Does Bystolic cause 'heavy leg feeling"

Question

I recently was started on a new beta blocker, Bystolic5mg, for PVC's, which it controls. Since taking my legs feel so heavy and achy. I am also on a low dose of Diovan 80 mg for HTN but these symptoms are new since starting Bystolic. I have tried atenolol, but makes me sooooo tired, I am also tired on Bystolic not as much. Could the Bystolic be causing circulatory problems? No edema to feet or ankles but, some to medial knees. Thank you.

This discussion is related to Side effects of Bystolic.

kuzzinmare · Answer

I took Bystolic for two days. I would have stopped after the first day, but didn't think of the new med I was on. This was at least one year ago, maybe two. My calves have not stopped aching yet and now I have to go for a doppler ultrasound to check for PAD. The drug companies own this country. Very sad that they approve drugs without properly testing first. This drug needs to be banned! I'm sure it helps some, but too many serious side effects!

boomerrn · Answer

HAHAHA.....that is a wonderful idea.....docs should have to trial these meds and they would see we are not crazy.....so many different side effects.....Since i started taking Beta Blockers 15 years ago, I have become a different person....yeah...has helped with B/P but added nightmares, aches and pains, blue moods, inactivity, weight gain, no desire to do anything but sit on the couch and watch TV.....that is getting old also.....weight gain is not good for B/P and yet the Beta Blockers cause weight gain.....go figure....I am also hypothyroid which has alot of the same effects on my body as the beta blockers, so I have a double whammy.....:(

boomerrn · Answer

I know this is 2014, five years after this post, but I have been on Bystolic for several years as on Metoprolol before which caused fatigue....I do not have the fatigue on Bystolic, but after taking for this many years have started having the weak, heavy leg thing, painful knees, had 15 lb. weight gain, and i only eat 2 healthy meals/day....now my B/P has skyrocketed with no changes in daily living....Dr. added Micartis.....just wonder if  my body has become accustomed to the Bystolic and not working as well now.....It did control my B/P....started at 5 mg then went to 10 mg about a year ago.....also  very costly......

sgrjb · Answer

My bp is high because of renal arterial stenosis. It's a non-invasive test (ultrasound) to check for it. Has your doctor checked for it?

Pierre55 · Answer

This forum is interesting because actually, it shows me that everyone stands differently each betablocker. I've been for 8 years on BISOPROLOL (Zebeta) for frequent sinus tachycardia (my blood pressure was always fine) and BISOPROLOL handle tachycardia or rapid heartbeat perfectly well. But the sides were partial erectile disfunction, fatigue (not as much as with TENORMIN that I had for 1 year before BISOPROLOL), heavy legs, dyspnea, and a drastic raise in my fasting blood sugar level, insomnia, bradycardia (52 bpm). I didn't link all this to BISPROLOL in a firt place because I had some of these things alrady before betablockers that were looking like ome mild fibromyalgia. Since 3 months, I've been put on BYSTOLIC and it lets my heart more free for sports, I am erected every morning waking up, sleep much better, fasting blood sugar droped back to normal, legs much lighter, much less tired, resting heartbeat with less bradycardia (+/- 65 bpm). I had onee tachycardia episode since I took it but it might be because of hypoglygemia after a walk. I didn't really have a big strss enough yet to check if it's as efficient to stop a tachycardia as BISOPROLOL. But what's amazing here is that some here seem to have with BYSTOLIC what I had with BISOPROLOL that's why I say each molecule can act a different way with different people, a bit the same as the different benzodiazepines.

Jude501652 · Answer

Hi;;I'm new to the community--not sure how it wors...I started Bystolic 3 days age and before that I was on Amlodipine.  For the last year I have been havig all of the symptoms that have been described and now I'm having them with the Bystolic.  Talk about slowwww, It's taken me a whole year to figure out that my problem is my medications.  I'm gonna have to get in touch with my doctor and have it changed----I've been dealing with this for far too long now. I have 3rd stage kidney dieaese so I'm limited to what I can take in the first place.  Anyways appreciate any input anyone can give.
Thanks,
Jude

konajoe007 · Answer

What a relief to see these comments.I'm on 10mg Bystolic & 20mg Lisinopril My doctor couldn't understand why I complained about heavy legs. Especially going up stairs. Also, I am tired, limited desire to work around the house, which I loved to do (handyman), lighhtheaded, etc. Had a series of tests (stress, circulatory, etc) performed with negative results. Not sure if it's a result of Bystolic or Lisinopril. I need to experiment.

kimogreen · Answer

My doctor put me on Bystolic(10mg) two days ago.   My blood pressure was 150/80.  Since I started taking this drug, I have had heavy legs, arms and felt light headed.  My pulse rate has dropped and I feel like laying down all of the time.  I had a sharp pain in my knee this morning but didn't think much about it until reading your comments.  I have had the same cold feeling in my feet and hands as well.  Thanks for your comments.

emmyrose34 · Answer

Does anyone have the same feeling in your arms as well? I not only have the feeling like restless leg in my legs but in my arms as well. Have been on Bystolic for almost 3 weeks.

betterpray · Answer

I have been on Bystolic for about 2 months now. I have some knee pains myself, sharp pains that I've never had before. I take K2, Vitamin D, and Cod Liver Oil, which help with that. But, the worse side effect thus far is sexually. I have no desire whatsoever, and prior to taking it, I was very sexually active with my husband. It's not that I don't want to, it's just that I don't have the desire, if that makes any sense. And when we do, I cannot enjoy it fully because it will not allow my heart rate to jump. Increased heart rate = increased blood flow, thereby releasing endorphins during sex because of...well you get the idea. It might be really good for a man because he could definitely go longer on this medication I would imagine, however, not so much for a woman..or at least me. Other than that, it works great at controlling my heart rate. I take only 2.5mg, My BP fluctuates too much though, and it makes me feel weird when it goes up, but the heart rate stays down. I have gained about 10lbs as well. Not sure what to do.

kenkeith · Answer

Thank you for sharing your experience and information..

Ihatepills69 · Answer

Man you guys really have eased my mind. My Dr. seems to think that I'm making this up. In addition to the heavy legs, pain in joints I have swelling in feet and tingling in hands and feet occasionally. For two days I was out ot the bystolic and felt great. I have a loss of desire to things around the house and have gained about 10 lbs with an increase of exercise and watching what I eat. I also have vivid dreams,  good and bad. Heart rate dropped. Cholesterol went up which I never had a problem with that, I'm sleepy all the time. Plus side, this drug is like Viagra. Don't Luke the overall effects want to try something else.

dmissmaddie · Answer

Thanks to all you guys for posting these side effects cause my Dr thinks i'm crazy for telling him the same things. This stuff wipes me out so bad i can't function for days after 1 5mg pill. A half pill does the same thing so i took a fourth pill yesterday and it was better but still bad. I had a 5 graft bypass in 2004 and never had irregular heartbeat till after a stent last oct and it started in Nov. I am a thin person but my middrift  gains weight. Body hurts and in the kidney area hurts to. Can't sleep and weird dreams when i do. Feel like i'm going to pass out when i stand or walk up my stairs and short of breath. All i want to do is sit and that's not me. It makes me so hungry and i read it causes excessive hunger. Got the numbness to ( side of  face) Tried toprol xl can't handle it. Now i have zebeta but am afraid to try it after reading the side effects. Does anyone know if zebeta is better? I think the drs should have to try this medicine and see how it makes them feel. Don't know what to do. Thanks.
dmissmaddie

Cathy1945 · Answer

I to have had a weight gain of 22 pounds and having "heavy legs" but
I have trouble sleeping, as well. I have always been slim, but have put on 
weight in my midriff section. I walk two miles per day, have eliminated
most salt from my diet, stopped cafinated drinks, cut back on bread, trying
everything I know to get this weight off. It is VERY discouraging. My
blood pressure fluctuates, and before I started this medication, I was
approx. 140 over 82. Doctor added hydrochlorithiazide to reduce the swelling of ankles and feet I have started to have at days end. It appears
the "cure" is worse than the disease. Is there any relief for this weight gain?

MeToo53 · Answer

I am so glad I found this site!  My doctor was doing the "it's in your head" thing with me when I told him about the weight gain.  This week I am having a lot of unusual knee and leg pain and no one can say why.  The pain only starts after I take my 5mg Bystolic tablet. I too gained 15 pds with no dietary changes.  I joined Weight Watchers and an wasting money nothing seems to be working to lose the weight.

osguz · Answer

63, active working , 4 - 8 miles per weekall my readings are normal. low colesterol, etc, etc. however my bp goes from 130/80 to 155/95' I have excersiced all my life, do not smoke, have not smoked, eat well, doctor wants to do angypla to see my heart arteries after he check me for strees test.

I have apnea, he says this is not relevant.  was prescrib bystolic and first tekterna, which i did not like side effect because b.p. went really low, cold feets and hands, lost of sexual desires, not wanting to do anything and insomnia.

need your comments

connie53 · Answer

I started taking bystolic 10mg (samples) for constant irregular heartbeat.  Yes it definitely cured that but gave me the same muscle fatigue in my legs that you mention, they felt like they weighed a ton!  Was also on some lisinopril for HBP.  Because the stuff worked on my heart it was worth it to me to try to get used to it or work with the dosing with my doctor. After several different trials, I am now taking 5 mg bystolic and no lisinopril and my body seems to have adjusted.  While I am overweight, I did not gain any additional weight as others have mentioned.  I am also not exhausted. I recently had blood work so we will see if it had some kind of effect on my cholesterol as others have had.  I hope not.  It was interesting to hear that someone else had the heavy legs because my doc seemed surprised that I had that as a side effect.  It is definitely the bystolic because when I went off it, the fatigue went away.

cuffem66 · Answer

I have been on 5mg bystolic for a couple of months. My knees also ache. The worst part is I am exhausted all the time. I have also put on 15 pounds in the couple of months I've been taking it. It is controlling my heart rate. I also take Micardis.

ace55 · Answer

I commented in an earlier post. I've been on BYSTOLIC (5 mg)for about 3 months. The 1'st side effect which I became aware of was sharp pain in my knees, and achy legs when using the stairs. These pains got better after about a month. Other side effects include weight gain, high cholesterol (on my last blood test TOTAL chol went from about 200 to 266),sexual side-effects (low libido),fatigue and worst of all my last blood pressure reading was high (150/100). On the plus side, this beta-blocker seems to provide the best heart rate control and did not cause me sleep problems, nightmares, cold hands and feet etc..(like older beta blockers) I believe BISOPROLOL (ZEBETA)though an older beta blocker,  is currently the better beta blocker, but it does not provide the greatest heart rate control.