Weaning off proprananol

[Cavapoochonowner]

Hello everyone,I have Graves disease and had a thyroidectomy in June 2022.I am having conversion problems ,even with a very over-range T4.I know proprananol can reduce T4 to T3 conversion and am looking to try and wean off it.

My GP put me on 20mg 3x a day as a migraine preventative. I also take 20mg amitriptyline every night as a preventative. The latter had been working,but if my T4 was high the migraines came back so I started the proprananol as well.It has worked,but now I am getting my T4 in range myself,my T3's aren't very good.

Before trying T3,I want to try everything else and I know you have to reduce proprananol slowly.Has anyone done this and how slow is slow?

Thankyou for reading and any advice greatly appreciated.

[PurpleNails Administrator]

I was on 40mgx3 & after being made very ill by specialist who said to stop it completely the GP re-prescribed it as permanent migraine preventer.

I reduced it by lowering it by - 10mg a day, every WEEK. So a quarter of a (40mg) pill per day.

You have 20s so you could try half. Check the pills aren’t sustained release. You can break standard but sustained shouldn't be broken. Ask dr to prescribe 10mg in higher quantity so you can control the reduction gradually.

Got down to 10mgx2 per day and was a stretch - so currently 10mg x 3. Occasionally increase up to 60mg. The prescription I have is flexible.

High FT4 seemed to increase migraines too.

[Cavapoochonowner in reply to PurpleNails]

Hello,thankyou for the advice.I have reduced my levo by 25mcg per week and already feel better.I'll start today with the reduction of proprananol and play it by ear,maybe reduce to 10mg 3x a day until I feel settled and OK on that.The tablets I have are 10's anyway.I'm going to do another blood test in about 3 months so I'll be able to see if it has made a difference.Thanks again.

[SlowDragon Administrator]

I was on 40mg (as 4 x 10mg) per day for 19 years. And hypo due to hashimoto’s

Was able to SLOWLY reduce propranolol after going gluten free

Reduced by 5mg per day……waiting 3-4 weeks

Then reduce by further 5mg waiting another 3-4 weeks

Repeating this slow reduction until on just 5mg daily

Then cut to 2.5mg daily

Then cut completely 1 day per week

Next week 2 days per week

Etc

Took around 5-6 months

[Cavapoochonowner in reply to SlowDragon]

Thankyou Slowdragon,I will reduce very slowly and make no attempt to rush.I will do bloods again in 3 months and see if it has made a difference.