# Presentation Coming Up...I have two options--Should I take..



## Phla12 (Mar 25, 2008)

Propranolol, or Ativan? Or both?

My doctor said either would be ok, but didn't suggest both. I know I need something, but I'm not sure which I should take. Thanks for any input, I need it! Presentations are the worst :sigh


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## X33 (Feb 13, 2005)

Hey, I got a presentation coming up too, and I have the same 2 meds that you have. I am planning to 0.5-0.75 mg Ativan + 40-60mg propranolol. It is safe to take both.
Good luck!!


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## arthur56 (Jul 31, 2005)

I would take both, but try them at home in advance to see how you react


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## Noca (Jun 24, 2005)

arthur56 said:


> I would take both, but try them at home in advance to see how you react


 :ditto


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## korey (Apr 25, 2006)

Noca said:


> arthur56 said:
> 
> 
> > I would take both, but try them at home in advance to see how you react
> ...


 :ditto :b

I have to give a speech this Thursday afternoon, and I will be shoveling in the Inderal and Xanax as fast as I can (as usual). Too bad I have a physics test later that evening in my night class. Blah.


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## Phla12 (Mar 25, 2008)

OK, Thanks everybody. Both does seem to be the way to go from everything I've seen. It's strange, I asked my psychiatrist if I could take both (when she said I had the options of propanolol and lorazepam) and she sort of hesitated and said "Well, no, this is probably an either/or situation because they sort of do opposite things." I don't really know what she meant by that, because it doesn't seem like they do opposite things, do they?? :get But I do have them both so I assume as long as I stick with the low doses she prescribed it's sort of up to me.

Well it's nice to have at least something, as for all of high school (I'm in college now) I suffered through presentations. I just hate the process of trying to get benzos because I feel like I'm going to come off as a drug abuser. But I really just want to treat my anxiety in extreme situations. Frustrating :sigh


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## Noca (Jun 24, 2005)

to go through a date I required 6mgs of klonopin, 30mgs of ritalin sr, 20mgs of adderall xr, and a glass of alcohol.


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## beanman80 (Oct 11, 2006)

Honestly I would probably myself take about 180 mg of propan....and like 30mg of valium personally....you just have to know what drug works for you....with the propan..it does not stop my anxiety but helps keep my heartbeat stay at a low rate know matter how stressed I am which helps and the ativan would just relax you but thats how it works on me...to each their own. But I'm 6'5" and 240 pounds so it usually takes me a little more to feel the effects.


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## Phla12 (Mar 25, 2008)

Ok, thanks. It's strange because my psychiatrist only prescribed me either .5 mg Ativan or 10 mg Propranolol. My social anxiety _has_ decreased a bit from my antidepressants, but it seems like those doses would probably do very little on their own. Maybe I'll take the reccomended doses of both for the presentation, or 20 Propranolol and .5 Ativan.

To people who have tried things like this, did you notice feeling drowsy/out of it at all? I mean it's still probably worth it because anxiety is worse than being out of it. But did you notice these sedating effects?


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## beanman80 (Oct 11, 2006)

Well the propanonlol will make you tired at high dosage levels if you exert yourself because it slows down your hertbeat. When a regular human being exerts more energy their heart rate increases increasing blood flow to the muscles. With propanonlol it keeps your heartbeat at a steady pace no matter what condition you are in if given in the right dosage for you. One less thing to worry about when giving a presentation because your heart won't feel like it's beating out of your chest. If you only take propanonlol once in a while it creates a somewhat euphoric effect if alot is taken in my opinion but if you use it all the time than it's pretty much just going to keep your heart rate at a low steady level. 20 mg is probably good for you but you never know till your up there. maybe go up a little higher if you want. As long as you don't use it in dangerous levels like I'm talking over320 mg like I take but I take it twice a day to equal that level. My heart rate is actually normal with that amount..about 75 beats a minute without it I feel like I just ran a marathon that wont stop. It makes me feel tired sometimes but not to the point of just not being funtional. best of luck


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## Phla12 (Mar 25, 2008)

Thanks for your response. I had a question--so do you take it on a daily basis, like a medication? I'm just curious because I had never heard of this drug until I asked my psychiatrist about drugs I could take before a presentation, and am now curious if some use it regularly.


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## beanman80 (Oct 11, 2006)

well the doctor told me to take it when I need it and I feel like I need it everyday..160mg in the morning 2(80mg pills) and 2 more in the evening. he sees no harm in it. My heartrate is at a relatively normal level and I would most definitely be at a higher risk for hypertension if I did not take it. It's really the only drug that works on a physical symptom for me which is my extreme heart palpatations without it which does not feel good when your already paranoid. I usually pop about a 180 mg of propanonal If I'm going out to a party with a bunch of people I have never met and pop another 30mg of valium..it gets me through the night without freak'in out. I feel pretty relaxed and not sooo anxious and as long as I am engaged and not bored I won't get tired it's when your sitting there quiet doing nothing when next thing you know you just want to go to sleep. I would not say propanonlol is the cure but it helps at least one physical symptom for me at least.


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## X33 (Feb 13, 2005)

Phla12 said:


> Ok, thanks. It's strange because my psychiatrist only prescribed me either .5 mg Ativan or 10 mg Propranolol. My social anxiety _has_ decreased a bit from my antidepressants, but it seems like those doses would probably do very little on their own. Maybe I'll take the reccomended doses of both for the presentation, or 20 Propranolol and .5 Ativan.
> 
> To people who have tried things like this, did you notice feeling drowsy/out of it at all? I mean it's still probably worth it because anxiety is worse than being out of it. But did you notice these sedating effects?


Ativan is a strong drug. Even at 0.5mg it is VERY effective. Of course, this varies from person to person but for many (including me), 0.5mg is just right.


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## Noca (Jun 24, 2005)

AdrianG said:


> Phla12 said:
> 
> 
> > Ok, thanks. It's strange because my psychiatrist only prescribed me either .5 mg Ativan or 10 mg Propranolol. My social anxiety _has_ decreased a bit from my antidepressants, but it seems like those doses would probably do very little on their own. Maybe I'll take the reccomended doses of both for the presentation, or 20 Propranolol and .5 Ativan.
> ...


YMMV, 0.5mg of Ativan is nothing to me. I easily take 8-24mgs of ativan worth of klonopin a day.


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