Propranolol

[Beautifulgirl01]

Have anyone tried Propranolol for migraine prevention? If so, has it worked for you? I was prescribed Propranolol in December of 2018, I’ve noticed a slight difference in migraine frequency; but since I’ve taken it I have also noticed the pulsing noise/sensation in my head. I also noticed increased heart palpitations. Anyone else experienced that?

[Torieb]

Hi there!

I am taking propanalol 80mg twice a day for chronic migraines and initially I was sceptical as to whether it was helping. I have also been tapering my tramadol as it was thought that I was now suffering from MOH. My headaches have significantly reduced over the last week (now only on 50mg tramadol). After feeling quite lethargic and spaced out I stopped my propanalol for 1 day and instantly got a migraine that evening! Not sure if this is a coincidence but I’ll be restarting ASAP. I do get a few side effects from it but mainly lethargy and slight shortness of breath. What else are you taking for your migraines?? What dose of propanalol are you on??

[Beautifulgirl01 in reply to Torieb]

I stopped Propranolol. I did noticed it was working for my migraines but I didn’t like the other side effects. I was taking 20mg in morning & 20mg before bed.

[Gypsi]

Quite by chance, I discovered one propanol pill in my daughter's coat (she lives in another country), was curious and looked it up. What I read was very positive and Just the kind of thing I could have done with in years past instead of diazepam. It is described as an effective, non-addictive, side-effects-free drug for stage fright. My daughter took it for the same reason as you. She then told me it worked well for a while but gave her palpitations so she was told to discontinue.

[Beautifulgirl01 in reply to Gypsi]

Same reason I stopped. I had increased palpitations, which was scary so I stopped. Did she go through a withdrawal after stopping?

[Gypsi in reply to Beautifulgirl01]

No, none as far as she is aware. But she did have so much going on with her health that she might have missed it. You name it, she had it. X

[Ursinia]

I took propane lol very successfully for over 2 years and my headaches greatly reduced.

However I now have a chest problem and trouble breathing.

Last May I woke up barely able to breathe and then spent 7 hours in hospital as the dr. called an ambulance.

All ok but the consultant told me that the propanalol had left me with a weak chest and now I have to use inhalers. So be wary.

[Beautifulgirl01 in reply to Ursinia]

Wow! Sorry to hear, that’s why I stopped because I’m scared it’ll eventually cause heart problems as my palpitations was horrible. I still have them even tho I stopped taking it about 5 days ago but I was told it’ll go away as soon as all of the medication get out of my system

[Winnie77]

I am taking metaprolol which is also a beta blocker. I cut a 25 mg in half and take once a day in the morning. Beta blockers can cause difficulties if you have asthma. I have mild asthma and pharmacist said this was a better choice than propanol It has worked beautifully. My neurologist did not know as much as pharmacist did...

This has enabled me to discontinue Topamax.

[denadico in reply to Winnie77]

Same case here. I'm on 25mg. twice a day and frequency of migraines is greately reduced.

Not much for side effects, mainly tiredness, especially if very active in hot weather.

[Winnie77 in reply to denadico]

I am having terrible insomnia and am looking for another blood pressure pill.

[denadico in reply to Winnie77]

Sorry to hear, didn't even know insomnia was a possible side effect.

[Bea66]

I take 80mg slow release once a day, which I tolerate much better than the regular pills. It did take a while to get used to, but I found it reduced my palpitations and made me feel generally calmer, I do suffer from anxiety. It did make me feel a bit slow and tired to start with, but overall, it's been a godsend for me, reducing the intensity, if not frequency of my migraine.

[milew]

I took propranolol for about a year an a half, peaking on 240mg slow release daily. It didn't stop my headaches, but made them more manageable (slightly less frequent, slightly more predictable timings, and perhaps slightly milder).

Of all the preventative medication I've taken, I found the propranolol side-effects the most manageable. It dramatically reduced my heart rate, down to around 50bpm at rest (which is very low for me), and made physical exertion noticeably more difficult, e.g. walking up hills I would get more out-of-breath than previously. But that was about it - I didn't seem to have any other side effects from the lower heart rate (e.g. no low blood pressure), and since strenuous activitity is pretty much a guaranteed headache trigger nowadays I tend avoid such activity whereever possible anyway.

I stopped suddenly after ending up in hospital for 3 days. Doctors weren't sure what was going on at first, but after a day or so settled on it being severe anaphylactic shock. I'd never had any allergies before, so the cause was a bit of a mystery, and at first they suspected it was my changing brand of propranolol the morning it started, although that was later deemed very unlikely (although the actual trigger wasn't found). They also found the propanolol was significantly reducing the effectiveness of the shots of adrenaline they were giving me when I was in the emergency room.

Doctors have since said it would probably be safe to go back on propranolol, but I haven't yet.