Atkins was right about beta blockers...you can't lose much weight while on them. With the doctors advice I am taking half the dose and my weight started to go down again. I wonder if anybody has had this experience with these drugs? I could only eat about 20 to 30 carbs a day just to maintain my weight. Could hardly lose. But since I cut down the meds. I lost 3 lbs in the last 10 days.

I had the same thing. I started Atkins 6/1/03 and after the initial big loss had lost 2-4 pounds a week steady as clockwork. My MD put me on a beta blocker almost 3 weeks ago and my weight loss just stopped, stone cold. 4 days ago I stopped taking them and Im currently trying the Atkins Vita-Pressure mix to see if I can get back under control. My weight loss hasnt started back yet but Im hopeful. Im checking my pressures twice a day and theyve been looking a pinch better every time.

An even bigger problem (for me anyway) was the beta blockers made me feel like crap. Today was the first day since I started the bb's that I havent had a headache. Hopefully the weight loss along with the supplements will keep me healthy and feeling good at the same time.

Thanks for the reply. This helps confirm that the beta blockers do stop the weight loss or slow it way down. I have been on bb's for over ten years to help stop heart palpitations. They work for the most part. I lost weight at first, but then it stopped. I stayed the same weight for about 3 months. And I knew that I was sticking strickly to the induction diet. Now that I have cut down on the bb's I hope the weight loss keeps going on.

A few months back I consulted a weight loss specialist doctor... and the very first thing he commented on was that beta blockers were probably one of the main reasons I had so much difficulty losing weight... they slowed metabolism... he consulted with my cardiologist to get me off them...

Now his plan for me was mostly to continue eating as I was.. he didn't think I was doing too much wrong. but to up the exercise...
Until I was right off beta-blockers I didn't lose anything, but it started to drop off as soon as I stopped taking them...

Unfortunately I didn't continue with him... I was having lots of problems living up to his plan, and dropped out.... but it did tell me that most doctors are aware of this problem with beta-blockers.... they just don't want to know about it...

Now I wonder just how they expect you to lose weight, when they are prescribing pills that make it pretty impossible..... duh...

Its been hard to lose this weight. I told one doctor that it was the bb's. She didn't think it was a problem. "Just get strick on the diet" she said. I don't think I can get any stricker.

this forum seems to be dead for a couple of months now.

But it speaks directly to a problem I have.

I recently was put on a beta blocker (Atenolol) as well as a diuretic and now a calcium channel blocker.

My BP was astronomical, IE I was a stroke waiting to happen.

The BP is down but I need to lose weight.

I tried to do the induction diet but could not get ketosis to start.
I'm thinking it may be the medication. I was strict on the induction eating no more than 10 grams of carbs a day for 6 days.
No ketosis, not an ounce of weight loss.

I have a Doctors appt next week and I'm going to try and get him to take me off the Beta Blocker and start me on an ACE inhibitor. I have my health coverage with an HMO though - and ACE inhibitors are expensive so I'm expecting resistance.

well - thats good news my Dr gave me no resistance about
changing the medication and has switched me to an ACE.

I will give it a few days and then start the induction phase again.

even though this thread is inactive - I will report the results here
for those who may come along later with the same situation.

I went off the beta blocker on tusday and restarted the induction phase on thursday.

I got my first indication of ketosis on the test strips at noon today, Saturday.

Oddly enough there still was no reaction on the strip this morning when I got up.

I'm excited at the prospect of staying true to the program.

I am also on beta blockers, but I would be afraid to stop because of the way my heart was acting , which is the reason I started. I have Mitral valve prolapse. I still get the heart palpitations, but not as often. In 6 months I had lost 30 lbs. on Atkins (while taking b.b's) I think the L-Carnitine was what helped me.

Low carbing and losing weight will certainly help a high BP come down. But it doesn't help the mitral valve nor many other problems.

I am happy to hear that you have kept on with the medication your doctor has prescribed. Only a physician who has examined you and knows your case should be trusted to decide what meds you ought to be on for a heart problem.

I imagine that the weight loss will take a large load off your heart and help it work better for you. Hope all goes well for you Denise, and for you too Owen. That's great to know that the BP has come down a lot.

I am also on Beta Blockers. I would be afraid to stop taking them because of the reason I started in the first place. I have Mitral Valve Prolapse and was having alot of problems before taking b.b's. I lost 30 lbs. while taking the b.b's. I just took Dr. Atkins advice on taking things like L-Carnitine and alpha lipoic acid to help with the metabolism problem.

I am also taking beta blockers and would be afraid to stop because of the problems I was having before I started taking them. I have Mitral Valve Prolapse and have alot of problems with it. That's where the b.b's come in. I lost 30 lbs. in 6 months while taking the b.b's. I just took Dr Atkins advice about taking L-Carnitine and Alpha Lipoic Acid to help with the slow metabolism.

After ten days of induction I'm down 13 pounds - a great start.

I discovered something quite interesting though.
I started taking the Atkins vitamins at the start of induction, but 5 days ago I added CoEnzyme Q10 (50 Mg twice a day) and my BP has dropped dramaticaly since starting the CoQ10.

This is all with basicly no excersize regimen. But thats gonna change. I just had a treadmill delivered and plan to get myself aerobic at least 3 or 4 times a week on it.

Kdenise, as tofi said - valve irregularitys are quite a different story than using Beta Blockers for hypertension. It sounds like they are not keeping you from losing on the diet though.

In my case I have such a low metabolism that the beta blockers were keeping my pulse rate in the low 50's and occasionally dropping into the high 40's.

Now my pulse rate runs in the mid 60's and I'm sure this is the reason why the diet is working for me now.

Glad to have found this thread. I have been doing Atkins for three weeks now and lost 8 pounds the first week but only 1 the second week. I haven't checked yet but will tomorrow. I have been on the beta blocker for several years but only take 1/2 a pill a day so thought I might be able to get away with still losing weight. If that does not work out will cut out one half starting tomorrow as essentially I have been between 10 and 15 carbs per day.

Have really enjoyed being on the plan and eating what I feel like, never having the munchies and feeling slimmer even if the weight is not going down.

Do have to start something different though as I now think eating all the protein has given me gout. No fun at all trying to get out of bed in the morning.

Deserthawk, congrats on your loss so far! Cutting down on the carbs won't make you lose faster. You really should be eating at least 20 per day.

Are you getting enough fat in your diet? Fat should make up 60-70% of your daily caloric intake.

Also, don't expect to lose next 20 pounds as fast as the first 9. Your weight loss will slow the close you get to your goal. Be patient. Drink plenty of water. Stick with the plan. The loss will happen!

Good luck!