My mum recommended me to make this account as I suffer from very, very bad anxiety. For anyone wondering, I'm 16 years old and from Scotland. I'm turning 17 on June 15th.
Basically I need help with my medication called Propranolol. After being extremely fed up with my Anxiety, and just wanting to feel better around my friends and such, I asked my mum to book me an appointment at my local health centre to see if I could get some sort of medication. I got prescribed Propranolol, obviously. I've been taking it since this Monday, 23rd of February. I got told to take one tablet two times a day, and it's 10mg.
The help I'm needing is basically reassurance and advice, as I'm not able to tell if it's helping me at all. I went out for the first time yesterday since taking them, but if they did have any effect on me at all, they may have worn off by the time I went out. I definitely feel the side effects when taking them. As I have asthma, I obviously feel slightly breathless. It's not a big deal, but it's annoying. I also get slightly tight feelings around the chest area from time to time, tingly feelings in my legs and very cold hands. I also get really tired, but that may be partly due to the fact that I've not been in a good routine for night time.
Today I'm considering taking three tablets, even though I'm only supposed to take two. So far I've taken my first at 9:00 AM, it's now half past as I write this. I don't feel it will do much harm though, as I'm planning on asking my doctor for a higher dose of the medicine or a stronger medicine all together. In a way I want to ask for a completely different medicine that's stronger, obviously to help out as I don't feel much from this... but I still want to give it a chance, so by getting a higher dose might help. But then there's also the side effects, and with a higher dose, those might get a lot worse.
Any advice on the things I've just talked about in this post are very much appreciated! If anyone else needs help, I'll try my best, but I'm only just learning myself too.
Thanks again!
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NativeScot
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Hi, thanks for the reply. It depends on the situation and how bad I'm feeling really... but it's more of a social anxiety. I get very shy, worried, and just feel all round awkward near people who I am not close with. Whenever I go out with my friends, I find it hard to have a good time because there is so many people round me. When I'm in a big busy place, I feel like everyone is looking at me and judging me. I always just feel like burst out and crying. When it gets to the extreme stage, when I'm being forced to do something I really don't like, I take panic attacks. I used to get them a lot just from the thought of going to school, but I no longer need to go to school anyway.
Last Friday I had a pretty big panic attack. I couldn't breath properly when standing up, and my chest felt extremely tight when lieing down. I eventually got so scared that I started panicking, which made my breathing and chest get much, much worse. I then had another one the next day by feeling nervous about going out with my friends, so I ended up staying in due to fearing that it would happen again while I was out.
I am really wanting to try three just to see if it will make any difference, because so far it hasn't done much a part from giving me the side effects, as mentioned above. I'll do it for at least today, and then stop if I bump into any problems.
Have a banana when you feel bad, trust me it works! Just don't have too many in a day, you will start seeing weird shit!! Also have your thyroid checked, a lot of people with our symptoms have hidden problems with that. Go on long walks, always concentrate on your breathing (lots of techniques online). And...propranolol is crap! It's ok if you are standing talking to lots of people and you want to stop shaking! But long term it will not overly help. Ask for something else! Good luck honey, take care and remember eat a banana xx
I don't understand how a Banana would help with my anxiety... but I'll maybe give it a try, haha. I'm not too sure what my "thyroid" is, but I'll look into it. I did go to this thing called CAHMS for a while in my area, where you basically talk to someone about your problems, but I hated it and stopped going. When I went I got given breathing exercises, but honestly, I forgot them all since then. I've heard lot's of good things about Propranolol on other forums, but so far it's done absolutely nothing for me but give me side effects which I'm not enjoying too much! I got my mum to phone for another appointment to maybe up the dose like I said, or just get a completely different medicine which is stronger, possibly minus the side effects too.
Unfortunately there's no appointments for this week, and I'm afraid my current medication won't help in time for my paid work experience that I will have to go to this Monday coming up. Also I would like them to work for this Saturday too as I'm going out with my friends, but I doubt it will work by then.
I take propanolol I take 40mg twice a day I don't get no side effects not that I know of anyway.. I was scared to take them a first but iv been taking them for a couple months they are alright .. Go back to ur doctor if you want to upper ur dose don't just take more, hope ur ok x
Lol, your welcome. Bananas contain tryptophan which is a natural beta blocker and will help de-stress you. But tryptophan is also a mild hypnotic, so don't eat too many in a day! Bananas also contain serotonin, which is a feel good drug your body produces naturally. Propranolol is what my phycologist called a 'dirty drug' as it is used for a lot of things and not specifically for anxiety. I have propranolol and take it when I feel out of control and it helps a bit. But daily I have other medication to control my anxiety and panic attacks. Propranolol may work for you but you need to try something else because of it messing with your asthma. This is just my stupid opinion, I'm not a doctor but I can only talk from my personal experience. Whatever you do, it sounds like you have a lovely supporting mum and sometimes a mummy hug is better than any medication x
I greatly appreciate your help here! You've given me so much information and it should come in handy. If you don't mind me asking... what is the main medication you take that helps your anxiety? I really need something good, because my anxiety is just getting to the stupid levels now.
Hi, I'm on sertraline 200mg and pregablin 600mg daily. Was on risperidone but couldn't walk very well. Check out anxietycoach.com and Dr Claire weeks x
I'm from Scotland too. I also take propannanol. It takes a while to really kick in and do its job. It took over a month for me to really feel like it was making an impact on my life.
That's great to hear from another fellow Scot. Yesterday I did in fact end up taking three tablets, and I'm not sure if it helped or not. I went out with my friends that night, and I didn't really feel panicky at all... but at the same time, they were winding me up to "test the anxiety" and I was getting annoyed at them, but I never felt the feelings I usually get when that happens. I just kind of laughed with them and stuff and found it funny.
It's hard to help if it actually done anything... but at the same time I did feel a bit awkward.
Follow the dose from your Dr I was put on these along with citalopram for my anxiety . The propanolol is to help clm the ' physical effects' your body feels during anxious moments .
You have yl give them a few weeks to work , have they booked you any cbt counselling ? The best thing you could do is keep s journal of how your feeling as this will also aide your Dr and counsellor to help you
Hi NativeScot welcome to HealthUnlocked. You will find so much support and reassurance on here. I hope it helps you as much as it helps me to realise you're not alone and to provide help for others.
I also suffer with anxiety and was also recently prescribed propranolol. I was prescribed three 10mg tablets a day and found that this did nothing for me but since moving up to a single 40mg tablet a day, I have found the tablets have helped. Propranolol is a beta-blocker and so it will not stop your thoughts but should ease some of your symptoms.
If you don't find that your own dosage is helping then speak to your doctor and don't be afraid to keep returning until you're happy but I would advise that you do not change your dosage without speaking to your doctor first. Unfortunately, there is a lot of trial and error involved in medications for mental health.
I believe people can take up to 120mg of propranolol a day so I don't think side effects are likely on such a low dosage. I haven't personally had any on 40mg. I hope this helps Good luck!
Hey! I'm also 16 and from Scotland, it's nice to find someone my own age on here! (as nice as finding someone on an anxiety forum can be)
I was also on propanalol for a while, well since i had been to the doctors about my anxiety/depression. At first it was all I was on, and I didn't feel it working at all. Then the side affects started to come and i found it made me feel sick and extremely tired. I told my doctor and he kept me on them but gave me fluoxitine as well. The fluoxitine was helpful and im still on it just now, but If you can, stay away from antidepressants. You become reliant on them and its not a good cycle to be in, unless they really, really work and change your life for the better! I'm off propanalol because really they werent worth it. It sounds like the same for you; so i'd suggest you ask for a different medication or try cbt/therapy? Do you go to any sort of therapy? It may help.
You can always message me if you need a friend to talk too! Hope everything's okay xx
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I'm not too sure what my "thyroid" is, but I'll look into it. I did go to this thing called CAHMS for a while in my area, where you basically talk to someone about your problems, but I hated it and stopped going. When I went I got given breathing exercises, but honestly, I forgot them all since then. I've heard lot's of good things about Propranolol on other forums, but so far it's done absolutely nothing for me but give me side effects which I'm not enjoying too much! I got my mum to phone for another appointment to maybe up the dose like I said, or just get a completely different medicine which is stronger, possibly minus the side effects too. 
I'm just going to do three for today to see how it goes. 
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