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toprolol xl

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hi everyone, hope all you ladies are doing ok. i havent been on here for a while so just checking up on all of you.
i have a little problem at the moment, when i was at the cleveland clinic they placed me on new medication called toprolol xl which is a longer acting substitute for metoprolol. now my problem is iv been on toprolol xl for the past month and a half and i cant get the medication over here in the uk. the pharmacists have never heard of it.
so now iam in a major dilema. i have called the CC clinic and they cant ship it over and they want to keep me on that medication and i only have 5 left.

so im stuck on what to do. does anyone have any advice or know of any other solution???

thank you

ally

Explore topics in this discussion:

Beta blockers Toprol XL Tenormin Atenolol Metoprolol Stent Stress

9 replies

It seems like it's one in the same medication. Toprol xl and metetoprol. Why would they want you on something you can't get. I have been on both for six years and starting today have been allowed to wean off and monitor my blood pressure without it. Don't know your situation. I had a stent in my LAD in 2003 and it's not clear, but daily doing my best and taking lots of meds.
Lois Trader
http://loistrader.wordpress.com
my site also has a lot of good links http://loistrader.com

Don't worry anymore than you absolutely have too... it raises our blood pressure!

Ally:
Sorry that you find yourself in this predictament. I wish I could offer a solution. I personally could never take either Toprol xl and metetoprol. I have coronary artery spasms and both of those meds make them a lot worse. A lot of other ladies have found that, too. I noticed in your previous discussion that you had a test to try to induce spasms. Just because they did not occur during that test, don't assume that they can be ruled out 100%. My experience is that coronary artery spasms is a very unexplored and misunderstood condition by both medical professionals and patients.

There are so many other beta blockers available. Sometimes we have to tell our doctors point blank that a medication is not an option for us. Unless they want you to move across the pond, they need to find something else for you to try. Have calcium channel blockers ever been suggested? I take one along with my blood pressure med for both pressure control and control of my spasms. Calcium channel blockers are often a good piggy back med for some heart conditions. As long as the doseage remains small, they don't normally have a conflict.

You really need to tell your doctors at Cleveland Clinc that they have to prescribe something else or you will have to go without, which is not an option.

It is hard enough to deal with doctors locally. When they are far away it makes it even more aggravating. My daughter goes to Texas Children's Hospital in Houston on a regular basis. Just being 2 hours away makes communication difficult but we do what we have to.

Stay strong and let us know how you are doing -
Hugs -
Dianna

Ally, be careful with Toprol XL - you need to get the name brand vs the generic metropolol. There was an article in the July 2008 issue of Prevention magazine that discussed the fact that some women have problems with the generic in that it causes palpitations with certain combinations of medicines. Some months later I noted that a woman wrote in about this exact situation and had her doctor switch her to the name brand "Toprol XL" and she stopped having the palpitations. I had the exact situation happen with me and switched to the name brand and the palpitations stopped. I also find that it is better to take it at bedtime vs the a.m.

I don't know about the spasms, but somehow that wouldn't surprise me. Dianna is right in that there are many other meds they can use and should prescribe a med for you that is available to you. It does you no good to be on a med you can't get and to have more stress when you know you are running out and can't get it.

Tell the doctors that unless they can get it for you on a regular basis, they need to make another choice for you. I know there are other beta blockers. Perhaps if you were to check with your pharmacy in the UK and see what's available and tell your doctor, they could select one of those as a substitute.

Good luck and keep us posted on what happens.

With love and light,
JacQuelyne

i am so sorry i do not have any answers for your situation but i also take toporol xl and i think it works wonders. i was several different beta blockers for my arrythmia before i was placed on toporol xl, since being put on it i am able to much more than before. its a good one so i hope all works out. so sorry i dont have any info to help you out.

I don't have an answer for your problem...but I too am thrilled with Toprol XL. My doctor put me on it after the stent and it works great. And as a bonus "side affect"...I am calmer. Which for me, is a good thing. And my blood pressure has not been in the "normal" range for years and now it is.

Hi,
There is huge variety of the beta-blockers you can take. I use to take what you were prescribed, but later my doctor switched me to generic form of (Tenormin)
by the name "atenolol ". I take 50 mg just before i go to bed and never noticed the difference. Atenonol is one of the older beta-blockers and it's better tolerated by heart patients.
I am sending you article about beta-blockers. On page 3 you can see complete list.
http://www.medicinenet.com/beta_blockers-oral/article.htm

Hi,
Have you tried contacting Canada Drugs? They do mail orders, at least here in the States, Don't know about the UK. My dad gets a lot of his drugs from them because they are cheaper. I don't use them 'cause I have military insurance, so I don't know much about it. Just a thought.
Hope you find what you need!

Hi Ally--
I just looked at the Canada Drugs site and found this drug from the UK that they say is sold as Toprol XL in the US. Maybe you can check this out with your "chemist" and see if it will be the same.

Betaloc CR


good luck--
Becky

hi ladies i just thought id post and let you know what happened.

ok my pharmacist ordered the medicine for me but it will take 2 weeks to arrive. they charged me.... wait for it £200 which is just under $400 dollars..... i was shocked but am so happy on toprolol i paid it.
im currently back on atenolol 50mg as i was on them before and i have no more toprolol left until they arrive.

so im upset i had to pay that much to get them ordered as usually medication here for 3 months supply is around $12.

i did look on canada drugs before i orderd it from my pharmacy as i found them on the net but was a little resistant about buying drugs on the net. they price the drugs in £££ so im assuming they do ship to the uk. has anyone bought from canada drugs before and can they reccomend them?

also does anyone know if there can be complications from switching from toprolol to attenolol and thn back onto toprolo? im assuming its ok but just wanted to check

thank you for all your replies

ally

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