Talk to me about Propranolol please I'm too scared to take it

[MoreRainbowsPlease]

I have suffered with anxiety panic attacks and depression for years and as a result have become agoraphobic. The last couple of weeks I have taken a turn even worse than I normally am, but because I am in my home (which is normally my safe place) I have nowhere to run to and have been having what feels like near constant panic attacks. It is awful and has been making me have all kinds of frightening thoughts which have been scaring me even more as I worry I am losing my mind.

On Friday I called my GP who was lovely and prescribed me 40mg of propranolol which I can take 3 times a day if needs be, but I am too scared to take it. I am worried it might make me feel worse than I do, or I might have some reaction to it and I can't leave the house to go to hospital. But I am really frightened of feeling how I do for another night especially as DP who has been staying up with me a lot needs a good night sleep as he is back to work tomorrow. Also I have to be ok enough to get DS2 (14) off to school tomorrow. I know DS2 should be able to sort himself out, but I think I have really worried him this week so I want to make sure he is ok getting ready for school.

What are people's experiences of propranolol? Is the worst thing it could do nothing? I would read the instruction leaflet, but I know if I do that there is no chance of me taking them.

I take them and 40mg citalopram.

The propranolol don't have nay side effects for me and they help calm my racing heart etc.

Try them. They may really help.

I didn’t my take them, but know a lot of people who do and have never heard anything bad. In my industry they are very commonly prescribed for stage-fright. I have thought about asking for them myself for the same reason.

I’m sorry you are feeling so bad, and I hope you start to feel better soon.

I was on propranolol for a few years for completely different reasons but honestly, the worst you'll feel is that they don't do anything, you won't notice them, until you realise a few weeks in that they've done their job.

Mine was life changing, I just have them now on a PRN prescription to take as and when I need to but for managing the racing heart and thereby soothing the feeling of anxiety, I wouldn't be without them. I haven't seen any side effects

Same for me, they have been life changing and really help with my anxiety. I now just take them when needed

I take 20mg three times daily for racing heart beat. The first week taking them I felt like shit but now they've kicked in I feel super chilled. I actually like the way I feel now. Less stressed. And they don't make me feel like a zombie either like other beta blockers in the past have.

Propranolol literally saved my life. No side effects at all and I’m really difficult to medicate. It turns down all of those horrible flight or fight feelings. I don’t need to take it regularly now, but if I take it as soon as I start feeling anxious it prevents it becoming an anxiety attack.

Been on 40mg up to 3/24 for years and they really help - I notice if I forget to take them I get a really racing heart and a stonking migraine.

A really excellent medication to calm a racing heart and palpitations. Has been available for decades and used by billions with minimal side effects and no safety concerns.

Try half a tablet and see how you feel. Gradually increase the dose and frequency until you get to a dose that works for you, up to the maximum prescribed by your GP.

What’s your normal blood pressure like? Please tell me your GP took a blood pressure reading before hand.

I was given it for vestibular migraines but already had lowish blood pressure, propananol made it worse and made my insomnia worse so I went back to the drs and we decided together to stop it.

Brilliant for anxiety. I have taken them
very occasionally for peri menopausal anxiety and you can feel the effects very quickly.

You won’t feel remotely spaced out if that’s what you’re worried about, you will just feel normal again.

I’m on them for another reason altogether. They have helped me sleep and have really helped in migraine prophylaxis

No side effects for me.

This drug is literally saving my life right now as I'm dealing with extreme panic attacks and anxiety. Don't be afraid of it. It's brilliant. The only side effects I've noticed are it gives me heartburn/nausea if I take it on an empty stomach.

I took a few of these a few years back for anxiety. Sometimes people have just one before doing something they find scary like a speech or presentation. It calm you and helps you breathe.

It's a beta blocker so it will just calm the physical symptoms of anxiety & panic: pounding heart, feeling like you can't breathe, clammy palm, etc.

It's not a psychoactive drug so it won't make your head/brain/mind feel different. You will just feel a bit more relaxed, be able to breathe and feel calm.

Just take half a one at first to put your mind at ease.

They can't harm you and they aren't addictive. They are not an antidepressant.

Thank you all for your replies.

Keepingittogetherstepbystep, I didn't see the dr, it was a telephone consultation so my blood pressure didn't get taken, but last time I had it done it was within the normal range.

The racing heart is one of the major frightening things, but also it is just that feeling of absolute terror that I seem to have nearly constantly. Even when it has subsided for a bit I am so frightened of it coming back.

I did used to be prescribed diazepam for times like this, but I know lots of GP's are reluctant to prescribe this anymore.

I am on a very low dose of venelafaxine as I have spent the last 2 years trying to come off it (unsuccessfully due to withdrawal effects), I was trying to come off it due to some side effects I got from that which is partly why I am so scared of trying anything new. The plan is to increase my dose back up of that, but when I tried that the week before last it made me feel even worse so my CPN told me to go back to my normal dose for a few days until I felt better, and then I could try increasing it even more gradually.

I had to take propranolol for a racing heart when I had severe hyperthyroidism. Absolutely no problems whatsoever. Hope you are feeling reassured.

I gave birth 3 times without pain relief, I don’t take paracetamols or anything. I don’t like medication, as you can tell.

I was experiencing horrendous panic attacks (is there any other kind) a few years back until the Dr prescribed propranolol.

I was so desperate to stop the palpitations and panic attacks that I gave them a try and as everyone else says - they worked, no side effects. I just took them when I needed them (or maybe I started off on a regular dose at first) and at some point I noticed I hadn’t needed them for ages.

I highly recommend using them.

I am feeling more reassured by everyone's comments. I really do appreciate you all telling me your experiences. At the moment I am trapped in the panic cycle and it's good to hear that these might help with the physical symptoms as I think if they can be reduced I will be able to focus more on changing my mind and how I think. At the moment it is just too overwhelming to do both.

I take them, no side effects whatsoever and they make a huge difference to me. I take them for migraine and anxiety- I had issues with panic attacks about 20 years ago and they helped massively with that. Now I take them for less severe anxiety that triggers awful migraine. They have completely stopped my headaches. I used to
live on painkillers and now barely ever need any.

I notice if I miss a few doses as my symptoms come back but no
side effects. I take 40mg twice a day with an extra one occasionally if I have to do something very triggering.

I've never heard a bad thing about propranolol, and it had no ill effects for me.

As already mentioned, the worst case is you'll feel no different. It doesn't typically create a perceptible sensation. It's only on reflection most people see the difference. For example, by thinking things like, 'Ah, I struck up a conversation with the person next to me in the queue yesterday... I probably wouldn't have done that last month'.

It sounds like you're desperately in need of some relief and this could be just the ticket for you.

I really hope you can give it a try and that you feel better soon.

I’ve taken a lower dose, 10mg, recently. Like you I was a bit worried about taking it but it really helps even at that low dose and nothing happened. It really just cuts out the anxiety so you can function a bit better. l would take a higher dose if I needed it having tried the lower one.

I take 40mg of propanolol up to 3 times a day for anxiety and it really helps - it gets the physical symptoms under control enough that I feel much more able to think clearly and less out of control. Maybe start with half a tablet to test the water and see how it makes you feel?

I'm so sorry your having such a bad time, I know how horrible and frightening it is to feel such extreme anxiety. Sending solidarity and 💐

Dd has them, life changing (for the better) she tried various antidepressants but the side effects were terrible, these are different because she only takes them as necessary and they combine well with non medical techniques.

I take them as and when for stage fright type symptoms - to me they are like rescue remedy that actually works, they just help me function without the racing heart, fluttery stomach and nervous symptoms. I do get an upset stomach and heartburn the evening after taking them though so only have them when I really feel I need to.

They work really quickly to make you feel better @MoreRainbowsPlease

As quickly as a paracetamol.

You could be feeling relaxed in 30 minutes time, imagine that