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

[CaraVann]

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?

I was on 80mg/day for around 6 months and it honestly worked wonders. No real side effects and I felt so much better. Really helped the physical symptoms I was having.

I can relate to much of this. My current anxiety issues are causing me a hell of a lot of social anxiety, mainly because the anxiety is driving my already troublesome IBS into a daily issue, so I live in fear of being 'caught short' whilst out in a social setting.

The main cause of my stress, panic and anxiety are my elderly parents. My mum has Alzheimer's and breast cancer and I help my dad to care for her. Sadly it isn't a situation I can just walk away from.

100% deep in perimenopause. I am 51 and the last 6 years have been dreadful. I tried HRT but I have a whole host of gynae issues (endometriosis, adenomyosis and a failed and very painful uterine ablation). HRT made the pain so much worse.

I’m joining in as this could have been written by me - same age, same issues. I need to go back to the GP.

I have it prescribed to use on as 'as and when basis when I feel panicky.
It works really well for me.
I use it about once a month on average. The rest of the time I use breathing techniques to manage my symptoms and just use it when I'm feeling desperate.
It may be worth using it like this, rather than regularly - ask your GP, as my prescription says 'one to be taken as needed, no more than 4 per day'. I'm on 40mg tablets.

I'm really sorry you are suffering too. It's really not pleasant is it?

I do practice daily mediation, I listen to the calm app every night and do breathing exercises but sadly it doesn't touch this anxiety. For some reason, if anything, I find breathing exercises make me more agitated.

My dd took it for headaches but it increased her appetite significantly, which made her put on a lot of weight. She came off it and her appetite returned to normal. Just to make you aware that this can happen.

I love it, I am on citalopram bit take propanolol if I'm feeling particularly edgy and it gets rid of the physical symptoms which seems to then help with the mental as well.

I take citalopram and then propranolol as and when i feel panicky. I have 10mg tablets and my prescription is for up to 40mg 3 x per day. I have low blood pressure and my Dr advised me to start with 10mg and only up it in stages to avoid feeling light headed. I usually take 20mg, sometimes 30 if I feel really bad. It's been life changing. I don't have to feel scared of being scared anymore.

I took propranolol for years daily, I was having constant panic attacks and yes it stopped the physical symptoms. I then started getting symptoms which I wasn't warned about such as my monthly cycles being disrupted, periods either every 2 weeks or 6 weeks apart. I was TTC for 2 years and failed. My GP didn't put 2 and 2 together either and it wasn't until I split with my exH (abusive and caused the majority of my anxiety), met someone else and stopped having to take propranolol when I realised that's what had messed my cycles up. I got pregnant pretty quickly 🤣. Just a word of warning because no doctors I spoke to realised either but they make other physiological changes in the body including hormones.

Thank you, it’s awful. I struggle eating out as I get terrible diarrhoea, just due to nerves. Meeting new people in work, knowing to have to go into a meeting at work, all send me running to the loo or having belly cramps and wind. All just due to nerves.

Rationally I know there’s absolutely nothing to get nervous over but try telling my mind and body that. I’m sick of it. Oestrogen part of HRT has made that much worse so just taking daily progesterone at the moment which does seem to help. It also helps me sleep better and reduces the instances of waking up with adrenaline rushes

Crikey, that's me to a t. I had to go to the hospital with my mum last week. She has Alzheimer's and breast cancer. We had her bc follow up consultation and 5 mins in to the consultation I had to rush off with diarrhoea and leave my poor elderly parents on their own, I felt awful. I hate this anxiety with a passion because it affects me physically every day. I no longer eat out any more because as soon as I eat I feel as though I need the loo.

I have an appointment next week with a gynae who specialises in the menopause and HRT. I am hoping she may suggest progesterone to help slow everything down. Can I ask if you are trying a progestin or something like Utrogestan? I hope you manage to get some good results from it but know that I really do feel your pain.

I take 100mg utrogestan every night. I still get regular periods and it doesn’t seem to have affected them - if anything my heavy periods have lightened a bit. I sometimes wonder if fluctuating oestrogen is part of the issue as I feel jittery and anxious whenever I try oestrogen, however small the dose.
I do feel that progesterone calms me down a bit.
This started after a very traumatic event when I was 46. I lost both my parents within a few months of each other and had just started a very stressful new job.
I do take 1, 2mg loperamide if I need to things to really slow down, this usually buys me 24 hours or so of a calm stomach but I can get a bit backed up so try not to do it too often.

I’ve tried probiotics, silicolgel, more fibre, avoiding food but eventually I’ll get that nervous tummy and explosive loose stool and I know I’ve lost the game again. It’s a terrifying way to live. Work is my biggest trigger and I’ve just taken another promotion so a bit more stress and situations where I need to meet people etc. I must be mad.

I think I will ask to try Utrogestan. I have high oestrogen because of my endometriosis so I really do not wish to add more to my body.

I am sorry for your loss of your parents, that must have been so very stressful. My issues all came at once when I was 45, my mil passed away, mum was diagnosed with dementia and my son had some severe mental health issue, it was so hard to cope but I did however, all at a cost to my digestive health.

I too have tried so many things to help my digestive system with little sucess. I am quite certain that it will remain unsettled until I can control the anxiety. My weak spot is my digestive system.

Let's hope we can find a solution for our woes, it is certainly not a fun way to live.

Same for my husband - however he already has a pretty low standard bpm

Good luck. There must be a common underlying cause. I sometimes suspect hormone issues have affected my gallbladder to cause bile acid malabsorption, then I think high oestrogen has affected my gut / bowel. It could be high anxiety that just turns my bowel to liquid - this seems to be the most common issue. I so wish I could get it sorted, it’s ruined my life.

Strangely enough, I had an ultrasound and the radiologist asked whether of ever been diagnosed with endometriosis- my ovary was unable to be seen on one side- it appeared to be stuck to my womb.
I also have fibroids, right sided ovarian pain on ovulation so that does point towards high oestrogen. HRT oestrogen makes me a wreck within a week and the bowel urgency / anxiety / gut issues really kick off.

I was only diagnosed, via a pelvic mri, last December.
Alongside some other issues, my left ovary is stuck to my womb. My gynae says this is a classic sign of endo. I am so angry its taken 12 years of yearly visits to the same gynaecologist to discover that I have endo.

Ahh that’s a tough one. Sorry to hear you’re having the social annxi symptoms too. I really don’t think anyone understands how much it takes over your life until they are in it.

There are maybe things that would help to reduce your anxiety around your situation. For me my anxiety is worst when I have no control and that sounds like a situation you can’t control. I’m not sure what things you could put in place to have more control but it might help, like routines you stick to or anything positive you could regularly do or focus on? Such a tough one but your health matters too so hopefully you can get some help one way or another

I find it so helpful. I take it as and when I feel panicky and it calms my physical symptoms down which feels me get control of my head. I have very low blood pressure but haven't had any issues with fainting. I'm also peri menopausal and again no issues, I'm on HRT as well.

It's been really life changing for me. I'm not sure if it actually works, or whether just the taking of the pills makes me feel help is on its way. But I wouldn't have been able to train in my current career without it.