Has propranolo lhelped anybody here with GAD?

[anxious24/7]

I suffer from GAd. I am anxious all day. It almost feels like a constant "fight or flight" response. I don't have skipped heartbeats, but am always aware of my heartbeat. I feel tight in the chest, and constantly worry. :weep:

I've tried Lexapro which helped for a while but no longer does. Has propranolol helped anybody here with constant worry and anxiety? Side effects? I am trying so hard not to google, so thought I"d ask here.

Thanks for listening.:sad:

[Svojski85]

Hi there... When I was 17, I started antidepressants (SSRIs, IMAOs) and I combined them with Lexapro, on occasions. It did not cure me; it merely put a blanket on my head, so I did not see all the rubbish that was going on in my life.... I made a decision to withdraw from it completely when I was 21, I started running my own thing (business) and I was rather happy... So psychologically, there was something wrong in me with regard to being dependent on others... Was it because my parents were sick? Perhaps....

It lasted for 5 years, but then I broke down badly since the business did not take off as it was planned for, and I ended up homeless and with a massive debt. I tried running away from it, but I could not. The debt collectors kept creeping on me from every corner, I felt so. I started fearing constantly, worrying about what I'm gonna eat the next day, what job I'm going to do all of the sudden, whose gonna employ me; it was horryfying these two years after it all went down the drain... Then in 2011, I was given propranolol for the first time. I had some sertraline, but I did not feel like using it, since the propranolol seemed truly working for that kind of stress overload.... I felt cooler, slower thinking, not jumping to conclusions that quickly, I was perhaps less temperamental... The fears went away slowly since I realized (knowing that propranolol works mainly on your body heart beat and breathing) that it was all in my head (literally).... It took about 1 year on the highest propranolol dose (320mg) for me to start feeling healthy again. And I mean HEALTHY and happy.

That lasted until one version (note, there are several propranolol versions out there, all with different properties) called INDERAL LA was discontinued in January 2014. Since then, some symptoms have returned, yet perhaps not in such a magnitude... All I can say from this experience, is that propranolol indeed works (it slows you down, you might then realize that the anxieties and worries are really in your head only), but you need to work out the correct dosage, i.e. how many tablets and how often....

[anxious24/7]

Thanks for the response. I'm sorry you had to go through all that! Have you found a different propranolol that is helping now? You don't want all that anxiety creeping back! I'm going to speak to my doc about propranolol. Be well!

[Svojski85]

Hi. I eventually understood how my anxieties work and when they are coming in... It has got a lot to do with money and relying on others... To put it simple, if I had some savings, then I would half those anxieties.. I know that for sure... As far as other meds, I found 1 more box of that 24-hour propranolol, so I'm using it now and I feel alright... Knowing that it will be gone in 30 days is making me insecure and a bit worried... I'm trying not to think about it and I am looking for some job which will help me get back on track with my finance... And yes, there is something else which works for 24-hours, it might be slightly less efficient, but I need something for the whole 24-hour period.... We will see how things go and what the annointed one has for me in his store :)

BTW, if you are from the US, get Innopran XL or Inderal LA... They are both still sold in the US, but no longer in the UK... And you can get me some too! :)

[loufitz]

Hi ,
I started Propranolol and for the first two days I was fine but for the following three days I felt paranoid, anxious, very tired, nausea and diarrhoea. I would have liked to have pushed through in the hope that they passed but just felt too bad. I took 40 mg once a day.
Louise

[Helencollins]

Can I just ask how a drug that has little to no effect on mood can leave you feeling paranoid and anxious?

I don't doubt that you felt that way of course but are you sure this wasn't a symptom of your anxiety rather than the drug?