topic Re: Beta blocker eye drops in Wellness

Beta blocker eye drops

151949 — Sat, 15 Nov 2014 21:02:49 GMT

My DH has been diagnosed with beginning stages of glaucoma and was started on beta blocker eye drops - one drop in each eye twice a day. Beta blockers are a class of drugs that are often used to lower BP and pulse rates and are very effective at doing so. As a side effect of his eye drops my DH's BP & heart rate have really dropped - to the point where I told him he should not take his BP meds while he is using these drops. Has this happened to anyone here while they are using beta blocker drops? The reason I wonder is that I have not seen him put these drops in , I have emphasized to him the importance of only using ONE DROP but I know from seeing him put allergy drops in the past he holds his eye open and squeezes the bottle of drops until it floods his eye.I asked him to allow me to put in these drops for him but he got mad and said he is perfectly capable of giving himself one drop in each eye - however, I doubt that if he was doing only one drop that it would be potent enough to lower his BP & HR. So, before I take them away from him and make a fuss over him overdosing himself - does any one else experience dropping BP when taking beta blocker eye drops as prescribed? he is going back to the eye doctor in 2 weeks.

Re: Beta blocker eye drops

Apple Crisp — Sat, 15 Nov 2014 21:50:57 GMT

I had to use eyedrops for a year. I was worried about putting in too little or too much as it is hard to tell when you are doing it yourself and sometimes the drops hit your face instead of your eyes. I checked on the internet and found out that your eyes can really only hold one drop. If you put in more, the extra one will just come out. I have heard a great deal about the beta blockers for glaucoma. I have been told by a doctor that if you use that drug, your blood pressure and heart rate must be closely monitored. If I were you, I would check with your husband's primary doctor as soon as possible, to see what he says. I have found, in my experience, that some eye doctors don't stop to consider what some of these eye drops can do to the rest of your system.

Re: Beta blocker eye drops

Shelbelle — Sat, 15 Nov 2014 21:54:36 GMT

I dont use eye drops, I do take a beta blocker pill for heart palps. My eye doc always double checks me for glaucoma since he says I could have it, and the beta blocker is masking it, so I assume this could work both ways. My Mom had glaucoma, she used the drops and was also on a beta blocker pill for her BP, never had any problems.

Re: Beta blocker eye drops

Desi — Sat, 15 Nov 2014 22:00:33 GMT

Re: Beta blocker eye drops

Tissyanne — Sat, 15 Nov 2014 22:09:33 GMT

Will your husband ""allow""you to take his medication away from him?

Re: Beta blocker eye drops

151949 — Sat, 15 Nov 2014 22:18:54 GMT

On 11/15/2014 Rainbow Girl said:
I had to use eyedrops for a year. I was worried about putting in too little or too much as it is hard to tell when you are doing it yourself and sometimes the drops hit your face instead of your eyes. I checked on the internet and found out that your eyes can really only hold one drop. If you put in more, the extra one will just come out. I have heard a great deal about the beta blockers for glaucoma. I have been told by a doctor that if you use that drug, your blood pressure and heart rate must be closely monitored. If I were you, I would check with your husband's primary doctor as soon as possible, to see what he says. I have found, in my experience, that some eye doctors don't stop to consider what some of these eye drops can do to the rest of your system.

Thanks, this is what I needed to know. His BP today was 104/68 and his HR was 60 so I will just keep an eye on them. I don't know why he picks some of the oddest things to get all cantankerous about - and this is one he picked.He absolutely will not let me give him those drops, or even watch him put them in.I told him to not take his BP pill as the drops are doing it for him and he at least agreed about that.

Re: Beta blocker eye drops

tends2dogs — Sat, 15 Nov 2014 22:36:33 GMT

Did the physician that prescribed these drops ask if your husband was on any other meds?

I would call the pharmacy to get an answer before Monday.

Just a thought...

Re: Beta blocker eye drops

Tissyanne — Sun, 16 Nov 2014 00:20:38 GMT

Some blood pressure medications should not be stopped abruptly.

Re: Beta blocker eye drops

VioletEyes — Sun, 16 Nov 2014 15:29:42 GMT

What a surprising thread. As a nurse, I would think that you would be aware that the only one qualified to adjust medications would be the patient's personal physician. In addition, beta blockers are not used as often to control glaucoma because there are newer drugs that do not affect the patient systemically.

Re: Beta blocker eye drops

HisElk — Sun, 16 Nov 2014 20:15:32 GMT

I would have thought that the prescribing physician would know what other prescriptions he's taking; that information should be in his chart.

When I go for my annual vision checkup, I'm asked to complete and update all meds that I am taking as that can easily change.

IMO I wouldn't be making any decisions until talking with the physician.

Re: Beta blocker eye drops

Disneydiva — Sun, 16 Nov 2014 20:46:05 GMT

This topic is very current for me. I have had glaucoma for years and have taken many different medication drops. The beta blocker drops are the most effective drop to control glaucoma even with the newer drops like Xalatan (once a day). I take both Xalatan (is most effective taken just before bedtime) and Dorzolamide HCI-Timolol (twice a day) which is a combo beta blocker. I've asked and have been told by 2 eye docs that beta blockers are still the first line med for glaucoma even with the newer formulations. You need to know how to take the drops and how to pinch the bridge of your nose to keep the medicines from slipping past the eyeball and into your system. You wouldn't think that the drops would act systemically but they do and can drop your BP and pulse too low. It happened to me.

Re: Beta blocker eye drops

151949 — Mon, 17 Nov 2014 00:01:21 GMT

On 11/16/2014 Disneydiva said:
This topic is very current for me. I have had glaucoma for years and have taken many different medication drops. The beta blocker drops are the most effective drop to control glaucoma even with the newer drops like Xalatan (once a day). I take both Xalatan (is most effective taken just before bedtime) and Dorzolamide HCI-Timolol (twice a day) which is a combo beta blocker. I've asked and have been told by 2 eye docs that beta blockers are still the first line med for glaucoma even with the newer formulations. You need to know how to take the drops and how to pinch the bridge of your nose to keep the medicines from slipping past the eyeball and into your system. You wouldn't think that the drops would act systemically but they do and can drop your BP and pulse too low. It happened to me.

Thank you. You would think that people would not post information that is incorrect but they do anyway.

Re: Beta blocker eye drops

VioletEyes — Mon, 17 Nov 2014 05:16:36 GMT

On 11/16/2014 Disneydiva said:
This topic is very current for me. I have had glaucoma for years and have taken many different medication drops. The beta blocker drops are the most effective drop to control glaucoma even with the newer drops like Xalatan (once a day). I take both Xalatan (is most effective taken just before bedtime) and Dorzolamide HCI-Timolol (twice a day) which is a combo beta blocker. I've asked and have been told by 2 eye docs that beta blockers are still the first line med for glaucoma even with the newer formulations. You need to know how to take the drops and how to pinch the bridge of your nose to keep the medicines from slipping past the eyeball and into your system. You wouldn't think that the drops would act systemically but they do and can drop your BP and pulse too low. It happened to me.

You are totally incorrect about beta blockers being used as a first line defense for glaucoma. This is why people should always check with their own ophthalmologist before believing anything posted here.

Re: Beta blocker eye drops

VioletEyes — Mon, 17 Nov 2014 05:19:51 GMT

Re: Beta blocker eye drops

qbetzforreal — Mon, 17 Nov 2014 05:28:56 GMT

On 11/16/2014 happy housewife said:
On 11/16/2014 Disneydiva said:
This topic is very current for me. I have had glaucoma for years and have taken many different medication drops. The beta blocker drops are the most effective drop to control glaucoma even with the newer drops like Xalatan (once a day). I take both Xalatan (is most effective taken just before bedtime) and Dorzolamide HCI-Timolol (twice a day) which is a combo beta blocker. I've asked and have been told by 2 eye docs that beta blockers are still the first line med for glaucoma even with the newer formulations. You need to know how to take the drops and how to pinch the bridge of your nose to keep the medicines from slipping past the eyeball and into your system. You wouldn't think that the drops would act systemically but they do and can drop your BP and pulse too low. It happened to me.

Thank you. You would think that people would not post information that is incorrect but they do anyway.

oh my

Re: Beta blocker eye drops

VioletEyes — Mon, 17 Nov 2014 05:30:15 GMT

On 11/15/2014 Tissyanne said: Some blood pressure medications should not be stopped abruptly.

Exactly and considering the OP claims to be a nurse, she should know that no one is qualified to take her husband off blood pressure medications but the prescribing physician. The results of such could have dire consequences.

Re: Beta blocker eye drops

pitdakota — Mon, 17 Nov 2014 05:50:36 GMT

On 11/16/2014 SoftRaindrops said:
On 11/15/2014 Tissyanne said: Some blood pressure medications should not be stopped abruptly.
Exactly and considering the OP claims to be a nurse, she should know that no one is qualified to take her husband off blood pressure medications but the prescribing physician. The results of such could have dire consequences.

In this case, happy housewife is right on point and I know exactly what she means when she states she told her husband not to take the medication. It doesn't mean to totally cease the medication, but you don't take it at that time because the BP is low enough that taking the med can cause some problems.

This is very common and used all across the country in hospitals, nursing homes, and rehab facilities. Nurses are quite used to withholding a dose of an anti-hypertensive if the systolic BP is below a certain point.

So she isn't talking about taking her husband totally off of his BP medication at all. And it was a good call on her part to tell him to skip that dose with his BP already down and probably another round of eye drops coming later in the day.

Re: Beta blocker eye drops

VioletEyes — Mon, 17 Nov 2014 06:02:51 GMT

On 11/16/2014 pitdakota said:
On 11/16/2014 SoftRaindrops said:
On 11/15/2014 Tissyanne said: Some blood pressure medications should not be stopped abruptly.
Exactly and considering the OP claims to be a nurse, she should know that no one is qualified to take her husband off blood pressure medications but the prescribing physician. The results of such could have dire consequences.

In this case, happy housewife is right on point and I know exactly what she means when she states she told her husband not to take the medication. It doesn't mean to totally cease the medication, but you don't take it at that time because the BP is low enough that taking the med can cause some problems.

This is very common and used all across the country in hospitals, nursing homes, and rehab facilities. Nurses are quite used to withholding a dose of an anti-hypertensive if the systolic BP is below a certain point.

So she isn't talking about taking her husband totally off of his BP medication at all. And it was a good call on her part to tell him to skip that dose with his BP already down and probably another round of eye drops coming later in the day.

Re: Beta blocker eye drops

VioletEyes — Mon, 17 Nov 2014 06:07:05 GMT

On 11/16/2014 pitdakota said:
On 11/16/2014 SoftRaindrops said:
On 11/15/2014 Tissyanne said: Some blood pressure medications should not be stopped abruptly.
Exactly and considering the OP claims to be a nurse, she should know that no one is qualified to take her husband off blood pressure medications but the prescribing physician. The results of such could have dire consequences.

In this case, happy housewife is right on point and I know exactly what she means when she states she told her husband not to take the medication. It doesn't mean to totally cease the medication, but you don't take it at that time because the BP is low enough that taking the med can cause some problems.

This is very common and used all across the country in hospitals, nursing homes, and rehab facilities. Nurses are quite used to withholding a dose of an anti-hypertensive if the systolic BP is below a certain point.

So she isn't talking about taking her husband totally off of his BP medication at all. And it was a good call on her part to tell him to skip that dose with his BP already down and probably another round of eye drops coming later in the day.

I respectfully disagree.

The only person qualified to adjust someone's medications are the prescribing physicians. The ones with an MD after their name.

Re: Beta blocker eye drops

Tissyanne — Mon, 17 Nov 2014 06:24:37 GMT

On 11/16/2014 pitdakota said:
On 11/16/2014 SoftRaindrops said:
On 11/15/2014 Tissyanne said: Some blood pressure medications should not be stopped abruptly.
Exactly and considering the OP claims to be a nurse, she should know that no one is qualified to take her husband off blood pressure medications but the prescribing physician. The results of such could have dire consequences.

In this case, happy housewife is right on point and I know exactly what she means when she states she told her husband not to take the medication. It doesn't mean to totally cease the medication, but you don't take it at that time because the BP is low enough that taking the med can cause some problems.

This is very common and used all across the country in hospitals, nursing homes, and rehab facilities. Nurses are quite used to withholding a dose of an anti-hypertensive if the systolic BP is below a certain point.

So she isn't talking about taking her husband totally off of his BP medication at all. And it was a good call on her part to tell him to skip that dose with his BP already down and probably another round of eye drops coming later in the day.

I also respectfully disagree.