Already a member? Sign in
What - Inspire is a place where you can connect with people who share your health concerns and find information and advice in groups sponsored by organizations you know and trust.
Why - As a member you can use Inspire to let friends and family know how you're doing, contact others who share your health concerns, receive personalized updates and information about participating in surveys and clinical trials, and more.
How - Joining Inspire is completely free and usually takes less than a minute. Join now!
Hi! My doctor had already said that he would slowly titrate my coreg up over the next few months. I am currently taking 3.125 mg 2 x day. Yesterday he said to double it up to 6.25 mg 2 x day. I have heard of some really bad experiences while doing this. What can I expect?
Surgery Lipitor Bypass surgery Beta blockers Lasix Prozac Coreg Ambien Stuttering Xanax Dizziness Lisinipril Aspirin Coumadin Lisinopril Novolog Aldactone
Hi Barb,
How are you feeling so far with the 3.125 mg 2 x day? Can you tell us how your overall quality of life is going with Coreg and possibly other heart medications?
If you are able to keep up with daily tasks at this dosage, you are doing well. Coreg is so important to a damaged heart that needs assistance in slowing down the ferocity of pumping action just enough to give it a steady mini-break (smile).
I hope this helps in some way. Been on Coreg and other beta blockers for 13 years now and have been able to lower the dosage over time! It is during the first year that it is critical to stick with every heart medication if possible (unless there is immediate adverse reaction).....heart damage isn't always visible to doctors, may be located in multiple locations and so your heart will be busy working to repair injuries on top of pumping blood to 60,000 miles of arteries with each beat. If you have high blood pressure, BBs offer immediate protection in the form of lowering that tearing and scarring impact that comes with blood forced through arteries at too high pressure.
I've never had high Bp, but BBs have kept my heart electrical system from whirring,palpating and stuttering out of sync constantly. Dizziness and fatigue are increased for me by beta blockers but I need it to survive.
I finally figured out that I was better able to manage daily chores if I got the morning physical rat race stuff done and then took the a.m. bb. The night bb I take about 12 hours apart from whenever the a.m. dose was. I try to keep the dosage times pretty regular and my heart is getting it's dose every 12 hours....I just get to pick the time that is best for my life and survival. The first few hours after each dose are when I feel the effects the most.
Welcome and take good care,
Jaynie
Well when I began Coreg I started @ 12.5 mg twice a day just last month he incease it to 18.75 mgs twice a day. I'm doing ok with it as far as side effect but I still have SOB very bad and last night I had some bad swelling I'm on water pills tomorrow I see my Cardiologists and I will let him know but he will just increase my water pill. I never had any problem with Coreg so I hope it will be the same way with you. Good Luck and I pray everything turns out ok for you.
I started Coreg at 3.125 and was titrated up to 25mg twice daily -- doubling the dose about 2-3 weeks. After about 6 months at total 50/day, my heart was so much better, I was able (with doc's ok) to reduce back to 25/daily. Usually felt quite tired for about 10 days each time it was increased. But other than that, I didn't have a problem. I'm continuing to do very well (echo this week was good!) so I'm thinking about asking doc next month about lowering dose again - at least by a small amt. laurali
Thanks guys. I am on:
an aspirin,
10 mg prozac,
10 mg effient,
8 units novolog 3xday,
neutrontin 300 mg 2 x day,
lisinopril 2.5 mg,
coumadin 10 mg day,
lantus 48 units day,
lipitor 80 mg day,
xanax 0.5 as needed
ambien 10 mg as needed
coreg 6.25 mg 2 xday
He said that he was hoping to increase the coreg and lisinopril over time.
This is a result of 3 heart attacks on 8/1, 8/4 and 8/6. The 3rd one was a massive one and left me with CHF. I was an idiot and refused bypass surgery. (I honestly don't even remember the discussion with the Dr). I have 5 stints and apparently stilll have some blockages but my heart is too weak for any other procedures at this time.
Thank you all for the replies.
barb,
Yep, you are definitely on the whole heart helper menu! wow! I was on that many the first 6 months....many meds were tapered off. Still on 12.5mg Coreg 2 x day for life though.
Best of luck to you. You are in a raw, fragile place right now in the heart (and emotional, lifestyle impact) healing arenas, so keep reminding yourself to pace, pace, pace. Give yourself permission to take care of YOU right now.
take good care,
Jaynie
Thanks so much for all of your replies. I am about to apply for my LTD through work and I am so afraid that I will be turned down. EF right now is between 30 and 35.
Hi Barb, I have been on the Coreg for about 6 weeks now, and I have to say that I have a love/hate relationship with this drug. Out of all the daily meds I must take, I understand that this one is the most important one in terms of healing the heart and restoring its function - and hopefully increasing my EF, which is only 20% now. As Jaynie explained, the beta blocker can alleviate the strain and pressure put on the left ventricle (which is dilated in my case) as it tries to pump enough oxygenated blood to the rest of the body. It can make the force of the contractions greater while slowing down my heart rate, which has been way too high for quite a long time even before I went into the hospital with the CHF diagnosis. It helps the heart maintain a normal rhythym. It helps to lower blood pressure especially when used with the lisinopril - so I realize that the stakes are high with this drug, even though I have many days where I can barely tolerate it.
Before I was discharged I had 2 different cardios and a staff doc come in and lecture me about how important it was to stick with this drug, even though in the first few weeks and months I might feel lousy on it - horrible fatigue and lack of stamina, but if I stuck with it for several months I would see progress in my heart function and overall health.
I still don't know why I was discharged on such a high dose of 25 mg Coreg twice a day, along with 40 mg of lisinopril and 40 mg of Lasix and 25 mg of Aldactone daily. The dosages for all these drugs are high compared to what docs usually start their home-going patients on to build up the strength of the heart.
There are some days I can handle the 25 mg twice a day of the Coreg, but more often I have to take just 1/2 a pill (12.5 mg) in the AM and 25 mg at bedtime, or about 12 hours after the morning dose. I found that I must take the lisinipril at bedtime as well, or I will become so dizzy during the day that I nearly pass out.
When i first got home I was taking the Lisinipril along with the 25 mg AM dose of Coreg....AND the Aldactone and Lasix...let me tell you, I could barely make it from the bed to the bathroom I would get so light headed and dizzy, and would have to hold onto the walls while seeing stars.
After 6 weeks I am getting used to the combo of meds and starting to feel - dare I say it - a little better day by day. By that I mean I have a little more strength and stamina as long as I don't do something stupid and severely overdo. For me, cutting down on the daytime Coreg dose and spacing out the other bp/water meds has been the key.
If I don't have to go anywhere in the morning, I can take a whole 25mg of Coreg really early in the AM like 5 or 6, then go back to sleep, or at least, rest in bed.
After 3 to 4 hours I am able to get up and about without stumbling and seeing stars.
The hard thing for me right now is that I am in a hugely stressful and demanding court case that I can't get out of, and I have to be able to be alert and coherent - and not passing out! All of these things have to be weighed - benefit vs. risk - and then you decide what you can best accomodate in your schedule as far as dosing and getting the full intended daily dose. Although I had not had any experience with Coreg until now, unfortunately I have had to take so many other meds for other conditions for so long that it became second nature to me to work with the doc's office to tweak my doses, or to take the meds at different times if I couldn't tolerate taking them together all at once in the AM.
I hope you can continue to take the Coreg Barb - I think we can both stay the course if we take it one day at a time. I have never had a med that acted like this, and up until now, not much experience with this degree of extreme dizziness and light-headedness - oh - and the brain fog that goes with it, of course!
Thank you for your kind words and advice. I will pray that you get the strength to continue your pharmacy cocktail as well as get stronger every day.
BARB, I HAVING BEEN TAKING COREG 12.5MG X2 DAILY. HOPEFULLY YOU WILL BE ABLE TO TELL GOING UP SLOWLY WHAT EFFECT IT HAS. I TAKE SO MANY MEDS ITS HARD TO TELL WHAT EFFECT, GOOD OR BAD THERE HAVING. BEST TO YOU.
DIANNE
I was placed on Coreg 6.25 twice daily on 10/7/09. As well as Ranexa 500 mg twice daily.
I have MICRO vascular disease. ER/Hospital 9/25/09-9/29/09, thought possible MI but not..and cath showed no blockages..in large vessels. No extra meds other than ASA was I d/ced on. Hospital staff Cardio- not my outpatient cardio- just thought I was a fruitloop. I was hesitant to take heart meds period.....but chest does'nt hurt nearly as much and I can actually talk w/o being SOB and so winded, and I can make it from my car into the house w/o napping in the afternoons after work..which I could'nt last Monday and Tuesday. Back to cardiologist 10/22/09 for f/u....so far much better..and my cardio said if the meds helped..it basically proves I have Micro vascualr disease.
Well, so far, so good on the coreg. I am still on a small dose 6.25 mg twice per day. I can't really tell any difference in the 3.125 and the 6.25. I guess when I hit the 12.50 I might be able to tell something.
I was put on coreg 3.125 twice a day 40 mg lasix twice a day 13 days ago. I have felt better most days but this was not one of them. You will have some up and downs tears will flow like water, but the ladies on this site will help you , advise you and give your hope, prays and most of all experience with what we are dealing with. Stay strong and take it one day at a time. My coreg will go up the 14th my next appt. Michelle
Add to the discussion