Anyone else had fears taking propranolol (or any medication?) not sure if it'll work?

[dreamygirl]

Hi guys

I am slowly recovering from agoraphobia and health anxiety (my health anxiety comes and goes depending on my stress levels)

I'm seeing a clinical psychologist and am working on the mental side of my illnesses, but for the past month my physical symptoms have gotten worse due to certain triggers. I want to reduce them but I don't know if beta blockers will help me.

My physical symptoms are:

1 - can't catch my breath, keep needing to yawn, chest pains, tight band around chest, hyperventilating
2 - very tight muscles esp in jaw, neck, shoulders and back
3 - derealisation, depersonalisation
4 - lightheadedness (especially when standing up), dizziness, wobbly legs, difficult to walk in a straight line
5 - problems eating, sensation that my throat is closing up, hard to swallow etc
6 - sweating, trembling
7 - night terrors, hypnopompic hallucinations (seeing coloured dots when I wake up in the middle of night - goes away when I come round properly - apparently it's normal lol)
8 - difficulty to sit still and not want to leave e.g. when eating out

I do have a high blood pressure when outside e.g. at the doctors, but I'm guessing it must drop when I'm inside. I also have a very fast heartbeat when I'm anxious but it drops again when I'm inside and managing to relax (atm it's 65 bmp)

I'm also worried about exercising while on beta blockers as I want to keep going to the gym to do weight lifting, aikido class, swimming, etc. I haven't been able to do much the past couple of weeks because of my anxiety but I've read that it's hard to workout while on them? I also have very cold hands and feet already (Raynaud's) which I'm anxious about!

The doctor prescribed me 80mg of modified release capsules but I realised it might be a bit too high and that maybe I should try a lower dose first (and a fast release beta blocker) so I'm going to ring them tomorrow.

At this rate, I don't know if I can make myself take any medication as I'm terrified of side effects!

[panic_down_under]

Hi guys

Welcome to No More Panic

I want to reduce them but I don't know if beta blockers will help me.

My physical symptoms are:

1 - can't catch my breath, keep needing to yawn, chest pains, tight band around chest, hyperventilating

4 - lightheadedness (especially when standing up), dizziness, wobbly legs, difficult to walk in a straight line

6 - sweating, trembling

Beta-blockers may exacerbate these symptoms and that of Raynaud’s syndrome too (beta-1 selective beta-blockers such as metoprolol might be okay), and also affect your ability to exercise.

I think an antidepressant would be a better/more effective option. Given the health anxiety, either the SSRI fluvoxamine (Luvox), or the TCA clomipramine (Anafranil) would be good initial choices with clomipramine being the better drug imho. It is available in relatively small dose capsules of 10mg compared to the recommended initial therapeutic dose of 100mg/day so you can easily start on a tiny dose to minimise initial side-effects (the usual starting dose is 25mg). The TCAs are likely to produce less severe initial side-effects than SSRIs and SNRIs anyway, although this can be at the expense of more ongoing nuisance ones such as constipation and dry-mouth.

Anafranil might also ease the Raynard's symptoms by increasing blood flow to the extremities as it is both a blood vessel dilator and mild anticoagulant.

[dreamygirl]

Welcome to No More Panic



Beta-blockers may exacerbate these symptoms and that of Raynaud’s syndrome too (beta-1 selective beta-blockers such as metoprolol might be okay), and also affect your ability to exercise.

I think an antidepressant would be a better/more effective option. Given the health anxiety, either the SSRI fluvoxamine (Luvox), or the TCA clomipramine (Anafranil) would be good initial choices with clomipramine being the better drug imho. It is available in relatively small dose capsules of 10mg compared to the recommended initial therapeutic dose of 100mg/day so you can easily start on a tiny dose to minimise initial side-effects (the usual starting dose is 25mg). The TCAs are likely to produce less severe initial side-effects than SSRIs and SNRIs anyway, although this can be at the expense of more ongoing nuisance ones such as constipation and dry-mouth.

Anafranil might also ease the Raynard's symptoms by increasing blood flow to the extremities as it is both a blood vessel dilator and mild anticoagulant.

Thank you for your reply ❤

I don't want to go on antidepressants as I want a drug I can just stop when needed and I don't want to wait for it to build up in my system. I also don't have depression although I understand seratonin imbalances also affect anxiety. I also don't want a long term drug (I would like to stop it in a few months rather than need to be on it for over a year etc)

There doesn't seem to be a drug that could work for me! ☹️

[panic_down_under]

There doesn't seem to be a drug that could work for me! ☹️️

You could try hydroxyzine (*Vistaril). It is a prescription antihistamine with pretty good anti anxiety properties. It isn't as potent as the benzodiazepines, but can be potent enough to make a significant difference for mild to moderate anxiety.

*Hydroxyzine comes in two forms, hydroxyzine pamoate (Vistaril) and hydroxyzine hydrochloride (Atarax). Anecdotally, the pamoate form is supposedly the more effective anxiolytic, but just how true this is is a matter of debate.