ATENOLOL-FOR IRREGULAR HEARTBEAT (side effect is...are you kidding me?)

I have been on ATENOLOL for one month.  At first, the tiny 25mg dose at bedtime did the trick.  Then, a couple of hours before my time to take it, the flutter in my chest would start.  Mr cardio doc said take extra 1/2 pill when I have symptoms.  Tried that, it was ok.  The last two nights I woke up with the old skipped beat feeling at 1:00AM or so. That would only be 5 or six hours after taking the ATENOLOL 25 mg. dose.  I looked at the papers that come with my prescription telling the side effects, etc..  HERE'S THE THING...ATENOLOL can cause irregular heartbeats.  AUGGGGGH!  I'm going to call doc again Monday AM.

Note: I've had ekg, stress test, echocardiogram and they were all good.  I'm 63 and have a lot of stress

 in my life, mom in nursing home, husband has health issues and my father passed 1 1/2 yrs ago.   

Am I nuts?  I get scared when I read about pacemakers and such.  What is going to happen?

I have always been a N E R V O U S person, that doesn't help!

Thanks for listening.

Crazy Chele

Dear Kitt,

Thank you, thank you, for your kind caring and concern.

It is nice to know I am not alone.

Perhaps doc and I will come up with an easy sensible solution to my Atenolol problem.

Take care.

Chele

I took Atenelol for a few months, and found that while I got over the initial side effect of sleepiness, it didn't really seem to help with the fluttering. I've had all the same tests done that you have and my doctor says that my heart is fine, other than having mitral valve prolapse, which can some times cause the skipped beats. The Atenelol didn't seem to work that great for the palpitations though. I saw a new cardiologist who put me on something called Propranalol which I can take 3 times a day as needed, and I usually take it when my heart starts feeling weird. I do think it does help, and it helps regulate my heart so that it doesn't race so much when I start getting anxious. I'm on a very low dose of the Propranalol, but I think it worked better for me than Atenelol. I had no side effects from it, so that was nice. My cardiologist keeps telling me I need to find ways to relax, because he's pretty sure that the palpitations, skipping, and racing heart beats are all coming from my anxiety. I'm basically learning after dealing with this for years, that if I don't want to have palpitations, then I need to take my meds regularly and find ways throughout the day to relax and calm my mind. My biggest problem now is not being afraid when I have the palpitations, because that causes panic and anxiety. It's a bit of a cycle, one thing causing another, but I am slowly but surely learning to deal with it, and I know you can to. Talk to your doctor and find a med that works for you. I honestly don't know if there is anything out there that can stop these crazy heart issues, other than learning to relax and take it easy sometimes. I know I know, easier said than done, but life is too short to suffer. When you start feeling bed, do some self affirmations. Treat yourself like you would a child. "it's okay, I'm going to be alright. I am okay..." and such. I wish you the best!!
xoxo
P.S. Cognitive behavioral therapy is one of the best ways for dealing with anxiety, stress, nervousness, etc. It would definitely be worth finding a therapist licensed in this to help you. It changed my life!

Hi woebegone!

It is amazing how your problems with ATENOLOL are similar to mine.  I'd like to go off of it and try something new.  Going to talk to my cardio doc today.  It is a cycle we have to deal with, the anxiety and palpatatons.  It's like what came first, the chicken or the egg? LOL

I know it isn't funny, but sometimes it helps to laugh a little.

Hang in there, you're not alone.

Chele