Do any asthmatics take propranolol?

[twerkit]

Different doctors are disputing whether I can or can't take 10mg bd of this. Just wondering if any asthmatics take it and how you find it?

I always used to. I was diagnosed with asthma later in life but the symptoms have always been there. Propranolol didn't cause any issues, but I don't have the allergic brittle kind of asthma. Aspirin and ibuprofen don't either. My asthma is mainly viral and some chemicals and smoke, cold air sometimes. Animals, pollen etc cause no reaction - I read somewhere this is a different inflammatory pathway so I don't know if it has a bearing on reactions to beta blockers and aspirin.

That's interesting. I've never had aspirin but nurofen and diclofenac I take with no problems.

I'm not severely asthmatic though, my peak flow only ever drops around 40 points compared to some people I know. Never need hospital etc.

Only mild asthma but yes I take propanalol.

Propanalol is a non-selective beta blocker and so acts on both receptors in the heart and lungs - this can cause bronchospasm, which is not a great idea in patients with pre-existing lung conditions such as asthma, copd etc. They appear to be particularly risky for triggering asthmatic events when taken occasionally rather than on a regular basis.

Cardioselective beta blockers (eg atenalol, bisoprolol) predominantly target receptors in the heart rather than the lungs, therefore the risk of exacerbating asthma is much less. It's not risk free, but depending on why you need beta blockers then they may be worth trying.

For headache control

If it was me I would go back to doctor and ask about taking a low dose of a second generation beta blocker.

Btw a lack of reaction to ibuprofen/nsaids is not an indication that beta blockers won't cause issues; the pharmacology is different.

Just spoke to the pharmacist who happens to be asthmatic and a migraine sufferer and she said she'd take them.

just to go against the grain, I do not have asthma, but the wheezing when I started taking them for my migraines was something to behold....I even had to stop to catch my breath halfway up the stairs!

I take one on alternate days when i remember it seems to have clamped down on the migraines and at that dose I am no longer wheezing/breathless. Having said that I do think my migraines are hormonal and since sorting out some hrt and seemingly getting on top of the horrendous periods and all associated shennanighans they have mostly worn off (fingers crossed!)

Mine are capsules...clear/white with white sprinkles or blue/clearblue with sprinkles inside. ...not sure what colour they are in the blue ones as the capsule is tinted

Honestly, I would view any doctor proposing prescribing an asthmatic propranolol as insane and wishing to appear in front of the GMC.

Sorry to seem dramatic, but I honestly would.

Many years ago, before I was diagnosed with asthma, I had propranolol for anxiety. It worked but I could not walk up a flight of stairs.

Now I am diagnosed with asthma - with hindsight I had it all along. There are many options for migraine prevention apart from propranolol - I have severe migraine too, can't take propranolol, can't tolerate amitriptylline, not resolved completely by hormones. Am very happy on topiramate. There are still other tablets out there I haven't tried.

Seriously, don't have the propranolol.