School Lady asked
I take my Toprol ER 25 mg at lunch. My doctor said to just take it once a day at the same time. I'm thinking about gradually taking it a little later in the day. So that when school starts back I won't need to take it there. Because it's extended release, does it make a difference when I take it? Will it also help me by being sleepier in the evening, then during the work day? Sometimes it seems like I'm sleepy after taking it. But maybe it's just whatever I had for lunch.
Answer
Toprol XL (Metoprolol Succinate) is a selective beta-blocker. It is indicated to be used in the following conditions:
- Angina
- Heart failure
- Hypertension
It is recommended by the drug manufacturer that Toprol XL (Metoprolol Succinate) be preferably taken with or immediately following a meal for best absorption. Besides this, there is no specific recommended time to take this drug. With or after your evening meal would be fine to take Toprol XL (Metoprolol Succinate).
The half-life of Toprol XL (Metoprolol Succinate) is 24 hours. The half-life of a drug is the time it take for the amount of drug in the body to be reduced by one-half. This means that there will still be some drug left in your body even if you push your next dose off by a couple hours. Doing this once to change your dosing schedule should not cause any problems. It is a fairly common recommendation to take blood pressure medication in the evening as this can help reduce dizziness or fatigue in some individuals.
One of the commons side effects of Toprol XL (Metoprolol Succinate) can be fatigue, which can occur in 1% to 10% of patients that take this drug. It is possible that your sleepiness in the afternoon can be from this medication. Some other common side effects reported in patients onToprol XL (Metoprolol Succinate) include:
- Hypotension or low blood pressure
- Bradycardia or slow heart beat
- Dizziness
- Depression
- Itching
- Diarrhea
In conclusion, there is no specific time recommended that Toprol XL (Metoprolol Succinate) should be taken. The manufacturer does recommend that Toprol XL (Metoprolol Succinate) be taken with or immediately following a meal. Switching your dose of this drug to the evening should pose no problems for this drug or the other drugs you are taking.
