beta blockers?

[Mummyoftwo91]

Has anyone been on them? I've been told they might make me feel better as I'm going through a really hard time with a divorce but don't know much about them

Did your GP recommend them for anxiety?

My friend who is going through a similar situation to me is taking them, she said they make u feel less stressed and anxious. I'm not sure I want to be on anti depressants but I wanted to find out more about these as an alternative to help me through the day

My dd2 (15) is on them for anxiety and they do seem to be working. Doing gcses so has been very stressed. Been about 6 months now and hoping it won't be long term!

Zombie is on a beta blocker but it is to regulate and protect her heart. Anti depressants are far better for anxiety. Listen to your GP, not a friend who "going through a similar situation".

I was on them for a brief period a few years ago to manage a period of acute stress.

I found them really helpful - they lessened the physical, stress-like symptoms of anxiety for me and helped me cope.

Marvellous things. They saved my mental health from ADs. They help through a stressful time in that you wouldn't need chemical help if you weren't going through that stressful time.

There are medical conditions that prevent you taking them and they have a week or so of side effects but discuss it with your GP.

I've taken them in the past - they are good but they aren't smarties and not sure if you should be taking them regularly long term for anxiety? Unless other safer medications don't work.
A friend was prescribed them to get through a job interview (apparently at one interview she completely shut down - couldn't speak) - she thought they were fantastic but didn't know what they were
I asked my GP for some of these miracle pills to get me through a similar experience -specifically a presentation (I used to stammer and if I get really nervous I still do and the thought of standing in front of a few hundred people and not being able to get a word out made me more nervous, so more likely to stammer).
She said they could only be beta blockers and wasn't keen to prescribe....especially cos I always have had low blood pressure and apparently could have suffered fainting etc - they slow your heart rhythm. But she did eventually give me 3 tablets...one to take in advance as a trial in case I had severe side effects, one to take on the day and a spare.
I took the first one at something that was slightly stressful and not as important - it worked fantastically well. I felt calm and under control but alert - without my mind feeling fuzzy.
On the big day I was going to take it an hour before the presentation - but it all went wrong... I ended up with no opportunity to take it. (The laptop for the powerpoint died, thankfully I had a backup on a memory stick, put it on another laptop but they couldn't get it to link up to the projector - so my slides were printed onto acetates to use an OHP - but the bulb blew on the second slide, there is usually a back up bulb -but that was a dud - we had to find a new OHP)
By the time I could actually do the presentation I was past nerves/caring and just did it - no problems. Which increased my confidence. But I kept the other tablets for years as a confidence boost/back up, never took them.

Thanks everyone I will go to my gp and see what they suggest

I'm on Proponalol. It's helped a lot for anxiety but I'm weaning off them as I'm into fitness training and can't cope with the how much weight gain they cause. I've got an anxiety disorder but I'm going to try vitamins I have looked at for helping anxiety. For me, the weight gain makes me feel miserable do not make it worth it in the long run. Although to be fair they've worked extremely well but it's not for me.

I have propanol. I don't take it often but keep it in my purse for emergencies. It doesn't remove the cause of the anxiety but it eases the physical symptoms. It slows my heart to a normal rate and stops my chest from being tight, enabling me to breath normally again. It works reasonably quickly too.

I am on Bisoprolol for my heart. I also take Mirtazapine but have noticed a calmer feeling since taking the beta blocker too. My heart no longer races and jolts.

I also use propanolol for anxiety symptoms, was on it all the time initially as I was refusing ADs, they helped me function physically and control panic but obviously did nothing to help thought processes/emotional instability. After first run of CBT my GP persuaded me to try the one AD I hadn't tried before. Now on that all the time and only use propanolol 'as needed' ie if I know I'm going to be in a difficult/stressful/trigger situation I'll take some beforehand and keep them in handbag for emergencies. One tool in the armoury. Therapy, self care and mindfulness are all still the key though I think, medication just helps me function well enough to do those things.

Def speak to GP and try to think to yourself what help/support is it you want, what specific difficulties or symptoms to you want to change - mood, thoughts, behaviours, coping with stress, sleep difficulties, concentration problems, etc etc. that way GP can discuss what if any medication might give you the help you're after or whether something else might be more suitable

They are not without side effects- I had to have my BP monitored regularly and when I had a cold whilst on them I collapsed with low BP.