Atenolol & pregnancy

[Jennifer]

I am 26 years old and have been on atenolol 50 mg per day for the last 5 years. I have SVT. I recently learned that I am 1 month pregnant. I called my Cardiologist who said I need to stop taking the medicine. Today is the first day I'm without it in 5 years and I can feel my heart rate to be faster than normal since I had become used to the lower blood pressure while on the medicine. I know if I take the medicine I will hurt my baby, but I've also heard that if you stop the medication abruptly it can cause the arrythmias to worsen or even a heart attack. I'm very worried. Any advice?

[Barb]

Jennifer wrote:

I am 26 years old and have been on atenolol 50 mg per day for the last 5 years. I have SVT. I recently learned that I am 1 month pregnant. I called my Cardiologist who said I need to stop taking the medicine. Today is the first day I'm without it in 5 years and I can feel my heart rate to be faster than normal since I had become used to the lower blood pressure while on the medicine. I know if I take the medicine I will hurt my baby, but I've also heard that if you stop the medication abruptly it can cause the arrythmias to worsen or even a heart attack. I'm very worried. Any advice?

Jennifer, your doctor was erroneous abruptly taking you off of atenolol like that. that med has to be weaned off. he put you AND your baby in a lot of danger. can we say...medical malpractice? I just got weaned off of it myself, took 2 weeks. i was on 50 mg/day then as per doctor's orders i took 1/2 tab/day for a week, then 1/2 every other day for another week. now i am on a water pill hydrochorothyazide 25 mg in the a.m., and 5 mg of amlodipine at bed time. its working great, and no more horrors of atenolol! I hope your gynecologist took care of things. congrats on the new baby coming :-)

[Jennifer]

Barb,
You are correct. I wasn't supposed to be taken off so abruptly and in fact, I didn't b/c it does say it can cause even worse heart problems. I think I need to change cardiologists. Atenolol IS a nightmare. I hated it. My gynecologist put me on Labetolol 100 mg and it has worked so far. He said it wouldn't affect my baby. I hope that's true. Thanks for your feedback! I tell you what... you can't even trust your doctor.