Question Regarding Propranolol and Blood Pressure?

[mischamoonlight]

Hi, just wanted to ask about a medication I've been taking for a little over a year now. I'm 32 female, I'm on Eltroxin 50mg for Hypothyroid and Leonore 100/20mg for hormone imbalance for PCOS.

I started on 80mg slow release, but reduced it to 40, then 20 and for the past 6 or so months have been taking 10mg a day, and it's for anxiety (which I have severe anxiety), and I have to say it helped an awful lot. But I don't want to be on them forever, so for the last week I've been taking the 10mg every 2nd day, but the last couple of days my blood pressure seems high (at least on my home wrist bp thing).

I'm just not sure whether if I should come off it for now, if its causing my BP to spike like that, and are there any bad withdrawals from 10mg? I just feel like I'm on loads of medicines, thyroid, hormone, and now for anxiety, which I get ups and downs with, but just worried about side effects as I read online about strokes and heart attacks about coming off it and it caused me a little stress.

[Fishmanpa]

I'm just not sure whether if I should come off it for now

That's a question for your doctor/therapist.

Positive thoughts

[mischamoonlight]

Yeah, I think I just don't want to be on them forever, but at the same time, but as I'm only taking one every 2nd day my blood pressure seems to have spiked, which then has me worried about the effects.

I'm sure ill figure it out, just confused.

[mischamoonlight]

I keep getting hot flushes every so often, and sometimes what feels like little sharp electric shocks in the middle of my chest. Not sure if related to the spike in BP, but I'm worrying about strokes or whatever it could be. I took my BP an hour ago on the wrist BP monitor and the last reading was 119/84.

I'm feeling very panicky, jittery. I don't know whats going on, I read online about cutting or stopping your Propranolol can cause strokes, heart attacks and its frightened me terrible as I have cut my 10mg to every 2nd day this past week. Panicking about my heart now.

[Careful1]

No one here can tell you if you should come off your meds or not, that's a discussion best left for your doctor but I'm sorry your having a hard time 😔

I do not know if the symptoms your experiencing currently are related to your weaning down your meds or not but I do know there are side effects with most maintenance drugs when one abruptly stops taking them or cuts their dose after they have been on them for a long time. Coming off your meds is a personal choice and it probably would have been wise to discuss this with your dr prior to cutting your dose as he/she would know how to best proceed without causing you great discomfort.

Your blood pressure reading of 119/84 is fine. I do not think someone will have a heart attack or a stroke from stopping their beta blockers but rather if one stops taking their beta blockers and they need them to control their high blood pressure, blood pressure will return to being high and prolonged high blood pressure is associated with heart attacks and strokes.

Please discuss all this with your doctor and I hope you get to feeling better soon (((hugs)))

[mischamoonlight]

Hi, sorry thought my message had gone through earlier. Yeah, think I'll make an appointment to see my doctor this week and ask about the best course of action. I think I'm very anxious at the moment, so probably wasn't the best time to decide this, but I'll definitely talk to my doctor about my concerns and try not get as hysterical. I think I was panicking cause of the pinching in my chest, and I instantly think its a heart attack or stroke, so my head is very erratic at times. Maybe even discuss a 5mg dose instead of my 10mg, but don't think they do 5mg here in Ireland, but I'll ask my doctor. Thanks for getting back to me.

[BikerMatt]

Your BP is good.

I stopped, no taper 80mgxr in 2017 after taking it for 2 years with no problems but ask your GP.

[mischamoonlight]

Yeah? I'll definitely discuss it with my doctor before I decide to come off it, and see how it goes. :)

[mischamoonlight]

I took my blood pressure tonight and it's still high (for what I'm use too) 125/89. I took my 10mg Propranolol yesterday and today and it's still this high?

I'm really worrying why it's so high, even my heart rate is up in the 80/90's tonight. Is it an infection? I am just worried about this, and why such a spike in BP?

I literally did my Propranolol every 2nd for a week, skipped Monday, took 10mg Tuesday, Skipped Weds, Took 10mg Thurs, skipped Friday, and took 10mg yesterday and today but my BP is still high (as I said, for me, as it's usually in the 100/110's Systolic, and 60/70's Diastolic.

I'm going to make an appointment to see my doctor but I' finding it hard to sleep with this, it's worrying and panicking me slightly. I'm even having little pains in my chest, like throbbing or something or electric shock (mildly).

(I took my temperature and it's not high from what I can tell, 97.3/ 'ish).

[mischamoonlight]

I just took it again and it was up even more in the 130's/90's. I'm also getting tension in the side of my head?

[Careful1]

Your blood pressure is going up because you are anxious and filled with worry. Any time one becomes anxious there will be an increase in both blood pressure and heart rate.
I understand your concerned because your blood pressure is running higher then what's normal for you but your readings really arent terrible. I think you should stop taking measurements because your anxious, everytime you get a measurement outside of what your used to seeing your gonna get even more anxious which is just gonna cause your blood pressure to go higher as it's a normal body response to anxiety.

You are okay...

[mischamoonlight]

Thanks for getting back to us! Was just at my doctors today, he took my blood pressure, said it was a bit high, but 10mg is a low dose, and could be due to the gastric thing I've been having during the week (I've been having bad stomach cramps followed by loose/oily stools and lots of stomach noises) and listened to my chest as well, as I was having mild chest pains but said my heart sounded fine, also took my temperature and said that was fine also.

It could be an accumulation of the gastric thing I've been having, and anxiousness and trying to cut to every 2nd day. He said to go back to taking the 10mg everyday and in a couple weeks book for a 24hr BP monitor. He didn't seem too concerned, but said my BP was a little high.

I feel a little more at ease, but still a little worried why my BP has spiked, but not going to try get upset and try relax myself and keep taking my medication.

[Careful1]

I think your blood pressure is probably fine and that it's been higher then normal for you lately because your anxious. My Dr would not be at all concerned with the readings you quoted.

I hope you get to feeling better soon.

[mischamoonlight]

Thanks again, yeah, I know I've been more stressed lately, it was the blood pressure spike that freaked me out because my temp was normal and my heart rate was too, so I started thinking "oh its a terrible infection, it's going to turn into Sepsis" or something deadly, and that's how my brain works when I'm very panicky and anxious. I'm still going to book the BP monitor for 2 weeks time and take my Propranolol 10mg daily until then as my doctor said to do.

It's been a rough time, so when anything like happens, it's what sets me off, hopefully I can start to repair and even allow myself not to panic and be calm.

Thanks again Careful1!

[mischamoonlight]

Just want to ask something. My heart rate is normal at the moment, and I've been taking my Propranolol 10mg dose daily since Saturday after trying to do every 2nd day last week, but even tonight my BP is still a bit high to what is normal for me, and I'm not particularly stressed or anxious and have been at home all day relaxing so, what could be causing it?

I discussed in another thread that I had a bit of stomach issues last week, basically my bowels were a bit loose and mucus, and then would be solid again, but would get really bad stomach cramps before a movement, and gas of course. It hasn't been too bad last couple of days, it was loose today but no cramps before hand.

I've a discomfort in my left side in the back of my ribs, I was on Google (of course) and things like enlarged spleen turned up, but I've only had this side pain for the past few days so not sure what it could be either?

My BP is what is bothering me the most as it's night time, and I've been taking my Propranolol for 4 days straight now, and I know it's a fairly low dose but I expected it to be back to normal by now, but worried if theirs some underlining infection or something but I don't know what to do.

I explained I was at my doctor yesterday (Monday) and he checked my heart, temp and they were fine according to him, he just said my BP was a bit high and to go back to taking my 10mg dose daily and book a BP monitor for about 2 weeks time (I did), so I don't know what to think?

Yeah, tonight it just seems to keep jumping from the 120's-130's/80-90's.

[Careful1]

You gotta stop checking it. Try just checking it one time maybe once or twice a week and see how it is. Blood pressure fluctuates depending on what your doing and your mood and so it's not gonna be the same all the time. Sometimes it will be higher and sometimes lower but it doesn't mean there is a problem.
I know you say at times you are not stressed or anxious but just because your not feeling stressed or anxious at any given moment doesn't mean actually aren't. Subconsciously you can be...

Your blood pressure can run a little higher then normal when your not feeling well and so maybe that's why yours is a little higher then your normal and it can also be that your dealing with anxiety.

Keep taking your meds and I'm sure things will return to normal in time.

[mischamoonlight]

I never think about it being there subconsciously, I'm always thinking in the moment, and not how it may be lingering or that I'm thinking about it still. You're right, I'll try to cut down checking it constantly, it's like an OCD disorder, and I hate that I fixate on it like washing my hands all the time. It's very hard to break such bad habit behaviour.

I'm sure I'll get there eventually, just have to try harder to not get as affected by it, but at the moment theirs been so much stress, so even when I get a chest flutter, my anxiety instantly jumps in (like the flight or fight feeling), but it's over productive.

Thanks Careful1, and yeah, still taking my medication daily, for now I think its necessary as well.