Stopped Taking Propranalol ... Anxiety is Back :(

[kittenface]

Hi everyone!

Basically I've been suffering from bad health anxiety for like a couple of years: had headaches, tension, muscle twitches, IBS symptoms, Poor sleeping panicky feelings...the lot and constantly convinced myself I had every kind of cancer and horrendous disease due to hours of hysterical googling.
My lovely GP did every test he could think of (all clear) and put me on 80mg of Propranalol every day. For the last 6 months i've barely had any symptoms and felt much calmer.

HOWEVER - I moved to london about a month ago for a job and like a week ago I ran out of propranalol. I haven't registered with a new gp yet and because i've been feeling so much better i decided to just see how I was off them.
At first it was fine, then the thoughts started creeping in again eg: I had stomach ache for a few days - oh no bowel cancer (again) and I started getting that familiar panicky/butterfly like feeling in my chest.
Then last night I couldn't sleep because of a pounding headache, and i've woken up with dreadful tension in my neck and shoulders. - I'm immediately thinking the doctors must have missed something, i must have a tumour etc...

Do you think this is down to coming off the Propranalol? Do you think i need to go back on it? I really don't want to believe that i'm dependant on it :weep:
Has anyone else experienced this?

Any help would be HUGELY helpful! thanks,

Love Kittenface xXx

[Carrera74]

Hey

Firstly try to stop the worrying (easy said I know). The docs haven't missed anything. If there was something wrong the propranolol wouldn't mask the symptoms. The symptoms are back because the adrenaline is flowing again in your system making your anxiety symptoms appear again. It could just be that you are having anxiety as you have stopped the tabs - you're supposed to wean yourself off them or you can get rebound anxiety or it could be that you are not ready to come off them.

Ring your local GP this morning and explain your circumstances. I am sure they will be able to either get you an emergency appointment or give you a short prescription to tide you over until an appointment is available. They will probably just need to ring your current GP to confirm what meds you are on.

Remember that you have moved and started a new job so your anxiety will be a little on the high side anyway - that's normal for anyone who doesn't have anxiety issues :) Your mind is probably playing tricks on you and as the propranolol is now completely out of your system the adrenaline will be having a field day especially if you let those negative thoughts take over.

I am on 80mg propranolol too and I'm feeling a lot better because of it but don't feel ready to come off it just yet. The last time I was on it (10 years ago) I was on it for over a year but weaned myself off it. You don't get dependant on it but it masks the symptoms of anxiety. This time I'm going to wean myself off slowly when the time is right.

Get your GP rung :) x

[kittenface]

Thankyou so much, that's really really helpful! I'm just trying to remind myself that i've been through all these symptoms before and if it was anything serious they would have persisted or got worse, not gone away completely!

I will most definitely ring my GP this evening and get some more Propranalol, obviously I'm gonna have to wean myself off them much more slowly so my adrenaline doesn't go haywire again!

Thanks for the advice, I'm gonna keep busy and try to distract my mind until I can get some more medication :blush:

love Kittenface xXx

[cathycrumble]

Hi Kittenface

How did you get on at your gp? I have just come off citalopram and I am suffering bad withdrawals, so gp gave me propranolol. Don't like them either. I have been on them one week 40mg. I wanted to stop them today and the pharmacy i called said I can't do that to see my gp which I am tomorrow. I am fuming as the doctors give you stuff and don't tell you that they are something you just cant stop. That's the reason I stoped cit as I dont want to be dependent on drugs and now I have got these things to come off. I read on the leaflet you can't just stop them. as it can be dangerous. So what did your gp say you said you were going tonight. Are you back on them? xx

Cathy xx

[Carrera74]

Cathy did the pharmacist know you're taking propranolol for anxiety? If you take it for heart or bp problems or you take it long term you should wean yourself off them. As you're taking the instant release ones they're out of your system quicker and as you've only been taking them for a week you probably could just stop them but always best to check with your GP.

---------- Post added at 11:39 ---------- Previous post was at 11:35 ----------

Have they not helped at all? x

[cathycrumble]

I saw my gp this morning and she said I can take half the 40mg at bedtime for a week then stop. but she did say I can stop so don't think i will take one tonight they made me feel heavy dozy groggy just didn't like them. Are you back on them?

Cathy xx