Propranolol - advice please

[Katki]

I've wanted to try Propranolol for a while as:

1. the name ends in LOL
2. I am suffering with a few lingering symtpoms, racing heartbeat for a lot of the day, trembling hands and a little shortness of breath.

Besides that, things are looking up.

I was wondering has it helped people with similar symptoms? I'm going to start off on 10mg, once, maybe twice a day.

I usually wake up with palpatations - would taking one at night be the best time so I wake up'normally'?

I have read they disturb sleep, but is 10mg too little to do this? I am sleeping OK at the moment so don't want to mess that up.

Any advice appreciated.

[gemdrop84]

Hi, I take 2-3 10mg a day alongside an antidepressant and have found it really does help with the racing heart and shortness of breath/tight chest. I take mine in the morning, afternoon and just before I go to bed. It hasn't affected my sleep at all (my anxiety is worst at night) but I am having vivid dreams. They make me feel quite nauseous about an hr after taking them which isn't great but overall they're good.

[Katki]

That's interesting, thanks for replying.

Feeling nauseous is something I hate, as I have a fear of being sick. But if it passes, that's OK. I don't mind just a churning stomach. I also don't mind vivid dreams, I have had those anyway to be honest. As long as they aren't scary nightmares!

I have been taking herbal tablets so I am going to purify my body of those for a few days before I try one.)

[reddevil]

Hi,

Like you I have fear of being sick and my doctor put me on the 80mg slow release version and I must admit, I have been going into meetings after taking them, which before I would not. I'm not perfect on them but 50% better, which is a great start. Regarding sleep, I find that I feel tired but when I go to bed, I have trouble sleeping.

Love that the medication ends in LOL.

Red

[Katki]

My doctor wanted to try me on a low dose first. I haven't taken it yet, I am seeing how I feel first as I'm improving without.

Thanks for your reply though.

I don't think they have many side effects really. I can deal with nausea to a certain extent. I want to be calm when I try these, although that sounds like its defeating the object, I don't want to take them and then panic.

[Izzie2494]

I've taken 10mg for about two years now, I never had any side effects but they are great when I can feel a panic coming on, take about ten minutes to kick in but they completely slow my heart down

[Danielle_S]

I have been on them for a month, started with the lower dose three times a day and must admit they worked pretty well. My heart races constantly, even when I'm just lying in bed and taking the propranolol has been such a relief, I feel quite a lot calmer on them. Obviously I still have the intrusive anxious thoughts which sucks but there are definite benefits. Haven't really noticed any difference to sleep or vivid dreams but maybe my body has acclimatised already. I'm now on the 80mg slow release as of today so fingers crossed, hope they work for you.

[jackieann3]

I've just gone on these only been taking them 5 days only 10g but feel absolutely terrible ,the main symptom is terrible palpations they start about an hour after I've taken 1and make me feel horrible ,they last about 45 minutes and really frighten me so I don't know if I should stop taking them ,it can't be good your heart going so fast I don't know if there doing any damage, would anyone have any advice on this but I'm going to ring doctors tomorrow.

[panic_down_under]

I've just gone on these only been taking them 5 days only 10g

10g? I assume you mean 10mg.

the main symptom is terrible palpations they start about an hour after I've taken 1and make me feel horrible ,they last about 45 minutes and really frighten me

I suspect the palpitations owe more to anxiety than the propranolol as 10mg is a very small dose. The typical dose range for heart conditions is 80-240mg to a maximum 640mg/day and while plasma concentrations could peak an hour after taking immediate-release propranolol, it usually takes 2-4 hours with 2 hours roughly coinciding with when the palpitations are easing.

[jackieann3]

Thanks for reply I didn't see this I think I posted in the wrong place but its been moved now so people can see it better, yes I've stopped taking them now after speaking to the doctor, even that low dose was sending my heart racing but now I've stopped so has the palpations just got to sort the anxiety out which is why I was put in them, they were making me feel better but the palpations were too much,thanks all for your replies.