Beta blockers for migraines and anxiety?

[ItsOkItsJustMyBreath]

I've just had an appt with my GP and he has prescribed half inderal as I have been getting severe migraines once a month (the week before my period) and in a bid to help with my anxiety as I have suffered from GAD and a phobia most of my life. My question is, do they really work for migraines? And, as I have low blood pressure (was 79/53 today) will it make this lower too?

Anyone with experience with this, please help settle my mind , please?

No experience myself, but my friend suffered from debilitating migraines and has been prescribed beta-blockers. The amount of migraines she has had has decreased. She used to have up to 7 migraines a week (usually lasting most of the day) and now she's lucky if she gets one a fortnight. She has said that she feels like she's living a good life again and that her headaches have gone from 8-9 (on a scale of 1 - 10 with 10 being most severe) to 1 or 2. The difference in her is amazing.

I am on beta blockers for exactly the same reason - my migraines were causing me to go dizzy. Well I am suffering for dizziness and they think its caused by migraines. This also caused me loads of anxiety and that brought on the palpitations. My consultant decided that I should go on migraine preventatives to stop them and also help with the palps.

I am now on the beta blockers. My migraines have reduced but not gone completely. I still get the killer ones just before my period, they haven't stopped that. My palpitations are better but I am not sure they help with anxiety - they mask the physical symptoms of it but not the rest.

My blood pressure has also dropped - mine was always fine but I have it monitored now because there has been an obvious drop in it. I have it checked eery fortnight to make sure it doesn't go dangerously low.

Overall I would say try them - many people have lots of success with them and they work great to reduce migraines. It's worth giving it a go - anything is worth trying to stop getting severe migraines.

Thank you for your reassurance, will start taking them in the morning, everything crossed that they reduce the severity of the migraines.

richtea strange you mention the dizziness as I have this too, might be linked to the migraines I suppose, didnt think of that.

Hi op I started taking a beta blocker called proprananol about 2 1/2 years ago and it had really helped reduced the severity and frequency of my migraines I also have the mirena coil fitted so no more heavy painful periods, main side affect for me has been weight gain both the coil and meds can do this but my quality of life has improved a great deal and I have my fingers crossed it continues give the meds a couple of months if you can to see if they help.

It could well be ItsOk - check out MAV - its migraine vertigo - mine is more dizziness than vertigo though. Good luck with the beta blockers, hope they work and if you have any questions feel free to pm me.

I am on proponalol too. They do take a while to get in your system as susiedaisy says, give then a couple of months at least.

I am on beta blockers as when I stopped breast feeding I had a migraine a day. Ive not had a single migraine since taking them. But it did take me a week maybe two to adjust to them. Felt terrible, strange vision and felt like a zombie. I know people who have given up because of this. But it really has been worth it now xx

Hi. I've had migraines for 12 years and they became uncontrollable after having my youngest baby. I was having a couple a week and the doctor prescribed me propranolol which I take twice a day now. Since begining the course my migraines have stopped completely and I also no longer have the daily headache I previously had when I didn't have a migraine. They have totally changed my life and I just can't believe I didn't start taking them sooner! I have had no adverse side effects at all. I have very low blood pressure to begin with too and there has been no change since beginning the tablets. I know that I have been very lucky that the tablets have worked so well for me and it is not always the case for everybody, but I really would recommend trying them. I have also found that I am now able to have a drink now too as previously even one small glass of wine would have floored me, made me sick and headachy and have given me an awful hangover. Now I feel totally fine even after a couple of glasses! Really hope they work for you! x

tiger your story sounds very similar to mine, starting after birth of last child, weekly migraines, daily headaches etc really pleased it made a difference for you as well, it's soul destroying living with chronic migraine.

Thank you so much for your help, i have only been taking them for 2 days and have been feeling really tired today and a bit groggy but I shall persist if they might stop the migraines.

tigerlily and susiedaisy, I can't imagine having migraines every week, must have been hell. So glad they've worked for you.

I've been taking propranolol fir about 2mths for migraines. They certainly reduced the migraines but I've had to stop taking them this week because I couldn't cope with the side effects.

They made me feel really quite depressed. I only noticed when I ran out for about a week over Xmas and noticed how much better I felt. I replenished after xmas and started taking them again and my mood plummeted again. I felt really miserable, very low and quite paranoid. Now I've stopped taking them all that has gone and I'm fine again.

I also didn't like the way my heart seemed to pound when I took them. I could hear it sometimes and I got palpitations which scared me.

If you dont get the side effects though they're definitely good for migraines. Hope they work for you.

Update, I have been taking them since last tuesday (so a week tomorrow) and I feel absolutely awful, I am so worn out, zero energy and feel like crying. My anxiety is worse than normal and I had to get my DM to help me look after ds today. Should I call my gp or do you think maybe I'm coming down with a virus or something (that's sort of how it feels) and to give it a bit longer?

Hi op your op I would pop to gp and get your blood pressure checked and also discuss dosage and type of beta blocker that your on, don't give up hope just yet sending you hugs

I was prescribed them and I too have low blood pressure. They made me feel awful

Thank you for your advice; I'm going to call the doctor in the morning as I can't have another day like today! Just off to bed in a bit as want the day over with

eaglewings did you come off them? Sorry to be so nosy but I know my bp is now 90/48 so not great.

Hi itsok,
what you're describing does sound like it could be sideeffects from the B blcokers. you have some options- I would make an appointment to talk them through with your GP. you might find that taking them at night means you sleep through the worse of the sideeffects, or might need a decreased dose, or a different sort of betablcoker or another type of medication (such as amitryptiline?). it doesn't seem that your BP has been dropped much by them, which is good!!
Good luck

Yes I've stopped. Amitryptline was better but didn't stop them
Best advice has been
At the first sign of the migraine take full dose of soluble aspirin, even 3 if you can stomach it
Rest

When you know you are likely to get migraine avoid trigger foods such as
Red wine
Red meat
Hung game, pâté, salami
Cheese
Oranges
Chocolate
For me garlic is bad

See www.fdnow.org/images/TyramineFreeList.pdf

i take amitriptyline at night as well as beta blockers and find it works ok for me, the ami raised my bp and pulse slighty and the beta blockers lowers it so i havent had the side effects that op mentioned. its not a great situation to find my self in but migraines were weekly and i nearly lost my sanity job because of time off sick,