Anxiety and Propanolol - I’m feeling nervous.

[ThornAmongstRoses]

I’ve had a rough 18 months with my health which has now led to me having a diagnosis of anxiety.

I was prescribed Propanolol last week and I still haven’t mustered up the courage to take my first dose.

I’m anxious to take something that may help my anxiety. It’s nonsensical.

I guess I’m scared of side effects, or maybe I’m scared that it won’t make any difference.

Part of me is scared that I need medication for anxiety just to function normally.

Anyone else been in the same boat?

What made you take the leap and take that first tablet?

Desperation.
I was falling apart and getting worse and worse. It’s a big leap speaking to the Dr and agreeing to try medication, just a short step to actually taking it.
I ended up taking it 3 X a day for a period of time. I weaned myself of it slowly once life improved & didn’t take it again for many years.
I now have a prescription for it again but I take the lowest dose as and when needed rather than a regular dose.
It’s very calming. Stops the rising panic, the thumping heart & the racing thoughts. Keeps me from being a wreck.
I hope things improve for you

I just take it when I feel the need. It just slows things down a tiny bit so I don't spiral into panic. Take one and sit down with a book and see how you feel.

I like the idea of calming the panic and stopping the racing thoughts.

Can I ask what dose you take?

I’ve just checked. My current prescription is 40mg.
These actually knock me out so I cut some of them in half & I have them in my bag in case I need to take in work/when out.
If I’m in bed and stressing, mind racing & having a panic I just take a whole one. Switches my head off and next thing I know I’m waking up and it’s morning.
I think they just went off my old dose when re prescribing. I can’t believe I used to take 3 x 40mg a day! The initial starting dose was lower though, it was just increased as time went on.

I’ve only been prescribed 10mg twice a day - so I guess that’s pretty low?

Not much chance of side effects do you think?

I think I started 10, then went up to 20.
I’m actually wondering if the 40 was an error? No wonder it knocks me out! but the half a tablet, so 20 mg, 20 is fine.

I haven’t found any side effects with my occasional use at all.

I would maybe take one the first time when just staying in and not due to go anywhere. Just to see how you feel.

I didn’t have any side effects at all when I was prescribed them earlier this year - I was going through a very stressful anxiety inducing situation which had a set end point, and the physical symptoms were overwhelming. They definitely helped and I could just take one when it was bad, and it helped a bit. I did then end up on diazepam for about 3 weeks. Haven’t needed any of either since this situation is over and still have some of this in the cupboard should it get bad again. I would definitely take it again.

My 17 year old dd takes 40mg in the mornings.
She was on 10mg but it did nothing to alleviate her awful anxiety.
I upped it to 40 and it made a big difference. She can now get out of the door.

I started on 40. A week with a tight chest feeling while I got used to it and it was a godsend.

Can't see a 10 even having any side effects tbh.

I can't see anything at all in them that would have a sedative effect either maybe your body is on such high alert, removing the adrenaline effect might help your body relax. But that's all.

I was prescribe 40mg a few years ago and it felt too strong but did calm me right down in a particularly bad patch of anxiety. I now take 10mg on the odd occasion and it's great

Propranolol can have a sedative effect, it's even used for that purpose in hospital environments.

I'm the same as you. Meds for anxiety freak me out. But Propranolol really helped me they don't make you feel anything apart from less stressful.
Take one you will be fine.

The Dr wouldn't have given you it if it wasn't safe! I had a nervous breakdown a year back. Was given 40mg 3 x a day. Was absolutely terrified, but didn't feel any different, just less anxious. It was a relief to be honest. I'm on a much lower dose now, just keeps the anxiety, fear and shaking from creeping back. It just stops the physical effects. It's really effective. Take it at bedtime if you're worried about how you'll feel. xxx

I used to take 40mg as and when needed, but to be honest they really knocked me out. I now take 10mg every morning and tbh its so weak I think its just a placebo effect.

I think it really depends on your state of anxiety. I was having such a bad panic attack once that I took 2x 40mg in one hit and I was fine. For low level anxiety 10 and 20mg should be enough. Its personal really.

I was prescribed proplanalol and same I was too scared to take it! Then things built up and built up and the I had to go back to the doctor. He sat me down and went through how the tablets work and what they do to your body etc and I hat reassured me I would be fine. He explained that taking them will help break the cycle of anxiety and since then u feel it has helped a lot. I only take them when u can feel anxiety coming on and so far it has made a difference to me. I seem to be taking them less now.

I take 80mg a day for migraines and anxiety. No side effects for me but obviously everyone is different

Thorneamogstroses I’m so glad you posted as I have been toying for weeks now about whether to visit my GP about my worsening anxiety and low level depression. I fear I need some drugs to help and having Googled these maybe they would be right for me as of seems you only take when you’re really struggling. I’m peri menopausal which isn’t helping and j take HRT which initially helped but now I’ve added depression to my list of concerns, I was already anxious and now with guilt over my poor dad being alone in hospital when he died in the summer I have added low mood and depression to the list, the pandemic has hit my business hard too so I’m feeling pretty hopeless there. With the anxiety I over think and can’t switch off, start shivering and thinking the worse loose my appetite and can’t focus on anything and spend my time trying to mediate to feel better or research on the internet ! was this how you felt. I’m scared to try ADs as seems you have to take those all the time and Sometimes I’m ok so this drug seems like it might help in a low dose. Sorry to Hijack your post it just resonated. Good luck and please update the thread with how you get on

Thank you for all your responses.

noturkey - I’m sorry about what you are going through, it sounds so difficult and I’m truly sorry about your dad.

I’ve had low level anxiety for as long as I can remember - usually related to work and panicking that I’ve done something or missed something that is going to harm my patient (I’m a nurse). At it’s worst I would be lying in bed at night, going over and over and over again in my head what I thought I had done wrong and I wouldn’t be able to sleep until I phoned the ward to check the patient was ok....even if it was 3am in the morning.

My latest anxieties though feature around the deterioration of my own health ocean the last 18 months and I’m in a constant state of worrying that something is going to happen to me. I’m very good at hiding it though - nobody of my friend and family would know I feel like this.

It was actually my specialist nurse who suggested I may be suffering from anxiety and that I should speak to my GP.

@ThornAmongstRoses what you have posted could be me. I also work in the NHS and my anxiety has almost always been focused around work, and I have also made phone calls at stupid o clock. More recently with covid it's spiralled. Did you speak to the GP? How did you get on?

I spoke to my GP who did recommend I trial Propanolol and see how I got on - that was almost two weeks ago now though and I still haven’t started them. I feel anxious about taking them but I don’t know why.

I’ve done a lot of reflection over the last week though and I know I need to do something because things won’t get better unless I change something - I can’t let this spiral out of control.

I’ve got a few tests next week in relation to my health condition and then it is my intention to start the Propanolol.

I just want a ‘normal’ life and know what it feels like to not be worrying constantly. I just want to be carefree and able to enjoy my life.

@ThornAmongstRoses I know exactly how you feel. I've been paying to see a counsellor via zoom, I've gone down the rescue remedy, aromatherapy, magnesium salt baths etc routes. I don't really drink and I've switched to redbush tea so I'm at the point where, like you, I think I need to speak to the GP. Also like you I am reluctant to start medication but I don't know why. Finding this thread has helped me so thank you for posting and I really do hope they you get success with the propranolol.

So glad I came across this thread ❤
I'm on day 10 of propranolol for anxiety
At the beginning of December I started having panic attacks completely out the blue even became suicidal with them I tried an AD but the side effects were hourendous so the doc gave me these he prescribed 40mg twice a day but up to now I've just been taking 20mg twice a day as like a lot of you I'm scared to take meds
I'm starting g to see a difference in my panic attacks I still get anxious thoughts mainly over taking the med 🙈 but the attacks are easier to deal with I'm also doing an nhs panic course in about a months time
My side effects are being a bit light headed and a fuzzy feeling in my head about 30 mins after I've taken the tablet
Good luck to us all anxiety is no bodies friend

@Llh1979 glad that the panic attacks are easing x

How is everyone getting on?