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View Full Version : Anxious 29yo on 40mg propranolol



Carroty
04-01-14, 18:03
Hello guys. Long-time lurker, first-time poster. :)

I've been suffering with chronic anxiety for around 4 months now, although I've had symptoms off and on for over a year now.

It all started after I went to a music festival in August 2012. I was in the queue for the showers and fainted. The on-site paramedic blamed it on dehydration, but it totally freaked me out.

For couple of months after, I kept experiencing dizziness, particularly in stressful situations. I'm a journalist, so it usually kicked in when I had face-to-face or awkward interviews to do.

However, after a while, it seemed to stop happening...Until September 2013.

We were embroiled in buying our first house, having already had one deal fall through. It would mean moving out of home, nearly an hour away from my family, and further away from my job. The financial commitment also started to weigh heavily on my mind.

I was at work one day, sat at my desk and my legs just went to jelly and my heart started pounding, and I felt dizzy. I, somehow, made it to the toilets and had my first panic attack.

I had one the next day, the day after that, and the following day too. On the way home from work, I burst into tears on the tube (Londoners aren't supposed to express emotion on the tube, so I got a few strange looks) and couldn't stop.

A few days later, I visited my GP who prescribed 40mg propranolol on an "as and when needed" basis. This was adjusted just this week to a mandatory twice a day dosage because, 3 months after my first trip to the doctor, I wasn't feeling any better.

The panic attacks have stopped, thanks to some self-taught breathing techniques, but I'm still getting jelly legs, dizziness, light sensitivity, nausea and weepiness.

Hopefully taking propranolol on a daily basis will help some of this, because I've had enough of this now. Thanks for reading.

MrAndy
04-01-14, 18:21
Welcome carroty,maybe you would benefit from some one on one counseling or cbt
Hope you feel better soon

Carroty
04-01-14, 18:40
Thank you. I've got to go back to my GP in 2-3 weeks an she did mention counseling as a next step. I've bought a book on CBT and think it would be a huge benefit.

Jojomarymoo
05-01-14, 19:08
Hello Carroty, I've only just come to terms with panic attacks and what they do to my body, shaking, weird out of body feeling, jelly legs, chattering teeth. I had my first one at work and I thought I was dying. I've had several since then and have to say to myself I've been through this and I won't die, this has helped me get through them and they seem to ease off quicker. I've started propranolol again and these seem to have had an effect. I too have been very weepy and worried sick with fear of the unknown, but chatting through the forum has really helped with this horrible time. Take care.

Carroty
05-01-14, 20:17
Hello Carroty, I've only just come to terms with panic attacks and what they do to my body, shaking, weird out of body feeling, jelly legs, chattering teeth. I had my first one at work and I thought I was dying. I've had several since then and have to say to myself I've been through this and I won't die, this has helped me get through them and they seem to ease off quicker. I've started propranolol again and these seem to have had an effect. I too have been very weepy and worried sick with fear of the unknown, but chatting through the forum has really helped with this horrible time. Take care.

Thanks for your kind words. I've developed a similar mantra when I get one "It's only adrenaline, it's only adrenaline, etc". I've found the forum hugely reassuring, as I also suffer a little with health anxiety, and it's heartening to know I'm not alone or going mad.