Half inderal to instant release :/

[Carrera74]

Hi everyone

I've not been on properly for a while just dip in and out but I was interested to see that others were experiencing similar problems with the generic extended release of propranolol. The generic one doesn't agree with me so after chasing the last packets of inderal around the north west my gp has prescribed the instant release type which I am hoping will agree with me more.

I have a major phobia about taking any meds and was very reluctant to take my first dose last night. I took my last extended release on Thursday but it took me til teatime yesterday to pluck up the courage to take 20mg last night. The dose made me feel awful although not sure if that was the drugs/eithdrawal or the state I'd got into fretting!

Has anyone here gone from extended to instant? How did you get on if you did? I actually feel ok this morning like I don't need the tablet but I don't want to go cold turkey and end up with major panic attacks either so will have to take another dose soon. Dreading it :(

[Svojski85]

Hi dear... I am really sorry to say that the generic propranolol extended release capsules (not tablets) will not deliver you the same amount of tension release for that these last for much shorter time than Inderal LA which was discontinued (because it was TOO good!).

Inderal lasted over 16 hours for the FIRST half of its life in your body, releasing thereby just a minimal amount of the drug in this period but rather constantly, and round about same amount of time for the SECOND half of its life in the same constant manner. Therefore, the overall life of this drug in your system was well over 24 hours... That is why it was so good!

You can however work your way around it. The best second option is now BETA PROGRANE lasting for 12 hours for the FIRST half of its life. The problem here is that the release of the medication in your body is not constant but rather rapid at the first third and then slightly less noticeable, and after 12 hours it is rapidly not noticeable... So it is not very constant in terms of its effect which can feel as jumping up and down because of the different release characteristics.

However, you can ask your GP if he would consider this different half life and prescribe you one longacting for the morning and one for the evening. The ideal hours are one at 8am and one at 10pm. In this way, you should achieve a similar constant between 8am until midnight.

This is the only second best option for you if you were enjoying a constant relief with Inderal LA. I am really sorry but so long people are not informed what different drugs can and cannot do, and have therefore no understanding as to what is better and worse, then we are trapped by what the pharmaceutical companies have got for us, regardless of quality.

Tablets last 4-5hours, their effect is far from constant (rapidly strong and then rapidly gone after 4-5hours), so it is jumpy and you can't get used to it as much as you could on the 24-hour Inderal LA.

Write to AstraZeneca to re-instate their product!!! I already did so!!!

[Carrera74]

Hiya thanks for the reply. I feel ok today after taking the 20mg last night and this morning. I'm due to take another at 5pm but I'm feeling a bit wary as I've gone from 80mg a day albeit slowly in my system to 20mg yet I feel ok. I'm wondering when the sudden adrenaline is going to kick in as I'm sure 20mg x2 a day isn't enough? :/ the gp just said it's trial and error with the instant release which I didn't want to hear as I want to be settled so no panic attacks! My chemist did say a few patients had said the generic extended release didn't suit them either! Think I will write to Astra too!

[Svojski85]

Write to Astra and tell them what d***head they are! )... And I'm truly not ashamed of myself by saying that! They are after profit, not after quality treatments!

Anyway, maybe small maths will help here. Take 1x20mg which lasts for 5 hours (or also, disintegrates in your tummy over 5 hours, alright). How much active substance do you get per hour then? On average, you would divide 20 by 5 hours, and you'll get 4mg in your blood for each hour for 5 hours in total. Got it?

Now, take 1x80mg (slow release) which lasts 10 hours (or also, disintegrates in your tummy over 10 hours, alright). How much active substance do you get per hour then? On average, you would divide 80 by 10 hours, and you'll get 8mg in your blood for each hour for 10 hours in total. Got it?

So, if you know the so-called "half-life" of each drug, you can then make your own little maths ...

Therefore, it is dangerous to take, say, 4x80mg tablets at once (which disintegrate over just 4-5 hours) compared to taking 2x160mg long-acting ones which disintegrate over a much longer period. The former could be way too much for human in a very short time, albeit the dosage may seem the same at first glance!!

BTW, the sudden adrenaline will not kick in if your mind is cool and without stress. So long you are OK, then don't expect any adrenaline anytime soon . But sensitive people get adrenaline rushes way too often (this is part of a human reaction called 'fight-or-flight response'). The stronger reaction you've got, the more you will feel it in your body. If you sense danger or some challenge, your brain will literally send a split second order to so-called adrenal glands (small beans-shaped things sitting on top of kidneys) to produce and release adrenaline all over your body. The best area where adrenaline works well is heart and lungs, so your heart (in a split second) would start pumping more blood and your lungs would start contracting more. This is because we are taught (genetically) to "get ready for a fight" under stress conditions... The more the heart would pump blood, the more oxygen (and other things) would flow to the target organs (brain, muscles) so you could either "fight" or "flight" .... It probably sounds difficult, but if you understand this, it might help you

[Carrera74]

I'm a class a stress head! I've been dreading coming to the end of my inderal pack and have felt really rough over the last few weeks. I've been under a fair bit of pressure (stressful home and job) and have felt low but I had start to wonder if the inderal were havingas negative effect on me or I'm heading for a breakdown again :/

Inderal helped me get my life back on track as I was in such a bad place cause of ridiculously severe panic attacks I was experiencing. I'd been running on constant adrenalin for too long. I don't ever want to be like that again.

Thanks for the maths. It helps my gp said to take 3doses a day but I thought I'd take it slowly and hope that the two doses are sufficient. Looking forward to trying to sleep tonight too. The instant ones had me awake til about 5am and then I was waking up not quite with it and sweating (nice) lol

[Svojski85]

Dear Carrera, I would not be taking tablets (short-acting; quick but stronger effect for about 4-5hours) for the night. From my own experience (what I fool I was! ), when I took about 3x40mg of propranolol, my heart almost stopped beating. Can you imagine how stressed I got over those 4-5hours?? I took it for the night, felt pain on my heart, realized that it could have been a bit too much, so I started exercising, just keep my body going!

Anyway, the morale here is not to take too many tablets (or even less) for the night (and in general, unless it has been prescribed by the doctor in this way). If you feel your dosage is not working for you (in whatever way and whatever form), discuss this with your doctor in whose care you are.

The maths I wrote about are just informative for you to understand how a dosage is calculated.

[Carrera74]

Thanks Svojski85.

I'm only taking two doses a day but today I've taken the first one earlier (8am) so that I can take my second dose at 4pm. Taking it at 6 hasn't helped with the insomnia although once I got to sleep last night I did sleep better so perhaps I've been withdrawing and/or getting used to the new tablets.

I'm back at work tomorrow which will be the real test as I have had a rough few weeks with anxiety heightened and feeling like a panic attack is imminent. Will be interesting to see how I am and will then go back to GP if need be.

How are you getting on within the new type of extended release? I was prescribed them when I first went on the extended release 3 years ago and they floored me. Always got half inderal specified after that. Astra Zeneca have certainly caused me a lot of added anguish because of discontinuing this drug. But then again I think this has given me the well needed kick out of my comfort zone I've been hiding in :/

[Svojski85]

Thanks Svojski85.

I'm only taking two doses a day but today I've taken the first one earlier (8am) so that I can take my second dose at 4pm. Taking it at 6 hasn't helped with the insomnia although once I got to sleep last night I did sleep better so perhaps I've been withdrawing and/or getting used to the new tablets.

I'm back at work tomorrow which will be the real test as I have had a rough few weeks with anxiety heightened and feeling like a panic attack is imminent. Will be interesting to see how I am and will then go back to GP if need be.

How are you getting on within the new type of extended release? I was prescribed them when I first went on the extended release 3 years ago and they floored me. Always got half inderal specified after that. Astra Zeneca have certainly caused me a lot of added anguish because of discontinuing this drug. But then again I think this has given me the well needed kick out of my comfort zone I've been hiding in :/

From September onwards, I've been on slow release Beta Prograne since not even 4x80mg tablets spread throughout the day were able to deliver a constant effect of this substance on my body. It was like on a rollercoaster and I need a steady supply so that I didn't get sudden rushes. These tablets really give you a sudden quick effect, but they then suddenly disappear and I don't like that on/off rollercoaster. I ended up with 160mg slow release 3x throughout the day (8am, 2pm, 10pm) since my slow release lasts about 10-12 hours... There is a little overlap in the morning (which I benefit from), but on Inderal I was 320mg for 24 hours so... I did the maths, it was complicated, but apparently so, I even convinced the local psychiatrist that this would be prescribed to me in this way Nevertheless, the ideal dosage is highly individual and most common would be 80mg slow release once or twice a day.

It works fine but I combine it with Lyrica and sertraline.