what do you take propranolol for?

[ssd]

does it help with anxiety, specifically health anxiety?

my friend says yes, another friend says no and I'm confused.

Migraines- only take the lest I can get away with as it makes me out of puff running upstairs if I have more, but it works brilliantly. The only migraine I’ve had in a year was when I forgot to take it!

ive taken it for 15 years for migraines. Not completely sure it works (still have migraines but Dr thinks they would be worse) but with no side effects I keep taking it just in case.

My DC was on it from 4 months old to shrink a birth mark. It was amazing.

Side effects: night terrors. He had 3/4 nights a week where he had sleep terrors (and these were repeated on those nights) so he (and i) had very poor sleep for the 14 months he was on them.

The Dr suggested that it was a common side effect for adult users.

I take it for essential tremor, have done for a few years now.

I don't have/never had anxiety, but reading about the physical symptoms I cant quite understand how it would help with anxiety as propranolol makes me exhausted, dizzy, rapid pulse rate, muscle fatigue, headaches, insomnia and sweaty, all these side effects are physical symptoms of anxiety... after writing them down I dont bloody know why I still take it to be honest

Also I wouldn't advise it if your a cold person. My house is 22 degrees, I have a pair of cotton socks, two pairs of thermal socks and slipper boots and my toes still feel like ice.

40mg three times a day for hyperthyroidism
Knocks the stuffing out of me

Presentations at work. I have to do presentations to large groups, think two hundred plus people and for some reason my nerves started getting the better of me. And it started to impact on other areas of work where I was in a stressful situation. Doc gave me a low dosage one. 20mg, and I take one as and when I wish. So for example none this week. But I can have days I take three. One gp said to me, don't worry about it, there is nothing in them and you take too few.

I'm not sure if it's now a placebo effect for me, but they make me feel more confident,

I was prescribed it for anxiety and I hated it. I didn't react well to it at all.

I take it if I have to play the piano in public

Me too for migraine.
Added side effects cured anxiety.
I'm a fan.

Took it for a small period of time to get me through my driving test.

Dd19 takes it for Hyperthyroidism (Grave's Disease). Her disease isn't stable and she fluctuates between low and high T4 levels. She needs the Propanolol when she starts a spell on Carbimazole. She tried the 40mg dose but felt awful on it so she now just takes the 10mg when she feels her heart racing.

DS has taken 20mgsX2 day since he was 9 with Amitriptyline for complex pain (he has CP) it has been a life changer.

As far as I know it helps to block adrenaline release - so if you get anxious in certain situations this is ideal it will block shaking, sweating etc. Many sports players and politicians use it - it is a well known banned drug tennis players and widely used in the USA. However I think its best used for emergencies rather than daily if you can help it. Obviously you need to discuss with your GP. It is also used for migraines and is extremely effective.

My son has been taking this since he was 6months old, for a Vascular Birth Mark! Amazing stuff!

@BrazzleDazzleDay I agree. After a couple of weeks of taking it I found myself googling to see if anxiety was a side effect. I didn’t realise it was actually supposed to reduce anxiety! I’m finding it’s having the opposite effect on me. My heart races and I find myself feeling increasingly anxious, something I’ve never suffered from before.
Extreme fatigue and achiness were part of my symptoms when the consultant put me on it so not sure of the effect on that!
I actually also have essential tremor and the consultant said a reduction in that could be a nice side effect - have had it for years but it has become much worse over the last 12 months. Haven’t noticed any difference yet but I’m only on 30mg a day so far.

80mg up to 4x a day for Graves’ disease or rather the horrible peripheral stuff that comes with it, does dampen it down

Has anyone else had weight gain from taking it?

is propranolol something you can take off and on then, when anxiety is at its worse?

I take it if I have to do a big presentation, like at a conference.

I tend to get really nervous if there's more than 20 or so people, and it works like a charm.

does it just calm you down buzz? and how long does it take to work?

Yes you can just take one as and when. Providing that’s how they’ve been prescribed to you. They take about an hour to work I find but I take a minuscule dose of 10mg. You do have to wean yourself off if you take a higher dose over a longer period though.

It works so well, ssd.

I take one an hour before and then another about 10 minutes before. It totally stops any signs of nerves. I also took it before I did a reading in a packed Cathedral at a friend's wedding - something that would've freaked me out previously.

thats good to know, thanks