Propranolol - all thoughts appreciated!

[TessMcGillsOffice]

Hello, first time poster so apologies if this is long.

I've had depression on and off since 2011 and started Sertraline in 2015 when I had PND. Have been on 25mg until last year when I started getting anxiety symptoms so went up to 50mg daily.

Just over a week ago I was hit with my worst depressive episode to date which started as anxious symptoms three weeks ago (tightness around tummy, reduction in appetite, sense of impending doom, chest pain) and was then followed by intrusive thoughts and has been debilitating this week. Got myself to the GP and my Sertraline was upped to 75mg daily and was also given 10mg propranolol daily to address the anxiety. After feeling near comatose on Thursday I went back to the GP and they upped the propranolol but the anxious feelings remain. I spoke to my original GP on Friday and she said I could up the propranolol again but if that doesn't help to just stop it altogether.

I have some fairly typical side effects of propranolol per Google searches but the original anxious feelings still remain. Plus my brain feels slow and I'm getting mild pins and needles in my arms.

Has anyone else has propranolol and what was your experience? Should I give it longer or pull the plug on it? My depression makes me utterly terrified of making anything worse as this week has been pure hell. All thoughts welcome.

Propranolol really seems to affect people very differently. It did nothing for my anxiety at all, but I know others who swear by it. When my anxiety got worse my Sertraline dose was upped, and that helped me (I reduced it again when I felt better). Maybe get back to the gp?

obviously no tablets are instant in this instance but maybe they are not for you. I have been on them years and they made me feel 101 % better stopped my heads nerves etc i think its time for another GP visit ask about non medical things like relaxation etc

Propranolol seems to help my DD calm from heightened anxiety when normal distraction and breathing aren't enough, so if very worked up it relaxes her after about 10mins.

Propranolol is amazing for me but it was prescribed for panic attacks. For me, it works within 20 minutes and slows my heart rate down and my breathing and stops my shaking and stops me from throwing up. When this eases, I can then calm my racing thoughts and bring myself right back down. If I take it as I feel a panic attack on the horizon, it sometimes stops it in its tracks.

however, it has done nothing for my depressive symptoms and does nothing for the every day anxiety that is constantly there. It only helps in the extreme cases of panic.

I'd drop the propranolol if it's not going anything and work up to a higher dose of sertraline. I only really found a benefit from it at 150mg + a day. Diazepam might also be helpful but I know some GPs are funny about it.

I needed 40mg at first and could take extra if I needed them.

They just stop the physical effects of anxiety. They don't stop the thoughts.

This.

40mg is normal dose for anxiety IMO. Can take 1-3 per day. Should work straight away (within half hour) like a PP said.

It was a life saver for me. I started on 40mg and now only take 10mg as and when I need it. For me it doesn't stop anxious thoughts but stops the physical symptoms and panic attacks dead in their tracks. It also helps me knowing I have a way to control my anxiety. Before starting it I would avoid certain situations as just the thought of it would set off an attack, but now I just take a pill and have the confidence to be myself and carry on.

I'd soeak to your GP. I was told it was a miracle drug but I just felt stressed with a slow heart rate and a heavy head so stopped taking it. Luckily, I moved jobs and anxiety dropped to a manageable level.

Couldn't have said it better myself. I was still a mess.

Agree. The meds need to go hand in hand with help on the thoughts.

Propranolol is helpful in stopping the physical symptoms of anxiety - shaking hands, pounding heart - and for some people breaking this link with the thoughts is really helpful.

I found I'd be worrying but then as my hands weren't shaking, it gave positive feedback that the thoughts couldn't be that bad.

However it doesn't really address the feelings - for that you need therapy and your Sertraline.

I was on propranolol for about 6 months, 20mg. I remember feeling a bit of nausea for the first few weeks, then that stopped. I had no sexual response while taking them. I felt a bit numb emotionally. I came off them under medical supervision because I knew they were solving nothing for me in the long term. Long term psychotherapy was the way forward for me

Coming off them I had regular 'brain zaps' - feelings of mild electric shocks in my face and head. They were unpleasant but manageable, and lasted a couple of weeks

Propanol is a beta beater blocker so slows your heart rate and works within 10-20 minutes.

I don't understand as above how it could give you brain zaps etc. Venlafaxine most certainly.

I used to have 10mg , 4 times a day, but foutI was only using at times needed, such as calming myself for getting on the bus in an hour and managing to help me leave the house.

It's an odd one, it didn't agree with my son but I think he was on too higher dose too soon and he'd get dizzy due to the drop in blood pressure.

This. Propranolol is very effective at stopping/preventing a panic attack, and knowing I have pills (and therefore the solution) in my bag means I can just go out and get on with life

Propanol didn't do anything for my anxiety, but did make me feel slowed down - that would perhaps be the best way to phrase it.

I use propranolol for my anxiety and it doesn't give me brain fog, pins and needles etc, it also isn't a silver bullet for anxiety. It will however mildly start to make you feel slightly better.

For me it didn't stop my mental thoughts, but did stop my physical symptoms like the racing heart etc which means I could see the wood for the trees. Half of the issue was I'd start to panic and hyperventilate which I can't do on propranolol

Same as many posters above, propanol helped with racing heart and physical symptoms, but not the actual anxiety.
I found a short CBT course helped quite a lot. Not a magic wand but got me to a place of being able to function a lot better

It’s been amazing for me as I was really struggling with the physical symptoms of anxiety - panic attacks, racing heart, being sick. It makes me feel much calmer.

I had terrible side effects in the first week and could barely do anything. It passed though and I am definitely calmer now.

Thank you for all the replies, it's so good to hear different experiences. I think it's the mental symptoms that I need to work on more so I have dropped the propranolol this morning but will keep it with me just in case. Some of the symptoms I've got could be down to the increase of sertraline.

I have never been so frightened in my life as I have been this week.

I think you're right. I have my second therapy session tomorrow. I cried mostly during my first so hoping I can be a bit clearer second time round.

My GP said they don't give diazepam for this kind of thing anymore. It's frustrating because I feel like I can't do the mental work without getting a break from the physical stuff.

'I cried mostly during my first so hoping I can be a bit clearer second time round'

Please don't worry or give yourself a hard time for this. It's totally understandable, and your therapist will have seen it all before. Therapy can be a very intense and at times overwhelming experience. Its been the best thing I've ever done for myself though. Good luck, and well done for making a start x

I was given 40mg propananol to manage the physical side effects of anxiety. I found it helped. They must have started you on 10mg for a reason.The 40mg dose gave me health anxiety as I felt my jugular opening and whooshing blood flow in neck. I didn't like it so didn't take again.