I have been prescribed 10mg of propranolol by the Dr today for anxiety
I know 10mg is a very low dose but I just wanted to 'try' it out before taking a proper dose before an interview I have on Wednesday, so I split the tablet in half and took 5mg (there is a score line on the tablets).
About 15/20 mins later I start getting a thump/twinge in my chest - it felt like a strong 1 second palpitation but on the right side, not left. It happened every few minutes. It didn't necessarily 'hurt' but more like a jolt and a shock. This went on for about 3-4 hours, the thumps then were more spaced out over time but got a little more painful over time until they eventually stopped when I lay on my front in bed. I also had bad wind about 15/20 mins after taking it, like constant burping and wind in my chest. Perhaps the wind and thumping feeling were just indigestion but something about the thumps didn't particularly feel like indigestion which I've had many times before.
On top of this, I had awful diarrhoea today which I'm not putting down to what I ate yesterday as I only had a piece of toast all day as I was so pent up. I've heard propranolol can cause a dodgy stomach. All of this being said though I did actually feel less anxious, as in the pent up constant adrenaline feeling I've had for 2 days completely disappeared.
I'm surprised 5mg did anything at all to be honest, I was hoping it wouldn't do anything really so it would encourage me to take the full 10mg so I'm feeling pretty disappointed now. For context though I weigh under 7st at the moment due to anxiety and I'm pretty sensitive to medication, as in 1 paracetamol can usually cure me of any pain and a 1/4 dose of Nyquil will knock me out for a whole day so maybe that has something to do with it.
Has anyone any idea on what the thumping was? I would say heart palpitations but I thought it was supposed to prevent that being a beta blocker?