New to Propranolol

[KatieProsecco]

Hi I've posted recently about a couple of things and think I am going to have to give in and start taking Propranolol as prescribed by my doctor (10mg 3 times a day or as required). I'm just not sure as I don't have a racing heart but my symptom is definitely anxiety related. When I focus I feel a heavy sensation behind my nose, it gets stronger and stronger the more I think about it. Then when I relax it ebbs away. It's causing me distress daily now when out and about hence reason for considering taking it to see if it helps. My question is has anyone else took it for something similar? Not necessarily just for heart palpitations. I feel I'm spending the majority of my day focusing on the sensation and not having a normal existence at the moment.

[MRS STRESS ED]

l am sorry to hear how you feel l have been on propranolol in the past but for racing heart beat

You said you're focusing on this symptom all day that's the reason its staying with you its about changing your thought process

I'm sure the meds will help with the anxiety try to relax when you can and take your mind away from that symptom wishing you well

best wishes xx

[ankietyjoe]

I can't see how propranolol is going to have any effect on a habitual behaviour.

It seems an odd thing to describe for somebody not experiencing a racing heart beat or without a heart condition, which is really what it's for. It will help alleviate some of the more physical symptoms of anxiety like palpitations and tachycardia, but as far as I know it won't affect your actual anxiety levels or stop you focusing on a symptom at all. That's a behavioral issue.

Did you Doctor say why this was being prescribed in particular?

[panic_down_under]

My question is has anyone else took it for something similar?

Beta-blockers have no direct effect on anxiety in the way say Valium (diazepam) does. They only block the physical symptoms of the adrenaline surge often triggered by the flight-or-fight response. While this can greatly help with some anxiety disorders, this doesn't seem to be an issue for you based on what you've posted. Therapy is much more likely to help you overcome your problem. A sedative such as mirtazapine at low doses may help while you're waiting to see a therapist. The antihistamine hydroxyzine (Vistaril) would be an even better choice as it has reasonably potent anti anxiety properties and is usually less sedating than mirtazapine, but my understanding is UK GPs are restricted in what they can prescribe it for. I don't know why, it's as cheap as chips, about £8 for a year's supply of 25mg. Wouldn't hurt to ask though.

[KatieProsecco]

Originally I had health anxiety and got myself so worked up my doctor prescribed it. That was couple of years ago and now only left with the one symptom I create by focusing on it. I didnt take it then very much but instead got put on 10mg of Citralopan. Was on that for 9 months and came off as felt better (could have been a placebo effect) now I'm back down the rabbit hole of feeling the sensation and really struggling so the doc says to try Propranalol as and when required and see how I get on I'm just not sure what to do to target this one. I do everything, meditate, exercise etc and feel great at the time but the feeling creeps in soon afterwards. I am also fine when doing physical things like cooking. Funnily enough it's not there when I lie down or first thing in the morning. Any suggestions at all as I'm at a loss as to what to do! :-(

[KatieProsecco]

Thank you for your reply, I have good days and think I have a handle on it then a bad day and I start to think about suitable meditation to give me some breathing space to help me understand that I'm actually creating it by focussing in it.

[KatieProsecco]

Thanks, I'll see what my GP says next time we speak. I'm guessing it's trial and error with me. :-(

[panic_down_under]

I didnt take it then very much but instead got put on 10mg of Citralopan. Was on that for 9 months and came off as felt better (could have been a placebo effect) now I'm back down the rabbit hole of feeling the sensation and really struggling

The placebo effect usually doesn't last 9 months so it was likely the citalopram even though the dose was below the normal therapeutic range. If the other options don't work you could go back on it. However, I would suggest taking at least 20mg as sub therapeutic dosing may increase the risk of the med pooping-out.

[KatieProsecco]

Thanks I just want to get to the bottom of it as without sounding dramatic it's taking over my life and making me miserable. :-(

[ankietyjoe]

So to get things straight, you have a sensation behind your nose that you can't stop focusing on, and it's making you miserable?

[KatieProsecco]

Yip that's exactly it! Sounds crazy, it first started in my twenty's and went away but after a bout of health anxiety a couple of years ago it remains (or should I say I keep fueling it). I do have anxiety and when the sensation is at it's worse my nose can actually throb! I feel very much alone as I've never come across anyone that has the same problem. On a good day I can bat it away but it seems to have a grip of me at the moment.

[ankietyjoe]

Well it seems obvious to me that it's something like sinus pressure, possibly allergy/seasonal related? Have you asked your Doctor about the nose pressure?

Also, you're not alone. Loads of people experience sinus pressure.

[KatieProsecco]

The doctor just said that it's anxiety but I agree with you and think the pressure is in my sinus area. Not sure if I'm tensing muscles in that area. It's not seasonal, happens the more anxious I get. It's an odd one, any advice/suggestions are most appreciated as the doctor doesn't seem to have a clue. When I sit down or lie down it goes away and it's never there when I wake up. As soon as I shut my eyes and do meditation it also goes away. I think it is some kind of muscle tension. When I consciously breathe out I think that releases the pressuee/tension as well.

[ankietyjoe]

Well in that case it just seems to be 'one of those things'. If it goes away under certain conditions, it's almost certainly anxiety related.

I have absolutely no idea why you've been prescribed propranolol. At best, placebo. It will have no effect on the sinus pressure or your monitoring behaviour, and it's really you focusing on it that's the issue here.

The cause is most likely a number of contributing factors including muscle tension or even odd breathing whilst anxious.

What you really need to do is practice not focusing on benign triggers, whatever they might be.

[KatieProsecco]

Agree, I've got a therapist lined up to help me with refocusing although I do feel I have all the "tools" to do this myself. It is a habit, tensing myself without realising. It's not easy though.

[ankietyjoe]

Health anxiety isn't the same as general anxiety. You can have the tools to cope with the symptoms of anxiety, but if you are habitually fanning the flames of health anxiety (focusing on benign things) the tools you have a reactionary response rather than a preventative one.

Better to deal with the cause of the anxiety (your focusing habit) than the aftermath.

[KatieProsecco]

I see, so any suggestions on how to do that in your opinion just in case I'm missing a trick? :-)

[ankietyjoe]

For me it was just long, hard practice. You have to re-learn NOT focusing on every little sensation. Your brain has become hyper sensitised to notice everything, and you have to re-teach it to ignore things. It's not a fast process, but it's the only real way to recover from HA imo.

The tools you have for anxiety will be effective in the short term to deal with the symptoms of the anxiety, but it's the unnoticed habits you've picked up that those tools won't deal with at all. For example next time you feel the sensation behind your nose, try and be mindful of what you do and how you react. It's likely that you'll don something like immediately stop whatever it is you're doing, you might tense up, you might touch the area around your nose etc etc. These are all autonomous responses that will signal danger to your subconscious. So next time you feel it try and deliberately do something else instead. It really doesn't matter what it is, as long as it's not hyper focusing on the thing you've been told isn't an issue.

For me, whenever I used to pander to my focus (historically my heart rate), I would say 'no' out loud and walk away from wherever I was. I physically removed myself from the situation. It sounds stupid, but you're telling your subconscious that there is nothing to fear here. You have to practice this hundreds and hundreds of times though. There's no quick fix for ingrained, habitual behaviour.

Of course it goes without saying that you can do all this perfectly, but if you Google symptoms nothing will work, you will start to obsess again.

[KatieProsecco]

Thank you so much I really appreciate the time you have given me today, it's amazing how someone else's words can help. :-)