Dad cant sleep while on stroke medicine Atenolol... what can we do?

Question

Dad cant sleep while on stroke medicine Atenolol... what can we do?

Answer 1

I assume that you father is on Atenolol for hypertension as you said it was a stroke medication and hypertension can lead to strokes. If this is the case then I would assume that he is or was taking a diuretic such as HCTZ but that the diuretic did not control the hypertension well enough by itself. A Beta-blocker, which Atenolol is, is often added to therapy when a diuretic alone can not control the hypertension.

Before you try anything you might want to consider the possibility that it is not Atenolol that is causing the insomnea. Sleeplessness in not listed as a side effect of Atenolol and in fact some people have reported fatigue and drowsiness. There have been some reports of people having nightmares on beta-blocker therapy.

Atenolol does not pass the blood-brain barrier very well and so causes few neurological side effects as compaired to other Beta-blockers such as Propanolol which pass the blood-brain barrier more easily.

However if you are sure that the Atenolol is the problem then perhaps switching to an ACE (angiotensin coverting enzyme) inhibitor (such as Vasotec) or an ARB (angiotensin receptor blocker)( such as Diovan) to control hypertension may be helpful.

In any case you should talk to a doctor as sleeplessness is associated with many health problem including guess what.....hypertension.

Good Luck

Answer 2

You don't say why he can't sleep? I'm concerned that he may be having heart failure precipitated by the beta blocker, atenolol; the heart failure causing shortness of breath when he lies down at night and possibly coughing as well. This would be serious and needs to be addressed by his doctor. Beta blockers are negative inotropic agents, meaning they decrease the contractility of the heart muscle, and even though they are often given to cardiac patients, they can precipitate heart failure, which often manifests by orthopnea or shortness of breath when lying down flat, and by PND or paroxysmal nocturnal dyspnea, meaning they wake up real short of breath and get better when they get up and get some fresh air. Also, you can get mental side effects from beta blockers like depression and psychosis, but like the guy said, atenolol is one of the best at not causing that side effect.

Answer 3

I am thinking that this is an episode out of The Jerry Springer Show... Seriously, you need help man.. You are not only messing your life up but those of your girlfriend's, her mother etc.. You are a selfish man, that needs some serious help. You have a choice, dump the girlfriend and get the hell out of their lives or carry on like this and let them all find out and you are going to be the bad one, chased out of the house.. I just cant beleive that the wife hasnt realised what her husband is about.. You also need to look at yourself, what type of person would sleep around. I am not against being gay etc etc. None at all, but either way, be loyal to the partner that you are with and build up on something secure and stable. Or are you that insecure with in yourself?

Answer 4

A WARM GLASS OF MILK AT NIGHT BEFORE SLEEPING WILL HELP. EVEN HAVING A BANANA AT NIGHT IS VERY HELPFUL...IVE TESTED THIS MYSELF. TAKING A WARM SHOWER BEFORE GOING TO BED CAN ALSO HELP. ASK HIM TO OFFER A LITTLE PRAYER BEFORE GOING TO SLEEP. IF THESE DONT WORK ,,,,TELL THE DOCTOR TO CHANGE THE MEDICINE...TAKE CARE OF UR FATHER...ILL PRAY FOR HIS HEALTH...HOPE HE FEELS BETTER :)

Answer 5

Call the doctor who wrote the prescription.

Answer 6

go see your/his doctor, or if you can't, go to the hospital