# Mix Klonopin and Beta Blocker?



## deeds14 (Jul 9, 2009)

Yes, I know I should be asking my pharmacist this but the pharmacy just closed. I will ask them tomorrow to be sure.

Can I take both Klonopin and Metaprolol (my selective beta blocker) together? I asked my doctor if I could take both but she really didn't answer my question. She told me that she thought I would be fine just taking the Klonopin for this speech I have to give in class this week, but I would feel better if I could safely take both.


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## lookingforpeace (Jan 20, 2009)

I have taken propranolol with xanax for situations before. It works fantastic. I take propranolol every day, and I pop a 0.5 mg xanax every few months when I have something that I am dreading.


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## 2112 (Aug 8, 2009)

lookingforpeace said:


> I have taken propranolol with xanax for situations before. It works fantastic. I take propranolol every day, and I pop a 0.5 mg xanax every few months when I have something that I am dreading.


How much propranolol do you take daily, and at what times during the day do you take it? Also, wondering how long you have been taking it daily. I am about to start taking daily, so I'm interested.


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## lookingforpeace (Jan 20, 2009)

2112 said:


> How much propranolol do you take daily, and at what times during the day do you take it? Also, wondering how long you have been taking it daily. I am about to start taking daily, so I'm interested.


I replied in your post concerning how much/when, etc. I have been taking it daily for about seven years. I started taking it for strictly anxiety reasons, but now, I am in my 30s, and my bp is still on the high end of normal with the propranolol. Hypertension runs in my family. I think I need to be taking a higher dose for the bp issues. I am supposed to be taking more than i actually take, but I am stubborn and always try to get by with the least amount of pharmaceutical assistance that I can.

I have also taken atenolol in the past. It lasts a lot longer, so you only need to dose 1-2 times per day. Atenolol is more cardioselective, so it is not as effective for physical manifestations of anxiety, but it still works relatively well. Propranolol is definitely the better choice for anxiety issues, it is just a pain in the as that it has such a short half-life.


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## deeds14 (Jul 9, 2009)

I tried to get my doctor to prescribe me Inderal, but she wanted to give me a selective one, so she gave me Metaprolol. I had to give a speech last week so I took it, but I was still out of breath during my speech  So now she just gave me .5mp of Klonopin but I know that's not going to be enough to stop a panic attack during a presentation...


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## lookingforpeace (Jan 20, 2009)

I assume the Metaprolol is prescribed for something other than anxiety? I have never taken it. I can say that propranolol (inderal) works wonders for presentations. I have never taken Klonopin either, but xanax helps a lot for as-needed use. I think the Klonopin will be helpful to you. You will do well, don't worry about it. Anticipation is usually worse than the actual event.


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## IllusionOfHappiness (Sep 6, 2007)

I take propranolol twice a day, and klonopin more days than not. Seem to have no problems over a year into it.


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## deeds14 (Jul 9, 2009)

No, the Metaprolol is for the presentation anxiety. I asked for Inderal, and she said she preferred Metaprolol. Whenever I suggest something, she tends to do the opposite. I'm thinking of switching doctors for many reasons.


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## gillettecavalcad3 (Jul 9, 2009)

*Clonazepam and Propranolol*

Clonazepam and Propranalol work amazingly well together. I am on 2mg of clonazepam as needed and 40mg propranolol up to 3 times daily if needed.


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## deeds14 (Jul 9, 2009)

Thanks for all the replies. I took a Klonopin today just to make sure I didn't have any bad reactions and I didn't notice any difference. It was .5 mg. I mean, I wasn't panicking but I was a little anxious before and that never changed. I wonder if I could take 1mg for this speech I have to give. I mean, I don't like taking more than prescribed but I don't feel like she's giving me enough. Same with the Metaprolol.. 25mg doesn't seem like enough to me.


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## lookingforpeace (Jan 20, 2009)

Sometimes doctors don't know/care what they are doing. For performance anxiety, you want a non-selective beta blocker. Metaprolol is cardio-selective, so it should keep your heart from pounding in your chest, which can be helpful, but it won't do to much for other anxiety reactions.

Non-selective beta blockers can give you issues if you have asthma. Don't know if this has anything to do with why your doctor chose to give you what she did. Otherwise, she made a bad choice (my opinion, anyways).


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## GSH (Jul 16, 2009)

yes..i got the same script


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## euphoria (Jan 21, 2009)

lookingforpeace said:


> I replied in your post concerning how much/when, etc. I have been taking it daily for about seven years. I started taking it for strictly anxiety reasons, but now, I am in my 30s, and my bp is still on the high end of normal with the propranolol. Hypertension runs in my family. I think I need to be taking a higher dose for the bp issues. I am supposed to be taking more than i actually take, but I am stubborn and always try to get by with the least amount of pharmaceutical assistance that I can.


Seriously man just pick up a magnesium (glycinate/chelated or citrate) supplement. Anxiety and high blood pressure all indicate a bad ratio between calcium, magnesium and possibly other minerals. Do you eat a lot of dairy products by any chance?


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## lookingforpeace (Jan 20, 2009)

euphoria said:


> Seriously man just pick up a magnesium (glycinate/chelated or citrate) supplement. Anxiety and high blood pressure all indicate a bad ratio between calcium, magnesium and possibly other minerals. Do you eat a lot of dairy products by any chance?


I already take magnesium. I'm out of the glycinate, so I have been taking magnesium oxide. I don't eat all that much dairy. I am vegetarian, but I like the cheese a good bit, but I don't think I eat an unusual amount of dairy.

Unfortunately, I have to blame this one on genetics. Putting down the smokes would probably help a whole lot too.


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## deeds14 (Jul 9, 2009)

Putting down the smokes did help out my anxiety a lot (after the first couple months).


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## lookingforpeace (Jan 20, 2009)

deeds14 said:


> Putting down the smokes did help out my anxiety a lot (after the first couple months).


Can you elaborate on this a bit? I have heard opposing theories as to what nicotine does to anxiety levels.

About 10 months ago, my life got all sorts of disrupted and ****ed up by circumstances out of my control. At the time that all this happened, I started smoking again. Since then, I have had terrible anxiety that never seems to go away. I have been attributing it to dealing with the crap that all fell on my head, but I am wondering if my renewed nicotine dependence may play a role as well.

Did your anxiety get temporarily worse when you quit?


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## Medline (Sep 23, 2008)

lookingforpeace said:


> Sometimes doctors don't know/care what they are doing. For performance anxiety, you want a non-selective beta blocker. Metaprolol is cardio-selective, so it should keep your heart from pounding in your chest, which can be helpful, but it won't do to much for other anxiety reactions.
> 
> Non-selective beta blockers can give you issues if you have asthma. Don't know if this has anything to do with why your doctor chose to give you what she did. Otherwise, she made a bad choice (my opinion, anyways).


Agreed! If someone has no contraindication like asthma then Inderal should be prefered over selective beta blockers like Metoprolol.


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## deeds14 (Jul 9, 2009)

lookingforpeace said:


> Can you elaborate on this a bit? I have heard opposing theories as to what nicotine does to anxiety levels.
> 
> About 10 months ago, my life got all sorts of disrupted and ****ed up by circumstances out of my control. At the time that all this happened, I started smoking again. Since then, I have had terrible anxiety that never seems to go away. I have been attributing it to dealing with the crap that all fell on my head, but I am wondering if my renewed nicotine dependence may play a role as well.
> 
> Did your anxiety get temporarily worse when you quit?


I smoked since I was 15, so I can't really say how smoking affected my anxiety, but I do know that my anxiety today is much better than when I was a smoker. My anxiety may have gotten a little worse when I was going through withdrawal, because that is a stressful experience, but it was very much worth it. You can even get a drug like Chantix that will cut your cravings. I quit cold turkey, so it may have been worse for me. 
I think some of the side effects of smoking are the same side effects as anxiety, so it definitely raises your anxiety level when you mistake one for the other. The tightness in my chest is gone now, and the anxiousness you feel when you're craving nicotine is gone now. I just feel generally more stable now because I'm not constantly adjusting my levels of nicotine anymore.
If you do decide to quit, visiting becomeanex.org forums helped a lot, as well as reading "The Easy Way To Stop Smoking" By Allen Carr.


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