How to tell if my propranolol is slow or instant release

[Lady Penelope]

Hi
I have been prescribed this 40mg once a day. The pharmacist said I can take it any time as it lasts 24 hours but the leaflet in the box says usual dose is 40mg two or three times a day so I am confused.
How can you tell which is slow and which is fast acting?

[SLA]

As it is only 40mg, I imagine it is not slow release. From experience slow release capsules are around 100mg or higher.

If it doesn't say it obviously on the box, then I guess not.

[Lady Penelope]

Thank you. My anxiety is worse between midnight and 10am so I think I might have to bear that in mind when deciding what time to take it. I will check with the pharmacist tomorrow that I have the correct drug. The doc said take it in the morning and the pharmacist said its lasts 24 hours so it does not matter.

---------- Post added at 20:31 ---------- Previous post was at 20:30 ----------

I am wondering why it has only been prescribed once a day though.

[Catherine S]

I took propranolol in slow release capsule form at 80mg once a day for the first couple of years on them, then later took it at 20mg in normal tablet form twice a day...morning and evening as this seemed to suit my system better. However, I now take another beta blocker called Bisoprolol which suits me better than the propranolol did. Propranolol is one of the oldest beta blockers and is brilliant at what it was developed for, but as with any medication, they don't always effect everybody in the same way. Your doc has given it to you for a reason, despite there being newer kids on the block, so i'm sure you'll do very well on them. Also, 40mg isn't alot to take, some people take as much as 240mg a day. The good thing about beta blockers is that they aren't mind altering drugs and are taken by some people just 'as and when' needed such as before an exam etc.

ISB x

[Lady Penelope]

Thank you. I was on Bisoprolol for a couple of months but was getting side effects so the GP changed to Propranalol yesterday. I am a bit surprised at the dose though - 40mg tablet once a day. I took it yesterday at mid-day and felt good all afternoon. By evening it had worn off and this morning I had the worst panic attack I have ever had. I always get morning panic attacks but is one lasted over an hour and has left me shattered and shaky. I was wondering if it was a rebound effect from just taking one Propranalol and then nothing at night? I have phoned to GP to ask if I can take more than one a day or if I can split the tablet and spread it out into two doses.

[Catherine S]

Your doctor may have started you off on a lower dose to see how you get on, so if you feel you could do with a higher dose have a word about it. I found the 80mg slow release knocked me about a bit side effect wise and didn't tolerate them as well as the normal tablets. I have to say ive felt much better on Bisoprolol, and for you and me having the opposite effects with propranalol and bisoprolol just proves that everyone reacts to them in different ways.

ISB

[Lady Penelope]

Have called the GP today to find out if I can increase the dose to two or three a day. I felt calm on it yesterday for 5 or 6 hours after I had taken it but worse when it wore off.
Still waiting for the GP to call back. Spoke to the pharmacist and he said its not the slow release one and 2 or 3 40mg per day would be a usual dose but obviously he wants me to speak to the GP first. He did say thee same as ISB that the doc might be starting me on a lower dose. I gave taken one today at mid-day and if I don't hear back from docs I am going to take another at midnight to see if it helps with night time panic attacks

[Catherine S]

Mazza, if they aren't the slow release ones that would be why the effects wear off so quickly then. So yes, then it's possible to take an extra one perhaps in the evening as well as the one at midday. This is why I prefer them to the slow release ones because you can control how much or how little you need day by day. When I was on propranolol I took 20mg twice a day, breakfast and teatime and most days that was fine, but just occasionally I'd feel more anxiety and on those days i'd take an extra tablet and it would really work. You'll find your own level i'm sure.

ISB x

[Lady Penelope]

Well my GP has come back to me and said I can take two a day so I am going to have m second one before bedtime. I think I will need to find the best time to take it as I have a panic attack every morning about 7am which usuall lasts about an hour and wipes me out for the whole morning. This has been happening since I started the fluoxetine (day 22) now so I'm hoping the panic attacks will ease off soon. Need to get back to work/ life!