Propranolol

[Lineofduty2021]

Anyone else take propranolol alongside Sertraline for anxiety?
Side effects look bad and I’m worried about starting it. Have any of you had bad side effects from it and has it worked for you?

Never taken propanol with anything else but I had a really positive experience with it. The horrendous feelings that go along with anxiety disappeared without any of the zombie-ness that you often get with other meds.

I take propranolol and mirtazapine. Sertraline didn't work for me.
I had side effects for a few weeks but I'm OK now. It definitely helps. I was originally on them to prevent migraines and I hardly ever get headaches any more, let alone the 3 day weekly migraines.

It used to be a life saver for me. I have it on repeat to order when I need it and only take as and when, usually stressful occasions like Christmas x

Propranolol is the BEST.

It’s the only thing that gives me peace for long enough that I can fall asleep when things are bad.

I never had any side effects (actually once I had a headache the next day which my medical mum said might have been the propranolol, but it might also have been coincidental.)

Propranolol is not actually that great for anxiety... it completely takes away the physical sensations of it so is essentially avoidance... which keeps anxiety going. It can be great for specific moments when you need to be physically calm eg giving a talk, performing etc. Therapy alongside medication is the best option to help you understand and manage your physical sensations without them overwhelming you. Sertraline on the other hand is good for anxiety because it can take the edge off the panic without numbing your body.

I’m not normally one to take medication unless I really need to so having been on Citalopram originally which made me really ill, to switching to Sertraline and increasing my dose (which caused massive anxiety) then being given Propranolol to take as well, feels like too much. I am having 121 CBT along side this so hopefully the combination will work.
I took half tablet (20mg) instead of the 40mg that was prescribed, about an hour ago and I feel really nauseous and dizzy 😣

I took both for a while. Sertraline really helps me, Propranolol doesn’t. It literally did nothing, even when the dose was increased. It was pointless taking both, for me, so I stopped the propranolol and kept with the Sertraline only.

I take propranolol with citalopram. The citalopram is causing all sorts of issues but the propranolol doesn’t cause any issues at all, calms the palpitations pretty well.

My teen daughter takes both. She uses the propranolol on an as and when basis for dealing with stressful situations - exams, presentations that type of thing.

Propanalol has helped get my anxiety under control. It only really effects the physical symptoms - so the racing heart etc.
It gave me the breathing room to change the way I was thinking and get a handle of the anxious thoughts.
The higher dosage made me a bit dizzy for a few days (went away when my body adjusted) it gave me weird dreams and I was a bit lacking in energy.
On the low dose I take now there are no side effects at all.

I take sertraline and sometimes propranolol. I have never had any side effects.

I've been taking propranolol and sertraline together for 8 years and I'm fine.

I took propanolol alongside Sertraline for a couple of years and it was fine, I now only take it if I'm feeling very panicky or have palpitations

@Lineofduty2021 Is there any chance that you were already feeling dubious about taking it, and taking it has made you anxious? I know dizziness can be a side effect of propranolol but if you’re taking just 40mg maybe it’s anxiety about the medication itself rather than a side effect. I don’t think the doctor would have prescribed it to you if they thought it would do you physical harm. I’ve read the nhs website and it says there are medicines that don’t combine well with propranolol and sertraline isn’t mentioned (but some other common things are like ibuprofen - it just says try to avoid taking them together if you can).

Some people take 5 times the dose you are taking per day (for different illnesses like angina) so 40mg is a relatively low dose. I used to take 40mg 3x a day and didn’t notice any side effects.

Here’s the info I’m quoting: www.nhs.uk/medicines/propranolol/

Hope that helps and you feel better soon

I take it alongside Amitriptyline and have had no side effects.

DD, 16, takes propranolol in the evenings, as her anxiety increases when she is tired and then she is too anxious to settle to sleep.