So about 4 months ago I was brought to Emergency Department with heart palpitations. First time in my life I have experience something like that and first time in my life I had high blood pressure and heard my heart bumping in my chest. At the time I also had a mild case of acid reflux and I explained to a doctor that palpitations are caused by it. They checked ECG two times and blood. Everything came normal. The doctor asked me if I have anxiety and I said that we all have some anxieties but I manage them quite well. Anyway, I came back with palpitations again 2 days later ( again because of acid reflux) and this time they put me on propranolol, stating that probably anxiety causing all of it. Nobody explained to me what this medication does or how even addictive it is and how to stop it. Anyway... 3 weeks later my acid reflux erupted, even if I changed the diet and it was calming down. I got 192/101 blood pressure, ringing in my ears -again first time in my life - and ended up in emergency again with all being normal and healthy. I couldn't eat, sleep, my heart was constantly banging in my chest, sometimes skipping a bit. I got lansoprazole, however it didn't help much with palpitations and acid coming up after every meal (although I did feel better a bit). Then 2 months ago chest pain came with left hand pain as well. I spent so many times in ED constantly hearing: your heart is normal, blood normal etc. I noticed at that time that my vision started to be worse and my skin looking unhealthy. I showed that to GP. She didn't know what to say. Anyway... Finally, this month -January- we decided to stop propranolol because it didn't do any job anyway. So I was on 40 mg /per day and the dosage was lowered to 10 mg/3 times per day. And this is when horrible rash started. Literally after every dosage it was itching and burning. After 5 days the dosage was lowered to 10 mg/2 times per day, still with horrible rash. I came to ED again and was informed that rash is definitely not from propranolol but from lansoprazole. I insisted that it was the opposite and that even chest pain I experienced were from propranolol. Anyway... the cardiology consultant said to stop taking it. That time I was on 20 mg/2 days per day. With the nurse, we decided to stick to 10 mg for 5 days and then stop to avoid withdrawal. I was surprised when last Sunday I stopped propranolol and my rash stopped as well. I felt huge relief in my body and my vision is better, skin is better, rash disappearing ( and I am still on Lansoprazole). The doctor from dermatology department confirmed that propranolol was a probable culprit to the rash. Even acid reflux feels better. With all weaning off from propranolol I thought I won't get any withdrawal. However, on second day and third there were small chest pains there and there and they stopped after some time. I heard my heart pumping loudly couple of times. Today is 5th day since stopping and I woke up with small chest pain and left hand pain and of course heart palpitations. When I was in ED my heart rate was 105. ECG came as normal and healthy. I am very grateful that all my results are normal and healthy.. I just wish my heart would calm down. The doctor said that I shouldn't have any withdrawal and yet it is here. Anyone could share their own experience? And please treat this as a warning before you agree to take beta blockers for anxiety. Try maybe other methods which might help or safer medicine. I know beta blockers can safe lives when it comes to heart attack etc, but I do regret taking propranolol, because for me it turned out to be a nightmare. I feel better and yet I can't enjoy it because every time I move my heart start to speed up further and constant hearing banging of the heart in my head and chest is not a nice feeling. Although, at least I know it is working.
Propranolol withdrawal: So about... - British Heart Fou...
Propranolol withdrawal
certainly I had no problems coming off atenolol for high blood pressure. Each of us reacts to medication in a different way, and the lack leaflet warns about possible reactions.
It might be worth discussing your medication with a pharmacist. You mention ED from which I take it you mean emergency department, and so you don’t live in the UK. Here, pharmacists are supposed to advise people of medications and inter reactions, if asked, but I think elsewhere they are frightened of being sued - I may be wrong!
Thank you for your reply, Happyrosie. Yes, Emergency Department. And I do live in UK. Sadly, I didn't ask anyone. Just trusted a doctor. But after one month I did started to ask and finally read the leaflet but this is where I am mad at myself as well. I was afraid to stop it because I thought it was helping me, because at that time my reflux got really nasty. There is no side affects of propranolol listed that it could worsen acid reflux, but it actually does, because palpitations affect the movement of acid in the stomach and if you have allergy to propranolol then it makes more harm than help. Now I know about it but before I thought it actually helping my heart going through all of this. Anyway, feeling better now. Just need to go through withdrawal and hopefully it will let go. And I am really glad you didn't have any problems with it. I read a lot of posts, people who did wean off some of them got it hard after. I know that I am allergic to it. I wish I knew that 3 months ago. Would stop it then and probably save myself a lot of suffering.
P.S. Now I read all the leaflets and ask doctors about all side affects and how to stop taking the pills before actually agree to them. Lesson learnt !
I am currently on Bisoprolol as had heart attack last June. Prior to that I was given Tenormon for migraines, I got pain in left calf and it swelled up. Then in 2022 was prescribed Propanalol for panic attacks, again pain and swelling in left calf had to stop again, on gp advice. Then last June in hospital the consultant cardiologist said I needed to be on beta blockers for life, I told him I couldn't take them, he said I had no choice, same with aspirin. I now have bad reflux symptoms but don't know which is causing it. Get painful calf at times but much less than when on previous 2 beta blockers. I also have to take clopidogrel as have lupus anticoagulant too..I hope you are feeling better and things improve for you
Sorry to hear about your heart attack and what you are going through.
My reflux changed to worse suddenly, from manageable to just nasty, even if I was feeling better and I was eating healthy veggie soups and chicken/eggs. ( I am still on the same diet + 1 banana daily - keeps acid low as well). There was nothing in my food to exaggerate it so much, nor I was anxious or stressed at the time to caused it. Sadly, I didn't connect the dots when acid reflux erupted. I was just completely confused and thought propranolol was actually protecting my heart from all of it. Unfortunately, it was the opposite. If your diet is clear: you don't eat dairy, carbs, any fatty food - except oil of olive, no fried food, no sugar etc. You don't drink, smoke etc. You eat small portions -not overeat. You shouldn't have severe acid reflux ( you shouldn't have it at all), except if there is an internal cause of it, like hpylori, ulcers or gastritis, gallbladder issues and something connected to your stomach/lower abdomen areas. I am not sure if lupus in your case can be the culprit too, really don't know. However, what I know from my experience, that allergy to any of medicine can make acid reflux much much worse. Not only allergens irritates the stomach further, they irritate your intestines as well which can lead to more acid reflux than it was before. This is what happened to me. Even on Lansoprazole I still was having horrible acid reflux until I started to take smaller dosages of propranolol. And finally rash helped me connect the dots.
What I also believe ( and I met people who went through heart attacks and made a full recovery and don't need pills anymore) that our body can recover from almost everything. However, this is a process and yes they just couldn't stop medicine for some time. What always help: heart diet, no sugar, no alcohol, no smoking . Loosing weight, slowly adding exercises, tai chi, breathing exercises, meditation, learning how to stop listening to your thoughts, when anxious just letting them flow through you without taking them into consideration and focusing on present - not future, nor the past. This all takes time and takes effort to actually reprogram our thinking, but it is doable and slowly, slowly you can start to reduce the dosage of medicine, when you start to feel better. Just listen to your body and let it slowly recover by giving it what it needs vitamins, minerals - check deficiencies as well. They are the reason for a lot of bad things going on in our body. Also please disregard any of the advices if you already know all of this. One thing I can confirm - medicine can help and can harm your body as well. In my case it was harming me and even got withdrawal symptoms after weaning off.
Thank you for your kind words, I have ultrasound tomorrow to check my abdomen, Endoscopy came normal. So... just hope that all of this will calm down and I finally will have my health back... I also hope you will feel better and fully recover from anything you are experiencing right now❤️
Hi Kluni,
I have experience something every similar to you. I started with palpitations 2 months ago and Blood tests, chest X-ray and loads of ECGs done all came back fine. The doctor prescribed me propranolol to take "when required" as I felt anxious to why my heart rate was going up and some days over 100bpm. I still find this happens when I'm moving around doing daily activities, do you?
They also put me on omeprazole 10mg one of twice per day I feel it's required heart burn completely gone however I feel cramps bloating and just discomfort around my stomach/belly area.
When you mentioned about cutting back on all them things style choices iv done the same thing and I still feel propranolol does sometimes work but doesn't.
I keep taking it as I was told not to stop taking it completely by people not the doctor, I only took it when required but then started to feel anxious and stressed like an overwhelming feeling that could be the fright and flight responce I hear all the time about. I then started upping as my GP advised to up the dose so I started taking 10mg x 3 per day then gradually 10mg x 4 per day which I noticed then the headaches feeling light headed.
How long have you feel off propranolol? I am worried as I feel not pain but just slight discomfort in my chest sometimes so iv started to ween off taking 40mg per day to 20mg over the course of week so see if that helps. Your story and experience if very useful to me as it sounds very similar thank you for sharing, sorry you had to go through all the suffering its definitely not nice to experience your right. Hopefully the other medication can help with the life style changed you've mad as well.
Hi AWhittaker,
To make it clear... my palpitations were only at night or during the day when acid reflux was going up - and that during the day was pretty rare - when it all started. I didn't have them because of anxiety, but because of reflux. And like I said above my stupidity at the time ( October 2023) was trusting the doc, who didn't listen and just put everything on anxiety and I am not an anxious person. Don't get me wrong some thing do get to me and might get my heart rate up but I have a trust in my life, so yes I can get that anxious feelings down and pretty fast. However, at the time ( October 2023) I experienced first time high blood pressure and palpitations, so I believed that doctor and was stupid enough to take propranolol. Anyway... my acid reflux was starting to be under control through a diet and I didn't have so many palpitations when after 3 weeks of taking this beta blocker it erupted with horrid acid reflux and chest pains lasting 2, 3 days with palpitations going on and on and on. It was a nightmare, but I thought it was helping me... where in reality it was harming me. Every time when I was going to EA I had that feeling " you are going to die" all the time... until propranolol was out of my system. The feeling was gone and I started to feel better. However, withdrawal hit and for 2 / almost 3 weeks it was a nightmare. Any movement caused palpitations, my heart was speeding even if I turned my body. At night I kept waking up 4,5 times with my heart galloping. Pains all over my chest... anyway... in week 3 it started to be better and now I have a healthy blood pressure with heart rate between 67-76. However, there was another thing which kept causing palpitations for me and it was lansoprazole. Even when I finished with propranolol, I still experienced some chest pain and palpitations - more rarely but still they were present. Only when I stopped Lansoprazole I realized that this medication as well caused me problems.
Anyway, this all what I experienced because of propranolol:
1. chest pains, lasting long.
2.lightheadedness
3. pain near my elbows on both hands
4. pain going down the shoulder and then arm on both hands
5. galloping heart, palpitations, my heart skipping a bit and my heart rate going 90 to 105
6. exploding acid reflux
7. tinnitus in both ears
8. rash on hands, chest, shoulders
If you decide to stop propranolol this is my advices for you:
1. Initially you will feel better.
2. The withdrawal will start around 5, 6 day. For me it was 5th.
3. Every movement will be causing galloping heart, skipping a bit sometimes. You will need to brave it up and go through it. Your whole system will be going through changes and those changes take time. I was told by a doc that for your body to fully go through those changes will require 3-6 months.
4. Yes, anxiety lvls will go up because of all things you will be experiencing. Like I said, you will need to find strength within and understand that it is only a withdrawal and it is not for eternity. What helped me was this post: patient.info/forums/discuss... I read it often, when really was hard to go through this l and it kept me going.
5. Chest pain will be there at least they were for me.
6. It will let go and you will start to feel better. A lot of people start to feel better around 3, 4 weeks. For me it was between 3 and 4 week.
I am now medication free and with a lot of good changes in my diet and lifestyle. Also I am now 23 kg less than I was. However, I am still going through acid reflux rebound from lansoprazole and this is hell on another lvl as well.
Hope my post will help you to make decision and give you some insight. I wish you a lot of health and for your problems to disappear <3
I take Propranolol 10mg 3x daily, this is all I take at present, I also have a raised rash on my shoulders, went to the docs few weeks ago and was told that I had to buy moisturiser as it was dry skin rash!I still have the rash it's like a nettle rash, gets a bit itchy.
Going to ask if I can come off propranolol this week, not sure it's adding any benefit also newly diagnosed with HF some probably will end up having to change it anyway.
Sorry to hear about what you are going through and about the diagnosis.
The rash could be from propranolol, If you experienced itchiness like 5 - 10 min up to 30 min after taking it ( in my case it was 5-10 min). And then it was confirmed by dermatologist. Medicine can help and sadly harm us. I only wish I would stop propranolol earlier.
I hope you will recover from everything and your heart will recover as well❤️
It's horrible when you know something isn't right but tests show normal ranges,the lansoprazole is for acid reflux so that sounds like it's working as with anything sometimes takes a few days or weeks to settle,propranolol is quite an old drug,there are different beta blockers out there,have you actually seen a cardiologist?? I had palpitations and put on bisoprolol,it turns out I don't have af and because of side effects need to change beta blocker so there is other meds to try
Yes, it's actually driving me bonkers . My endoscopy is normal. Tomorrow I have ultrasound of my abdomen and if it comes normal as well then I just don't know what the heck is wrong with me. However, for endoscopy I needed to wait more than a month and now for ultrasound as well 1 week later after it. . So, actually things, which could cause my acid reflux could actually heal in the meantime...And imagine all bloods are normal - kidneys, thyroid, liver, blood itself, iron etc. They checked my blood on different things during my A&E visits and all came normal - they didn't check for the cancer though. And also since the day one when I came to the doc first time I was saying that when acid is up it causes palpitations. But docs thought it is the other way. After some time it was confirmed by A&E doctor that when my acid is up there is a nerve in our oesophagus which when met with acid mimics symptoms of a heart attack : chest pain, palpitations and left hand pain. Btw, they also made that prediction blood test which showed that for 99,99% I won't have any heart attack for the next 6 months. I was on propranolol at the time.
I agree with Lansoprazole. It takes time for it to work but it did started to work when I began lowering the dose of propranolol. Coincidence, I don't think so anymore.
Anyway... to answer your question: I have seen only a cardiology consultant after one of my visit to A&E. He checked my chest x-ray, blood etc.. said that propranolol does not cause anything, but said at the same time to stop taking it immediately (😀) - I was on 20 mg at the time and overall he seemed to be really annoyed that he needed to come and "consult". He added that my heart looks healthy that I have spasmatic something ( he said it too fast for me to remember) and this causing that mimicking of heart attack symptoms. And said: get well and left. Literally, even nurse was rolling her eyes, when he was out. Good news are that on 2.02 I have 72 hours heart monitoring, so I will see what they will say about all this palpitations, which I experience. My GP, to whom I literally very grateful now, because she actually listens to her patients, referred me to cardiology department, so we will see what will happen.
Also, my dermatologist said to disregard what the guy said about propranolol because it actually was causing the rash and because I feel much better now than before and my skin is recovering. Secondly, my blood pressure is lower than when I was on propranolol and normal, and I am shocked. It could be also because acid reflux is down. When it comes up then it causes blood pressure to rise. However, I am not sure of that anymore, because I had it going once up ( after stopping propranolol) and my blood pressure didn't rise and was normal. One of side effects of propranolol is actually rising blood pressure. Anyway, still need some observation to it. My hope is, because I didn't have so many palpitations in the first 4 days after ending it that when finally I go through this withdrawal, palpitation will decrease and when the acid reflux will finally be solved, I will stop having them all together and finally this nightmare will be over.
What I know by now about propranolol:
It can cause rash, high blood pressure, more palpitations, can exaggerate acid reflux, can cause chest pains if you are allergic to it and it does happen no matter what some doctors might say. And withdrawal can happen even if you wean off.
And yes there are different medications which could replace propranolol, but in my case I want to get rid off all medications if I can 🙂🙂 They scare the living hell out of me now.
I hope your palpitations will stop and you won't need any medications❤️
FThank you for the advice, I have only just realised I have itching around inside ankles for past few months. Have been to gp given various steroid creams but been too worried to use them so just the E45 for me. Never made the connection before but will mention next time I manage to see gp. It was only mention of the nettle rash that rang the bell. I too am on lansaprazole 30mg twice day. Have exiting GORD too prior to heart attack.
Good luck with the scan and let us know how you get on 🤞
Yep. I had a rash near ankles and lower on the legs as well. Now it is almost invisible. Got steroid cream, which works and also don't feel any itching anywhere anymore, even in not affected areas.
Try to observe when the itching appears - this is the best method. Our body reacts to medicine it doesn't like almost immediately if its allergen is for longer time in your body and it will definitely get you more rash and itching if you start to take it more often. So just observe what you take or eat and see the reaction between 0-30 min after. Do it for couple more days and you should know what actually causing it.
I am on 15 mg of Lansoprazole once a day and hope after this withdrawal to start to wean off slowly. However, I don't know how I will feel, so taking it slowly. I know that loosing weight and diet can actually eradicate acid reflux completely, so I am doing my part and just hope it all will heal eventually.
Thank you so much for your kind words❤️ I will post definitely. It gave me a lot of strength that I am not alone with all of this and there are also people who understand how frightening it all can be. And even if you have loved ones around you, they don't experience all these things and simply don't understand how awful it all can be and sometimes terrifying. So please keep me updated too and my fingers are crossed as well for your full recovery, even if it takes some longer time, remember you can recover ❤️❤️
How are you? How are you feeling?
Just letting you know, that Ultrasound showed nothing, except sadly one polyp and fibroid on the womb. They are small though. With propranolol I still have palpitations at night, when I wake up, when going upstairs or too fast moving. However, I've had only 4 chest pains this week so far, when last week had like 1000s of them. My blood pressure is down and healthy and a heart beat goes up to 86 when palpitations are on. However, I've noticed that it tends to go down to 81 now ( 72,74, 67 when there are no palpitations) and I began to have moments when I don't hear my heart at all. At least I have hope that I will stop having all these side effects in some point this or next week. I know it takes time.
Unfortunately, I have developed ear infection in both ears and now have both swollen lymph nodes on the neck. It seems medication which I was given doesn't work. Will need to see a doc to change that. Hopefully, all of this won't affect my hearing.
And I have started to wean off from Lansoprazole. 10% cut done today. Hopefully, will cut another 10% this weekend. So scared to be honest of side effects, as well as losing hearing and still don't know when all the side effects from propranolol withdrawal will end.
It's good nothing serious on the scan, I had small fibroid detected in mine 18mth ago and so emphysematous changes in lung. Amazed how it didnt pick anything up signaling towards heart attack blockages?When I tried halving my lansaprazole the pain from GORD got really bad like heart pain. Unfortunately the pharmacy at gp surgery wouldn't do as gp told me they would to give a half dose(15mg) so could wean off. Ended up seeing gp (she's fantastic when you can get past guard dog reception staff) and back on full dosage of 30mg x 2 daily again. Been referred to vascular surgery department and awaiting cardiology appointment too.
Hoping your ears and lymph nodes heal as quickly as possible. Have you made appointment to see your gp for those two things?
I totally forgot to do as you advised until this morning, my partner in hospital at the moment so I'm not very with it.
I do hope everything improves for you, take care and good luck moving forward 🤞
I am also amazed... not truly know how those scans work though, but always thought scans are there to pick up everything... apparently not.
Do you still have GORD? if yes then stick to the diet for more than 6 months and you should feel better and better. Diet is the key in all of this. However, check the veggies as well. Some of them can cause acid reflux. But I assure you, if you ditch all the bad things sugar, carbs, fatty food etc.. you will feel better and Gord should go away with time ( it might take couple of months, but might take not so long - all depends on your body) Do it when you are ready and when your partner feels better too.
Yesterday I ditched a horrible antibiotic I got for those ears, which actually cause irritation in the end and took oregano vulgare - it is a herb from the oregano family but it is different from oregano which we use for cooking. It is a natural antibiotic and very powerful btw and my ears feel better and lymph nodes are much smaller. I have seen a doctor today and she said that infection is cleared and I am happy Still feel irritation in ears though and ringing but much better. And she told me to continue oregano vulgare, which I was a bit shocked because docs usually want to give you antibiotics and are sceptical about anything what is natural.
Keep me updated on your vascular and cardiology appointments and try that diet when you are ready. It might benefit you in many ways and you will see a huge improvement in your health overall too.
Keeping my fingers crossed for you and your partner too. Hope you both will feel better and wishing you a lot of health❤️
Hi I had terrible acid reflux and my consultant upped my lanzoprazole to 30mg twice a day and prescribed a med called famotidine 20 mg once a day, the acid reflux disappeared immediately and I have never been bothered with it since thank goodness it's a horrible thing. Char
Thank you for your comment 🙂🙂 If my acid reflux will start to act again will try to talk with GP about that famotidine. For now it is better, not perfect, but better and hopefully after the withdrawal will be over it will be even more better. Then I can just stop the Lansoprazole. It does harm the body in the long run. We need that acid to prevent sibo and to actually digest properly.. And you are completely right acid reflux is a horrible, horrible thing... Wishing you a lot of health as well and no more acid reflux ever in your life❤️
Hi a cardiologist told me to put propanol down as a tablet I should never take.
I took it for supra ventricular tachycardia (SVT) years ago, after a while I began itching annd had a rash. My doctor gave me penicillin and I began itching even more and came up in bumps. My doctor told me I’m allergic to penicillin, by then the SVT stopped. So I stopped taking propanol.
Forward 15 years later SVT started up again none stop. My doctor gave me propanol again. Within days I couldn’t breathe properly and instead of SVT stopping it felt even worse. I had chest pains and felt like I was dying. Long story short a cardiologist told me stop taking propanol, which I did, and never take it again because my heart is failing and it’s contra.
I was then put on sotalol, which I took for a while even though it didn’t help me in the least bit, while I waited for an ablation. So propanol and penicillin are two things I always put down as being allergic too, but I wonder sometimes if I am actually allergic to penicillin and my problem was actually propanol.
Sorry to hear you needed to go through all of this.
Drugs literally scaring the living hell out of me after propranolol. It messed up my whole body. It is a nasty drug. My GP put it as a medication I am allergic to and I have also allergy to penicillin. It might be that propranolol messed up your body at the time as well and made it very sensitive to any drugs. That's why penicillin could cause a reaction. However, I know that penicillin causes allergies in a lot of people, so... maybe it is better to not to check it. Really don't know.
I hope you will feel better and recover from everything❤️
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