Very Slow Pulse

[Mentu]

Well, gang, today there is a new twist so I am wondering if anyone else has experienced a very slow pulse rate? Actually, I've been feeling a little sluggish for a couple of weeks but today it was more pronounced and I've been really dragging. Today, I am seven months post op and for the most part recovery has been uneventful. The only change in medication after the AVR has been 25 mg of metoprolol twice a day to lower blood pressure and heart rate. Until now, my resting heart rate has been 65 pretty consistently. At any rate, when I checked my pulse this morning it was 52 and by afternoon it had fallen to 48. This evening it's 56 and I seem to feel less drained.

So, have any of you experienced this type of slow pulse and if so what happened? I called my Cardio this afternoon but I don't expect a call back until tomorrow. Thanks for the help.

Larry

 

[buncle]

I had my surgery in sept too. I was taking Bystolic (beta -blocker) for some PVC's I was having. It slowed my heart rate to the upper 40's
and I was feeling light headed and sluggish.Cardio had me cut it in 1/2 and it helped alot.After awhile he took me off it alltogether.You may be experiencing the same thing with
the metoprolol.Maybe your heart is remodeling and you dont need as much. Courious to hear what your Cardio says? Good luck.

 

[Freddie]

It could very well be the metoprolol. It was about 7 months for me too when I started to experience the light-headedness - to the point I felt like fainting and had to crawl to couch to lay down.
My GP took me off it - can't remember if this is the drug were you have to taper off it slowly or not - but it made a big difference once I was off it.

Question: couldn't you see your GP instead of your cardio? Wouldn't it faster to see your doctor?

 

[acr]

Yea I've been here while on Atenolol. Not sure what the numbers where but low 50's was normal. I started on 75 mg daily, then dropped to 50, then 25, then none. I was probably on BB's for 8 months after surgery. Now I'm back to anywhere from 58 to 65 which I'm assuming is down to recovery and me getting fitter. Might be time for you to drop one of you 25mg's.

 

[Ross]

If you start to feel faint or feel a sense of danger, don't hesitate to go to the ER and get evaluated.

 

[Mentu]

Today is better in that I don't feel quite so washed out as I did and my pulse rate is up to 60. I just spoke with the Cardio's office. He says to cut the metoprolol dosage from 50 mg to 25 mg a day and report back at the end of the week. He will then consider having me stop taking it completely after the echo-cardiogram next month. If I hadn't heard from him, I was going to call my GP this morning. Thank each of you for your response.

Larry

 

[Freddie]

Hope the reduce dosage helps. I was only on 25mg of metoprolol - 1/2 a pill twice a day and notice a big difference once I was off it.

Good Luck

 

[ALCapshaw2]

Hope the reduce dosage helps. I was only on 25mg of metoprolol - 1/2 a pill twice a day and notice a big difference once I was off it.

Good Luck

I suspect that Metoprolol is NOT time released and therefore should be taken twice a day so Freddie's report of taking 1/2 a pill twice a day may be a better protocol than taking only one pill once per day.

'AL Capshaw'

 

[Mentu]

An Update.

An Update.

Yesterday morning I had already taken 25mg of metoprolol before the Cardio called so I took nothing in the evening. At bedtime, my pulse rate was 56. This morning I took half of a 25 mg tablet and several hours later my pulse is now 66. You will not be surprised to hear that I'm feeling better today. Thanks, again.

Larry

 

[Bina]

the regular generic Meto is a drug to be taken in 2 daily doses, so you may want to split it tomorrow and continue like that until further instructions from your doc. Hopefully you will get off of it. Good for you !

 

[karen14]

I've had slow pulse & low blood pressure readings both pre and post-op. I also found the metoprolol made me much more sluggish and does affect energy level. I've since gone off it (nearing 2 years post-op), and my pulse has been a bit higher plus a feeling of more energy.