Being a bit paranoid about possible propranolol interactions.

Hi all,
Honestly, I think i'm just after a bit of a reality check and reassurance as im getting a bit bogged down in my own head and I can't stop myself googling. (I know!) Long story short, ive been prescribed propranolol for hypertension and anxiety. Started Monday and i'm on 3x 40mg a day. Few days of feeling slightly iffy. Weird stomach ache and digestion feelings after eating and chilly feet, but all very mild, and also the side effects seem to have mostly worn off. Also, and importantly, they are very definitely working and doing a good job it seems.
Thing is I'm now getting paranoid about things like 'but they wear off in my sleep...do I need slow release? Do they have all new side effects? etc etc' and most recently 'am I going to eat too much potassium (its in everything!) and end up very suddenly ill?
I have a fondness for a certain kind of fruit tea. I read on the packet earlier...'contains liquorice, do not consume in quantity if you have hypertension'. I tend to eat a great many tomatoes, tons of potassium. Do I keep eating them?
It suddenly feels that almost everything has some kind of negative interaction with propranolol and I cant see the woods for the trees anymore.
So it's all feeling a bit of a mess in my head at the moment. I seem to have gotten a bit obsessive about any interactions these things might have. I someone could simply take my internet away for a bit that would help. I cant be trusted with it.
Really, I just want to stop obsessing about the pills and what they may or may not cause and get on with my life. So any thoughts, advice thats ideally not going to scare the living daylights out of me greatly appreciated.

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Originally Posted by Willspring

Hi all,

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:welcome: to NMP,

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Thing is I'm now getting paranoid about things like 'but they wear off in my sleep...do I need slow release?

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If you're going to be on propranolol in the long term then slow-release capsules would be a good idea, more to reduce the number of times you need to take it daily. As with most medications the amount of propranolol and its active metabolite 4-hydroxypropranolol in blood plasma builds to a steady-state after about 3-5 days.

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am I going to eat too much potassium (its in everything!) and end up very suddenly ill?
I have a fondness for a certain kind of fruit tea. I read on the packet earlier...'contains liquorice, do not consume in quantity if you have hypertension'. I tend to eat a great many tomatoes, tons of potassium. Do I keep eating them?
It suddenly feels that almost everything has some kind of negative interaction with propranolol and I cant see the woods for the trees anymore.

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The caution is about taking potassium supplements, not that found in foods. You won't be able to eat enough tomatoes for it to be a problem. The one 'foods' that might be problematic are highly processed things like potato chips which often contain a lot of sodium (salt) and potassium so don't eat packets a day. You shouldn't anyway if you have high BP because of the sodium.

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Really, I just want to stop obsessing about the pills and what they may or may not cause and get on with my life. So any thoughts, advice thats ideally not going to scare the living daylights out of me greatly appreciated.

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Propranolol may or may not be the answer for you, but at least it is a start. Anxiety disorders should be treated by either medication or therapy not allowed to fester. This isn't a zero-sum situation as anxiety/stress is likely to do much more harm than any of the treatments.

Hi, thanks so much for that reply. It’s really helped to get a little perspective. A problem I have is that when there is something’ up’, like a medical problem, or the car doesn’t work, or something isn’t working as it should, I want to know everything there is so I can try to find away to fix it. It’s some kind of deep rooted control thing. The trouble is I know that unless I get 10 years or so of intensive medical training training this is something I can’t ‘spanner’. So it becomes frustrating and scary. But your reply really did help. Thanks. :)

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Originally Posted by Willspring

Hi, thanks so much for that reply. It’s really helped to get a little perspective. A problem I have is that when there is something’ up’, like a medical problem, or the car doesn’t work, or something isn’t working as it should, I want to know everything there is so I can try to find away to fix it.

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Unfortunately, many of us have a powerful case of med phobia along with the primary psych disorder so choosing to remain ignorant is often a better course of action, especially when it comes to side-effects lists.

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It’s some kind of deep rooted control thing. The trouble is I know that unless I get 10 years or so of intensive medical training training this is something I can’t ‘spanner’.

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The training probably wouldn't help anyway. Guess which professions have the highest rates of anxiety and depressive disorders!

Again, thanks for that. It’s really helped. Clear and factual and very true. Can’t thank you enough actually. Only thing I’m still a bit weirded out by now is the whole slow heartbeat thing. I’m also giving up roll ups at the mo as well, and when I go for a walk or something I just don’t feel I’m getting the air. Not exactly short of breath, but just a sense of not quite breathing as fast. I’m guessing because of the smoking, my heart was beating faster trying to distribute oxygen, and now it’s not going as quick I feel a bit short. I dunno…just winding myself up really. This kind of paranoia for want of a word isn’t going to go away overnight.
anyway…really appreciate your reply.

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Originally Posted by Willspring

Only thing I’m still a bit weirded out by now is the whole slow heartbeat thing.

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Slower heart beats are actually a good thing. Until a few years ago the ideal BP range for reasonably fit adults was 60-100bpm, but cardiologists are increasingly coming to the view that 50-75bpm is the ideal.

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I’m also giving up roll ups at the mo as well

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Good!!!! :)

As one of the few lung cancer survivors - only about 12% of us are alive 5 years after diagnosis, worse odds than surviving Russian roulette with 5 loaded chambers! - I urge you to quit as even if you survive there are significant ongoing impacts from the disease. Nicotine isn't helping your anxiety either despite it being the second most (self)prescribed 'med' for anxiety.

Again, thanks! Your replies really help put my mind at rest a bit. Also, a bit of perspective! Very sorry to hear of what you’ve had to go through. Can’t imagine what that must be like. The rollies are definitely gone (Oddly easier than I imagined it would be after 30 or so years) all I need to do now is to try to just get on with life without constantly worrying and checking. Is this too high ‘ low? Why does that ache? What’s that feeling? Etc etc etc to exhaustion. So yeah, you’ve been a star. Thanks.

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Originally Posted by Willspring

The rollies are definitely gone (Oddly easier than I imagined it would be after 30 or so years)

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I only smoked for about a decade from around 18 to 28, but I had considerable x-ray, and occupational asbestos and chemical exposure so I knew lung cancer was a likely ticking time bomb. What saved the day was having chest x-rays every couple of years from age 50. The second one just picked up the small ~10mm nodule so it was a relatively easy, though painful fix. Maybe an approach you and your GP should consider. By the time most begin having symptoms the tumour has metastasized and a cure is no longer possible.

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Is this too high ‘ low? Why does that ache? What’s that feeling? Etc etc etc to exhaustion

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The 'funny' part is that when faced with an actual serious health issue most with HA cope very well. It is the anticipation that brings folk undone, not the reality. And this is true for most with anxiety disorders generally. When the excrement hits the proverbial you want an anxious person watching your back. But we really pay for it once the dust settles! :ohmy:

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you’ve been a star

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No, no gold stars for me. It never really occurred to me that it would kill me, at least not then. The Grim Reaper was a constant companion for most of my career. I didn't expect to make it to the ripe ol' age of 40 until almost that birthday. But as they say, only the good die young. So I should easily beat Methuselah's record of 969 years. :D

That’s astounding. I have nothing but admiration for you to get through all that. I can only imagine the mental strength you must possess. All I can say is that I hope you s]do give methuselah a run for his money. All power to you.