Not taking meds

[Deb]

Dr. Fett,
What are the possibilities of worsening if you've not reached a full recovery, and you refuse to take the max dose of coreg or decide to stop it all together? I'm having such a difficult time with this medicine. I'm supposed to be taking 37.5 twice per day. A couple of weeks ago, I started it at night and within a few days, my emotions were all over the place. I felt angry at the slightest thing and was exhausted beyond belief. My husband and I felt that I shouldn't be on that amount, so I stopped taking it. Again, within a few days, I began to get back to semi-normal.

However, looking back over the past few months, as my coreg dose has continued to be increased, we've noticed how irritable I've slowly become. I thought it was just so many other things, but after increasing it this past time, I believe there is a definite correlation to the coreg and my moods.

So, what do you suggest? Is there another BB I could try? Or, if I choose to not take a BB at all, what would be the ramifications?

Thank you for your help. I do have a doctor's appt today and will be discussing this with him as well, but just wanted your opinion too.

[JAMESFETT]

Still needing to see recovery, it is far better for you to find an acceptable substitute, and to work that out with your physician. If one cannot tolerate carvedilol, there is always the possibility of metoprolol-extended release or bisoprolol. A beta-blocker is the preferred as the last medication to stop; however if there is absolute intolerance to the beta-blocker, one could consider continuation of an ACE-inhibitor. Best wishes,

JD

[Deb]

Thanks, Anne.

When I made the jump from 25 to 37.5, the side effects were so amazing that it made me aware of the subtle side effects I had been feeling all along, but didn't realize were from the Coreg.

I just got back from my PCP and he's going to discuss it with my cardio and see if they can switch me to another medicine. Not sure what though...but we'll see. I'm on the max of Wellbutrin, so they can't add more to that to try to offset the moodiness, but they also may add another anti depressant to see if I can tolerate the side effects better, since coreg is the BB of choice.