This is going to sound crazy but please consider all the information.
I was prescribed Propranolol in 2007. My dosage was 40mg three times daily and it was prescribed for panic attacks.
Anyway, shortly after taking the medication, I noticed my heart was beating slow so I attended A&E where they confirmed ‘sinus bradycardia’ was a reaction to the medicine.
Anyway, since discontinuing Propranolol, I still experience symptoms I can only describe as feeling ‘beta-blocked’ still and my endless search for answers is still going on.
I’ve had tons of ECG’s, which still show sinus bradycardia at rates of as low as 38bpm (this could be nocturnal though) and as low as 48bpm when waking / resting. Now I have been to A&E numerous times, been to my GP (who have been helpful). I’ve seen a cardiologist and they all say the Propranolol is out of my system but from doing my own research, the only way I can still be ‘beta-blocked’ is if I overdosed!!!
I really don’t understand what is going on tbh but I’ve researched medical cases of toxicity and my ECG’s surprisingly match up to a rare case from 1988. But still! Nobody will treat me I guess because of the length of time!
My symptoms are feeling light-headed permanently, weakness, feeling strange (like there’s no adrenaline), dizziness, sometimes confusion. As I said, my ECG’s show ‘sinus bradycardia’ with incomplete bundle branch block. They think it’s because I’m young, fit and healthy but I know my problems were drug-induced but I’m at the point where I don’t know who to turn to!
I currently have a loop recorder implanted in my body to monitor my heart rate 24/7 but at present I’m still not convinced it will yield a diagnosis. Because the clinical picture is overshadowed by the fact I’m not on the medication anymore and you expect it to be out of the system. But what damage has the drug left behind?
I’ve been reading through the stories about Propranolol on here and I can honestly say, it still feels as though I’m on the medication with the lethargy and tiredness I experience along with my other symptoms on a daily basis!
As I’ve said, I’ve tried letters to doctors, different A&E departments, doing my own research etc but nothing. I have a feeling I may be stuck ‘beta-blocked’ until something bad happens! Which it did in November 2020 when I started having non-epileptic seizures!
Can anyone help? Suggest something… I don’t know. It’s driving me crazy a bit!
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stelfox
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Oh my God!!! Thank you for bringing this up!!! I recently have been put in a new drug that I take at night called Vraylar for at night, then I was developing restless leg syndrome on it so 3 days ago my doctor cautiously has me taking Propranol at night to calm my legs down. I don't like it though. I'll take it again tonight but tomorrow I'm calling my doctor. It slows my heartbeat down too!!!
I took atenolol, also a beta blocker for about a year. I felt fine, but after a routine holter monitor test it was discovered that my heart rate was in the low 40s when resting. The drug was stopped. I have heard that it is also possible to have a low heart rate if you are very fit. I would see what your present heart monitor shows and discuss it further with your cardiologist. Worrying about heart issues can be very upsetting, especially when you are not given clear answers.
I don't know, because it was not tested for 5-6 months after I stopped the atenolol. After that it leveled off in the low 70s at rest. Now cardiologist says everything is fine. I wonder if it would be helpful to have an echocardiogram.
Okay, I'm getting really anxious right now. I'm NOT taking that drug tonight, I just can't stand this restless leg syndrome thing I have going on. It's like I'm up sleepwalking at night!!!!
Can you clarify what you mean by you might be stuck beta blocked until something bad happens? I have something to add but just wanted to be sure that I'm picking up what you're putting down🙃
Basically, I remember what parts of my body the drug blocked, such as adrenaline. It affected my eyes, my muscles, my heart and even my brain. Please add as much as you can.
I was on a tranqualizer for ten years before taking propranolol and for me it was the tranquiliser that has left me with similar....I forget the name of it. I started the slow release propanolol 1 a day after dropping the tranquiliser and it has NOT made me worse ,although I sometimes feel tired but then I was much much worse on the tranquiliser.Sorry to hear you can't shake of the problems.
I went through a similar "withdrawal" on betas in 1984....160mg to control anxiety ..used them for about two years gradually reducing the dose to only when i had a panic episode.Noticed low heart rate, blue fingers, conscious breathing...which bothered me for around ten years.I no longer use beta blockers....but switched to an alpha blocker for my bph....same issues again...Low heart rate at rest...43 bpm...and the occassional dizziness.
I think you may find relief using magnesium....i only suggest this because some of the "hidden" enzymes that go dormant when you use medication...never switch back on...because your magnesium levels have remained low.The easiest way to kick start all the enzymes back on...is to supplement this mineral and see what happens.Magnesium Glycinate would be the best absorbed ...if you feel a little strange the first three days...this is a sure sign your levels were low....after a week you will be amazed how things improve....women need 350mg a day...it is very safe to use.
The first two years were the hardest...lots of panic attacks...which got less and less...but over a span of ten years i never felt right.My situation was compounded with a very high dose of Ativan....16mg a day 6 months.My advice has always been the same to people with low bpm...if you have it at rest be grateful your heart is getting more rest than most....it is a sure sign your blood is not high viscosity and your arteries are not narrowed...a good sign.People who have low bpm that never rises during exercise...are in heart block....this is the electrical signal not able to increase due to calcified tissue.... that would certainly show up in a simple 12 lead ecg...so all these tests have never shown the doctors anything untoward.
Please use this information to try to reassure yourself ...all is well.
You do have a point. I have thought about the potential of CNS Depression being the cause. As Propranolol can cross the blood brain barrier? Then again, I’m unsure how you would diagnose that? I’ve never been particularly drowsy in the hospital. GCS score 15/15 all the time.
There is an incomplete right bundle branch block on my ECG’s with the sinus bradycardia. They say it’s a benign variant but it seemed to appear post Propranolol. Also some ST elevation but apparently it’s benign early repol. Though there is one case from 1988 of rare beta-adrengenic poisoning with similar ECG features to mine.
I did ask my Dr’s to look into rare cases but I did it myself and shared that information with the cardiologist, his response was simply well you haven’t taken it for a long time… which I get. But these ECG changes appeared with the medication.
That's awful. My doctor started me on propranolol er 40 one time daily for shakes. We got up to the 120 like you were. My heart rate was down into the 30s. She then gradually worked her way down to the 80 one time daily where things seem to level off a bit. My BP has been out of whack now for awhile. It has been pretty high and the new docs were concerned. The propranolol er is suppose work for BP also. I let them know what the higher dosage did to me and I won't go higher than 80. I hope you get better in time. Keep posted of what is going on. I'm interested in what's happening to you and research also.
Yeah, I just don’t understand what is going on tbh. I had my heart rate of ‘58’ confirmed as a reaction to the drug however now I’ve stopped taking it, they don’t believe it is the actual drug itself or any kind of toxicity. It’s something I’ve been fighting for a long time tbh
Good question. I think the 38bpm could have been nocturnal. I had 2,172 episodes of my heart rate being less than 50 beats originally. Recent holter showed a minimum of 50 and high of 125bpm. But temperature, food etc can increase the heart rate. But when I went onto beta-blockers my heart rate was 58 and lower, and there’s documented evidence on ECG of a heart rate of 58 on Propranolol etc. So my heart is actually lower than 58
50 to 125 is okay, most people go low when sleeping..So you’re off of the propanol and still worried that your heart had gone that low when taking it?? I m not understanding it??? Is it still very low now???
Yeah, I’m off the Propranolol but it made my heart rate go slow, it gave me this faintness feeling i experience every day since. Weak muscles, fatigue, lethargy, palpitations, light headedness etc. confusion. It seems to have permanently changed my heart rate.
My God 40 mg 3x a day is ridiculous no wonder that happened i wS prescribed 10mg 1x a day wow way too much for anxiety. How long have you been off of it? Crazy
Some Doctors do not understand the word nuance...those people think putting a 1000 volts into a tv will get you a better picture..every egg can only be cracked using a hammer....when all you need is a slight tap from a spoon.
Your story is very similar to my older brother's. He was on the same dosage as you for high blood pressure. After being on it for a couple of years, he had a gastric sleeve weight loss surgery. About 6 months after that, his BP started getting too low so they slowly weaned him off the propranolol. As soon as he stopped, though, his heart rate started staying in the 30s and 40s. He went to doctor after doctor. His cardiologist wanted to put in a pacemaker and he refused. As a last resort they put him on a medication that raised his heart rate and after about 4 months on it, it was like it kick started his system again and he's been fine since. I hope you're able to find some answers soon.
That’s very interesting. I’ve actually got to a point where the cardiologist has written long-term Propranolol use into my diagnosis. Did his heart rate rise with walking ?
That medication had me in the hospital. Doctor said it was a allergic reaction, my heart rate wouldn’t come down from 150bpm even while sleep. They then switched me to metoprolol.
My doctor just suggested I take propanelol as I have a bad tremor due to being on depacote. We are waiting until next appt in July to decide as my thyroid is currently off and I want to wait u til that normalizes before taking a new medication. Do you think I should not take this? I don’t want to add more problems to my already long list of health issues.
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xx
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