My husband has been put on betaloc which is a Beta blocker. (metaprolol Succinate) He has always been healthy normal person, who was lately messed up by taking Statins at 40mgs per day...this caused heaps of problems. Now they put him on beta blockers...just in case.

I have been researching all this stuff for ages and friends that have stopped taking all this rubbish have been better than before. Just read this page
http://www.askapatient.com/viewrating.asp?drug=19962&name=TOPROL-XL

or... just type in www.askpatient.com and then type in the active ingredient of what medicine you take, so you can see that your symptoms are not a myth. remember that in NZ the names are different to Europe and US for the same drug.

My husband is going to stop the lot, gradually with or without the help of his doctor and start on some natural products...Hawthorn and garlic for blood pressure, also Hyacynth, is also good, and as for cholesterol...His parents both lived to 95 without all that garbage in their systems.

Hi eva8

Just found this post and thought you might be interested to know that your husband needs to take enteric coated garlic tablets rather than capsules. Stomch acid destroys the allicin before it gets to the intestine if the pill is not enteric coated and there no cholesterol lowering effect as a result. Nature's Way puts out a product called 'Garlicin'. Eating garlic in cooking is good also of course. Several doctors in the recent past have all tried to push ACE inhibitors on me plus statins. No way!

Just read your post.I am slowly getting rid of the horrible side effects of both Lipex and Lipitor. I was at the Podiatrist this morning and he was telling me his dad was given just two pills-Inhibace and Lipex. His poor Dad suffered muscle wastage just with two bloomin' tablets.I was changed to Lipitor which has also proved deadly to me.Now my body goes through alternating heat and cold feelings both at once.I have given up all my medications except those I know I can take without obvious side effects.Also I had the misfortune during the earlier part of this year to be mis-diagnosed for what was thought to be Angina. Put on a beta blocker,and I got really bad Asthma. Went to another doctor said my heart was a bit out of rhythm,but not bad. Turns out the 'angina' was due to me having a panic attack at that time.I have a good doctor but I reckon they really don't know or don't have enough info on the effects of drugs. Plus the fact if they are good like my one,they are rushed off their feet.But now I'm left with the problem of lowering my Cholesterol with either exercise or something else.What I don't know.

Gee-bee, I take omega 3 once a day also have you tried cinnamon? Quarter of a teaspoon twice a day I just sprinkle it on my breakfast cereal it is supposed to reduce cholesterol. Will know if it works when I get levels tested.

Hi Shanahoe! I take fish capsules three times daily.Never heard of Cinnamon,but anything's worth a shot.I must say that I'm starting to feel a lot better since leaving off taking diabolical medications.I have lost the horrible hot feeling.Now replaced with my normal chilliness.But cold is far easier to combat than continual heat.I'm upping my exercise schedule.Hope to take up lane walking in water again.But I got a shock at the entry fee at our local swimming pool.It may only be $3 for an oldie but it all adds up.Still if I can drop 5 kilos I'll be glad.

Gee bee move to Manukau, all the pools are free, bullet proof vest recommended
Lipex gave me a hard time, I did try exercise, lots of fruit, a margarine that was supposed to work, fish oil capsules etc
Now on lipitor, it works and gives me no side effects.
The right answer seems different for all of us.

Hi to all

I found becoming vegetarian and walking improved my angina symptoms. There are various diets recommended for reversing heart disease and they work. No way am I taking statins. i.e. Lipitor, Lipex, whatever.