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Coreg side effects

AZMommy
0 Recommendations

Hello Ladies!
My doctor has doubled my dose of coreg from 12.5 to 25mgs-this was last week. I was still experiancing all of the normal side effects-mainly dizziness and fatigue. Since the increase not much has changed until today! My dizziness is out of control. I can be sitting, standing, or walking and still feel like I am going to pass out.
The only thing that is different is that I have started my period. I was just wondering if my cycle can cause an increase in side effects...has anyone else noticed this? My doctors have said that it is just my body is still adjusting but I think that this is too much of a coincidence...any advice? I can't keep sitting down all day-too many obligations!
Thanks for any advice,
Tanya
Oh-my BP is 72/49 which is not that low for me considering that my base is is normally 80/60-but my heart rate is alot lower today coming in at 60 (norm is 85 or so resting).

Explore topics in this discussion:

Heart disease Heart transplant Dizziness Lopressor Cardiomyopathy Beta blockers Lasix Heart attack Coreg Stent Xanax Stress

11 replies

martzj

Hey Tanya,

That bp of 72/49 is the reason you are bottoming out....and the beta blocker is the likely culprit combined with your period. Those were the toughest times for me.....both ovulation (when I had heart attack) and pms/period. Since neither one of us has/had high bp, the beta blockers can cause problematic dizziness and fainting while standing.

Why did the dr double your bb dose? When first released from hospital after massive heart attack I was on 150mg lopressor, lived alone. Holding my head up was a major achievment (smile). The cardiac nurse just shook her head at my followup.....but they were trying to keep me alive until I was stable enough for a 2nd attempt to stent a 100% blocked LAD a month after RCA was stented during acute MI.

laurali

Hi Tanya -- I also wonder why the doc doubled the dose all at once. When I went on Coreg, they started me at 3.5 mg, and titrated me up to 6, then 12.5, then 18, then 25, etc. not just slam/bang! I went about 10-15 days between each new dose and I had some dizziness but not ever severe. Does the doc know that your BP is that low? When mine drops below mid 80's, I don't function well. I was taken all the way up to 50 mg and kept there for 9 months. When echoed then, I was no longer in CHF and they brought me slowly back down to 12.5 twice daily. Each case of course is different, but unless your condition warrants the double jump, see if your doc will let you move up in mg more slowly. Hugs, laurali

AZMommy

My doc told me that I needed to be on the maximum dose to have the best result for my dilated cardiomyopathy. I started out on the 3.? while in the hospital. Once released this was doubled. I took this dose for about a week. After that, I was on the 12.2 for a little over a week and now am on the 25mg.
I had tolerated the medication fairly well throughout all of the dose increases until today. I am also taking 2.5 lisiniril (sp) 1x per day, 20-40mgs lasix (depending on weight in am) 2x per day-along with that horsepill they call potassium. Oh, and lets not forget my vit. e, coq10, omega fish oils, and my multi! And the xanax! I am seriously a walking pharmacy ;)
I am currently awaiting a callback to see if I can adjust my dose to half in the am and the full dose at night for a while. Lucky for me, my son and neice play well together so I can continue to kick my feet up!
Thank you-it's great to know that I'm not the only one that's had these side effects-the little pamphlet from the pharmacy doesn't include 'Warning: can cause you to see flashing black spots at all times while on menstrual cycle. Use caution while lying, sitting, squatting, standing, and crawling.'
Thanks again! I will post when I get the call back.

nanamo

my coreg has gone up and down just got off 40mg to 20 mg i was on that for about 4 years started having light headed with blurred vision with such a head ache she put me down she said your body gets so used to the same mg of a drug my bp stays real low all the time she watches it she said i will probaly go back up higher later on but after taking 20mg everything went awya



god bless
surviving heart disease one day at a time
with trigger 04/08
for 10 years
nanamo

Winglover

Tanya,
I feel for you. My son also has DCM and takes Coreg. He was tapered up also by doubling the dose each time. I'll admit it is brutal. I did ask why not do it more gradually and was told this is the way to give your heart the best chance for it to improve. He had to have his dose increased much more slowly than you. His BP also ran in the 60-70's with a heart rate in the 40's! I'm a nurse and it scared the @#&^% out of me. He reached the maximum of 25mg twice/ day after about 6 months. Your body does adjust over time and your BP will come up. You don't have much wiggle room since you normally run such a low one to start. My son doesn't really notice anymore. Hope things get better. Hang in there!

Lisa

MARYCORINNE

I take 40mg of Coreg CR every night. The CR is a timed release dose.
I wake up foggy and feel drugged every day. This does go away after about an hour. I cannot take the tablet form of the Coreg as it made me feel like an elephant was standing on my chest. It took me months to get used to the CR and will not take the tablet dose ever again. At this point my plan is to loose 55 lbs and releave the stress on my heart. Then I will hopefully be able to reduce all my medications !! Mary Corinne

AZMommy

My doc has finally called back...verdict is in! My body is not tolerating the high dose well. Hmmmm....I kind of figured that one out. I have been advised to take half a dose in the am and the full dose at night. And as for my menstrual cycle...that has not been documented as an interference from the medication but they will have this documented for women my age with my condition if this should continue to happen every month....maybe I will get my warning on the pamphlet afterall :P
Thanks to all!
Tanya

martzj

Lisa,

Your son is on my mind a lot. It bothers me that there are no adult males with similar condition to help him through the roughest patches....things mom can't be part of, all that guy stuff. This is going to sound nutty but what about taking him to a Mended Hearts meeting, if your hospitals host them? It is mainly for male bypass patients and he may end up meeting someone his age or close. Just a thought. There was a 44 year old heart transplant guy at the first Mended Hearts I attended....he looked barely over 30 and was running around the room, super active. Before the transplant, his DCM kept him from even making it to the mailbox. He was never overweight, no known risk factors...just like me. After transplant, he felt incredibly strong...that alien heart beat inside his chest with so much ferocity he would lie in bed at night and laugh and laugh with astonishment. He could do ANYTHING after transplant. Was running marathons!!! His wife looked much more fatigued than he did (smile). I like to think of that man when I can't get up....and wonder what it must feel like to have a real heart. He said he was convinced he was Spiderman after the transplant...LOL Has your son spent some time writing out what his goals are for life after transplant, if that is in his future? What are on his Top 10 list of wicked bad stuff to do? (not that he'll necessary show you mom : )

Many hugs to you both,
Jaynie

ps. Thank goodness for YouTube and Facebook, etc. Nobody needs to feel alone anymore. Somebody on the planet is always awake.

Winglover

Jaynie,
You always seem to remember my son when I'm needing it most. Thank you for your kind words. Yes, it is difficult for him he is such a private person about his thoughts on this disease. My hospital does not have a mended hearts program. The Children's Hospital we are dealing with doesn't have a teen group either. He is leery of joining one making friends then having them get sicker and die. I have shared many of the posts on here and we have shared many a laugh. As far as things things on his "wicked bad list" .......we did one this past Saturday. We drove down to Detroit to see a Heavy Metal concert. His first concert and favorite band. We had a blast! Think I was the only Mom there. He got to meet the lead singer, have pictures taken, autograph etc. He was in heaven! The music was so loud the floor shook. Felt like he had a ICD going off. Not sure what effect all the smoke had on him either. Brought his inhaler just in case. Along with doctor numbers, med card etc. We held his Lasix until we got home at 1am. He was exausted but one happy boy. He posted his pictures on Facebook already. It has been helpful for him to keep in contact with friends this summer. As far a transplant goes...we are told for now we are in the clear. EF has stayed 20%. Size of his heart has gone down some, ventricles do attempt to squeeze now rather than twist and his mitral valve no longer leaks. Yeah! Baby steps but we'll take them. He refuses to think he may ever need a transplant. I think about it every day. Can't help it. He plans to attend college next year at the local University where his Momma went :) That way he can commute. Every once in awhile he changes his mind and says he might go to college in the Upper Peninsula! Scares me to death. Deep down I know he knows this is serious stuff. Hate to see his dreams stifled or to not make plans at all. Sorry to ramble you caught me at a moment. My best to you as always.

Hugs,
Lisa

kardia

Tayna, Jaynie and all of you,

I can't add anything more or probably anything, because I have the same challenges. Please keep us abreast on your progress Tayna, because I need to hear how your are doing with the medication changes. My cardiologist has completely taken me off, so I am virtually untreated for the cardiomyopathy, it progresses slowely, but the quality of life was so poor on the Coreg. We are in a wait and see place. So, I may have to revisit it as time goes on, and just learned today that it might be okay to experiment with the types of doses and what time of day, and so on. That didn't occur to me to do that.

kardia

Gammacygnus

I've been on Coreg now for 5yrs. My Dr had my doseage at 21.875 mg of coreg, was unable tolerate the 25mg's, bearly able to walk without feeling dizzy. Was on that doseage for about 2 yrs. My current dose now, is 6.75mg twice a day. The dilated cardiomyopathy seems to repsond at current dosage. The bp is about 87/58 sometimes will be 90/67. I'm one those that tolerate low BP and not be dizzy.

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