scared about how i feel on slow release propranolol

[joannap]

I am having a major wobble about how i feel on propranolol 80mg slow release. I suffered a massive breakdown 4 years ago and ever since then have been aware of my heart beat when i am being quiet and have kind of got used to it. I am now going through an early menopause at 39 and a few months ago (during a flare up of high anxiety) had an episode of racing heartbeat that saw me admitted to hospital and they switched me from my one 40mg instant propranalol i had been taking per day to 80mg slow release saying it was probably a mixture of anxiety and hormones. I have been taking this for several months but over the last few week have noticed that i am not aware of my heart beat pretty much at all (whenever i turned over in bed etc - i was always aware of my heart beat picking up). I decided that this was not a bad thing until yesterday i checked my pulse and my resting pulse has decreased to around 56 beats per minute at its lowest and around 63 at its highest.

This may sound daft but this has me completely freaking out - perhaps because i am not used to feeling "chilled" and now it's like i am having a panic attack in my head but my body is not "responding"?! I have also noticed that my breathing has really slowed down and i am now only breathing around 5 cycles per minute (5 x 1 in and 1 out). I rang my GP and she seems to think that this is a good thing but that if i want to - i can go back onto the instant release. I just feel too slowed down if that makes sense but not sure what to do? Any advice?

[Catherine S]

Hi Joanna, When I was first given propraonol in 2007 it was 80mg slow release and I felt the same as you...I couldn't get used to having such a faint pulse and low heartrate, but I also suffered alot with everything slowing down so much, I would get out of breath very easily and I put on extra weight quite quickly too. I was eventually swopped over to the quick release pills and had the dose reduced to 40mgs which I still take at 20mg morning and 20mg evening and this seems to keep me on an even keel but if I have days when I feel more anxious than usual, or my heart starts with the skipped beats then I take an extra 20 mgs, but that's only sometimes these days thankfully.

Some people find the slow release better for them while others don't, its all down to the individual I guess.

ISB x

[joannap]

ooh - thank you so much for your reply. that makes sense - i have always been slim but have definitely put on some weight in the last few months too despite doing a lot of walking. i have emptied half of the little beads out of the slow release capsule today so i am only taking 40mg slow release and i will go back on the 40mg instant release tomorrow but separate the dose into morning and evening (pill cutter!). I get skipped beats and fluttering too - horrible!

[Catherine S]

Yes ive also got a pill cutter...my little helper lol! Ive had the skipped beats and flutters most of my adult life and they come and go, sometimes more frequent and sometimes less so. Also, fluctuating hormones can make them much more noticable as i discovered with my last pregnancy in my 30's and then through the menopause in my 40's. The propranolol takes the edge off them although doesn't get rid of them completely. The weight gain is apparently because beta blockers tend to interfere with insulin levels as well as slowing everything down. I prefer to have less of the skipped beats than to stop taking the pills to be honest, so am trying out different diets to lose weight...a very slow demoralising process! I hope you find the right balance for your own needs too.

ISB x

[joannap]

Yes - sometimes i can have skipped beats several times a day but then go a week with nothing. Looking back - when i had my mega breakdown - that was when i started experiencing symptoms of peri menopause but they all got put under the anxiety label! However - blood tests have definitely revealed permature menopause so i don't think that is helping either. That's interesting about insulin/blood sugar levels because i have noticed that i feel soooo hungry all of the time too! Thank you for your caring replies - it is very much appreciated! x