Advice on reducing Propranolol

[Cornishboxer2]

Just considering reducing Propranolol which I take for headaches following TBI. Any helpful advice/experience? Curious to know if it might be part of cause of nausea (suspect most is from balance issues). Trying Epley to help with vertigo/nausea but not much results after 2 weeks. Am on just 10mg Propranolol and take it twice a day. Keen to avoid side effects from withdrawal which might affect my ability to work.

[Fificakes2]

Has your post concussion syndrome got worse? Because now you refer to yourself as TBI?

I’m sorry that the head injury is still giving you so much trouble.

[Cornishboxer2 in reply to Fificakes2]

I do get a bit confused with the terminology. I had a subdural haematoma and have post concussion syndrome. I may not have classified the injury correctly but I did fracture my eye socket mainly with some other facial fractures. It could have been worse.

[cat3]

You really must reduce the propranolol very gradually. I took Inderal (other name for Propranolol) for many years and was warned of danger to the heart if stopped abruptly.

Maybe halve the doses by breaking pills in two (or use pill cutter) so it's 5mg twice daily then halve again in a couple of weeks to 5mg once daily so the process takes at least a month, and you should be fine, Cat x

[Cornishboxer2 in reply to cat3]

Thanks that’s helpful advice. I’ve started on the half pill morning and evening. I already felt a bit rubbish last night but has passed. I had thought to do that for a week but I will ere on side of caution and do the stages over a month.

[New_beginning in reply to Cornishboxer2]

Honestly for that extra reassurance inform GP to help with monitoring, there more likely to say pick time you feel its needed, drop to one a day for few weeks, then alternative days for 2 weeks. Fatigue, sweating, irritability, palpitations will happen im afraid. Practice abdominal breathing, good night routine, plenty of water at hand, eat well. My husbanď didnt know and doesnt understand withdrawal but knows he feels different, but visually observing, BP monitor at hand talking to gp every few weeks brings reassurance. Good luck, when i looked at that medication given with amount i was scared with long term use reason i had to get him off when PTA eased, plus im back at work soon, he cant do meds with short term memory and probably few months away doing his morning/evening meds with me observing.

[Cornishboxer2 in reply to New_beginning]

Thanks for the helpful tips. You have done so well to get where you both are now. At least when you go back to work you will still be able to help monitor your husbands meds to help him out. Enjoy the sunshine today if you can.

[New_beginning]

Hello, my husband was given this med 8 times a day along with others. Following GP advice and 15wks later we just finished weaning off, this week. He had to take two 4x a day first we dropped a time slot for 3 weeks, then dropped another slot so down twice a day. He remained at that stage for a while. Then we dropped once a day x 2 tablets. Final 1 tablet once a day, past 2 wks 1 tablet then this week has been 1 on 1 off.

Sweating, fatigue, palpitations, behaviour occured. Speak to GP, i feel his withdrawal was not too bad considering as only on from March for TBI/ PTA so he was on short term.

[Cornishboxer2 in reply to New_beginning]

Thank you for that helpful info. Your husband did well to come off a higher dose and I’m sure you helped with your support. I imagine it wasn’t easy. I read so many horror stories online yesterday. As I’m on a low dose I will half it and go lower over a month.

[Hidden]

Fortunate that you're taking such a low dose, I was told that the lowest dose was 25mg, I was on it for around 3 years of over 150mg twice per day (polytrauma) and was desperate to come of them because I knew they were screwing up my perception of reality (even more than just the BI)

Slow and steady for sure, I reduced them with help from an awesome NHS pharmacist consultant! 25mg per 4 weeks and would stop if symptoms worsened.

No side effects for me but the pay off was huge as it no longer felt that I was being controlled.

Good luck and take it slow.

[Cornishboxer2 in reply to Hidden]

You did well to come off it gradually. I never get why the little medical advice notes don’t include helpful instructions how to reduce e when you are able. Glad you had someone to help get you there too.

[Pairofboots]

Propranolol comes in 5mg dose at it's lowest. Stopping needs to be done with caution. Make sure that this is the medication that is causing the problems.

[Cornishboxer2 in reply to Pairofboots]

Great advice and I didn’t realise you could get 5mg. At the moment I’m trying to reduce the few meds I’m on carefully so I can gauge any success with Epley manoeuvre. The headaches are much reduced now most of the time thanks to nerve blocker injections so feel ok to reduce Propranolol. Want so badly to stop the nausea so I can cope with work better.

[Pairofboots in reply to Cornishboxer2]

You should only reduce one medication at a time, or you will not know what is doing what it should, or is causing problems. I know that there feels like a need to rush, but slow and steady wins the day.

My GP tried to reduce a few meds, unfortunately it meant finally being referred to the neuro team, ended up on more meds than I started with, but at least I feel human, even if I don't act like it

[Cornishboxer2 in reply to Pairofboots]

Thanks. You are right. It’s ok in my case as I’ve already cut one out and am ok so am gradually working on further reductions. I know what you mean about feeling human! There have been moments when I’m talking to other people and I’ve felt like I was putting on a “l’m absolutely normal” mask, when inside I felt like I was somewhere else. Looking forward when I don’t have those moments anymore:-).

[Pairofboots in reply to Cornishboxer2]

I wish you the best of luck, even in my human form, it's ok until I interact with "normal" people, then it's like a slap in the face. Nine years on, I still shock myself how different I am from my original form. I still can't say my surname, it would be quicker for me to spell my name phonetically, than the amount of attempts it takes to get beyond the the first syllable!

[Nackapan in reply to Cornishboxer2]

Have you tried cawthorne pysio?.I had bad virtigo and still have a vestibular disturbance

. They are good for balance issues. Got me walking again.

[Cornishboxer2]

That must be so frustrating for you. Have you found ways to adapt? It can’t be easy. My father (no longer with us) had a head injury and he struggled to get words out right some of the time. What was amazing is that he used to say words that don’t exist but sounded very Cornish and you got the gist of what he was trying to say.

[Missbag1972]

huni was on them 40 mg a day then was told to redchude it to 2 then to 1 was ok untill on none then i started to shake but been back on 10mg a day hope it helps