Too scared to take BetaBlockers

[GillySmith3]

Thats awful Bronte, sorry to hear about your parents, its no wonder its something you really worry about!
Jannie I think your right that I should just give them a try, I suppose if i dont then I wont know what one will work for me! I have to take 3 a day, that way the doc say I can control it better if i dont feel at ease with them. Thanks for all your advice and I am sick of fighting it too and feel like I just have to do something about it now, I am going to start taking them 2mro, if I dont feel good I will stop then at least I can say I have tried, and in the meantime I am going to go back to the doc and see about antidepressants, I dont suppose I have anything to lose! This has really gave me the push in the right direction! Thanks xxx

[Hazel B]

Gilly, I had anxiety very badly last year, waiting for diagnosis of a health problem. I was prescribed 40mg of Propranolol 3 x daily and it really helped me break the adrenaline cycle. It helped my pulse go to normal (it was 130bpm) and calmed my panic. The only side-effect was a feeling of being drowsy and the odd headache - I just took them without thinking as the anxiety was frightening.

I also had counselling to help with other issues and the combination got me 80% better in 4 months. I really fought hard; stopped smoking, stopped caffeine, ate more healthily etc etc.

You have nothing to lose, best wishes.

[ChrisK]

If you're not willing to take propranolol, there are other ways to burn out those adrenaline (hence the main purpose).

[jmoid]

The thing to remember about Propranolol is that it doesn't so much slow your heart down as much as stop it speeding up, as I understand it. It stops adrenaline from making your heart race and breaks the cycle of panic. That's why it might make you feel dizzy when you stand or exert yourself because your heart can't speed up as much as it wants to, to increase your blood flow, but I can't say that's ever happened to me.

I know some people don't get on with Propranolol but it's been a God-send for me, it really does knock my panics into submission most of the time. One thing I've found is that I sometimes have to give it a way in to start working by distracting myself for five minutes, just by playing a videogame or doing some washing up or something, then when the distraction ends I find the Propranolol has started working. Also they usually take a whil to start working on me, about one or two hours sometimes, but the effect of taking one calms me a bit immediately because I know it'll start working soon. The only adverse effect I've noticed is that it sometimes gives me a bit of an upset stomach.

[pinkprincess]

HI,

I was put on them 10mg 3 times per day and they were fantastic, take your first one just before bed, you wont notice you have had one, it slows your heart rate to normal.

x

[pd]

I take a propranolol 40mg tablet three times a day and they do make me feel better. I definately notice it on the days when I don't take them (if I want to have a drink I skip them, my doctor said it was ok to have a small drink every once in a while on them, but I'm overly cautious).

I've had four different anti-depressants in the last eight or so years (depression has always been my main issue, before I had a problem with anxiety), and none of them has worked for me, I experienced horrible side effects (something I've never really had with propranolol) and they did little to lift my mood, so I was still as depressed as before, but felt like s**t physically too!

I'd reccommend giving the propranolol a try before asking about an anti-depressant, but that's purely based on my experience.