# How have beta-blockers helped you?



## Anxiety75 (Feb 10, 2004)

I currently have been taking a beta-blocker for almost a year. It was increased when I went to my cardiologist in November. I believe also it has helped me with physical anxiety. My heart used to pound a lot when I had to do something scary. It still skips beats and all that but not as often.

So I am benefitting in both ways.

I know some people cannot take them because of how they feel. It took me a month to get used to that draggy feeling and head feeling tight.
All of those side-effects have completely gone. I seriously don't have the physical anxiety like I used to. I can go all day without taking Klonopin, which I still need for some GAD I still have.

I hope they help others as I have been helped, even if anxiety makes your heart skip or you have a heart problem and want to avoid *ablation*. Google that if you have never heard of it.

If you do start a beta-blocker (also used for high blood pressure) give it time to work and get used to it and make sure you get salt if you're not restricted from it. If you don't have high bp, you want to avoid low-blood pressure. The doc will check it regularly. Mine is checked like every couple months.


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## Jcq126 (Jan 11, 2010)

Propranolol is a god send, amazing for presentations, job interviews or any type of performance related anxiety. If you can cope with the mental anxiety and just need something to help eliminate the physical so you can keep your composure and think with a clear head, then beta-blockers are perfect.


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## No Surprises (Nov 1, 2009)

Propranolol is undoubtedly the most reliable and effective of all the anti-anxiety medications I've used. It doesn't give you that patent feeling of tranquility that you'll often get from other drugs like opiates and benzodiazepines, but just knowing that you can make yourself the center of attention without shooting into sympathetic overdrive is tremendously empowering.

Conversely, I've found that, even when I have that calm, peaceful feeling after taking opiates and benzos, I'll still be somewhat prone to becoming physically overwrought if a tense situation arises. They need to be supplemented with a beta blocker to be fully effective.


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## No Surprises (Nov 1, 2009)

I'll add that earlier today I had a class in which the professor unexpectedly picked me out of the audience to perform a short skit. Normally, my heart would instantly begin to race and my hands would become wildly tremulous in this sort of situation. Fortunately, and rather coincidentally, I had consumed 40 mg propranolol about an hour prior to the class. 

Needless to say, I was solid as a rock -- no racing heart, no tremors -- I was in complete control. For someone who has always dealt with severe, uncontrollable physical anxiety symptoms during performance scenarios, this sort of experience is absolutely priceless.


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## millenniumman75 (Feb 4, 2005)

I might need my Beta blocked if that is what happened to my parents. I am worried about that. I get a lot of exercise so my rate is about normal. I will need to watch what I do, though.


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## flyinsoup (Feb 6, 2010)

Anxiety75 said:


> I currently have been taking a beta-blocker for almost a year. It was increased when I went to my cardiologist in November. I believe also it has helped me with physical anxiety. My heart used to pound a lot when I had to do something scary. It still skips beats and all that but not as often.


Hey,

Which one are you taking and at what dose? It sounds like you are taking it chronically--do you have any problems with exercising while on it?

Currently I take propranolol 20mg prn w/ a small dose of xanax but I hate benzos. Recently I tried 100 mg w/ 0.1 mg clonidine and that seemed to work rather well. (I unfortunately don't seem to benefit from smaller doses of propranolol alone.) Plus, it really does not tire me out nor make me feel worn down--I feel much more like myself than when on those bloody benzos.

BUT, the half-life of propranolol is so short, I want to switch to something else that I can take every day, once a day. I have moderate blood pressure anyway, so it would definitely not hurt to lower it. Just wondering about the effects on exercising b/c that's pretty important to me.

BTW, my heart skips many beats too every single minute, always, regardless of whether I'm nervous or not. Had it checked out a couple times and apparently I'm fine. I've not yet noticed a beta-blocker inhibit that activity unfortunately.

Thanks!


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## No Surprises (Nov 1, 2009)

flyinsoup said:


> BUT, the half-life of propranolol is so short, I want to switch to something else that I can take every day, once a day. I have moderate blood pressure anyway, so it would definitely not hurt to lower it. Just wondering about the effects on exercising b/c that's pretty important to me.
> 
> BTW, my heart skips many beats too every single minute, always, regardless of whether I'm nervous or not. Had it checked out a couple times and apparently I'm fine. I've not yet noticed a beta-blocker inhibit that activity unfortunately.
> 
> Thanks!


I don't recall the exact mechanism, but as far as I know, the length of effect of propranolol isn't completely determined by its relatively short half life. It'll depend on the dose, but you'll usually get at least five hours of action out of it (or at least that's my experience).

If you want a longer acting version, though, there's always the extended release version of propranolol. I haven't used it, but I believe it's just a once-a-day type deal.

The thing about propranolol in regards to exercising is that it prevents your adrenaline from fully kicking in, so you won't get the same bursts of energy that you'd normally get during intense physical exercise. This will likely translate into lower performance, whether it be fewer reps or less time on the treadmill or what have you. It's not hazardous, just a little inefficient. This is actually one of the advantages of the IR version -- you can wait a few hours after your last dose prior to exercise, so that you won't take the same toll.


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## nothing to fear (Mar 23, 2005)

*bump*

Lately my anxiety for school has mainly been really bad when speaking up in class or doing presentations. Before I speak I wouldn't be obsessing or thinking about it too much and I would know what to say, but once I start talking or go up, my body (legs and hands especially) starts shaking really really badly...there is no way to ignore it and as much as I try to hide it by the way I stand, I can't do it. There are other symptoms too but the shaking is the absolute worst. 

Anyway, beta-blockers sound really helpful for public speaking anxiety so I'd like to try them out. I'm assuming they work well for shakiness too? 


I'm just concerned because:
-I think my blood pressure drops sometimes, since I feel light-headed and a bit dizzy easily and frequently, particularly when I stand up.
-I sort of have Raynaud's disorder (my finger's turn completely white and numb pretty quickly when triggered by the cold; my toes are sometimes blue-ish) and I've heard beta-blockers can worsen it. 

Just wondering if anyone experiences anything similar but was still able to successfully take beta-blockers.

I hope I can try them, they sound very helpful and benzos don't work for me in these situations.


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## Arisa1536 (Dec 8, 2009)

I started on nadolol last week, i take between one and two 40MG tablets
They did not do much until i took two and they increase sedation and sleeping.
I feel faint and dizzy on them as my blood pressure is already rather low and i know these are predominately a heart medication for people with high blood pressure or heart problems and arrhythmia but they do work for the physical anxiety, i would not say they are that good mentally though


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