Using Propranolol for presentation anxiety

[coffeeandsleep]

Hi,

I’ve struggled for many years with anxiety when it comes to presenting/public speaking - symptoms like a panic attack, racing heart, sweats, shaky voice etc.

I have found it bearable with small groups and on Teams, however I will need to give a presentation on a stage in front a large crowd for work in a couple of months and already am dreading it.

I’ve read about people using Propranolol to help with this - can anyone share any experiences please?

I took propranolol for performance (musical) anxiety and it’s excellent for the physical symptoms of anxiety such as sweating, trembling, fast heartbeat etc. I’d recommend it. Be aware that it does lower your blood pressure though and I got very cold hands and feet when taking it! I still take it occasionally when very anxious.

I can, last year I was a witness in a very stressful court trial. I had to give statements that were recorded and get cross examined in court.
It was all traumatic and stressful and I found while talking to the police I got symptoms of anxiety.. Hyperventilating, stomach issues, shaking hands, fast heart rate. I was prescribed Propranolol to take when needed throughout the trial. I took it in the morning when needed and it got rid of the anxiety side effects.

I wouldn’t be able to drive without it! Failed 3 tests, forth time with propranolol … bingo

Try it out beforehand to make sure it doesn’t make you feel odd etc. for me, it reduces the symptoms but not the thoughts. They still go off but my heart rate is slightly less than it would be and if I take more than one in a day I get a heavy headache.

cbd is sometimes recommended but I have no experience. box breathing too.

all the best for it… it certainly won’t be as bad as you expect!

I have used propronalol for this all my working life. It really works but he aware it can make you a bit tight chested ( shouldn't really be prescribed for asthmatics). As with a lot of things I eventually found that just knowing I could take it if I needed to was enough to stop me actually needing to take it.

Thanks everyone… I’ve been prescribed it now so I’m going to give it a test go before the presentation, hope it helps!

Another one here who uses it as needed for work presentations/big meetings. Just one 10mg tablet about an hour beforehand calms the shakes etc.

I’m prescribed it for situational anxiety and use it occasionally.

I've been on it for years thanks to trauma, I don't think it has any effect on me until I forget to take it one day and my heart is pounding out of my chest.

Wow. I take 120mg every day and am still anxious all day. Can’t believe 10mg would physically do that much but expect there is some element of placebo effect helping it along too

Oh wow, that is a lot. It’s interesting. It’s definitely not a placebo effect. I can see my heart rate be slowed on my Apple Watch. Additionally I took some one night and the next morning I couldn’t train because I couldn’t get my heart rate above a certain level and that was from one tablet, a good few hours before. I assume it’s a tolerance thing for you? Did you start much lower? I’m sorry to hear that you’re still anxious. It’s a dreaded situation.

I asked the GP and was fobbed off. Maybe need to ask again about presentations.

@NaanPeshwari I have bought it via an online pharmacy before if that helps.

No I started on 40mg 3 times a day, the standard dose for anxiety I believe

I've been on it for a couple of years for a multitude of things, so I take it regularly. However the drop in physical anxiety symptoms was a big benefit that I noticed after just the first pill. Prior to taking them my thoughts would spiral and trigger the heart rate/dizzy/nausea and hyperventilating. Now I know I need to take one because I can feel my chest getting tight again, which I barely noticed as the beginnings of anxiety before because it had been such an incremental decent into panic attacks. Maybe start on 20mg and see how you go.

It depends on what you are taking it for and body size.
I started on 20mg x3 a day and have been upped to 40mg to cover some other health aspects but weirdly the jump from 20 to 40 didn't feel like much, whereas when I first took the 20mg I was amazed at the difference. I do wonder if you get used to it as you are on it for longer?

My daughter has recently had hypnosis therapy for driving. She was taking propranolol but wanted to solve the anxiety rather than treat the symptoms .
It has been an absolute game changer. If you can afford the treatment,I strongly recommend it .

I'm autistic, I react very strongly to drugs so am usually prescribed a dose that's normally considered too low to be effective. We are all different

I’m also autistic

I take it before presenting at work and before hospital appointments and tests (past trauma). Couldn’t be without it. I still feel scared or anxious but the physical symptoms are gone.

Interesting. I was told by a doctor my sensitivity to drugs is an autistic thing.

I’ve just checked my box. It’s 40mg. I thought it was 10 which I’ve obviously pulled out of nowhere. 40mh must be the starter dose.

Like many PPs I use it for work, public speaking and large meetings. I shake when I present otherwise. It works a treat. Only 10mg tablet for me and I usually just take one. If it’s particularly stressful I take 2. I still feel nervous but I don’t look nearly as nervous.

I had to do a massive work presentation recently and got some. It worked an absolute treat. Also had to take it to pass my driving test decades ago but hadn’t used it since. It was amazing what a difference it made. I sailed through the presentation. Highly recommend.

Thanks everyone - interesting to see people are using it for driving anxiety as I also have that too.

i’ve tried 10mg but going to experiment with 20mg ahead of the presentation, but won’t go above that. After the 10mg trial, felt very tired but maybe it’s because I hadn’t eaten much that day.

Will explore hypnosis/therapy as longer term options