MountainReader,

Your doctor was smart in avoiding the beta blockers. I learned of metoprolol last month when I went to the ER for chest pains. I turned out to be either reflux and/or anxiety. The tests were normal, as was a nuclear stress test I took last December. My heart is healthy; unfortunately I have health anxiety about the heart because of my father's passing from a heart attack.

The ER dr mentioned about the Metoprolol because it's also supposed to help with anxiety. I asked my primary dr to switch the meds and he agreed after reading the ER report. He figured the low dose wouldn't affect the asthma. Unforutnately my body disagrees. :rolleyes:

Hey Vanessa,

Hope you're doing good and hope you are having a great weekend.

I have been off the Metoprolol for two days now and already I noticed improvement! I haven't had any asthma episodes; I feel different from when I was on the Metoprolol--I feel like I was before I took it; my nocturnal/morning allergic rhinitius is back to not resulting in asthma episodes and/or low peak meter readings; and the meter readings themselves the past two days have been good as well!

Thank you. :wave:

Vanessa,

My pulmonary dr last night believes my chest tightness and recent asthma outbreaks are due to my GERD which, by the way, is in the larynx. He is referring me to a gastrointerologist who, according him, is great for GERD patients. He may be onto something because the chest tightness started around the time the GERD started, late 2006.

[QUOTE]so it is hard for me to distinguish between the two - and it does make me panicky at times. I worry that if I ignore it and relate it to GERD - that it will actually be the asthma and I will end up in the ER.... Believe me, I know the feeling :rolleyes:. I would err on the side of caution and treat it like it is asthma even if it isn't.

Re: the Xanax, I have .25 mg tabs that I use to help with the chest tightness.

Last month when I was on the Metoprolol I also did notice increased chest tightness occurrences.

Stay strong with the tapering off of the Prednisone.

Interestingly and thankfully my pressue was 120/80 last night, which is the 5th day back on the Benicar. Good luck with the BP med. :cool: