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Original poster

Propranolol for anxiety - has anyone tried this, how did it work for you?

47 replies

CaraVann · 03/08/2024 16:13

I just can not put up with my anxiety anymore. I have suffered for decades and have tried so many things to help, very little has touched it.

I see Propranolol mentioned quite a bit on anxiety support groups and wonder if it would help me? Seems many people have been offered this by their GP, not sure why mine never has?

It's the physical symptoms that I really want to reduce. I can handle the anxious thoughts but not the physical issues which some from them. I am under a lot of stress and find that I am permanently wound up physically and the more I suffer from physical symptoms the more I panic. Muscle tension, a constant tight jaw, tight shoulder muscles, sore muscles, terrible daily IBS (certain I am tensing all my internal muscles which stops my digestive system functioning normally) and a general wound-up and tense body. That's not to mention the daily panic attacks which cause a racing heart and a weak shaky feeling as though I've suffered a shock. It is all bloody draining.

Anti-depressants upset my stomach horribly, I exercise, eat and sleep well, meditate and listen to sleep hypnotherapy each night but I am still suffering every single day.

I am thinking of asking my GP for a trial of propranolol to see if it helps calm me. Could it help me? How does it help you and how often do you take it? And is it a safe drug to take regularly?

OP posts:
Balloonhearts · 03/08/2024 16:19

Exceedingly well. It takes about 30 minutes or so to kick in but once it does I feel much better. It doesn't do anything psychologically but the physical symptoms will be alleviated.

summerdazey · 03/08/2024 16:21

I reacted really badly to it it slowed my heart rate down so much the nurse who took my blood pressure after the first 2 days when I went in feeling unwell had to get a doctor who nearly called an ambulance. I think I was on too high a dose

TinDogTavern · 03/08/2024 16:25

It made me less panicky because it controlled my heart rate but I hated it. Hated it. Made me feel horrible and gave me horrendous nightmares.

Went onto Citalopram instead - took a few weeks to settle in but has made a MASSIVE difference. Good lucK OP, anxiety is awful.

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General health
Mainoo72 · 03/08/2024 16:27

Awful for me. It made me incredibly light headed every time I stood up & I constantly felt I was about to pass out. GP said propranolol had lowered my heart rate & took me off it straight away.

BuggeryBumFlaps · 03/08/2024 16:29

I've used it and it's great. Stops all my physical symptoms, which in turn sorts my head out.

Seeingadistance · 03/08/2024 16:30

My GP prescribed it for me, but pharmacist wouldn't provide it as I have a low resting heart rate. It was very lucky that the person in front of me in the queue at the chemist was talking about being unable to take it because she had low heart rate, so I asked when I submitted prescription. Reported back to GP who agreed it wasn't suitable for me. My resting heart rate is about 47 bpm.

summerdazey · 03/08/2024 16:32

Mainoo72 · 03/08/2024 16:27

Awful for me. It made me incredibly light headed every time I stood up & I constantly felt I was about to pass out. GP said propranolol had lowered my heart rate & took me off it straight away.

That's what i had. It lowered it so much!

Narwhal23456 · 03/08/2024 16:33

I currently take it, it really helps. It isn't addictive either, easy to stop when needed.

jf1992x · 03/08/2024 16:38

No it was horrific for me. Stopped my panic attacks but tanked my blood pressure and heart rate and put me in A&E as I kept fainting. It's only file to not take again 🤣

Squirrelsnut · 03/08/2024 16:44

It was fine, not a magic bullet (I had very severe anxiety) but it definitely reduced the worst of the physical symptoms.

Pippatpip · 03/08/2024 16:52

Fine for me. I only take it when I need to and it just takes the edge off.

ElleneAsanto · 03/08/2024 17:10

Works well for me - as pp says, it just takes the edge off. I take it as I feel I need to, always less than the max recommended dose, and it’s enough. I really didn’t want to start down the route of psychoactive drugs.

Angelswatchingoverme · 03/08/2024 17:31

I have been on it for years, sometime in the 90's I think, and it has been an absolute life changer for me. I suffered all the horrible symptoms you've described, its mentally and physically draining. I currently take 1 40g tablet a day, 40g is the standard dose for anxiety I think? You will feel calmer and wont have to suffer a racing heart and it will stop the shaking (if you suffer with this, I did). I have at times stopped taking it as I was coping better, and there were no nasty side effects at all. I am currently in perimenopause and my anxiety is ten times worse than it was before, I honestly couldnt live without it at the moment. I would definately consider it if you dont want the nasty side effects of an anti depressant but want to stop the physical effects of the anxiety. It might not be for you but you wont know until you try it! Good luck, anxiety is the pits🩷 x

TheProvincialLady · 03/08/2024 17:36

It works very well for me and I have no side effects other than vivid dreams if I haven’t taken it for a while and then start again.

Tikk · 03/08/2024 18:04

Saved my life.

Littlebitpsycho · 03/08/2024 18:21

Like other posters, it lowered my heart rate so much I could barely focus. My heart rate went down to about 42bpm, and I literally sat staring into space for long periods of time.

I found it great for my anxiety but that was probably because I couldn't think about anything!

Original poster
CaraVann · 03/08/2024 18:25

Quite mixed experiences.

My blood pressure is on the lower side of normal so I do wonder if the medication would affect me and maybe that is why it has never been suggested to me. I am going to make a GP appointment next week so will discuss my current battle with my anxiety and see what she suggests.

Thanks everyone.

OP posts:
Peabody25 · 03/08/2024 18:58

If you do decide to take it, take it before bed. I had it and fainted when I first took it in the morning so the gp suggested taking in the evening and it was fine. I was on 40mg a day to start with and increased as and when I needed to.

I don't take it now, just 20mg citalopram a day and I've been on that for years and always been fine.

NewtGuineaPig · 03/08/2024 18:59

I have anxiety but took it for migraines. It didn't help with either and made me faint and feel sluggish.

WashableVelvet · 03/08/2024 19:03

Really good for me (I have fairly low but not problematically low BP, and my heart rate is normal). It just interrupts the body/mind cycle enough for me to get on top of my racing thoughts.

Melonportal · 03/08/2024 19:07

I take it for migraines but have noticed it has reduced anxiety. I understand what PPs are saying about feeling faint and weak - it definitely took a while to get used to it. Works well now though. I take 80mg per day so possibly a higher dose than others.

Pebbles16 · 03/08/2024 19:12

TinDogTavern · 03/08/2024 16:25

It made me less panicky because it controlled my heart rate but I hated it. Hated it. Made me feel horrible and gave me horrendous nightmares.

Went onto Citalopram instead - took a few weeks to settle in but has made a MASSIVE difference. Good lucK OP, anxiety is awful.

I had the same. Plus I kept falling over with dizziness - I have generally low blood pressure

gamerchick · 03/08/2024 19:16

It's worth trying. I was on it years with no issues. It does the job quite well I came off it when I started weight training, which does the same job.

Drunkhusband · 03/08/2024 19:18

I lived on it for 2 years at work. I had developed this social anxiety that meant my fight or flight response was on high alert at all times at work (teacher). Particular things that would set it off would be having to attend a meeting about a child and knowing a moment was going to come when I had to say what I had to say. It was like my voice box could be removed at a moment’s notice, my heart would beat through my chest and it certainly felt like my face was scarlet. It was never for any actual real threat. One of the worst ones was in a circle of staff having to speak on the spot or an ‘introduce yourself’ type activity 😩 I’d feel all the alarm bells go off and I just couldn’t calm it down without looking severely flustered. I’d take a really cold bottle of water and sip on that frantically trying to shock myself into stopping it. It was a desperate time!

It started to spill over into panic attacks at home when people came to visit, it was like any social situation was now a situation where I felt I was on the spot to speak. I finally went to my doctor and was prescribed propranolol. I’d take two every day on the way to work and another two at lunch time. If something big was happening I timed them 30-60 minutes before it to try and have the maximum effect. I definitely think they helped. They could easily have become my security blanket though. I remember going a walk one day with my husband and I hadn’t taken any because I didn’t intend to be meeting people then we got a phone call last minute to say guests were coming. I couldn’t get home quick enough to take them and I was properly panicking that they’d now see I was panicking and I realised how reliant I was on them.

I haven’t taken them in almost 2 years now. I realised if your body is making you feel that way then it’s generally because you’re making it do something it doesn’t want to and it’s responding through malfunctioning to an extent. I quit being a teacher and haven’t had another panic attack again. I’m completely over the social anxiety too and it doesn’t even cross my mind now! Take them and use them as a crutch to get through what you’re going through but long term I’d say change the environment, whatever it is that you think could be the root of this, and maybe that will do more to fix it

Aquamarine1029 · 03/08/2024 19:19

Are you Peri-menopausal? You can have significant digestive issues during it, as well as much worse anxiety.