Promethazine

[panic_down_under]

It may take a couple of days for propanolol to lower adrenaline activity enough for it to become tiring.

[Catkins]

Does that mean I should take it during the day as well? I haven't. I was under the impression that it was fast acting so I would be able to take it as and when.

[panic_down_under]

Does that mean I should take it during the day as well?

Not unless it was prescribed this way. I was prescribed it a few times in the past and noticed I tired more after a few days than at the beginning. Others have mentioned the same thing over the years, but your experience may differ.

[Catkins]

I think I have the option to take it more, should I feel like I need to, he just suggested it for at night to help me with sleeping. He didn't say that I had to take it 3 times a day every day, he just told me to not take it and then go and do some aerobic exercise.

Right I think that's straight in my head. I'll take it again before I go to bed tonight and in future if I feel I need it during the day.

Thank you PDU.

[Catkins]

Well after second night of propanolol - I was awake once in the night and was very drowsy, read, then fell asleep easily. Only problem is I am incredibly drowsy now. I thought that it would have warn off at some point during the night.

Might cut down to half tonight? See if that's a bit better. Mind you I could be just really tired because of having not much sleep for night on a week. Will think about it.

[panic_down_under]

.Only problem is I am incredibly drowsy now. I thought that it would have warn off at some point during the night.

Propranolol is a little weird. It has a short half-life, around 4 hours, a little more if you factor in its active metabolite, and a little longer again if taken daily, but its effects tend to continue far longer than the half-life suggests, especially when taken daily.

Might cut down to half tonight? See if that's a bit better. Mind you I could be just really tired because of having not much sleep for night on a week. Will think about it.

Could be. If so, it should be a less a factor tonight so you should get a clearer indication of how it affects you. What is the full dose?

[Catkins]

Propranolol is a little weird. It has a short half-life, around 4 hours, a little more if you factor in its active metabolite, and a little longer again if taken daily, but its effects tend to continue far longer than the half-life suggests, especially when taken daily.



Could be. If so, it should be a less a factor tonight so you should get a clearer indication of how it affects you. What is the full dose?

I'm prescribed 40mg 3 x per day. But so far have only taken 40mg at night for 2 nights.

I'll maybe give it a go again tonight at 40mg then. I took it about 9.30 last night and still felt completely wiped out this morning. Mmmm will decide later. I have a pill cutter so I could easily cut it in half. Not great at making decisions sometimes.

[Catkins]

So I took the 20mg last night. Was awake once in the night, read for a bit, then went back to sleep. Not half as drowsy this morning as yesterday. So think I will carry on taking 20mg instead of 40mg.

[panic_down_under]

Not half as drowsy this morning as yesterday. So think I will carry on taking 20mg instead of 40mg.

You might have had a second factor working for you besides the dose reduction per se. The liver loves the stuff and will remove it as quickly as blood flow can transport it there. However, at doses from around 30mg the liver removal system becomes saturated slowing down how quickly the med can be metabolised and taken out of circulation allowing more of the drug to accumulate in blood plasma. Secondly, the effects of the med on the cardiovascular system means blood flow can be less at 40mg slowing the rate at which propranolol is transported to the liver. Together these factors mean considerably more than twice as much of the med may still be in your system the next morning from a 40mg dose than at 20mg. As I wrote, propranolol is a weird med.

[Catkins]

Bloody hell, that is weird.

Definitely will stick to the 20mg. I'm back at work on Monday and really wouldn't be able to function as I was on 40mg. I'm not a rocket scientist or anything but I need to be able to function.

Good to know that if I really need that effect it's there though (if a little scary).

Strangely my mother was on them for years - no wonder she was so bloody knackered all the time. (Although I assume that effect would lessen over time).