Anyone ever taken Propranolol ??

[Bruno89]

Went to the out of hours GP today as I had a massive panic attack this morning due to my anxiety. He's given me propranolol as he thinks this will help to calm my anxiety down. Any advice on the best time to take it & any side effects experienced from it would be great. Thanks. P.s. If anyone was ever wondering my name is actually Stacey NOT Bruno (that's my dog's name)

[Prada47]

Hello

I think Propranolol is a beta blocker like Bisoprolol stops the Heart going out of sync ie to fast !! Did you have a prescription ? and did it come in a box, what strength and did it not have instructions like take with food or once per day etc ??

Without this information I don't think anyone including me could give you any reasonable answers,. I would consult my own GP someone who knows my history as to what other medication I am on, prior to taking something someone else prescribed.

Sorry not much help I know.

[Bruno89 in reply to Prada47]

Hey the box says one tablet 3 times with a glass of water before food

[Prada47 in reply to Bruno89]

Depending on your routine 8 AM ish 3 PM ish and 10 PM ish is a routine I would look to follow, that's not advice just what I would follow.

Regards

[Captain_Birdseye]

I take propranolol, I tolerate it pretty well.

I used to take it for anxiety, but now it's for heart rate and migraine prevention.

Like all beta blockers, it prevents adrenaline from acting on various areas of the body.

Everyone tolerates medication differently, take it as directed by your doctor and keep an eye on any changes... read the information leaflet for potential side effects.

[Bruno89 in reply to Captain_Birdseye]

Thanks for this. Yeah the panic attack this morning so scary. Is it ok taking it with a glass of water on its own or do I take it before food as I'm just about to eat that's all

[Captain_Birdseye in reply to Bruno89]

I take a high dose in the morning before food, if you've not been given instruction then it doesn't really matter. It doesn't do the stomach any harm.

[Bruno89 in reply to Captain_Birdseye]

Going to take the first dose about an hour before I go to bed hopefully that's fine

Medication instructions

[Petercat1 in reply to Bruno89]

Hi.I think they say before food so that you take it on an empty stomach to help with absortion.

As said before, I take bisoprolol which is in the same beta blocker family, and I take mine 5mg after breakfast and 2.5mg at bedtime. I was not told to take them on an empty stomach, but maybe I should take my morning one before eating lol. I'll run it past my doctor!

My bisoprolol is for stopping my palpitation attacks.

Check with your doctor if you can though as he will know your history.

Good luck

Denise

[Sheffield55]

I have been on propanol for 8months now for anxiety. The medication really keeps me calm however natural measures such as Yoga, meditation and sleep are better. Propanolol comes with its side effects and it is very difficult to come off such medication once you start it.Good luck on that one!

[Bruno89 in reply to Sheffield55]

That's what I'm dreading

[Sniggetts]

Hi there, I’ve taken it in the passed for panic attacks and it was very effective. Initially I was on about 10 mgs 3 times a day which is quite a small dose. Once I’d settled I just took one or two tablets when I was more anxious.

Two of my teens had a low dose to help them through their driving tests as doesn’t cause drowsiness, just took the edge off the nerves. My daughter finally passed the 9th time with the help of propanalol.

It’s not addictive as far as I’m aware and quite a useful little tablet , they come in several strengths it’s just finding what suits you.

I wish you the very best as I know how awful you feel which always fuels the fear of taking any meds, not easy I know .

[Deejay62]

Hi Stacey I was given propranolol at 15 when my heart started beating fast and wouldn’t stop. I was admitted to hospital and given an infusion of digoxin. When it stabilised they sent me home and prescribed propranolol. Over the years when my heart would go off my doctor would prescribe it. They diagnosed me with supra ventricular tachycardia and I was still prescribed it until around my 40s it started beating fast and wouldn’t stop, they discovered my heart had enlarged and started failing that’s why I couldn’t breathe when I was taking it. A cardiologist said I need to put it on a list of drugs I must never take and if I’m admitted to hospital I must tell them I can’t take it. My daughter takes it for anxiety and she gets on really well with it.

[Bruno89 in reply to Deejay62]

It's helping my anxiety at the minute so much.

[gladliz]

A bit 'Indiana Jones' then. 😊

[Arizona18]

Hi, I have taken it for blood pressure regulation and palpitations for 40 years, mostly 160 mg time released 1 x a day. Never had any side effects and I find it especially calming because of slow heart rate. Because it is an older beta blocker, physicians feel there are newer beta options with perhaps more benefits, but I cannot tolerate any change, i.e. my heart starts to beat much faster and I find it unnerving and troublesome. Hope this helps and good luck to you.

[Bruno89 in reply to Arizona18]

Helps so much that.

[Shocked46yrold]

Hi, I was put on Propananol for anxiety in 2017 and was on it until my recent heart attack. I took it every morning before work and the only side effect I had was cold hands and feet. Hope this helps 😊

[Bruno89 in reply to Shocked46yrold]

Absolutely that's really the only side effect I've had but it's calmed me down so much since yesterday

[Smitty1956]

Hi, Stacey,

My mother, who is 84, has taken propranolol for about two years now. It is really for high blood pressure and/or some heart issues. My understanding is that it may contain some anti-anxiety medication as well. I am basing that on what the cardiologist who prescribed it for my mom said to me.

My mom was about to undergo eyelid surgery for for a cancer, so I believe that she had a great deal of anxiety/panic about the operation. She denied being anxious, but she began to not sleep well and she reported that her heart was racing madly. We took her to a cardiologist before her eye surgery, and they ran some tests, but her heart appeared to be okay. She did have some high blood pressure so the doctor prescribed propranolol. The doctor and I both felt that many of her symptoms were anxiety related. And my question would be, “Who the heck would NOT be panicked over eyelid surgery for cancer?” I have panic attacks myself and also an eye phobia, so I would have been a basket case. Can you believe that my mom asked her eye surgeon to give her less sedatives/drugs during the surgery???!!! Anyway, that was in 2020.

She likes the propranolol and she feels that it helps to lower her heart rate. She has reported no side effects from taking this medication. I should add that she is very skittish about taking any meds, but she willingly takes propranolol twice daily.

I have heavy anxiety and panic attacks. My doctor prescribed Xanax for those. I have taken that medication as needed since 1999, and I have had no problems with it. Xanax works quickly to help calm you, and I take the lowest dosage possible at the time. I know that many people disapprove of taking this medication, but it has greatly helped me at times.

I hope that the propranolol helps with your anxiety. You might also want to check on an anti-depressant for the anxiety. My GP and cardiologist have both stated before that some anti-depressants do help with anxiety over time. They act more slowly than a drug such as Xanax, but might be beneficial. I declined to take one at that time because I did not feel that I was depressed, and I didn’t want to take one more pill. But perhaps I should have discussed it more. Others on this site might be able to speak about their use of anti-depressants for anxiety.

As always, my information is anecdotal. You should always discuss potential medications with your doctor.

I hope that you are feeling better since seeing a doctor this morning. Anxiety attacks are the worst.

[Bruno89]

This anxiety attack was so scary

[hyundiblue70]

I have taken propranolol for twenty years for rapid heartbeat and migraine no problems a5 all

[VikingWay]

Reply to "Bruno89"

First... I do admit to having a bit of sensitivity, to many medications. Propanolol was the very first HTN med that was prescribed for me, to try, back in 2012. I had taken it for about a week, and then QUIT!, because it caused uncomfortable Reynauds phenomenon, and left me unsafe to drive, because of dizziness. I distinctly recall feeling cold and miserable, while staying behind in the car, with my achy legs wrapped in a blanket, as I deliberately chose to miss participating in a Tahoe x-country ski outing with friends, because of already achy legs (from the propanolol; NOT from any previous exertionfrom, or anything else!). Although, I had been prescribed only a 25mg dose, my acupuncturist has recently suggested that I may have been accidentially 'overdosed', considering my body's lack of tolerance, of that substance.

Especially now, at the age of 74, I would be further hesitant, to try it again, unless somehow, only a much smaller dose could first be tried.

Fortunately, It appears that so far I am making a successful adjustment of switching from doses of Spironolactone for hyper-cortisol, in connection with Hyper-Aldosteronism, (and "Cycling Cushing's Syndrome"); to a, starting doses of 25mg of Eplerenone. My first dose on day one, was fantastic; the second day, was an emotional 'meltdown', and a near panic, much like I have previously experienced over the last couple of months of especially increasing doses Spironolactone (Starting dose of: 12.5mg; then 'up', to 25mg; 'up', to 50mg; back 'down' to 37.5mg; back 'up' to 50mg; then 'down' to 37.5mg; 'down' to 25mg; 'down' to 12.5mg.; then QUIT! - In the meanwhile, my doctor had been telling me to increase my dosages, While I was weaning DOWN. Increase? No way!

So far, today, on day three, after four doses of single, 25mg pills; it is looking to be a 'good day'. for me.

[Sammi25]

I was prescribed propranolol in December I was having heart palpitations/panic attacks from bad anxiety. The palps turned out to be ectopic beats. The dose was 40mg up to 3 times a day. I did indeed start taking it 3 times a day and it increased the ectopic beats. I’ve recently started to decrease back down to 40mg and I feel much better on a lower dose. I feel more relaxed and calmer. The ectopics have decreased too. When I first started taking the propranolol I had really bad insomnia I couldn’t sleep for the first week or 2. Eventually it passed but it made me feel awful to begin with.

[Bruno89 in reply to Sammi25]

That's pretty much me right now. I'm only on 10mg 3 times a day but going to call the GP tomorrow to see if he can increase it to 20mg as I don't think the low dose is being as effective anymore. Must admit since I started on them I do feel calmer. I've also started hypnotherapy too which seems to be helping