propranolol for anxiety

[overthinkersanonnymus]

Hi 👋🏻

I have generalized anxiety disorder which I take 20mg of fluoxetine and I also have thr occasional panic attack.

My anxiety is made worse by being anxious about anxiety if you know what I mean. I'm wondering if maybe taking propranolol in "emergency's" will help calm my thoughts. I know it's designed to slow the heart rate and physical symptoms of anxiety but has anyone found it's also called your mind?

I think if my body feels less tense then I might not spiral in to a panic attack when im in triggering situations such as traveling (I have travel anxiety, shock 🤣) as I said I think I panic about panicking and being anxious 🤦🏻‍♀️

I believe the best medicine is a benzodiazepine but I'm just too scared to take that and don't want to feel spacey or out of control

I take propranolol and the calming of the physical symptoms seems to calm my mind too. It was like a miracle drug when I first used it.

I take propranolol for physical symptoms of anxiety and it improved my life so much. I’m so much calmer and more rational. I’m on sertraline too but the propranolol stops my heart racing.

I take propranolol for anxiety and it calms me down no end when my heart starts racing.

I use it for precisely that and it works brilliantly.

If you can't take control of your mind sometimes you have to take control of your body first.
Beta blockers can help.
As can submerging your face in cold water and holding yr breath for a good few secs or as long as you can, will naturally lower heart rate ( don't do it if you have a v low body weight or heart condition though check with gp if taking beta blockers etc)

Propranolol for me was really effective at first dealing with the physical 'flight or fight' response, but then I also found having them on meant they worked as a placebo effect to calm me down as I knew I had them if needed

I take diazepam for anxiety as and when needed. It's changed my life. It does make some people feel sleepy but for me it just makes me calm

@zurala do you really! I should probably increase my fluoxetine but I'm too worried about side effects (the joys of an anxious mind 🙄) it would be amazing if I could just add propranolol as and when needed.

Is it ok to drive on? It doesn't make you feel drowsy or like you've had a wine?

@Sarahmayo do you take it as a maintenance medicine or as and when you need it?

It's great stuff. I take it as needed, has no effect on my alertness just removes the panic.

I don't really know but my DD has been prescribed it for overwhelming anxiety / panic attacks and the psychiatrist said it doesn't dull your faculties - ie she could still go to an exam and be able to think clearly. She's on sertraline on a daily basis and has been given this for extreme circumstances. Not needed it yet so no experience, just what we were told.

I actually take it for high BP but it also acts on anxiety and essential tremor for me. I find it makes me feel exhausted and foggy, like I'm wading through treacle, so take I have adjusted my dose to 60mg at night and 40mg around 5am so I can go back to sleep for a bit afterwards. I take an extra 10 or 20mg a couple of times in the day if my heart is racing, either because of anxiety or just randomly. I have benzodiazepines too and to be honest I feel more woozy on 40mg propranolol than 0.25 Xanax (alprazolam).

I feel fine on it, it just makes me feel more calm.

Bumping for some more feedback 😁

I take it as and when needed. Sometimes a couple of times a week. No side effects for me. Its great stuff!

I take 80mg per day in slow release form. It's amazing, it stops the domino effect of anxiety. It's like your mind wants you to be anxious, but it won't let you be physically! Zero side effects, it's really life changing stuff for me.

Actually, I lie - it does make my Raynaud's syndrome (circulation in hands and feet) quite a bit worse...but that's a small price to pay for the massive reduction in anxiety

@overthinkersanonnymus I take it as and when needed but I use it quite a bit to be honest. I only ever take it in the morning and I'm fine for the whole day, I think there's a bit of placebo affect that your mind thinks once you've taken it your fine for the day. I tried antidepressants before this, they just made me gain weight but didn't help with my anxiety. I don't find it addictive either, if I don't take it I'm fine, no side effects or worsened anxiety symptoms