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View Full Version : Just starting and having worse panic attacks



whitelight
23-02-09, 19:31
I've been put on 80mg of Propranolol and the instructions are to take one in the morning. I did this this morning and felt fine for a few hours. Took it about ten, but by four o'clock I was literally panicking myself silly with no justification. I'm suffering from anxiety related to having a noisy downstairs neighbour, but recently they moved out and a new couple has moved in. They seem fine and no noises at night which is great (so far). I can keep telling myself this but I'm still getting the panic attacks.

Is it normal to have really intense periods of anxiety/panic when starting this drug, and will things improve? My anxiety is so strong at the minute I just can't see any way over the brick wall, and I'm worried that the medication might have made things worse. What have people found happens during the first day or two of taking Propranolol. I'm taking the brand Half Inderal LA if that's relevant.

Inso
24-02-09, 00:45
I was put in 80mg a day to start with, and I stopped after one dose for the same reason. I felt slightly better soon after taking it, but after a few hours I was having much worse anxiety than before then had a full on panic attack later that night. Doc gave me 10mg 3 times a day ones instead and they seem to have the same effect, albeit for a shorter time. They noticeably slow the heart but severely increase my fatigue and the tight chest feeling I've had feels more apparent too.

whitelight
24-02-09, 10:32
Thanks for the reply, It's interesting you say you had the same things. The only thing I can think of though is that a lot of people on here say it works really well for them, and it needs a few days to settle in. A few more opinions might help.. I hate the thought of going back to the doctor AGAIN, as I really have been a couple of times in the last couple of weeks. I just wonder if I'm looking for a solution in pill form to my problems, and I keep falling short. I really feel like I'm at the end of my tether, my mind is not my own and the symptoms just keep getting worse. I'm starting to feel like I understand why some people do silly things when they feel like this.

Inso
26-02-09, 00:50
One thing you can be sure of is that propanolol is a very safe drug in the doses given for anxiety and will not cause you any harm. Although I know very well how hard it is to convince oneself of this during a state of anxiety! I am thinking myself of trying them again and sticking it out for a few days and seeing if there are any benefits. Maybe get a lower dose pill and see how it goes, if I do end up taking them again I'll post here if its any different. Or ask about other meds, there are a few others that work well for anxiety.

xxpeachiexx
26-02-09, 01:12
hi ive also been on propranolol and they made me feel exactly the same,they didnt help me one bit if anything they increased my anxiety i took them for 3 weeks nearly and it was the worse thing i have ever taken,i was given them as a beta blocker to stop my adreailine kicking in but it didnt do nothing so i was advised by my doctor to stop taking it im now on amitripyline just to take at night and i do feel a bit better apart fom tonight my anxiety is playing up lol.

cookiesncream
26-02-09, 14:47
I've just been put on propranolol, 20mg twice a day and they seem to be helping me a little.

I still suffer from my panic attacks but i feel with the propranolol they're a wee bit more managable :yesyes:

whitelight
26-02-09, 23:20
It's now four days since I started on the Propanolol, and things haven't reverted to that awful Monday afternoon. I'm not sure though whether this is because the drug is getting better intergrated into my system or if it's more to do with the Lozapram I am now taking as well. Guess that's the trouble with having so many pills, you wonder which ones are actually working and which ones aren't.

Here's my current list

45mg Mitrazipine (Last thing at night)
1mg Lozapram (Taken when needed up to four times a day)
80MG Propranolol "Half Inderal LA" (Taken first thing in the morning)
Flupentoxil (I Think!) 0.5mg up to five times a day
Burspar 5mg (three times a day)

NOTE : Until I speak to my clinical nurse who is visiting me tomorrow I've not taken any of the flupentoxil or the Burspar.

It's fair to say my anxiety is still there with the odd peak, and there's a constant background "humm" of anxiety, but I haven't suffered from the completely debilitating panic attacks I was getting at the start of the week. I have had a new worry bring itself into my mind which is that I'm only going to be on the Lozapram for a while, so unless I start finding a way to control and manage it effectively I'd hate to have a return to that awful Monday afternoon when it all just got too much.