before I hit tolerance x

Dmwalking, although we know most of what we experience in taper is probably WD sx, you still might want to have an EKG at your doctor's office just to put your mind at ease.

 

Thanks for telling me Shayna, even though it's probably WD, I may have it checked out if it happens again.

 

 

I think it’s always a good idea to rule it out. Better to be safe than sorry xx all the best

Dmwalking, although we know most of what we experience in taper is probably WD sx, you still might want to have an EKG at your doctor's office just to put your mind at ease.

 

Thanks for telling me Shayna, even though it's probably WD, I may have it checked out if it happens again.

 

 

I had an EKG and wore a Holter monitor 2 years ago when they first started all was clear. I'm not expierancing anything worse at this point but I know I should get another check up as this taper is going on 3 years now and things can change

 

Shayna:  if you don’t mind my asking, what medication did they give you?  They put me on Metoprolol a beta blocker because of the heart issues this withdrawal has caused. But I have to take it daily. I was just wondering if there was something else I might be able to just take as needed. The Metoprolol can work on an as needed basis, but it works best when taken daily. The PVCs (skipped heart beats) I get are too many to take on an as needed basis. I never had any heart issues before this withdrawal either.

I've experienced the same many times....I have a lot chest and cardiac symptoms and know I should have them checked out but with this covid virus running rampant I'm afraid to go to the ER when they happen.

 

I agree. COVID has definitely put a damper on going to the ER.

Paxia, I keep 10mg propranolol on hand if my blood pressure goes to high or I get too anxious. You can take that once in awhile, but of course talk to your doctor first.

Shayna:  if you don’t mind my asking, what medication did they give you?  They put me on Metoprolol a beta blocker because of the heart issues this withdrawal has caused. But I have to take it daily. I was just wondering if there was something else I might be able to just take as needed. The Metoprolol can work on an as needed basis, but it works best when taken daily. The PVCs (skipped heart beats) I get are too many to take on an as needed basis. I never had any heart issues before this withdrawal either.

 

Hi Paxia. Not trying to give u medical advice just in my case I was on metoprolol and I actually made things worse. My heart palpitations were worse and I was very weak, and would vomit most mornings. Once I stopped it the weakness and vomiting stopped straight away but the Palps were still there. I still get them now but they are mild so I now it’s wd. The med that I have incase of atrial fibrillation is called flecinade and if I get an attack I take one and it usually stops it within a couple of hours. Having said that I’ve only had to use it once since I was first diagnosed in hospital x

I get the rapid heart rate and jumping too and it starts off with heat rising up from my stomach. I think it is a rise in cortisol because it happens around the same time everyday (5:40pm). I try and breathe my way through with the 4 7 8 technique. I have been on Metropolol before this cold turkey and it is probably helping during these times.

 

Withdrawal gives me some strange pop up symptoms as the day and night goes by. Even though they normally come at the same time, I still get nervous when it happens. CNS still very sensitive.

 

PG

Do you guys get the extremely high heart rate standing up and waking you up between 3 and 4AM?  The thing with Metoprolol is the side effects are the same as benzo withdrawal so I don’t know if the metoprolol is making this worse. It is helping with the high heart rate and PVCs but I feel like it made my dizziness and dry mouth and anxiety worse.

Do you guys get the extremely high heart rate standing up and waking you up between 3 and 4AM?  The thing with Metoprolol is the side effects are the same as benzo withdrawal so I don’t know if the metoprolol is making this worse. It is helping with the high heart rate and PVCs but I feel like it made my dizziness and dry mouth and anxiety worse.

 

 

Metropolol gives me random episodes of tachycardia and has increased my fatigue and dizziness but my heart was going crazy before it...I couldn't even stand up and walk to the kitchen without my heart rate hitting 110 - 130

I had that same issue but my heart rate was higher. It would go up to 160-170 standing up to walk in the kitchen. Are you still taking the metoprolol?

I had that same issue but my heart rate was higher. It would go up to 160-170 standing up to walk in the kitchen. Are you still taking the metoprolol?

 

 

I still take it but not as much as I was prescribed. My doctor prescribed ½ a 25mg a pill 3× a day i only take ½ in the morning a ¼ at night before bed. I dont know how you handled that tachycardia! Do you think this is a form of POTS?

All of my physicians and specialists are John’s Hopkins doctors. Every single one of them immediately told me it was an autonomic disorder and diagnosed me with POTS. I have a tilt table test scheduled for January for an official diagnosis. But they told me beta blockers were the treatment for it along with physical therapy, increased water intake, and increased salt intake. I was told 1 caffeinated beverage per day was okay so I have a cup of coffee in the mornings but stick to water the rest of the day.

Do you guys get the extremely high heart rate standing up and waking you up between 3 and 4AM?  The thing with Metoprolol is the side effects are the same as benzo withdrawal so I don’t know if the metoprolol is making this worse. It is helping with the high heart rate and PVCs but I feel like it made my dizziness and dry mouth and anxiety worse.

 

I get the 3 to 4 am wake up for the past 35 months. I have been on Metropolol  since the end of 2014. The extreme fatigue just started a couple weeks ago. Heart rate does indeed skyrocket sometimes when I stand, change positions or walk to my kitchen. I am going to see if I can have the tilt test.

 

PG

That might be a good idea. Once I get the tilt table test done, I can get referred to a Johns Hopkins POTS specialist but before I can get an appointment I have to have the tilt table test completed first. I can say the Metoprolol, the only one caffeinated beverage and increased salt intake is helping. My heart rate before these changes would go up to 216 bpm upon waking(it was always the highest in the mornings) to 160-170 just standing to go to the bathroom or walk in the kitchen. Now so far with these changes, upon waking my heart rate only gets to 110 and only up to 89-91 standing in the kitchen cooking dinner. So it’s made an improvement.

You do not see it talked about much but POTS can definitely be triggered by benzos

Yeah, but I’ve read that it can go away if try to treat it to the best of your ability. Benzos desensitized the nervous system and POTS is a nervous system disorder. I’m hopeful that once my nervous system heals that it will go away. 😊

Let me ask you guys a question, do you feel like you’re healing while you are on Metoprolol? Or do you feel it has delayed your progress?  If all of this withdrawal is from a chemical imbalance and receptors trying to heal, then I’m feeling like metoprolol just delays it. Metoprolol increases gaba in the brain, it just acts on gaba b receptors instead of gaba A. It also changes the density and infinity of the receptors. It’s like a whole new withdrawal when you come off.

following.

My heart symptom is like having a hamster running on a wheel in my chest. It was particularly bad when I went from 1.25 mg to 1 mg., I think. This last drop it hasn't been anywhere near as bad (knock wood). My doctor prescribed me beta blockers which I took when it was awful. They helped a little. I didn't take them every day because I didn't want to end up with something else I had to get off of.

See I couldn’t do that. They work best when taken daily and your body adjusts to them. My heart rate got WAY too high and I had too many PVCs in order to not take them everyday. But that is my fear, getting off of these beta blockers when it’s time. I’ve read that gaba B withdrawal is way more harsh and brutal than gaba A. I’ve read stories about people getting off of baclofen and phenobarbital, and it seems to be like 10 times worse than benzos. It’s scaring me a bit. I wish I could’ve gotten away with only taking these things as needed.

Paxia I don’t know what dosage u are on but when I stopped taking them I had no issues. I weened off. My heart Palps were no worse once I got off. If it’s helping u now that’s a good thing, don’t be worried about getting off them now cross that bridge when u get there x I had no issues so I’m hopeful u won’t either xxx