Can I just ask my GP for propranolol?

[GetAFurqingCompass]

Is it that simple?

I'm living under extremely stressful and difficult circumstances ATM that cannot be changed easily. As a result I have developed severe anxiety and am struggling to eat. I've lost over 2 stone since February.

A friend gave me a few of hers to see if they helped me and they really have, I've been taking 1/4 of a 40mg tablet maybe 3 or 4 times a week when the panic feels overwhelming and it's made me able to eat something and calm down a little.

I did have a phone appointment a while ago with a really unsympathetic locum GP who prescribed citalopram and wouldn't listen when I tried to explain I wasn't depressed and didn't want to take SSRIs.

If I get a face to face appointment with a different doctor can I just ask for propranolol? What do I say if they ask how I know it helps, obviously I can't say I've been taking someone else's 😬

Yes I’ve done this before, went in face to face and said I don’t need antidepressants just something to calm down anxious symptoms that I can use ad hoc and they gave me some. No previous mental health history.

I personally would be honest and say you have tried someone else’s.

Yes you can ask, and tell the truth. The worst they can say is no, but you haven’t done anything wrong so you have nothing to hide, and you’re just being proactive about trying to help yourself.

Is it not wrong? I sort of felt like the GP would tell me off for taking someone else's medication. Also I don't know if it's like diazepam etc and something they won't just hand out if you ask for it or see as a red flag. Tbh I can't even remember the last time I saw a GP so it's not like I'm in the habit of asking for medication.

Unless you have asthma or already quite low blood pressure then they should have no reason to turn you down for it.

Propranolol isn’t a controlled substance while diazepam is, ie, diazepam is very addictive but propranolol isn’t.

If you really don’t want to admit taking someone else’s, you could say something like ‘a friend with similar symptoms has found it’s really helped her’.

I hope you get some- my DS was prescribed it when he was 15 with a bit of exam stress, so it’s obviously not viewed as a potentially dangerous or addictive drug.

I was told by a pharmacist at out GP practice that these days they are less likely to prescribe propranolol as a first line treatment for anxiety as there have been recent studies that show it is less effective than SSRI's and the risks outweigh the benefits.
That might be why your GP was reluctant to prescribe it, they are following the latest guidelines

Propranolol is brilliant for bringing me down from panic attacks. I would say not so good for long term routine use. They cause insomnia.