Shown: posts 1 to 10 of 10. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by biovsenvio? on January 9, 2003, at 6:35:17
anyone have any lick with beta blockers for anxiety...short term/long term..inderal, propranol?? also...what side effects go along with these meds... weight gain?? thanks- jodi
Posted by utopizen on January 9, 2003, at 8:33:11
In reply to beta blockers for anxiety??, posted by biovsenvio? on January 9, 2003, at 6:35:17
> anyone have any lick with beta blockers for anxiety...short term/long term..inderal, propranol?? also...what side effects go along with these meds... weight gain?? thanks- jodi
>I think Inderal is Propananol's brand name.
Anyway, try it out. I remember a couple times popping the things a year ago and becoming very talkative and outgoing. All it does is supress adrenaline function, so I don't know how to explain this-- but I'd like to get another script and try it out, this time measuring what dose I take.
It'll probably give pretty bad dry mouth, which isn't good since people who take it for anxiety typically use it as needed for public speaking, which requries lots of saliva. Um, thankfully I have a dry mouth pill, but you'd have to talk with your doctor on that one.
Anyway, it slows down your heart, so don't pop them like I did, I'm just a crazy experimental kid. And frankly, I couldn't explain why it would make me talkative. And don't take it if you do sports, obviously. Also, it's contraindicated in some depressants due to heart slow-down, since the combined effect of one depressant slowing down your heart along with a beta blocker could possibly stop your heart. But taking, say, the typical anti-anxiety dose of 20mg, as needed, according to my pharmacist, is not an issue. That's more of an issue with people who take it for their heart, who take 60-80mg regularly.
Basically, all your physical symptoms will go away at the correct dose. Sweat palms, racing heart, that stuff. But it will only reduce anxiety if your anxiety is a result of your
body getting nervous upon realizing your palms
are sweaty, etc., which is something you won't know about until you try the beta blocker. If it doesn't work, it simply means your anxiety is more complicated, and CBT + drug treatments are a good option.
Posted by glenn on January 9, 2003, at 11:02:24
In reply to Re: beta blockers for anxiety??, posted by utopizen on January 9, 2003, at 8:33:11
I agree in the main with utopy, though the dose for cardiac problems is usually higher than 80mg.
I have taken it twice for long periods of a bout a year.
It is excellent for physical anxiety but does nothing for fear, ie the psychological aspect.
It killed my sweating and palpitations dead, I was on inderal la the slow release version this time and found it much smoother, also its easier to wean off, you just need to open the capsule and
take extra caplets out each day.
The only side effect for me was a slight slowing, but this wore off and I could still cycle 10 miles a day on it.
If you take it for an extended period wean ,or else! Ihave just finished a slow wean last week with no reactoin whatsoever, but last time I didn't know this!
Well worth a try.Glenn
Posted by ZeeZee on January 9, 2003, at 17:05:20
In reply to Re: beta blockers for anxiety??, posted by glenn on January 9, 2003, at 11:02:24
I used to use Toprol for high blood pressure and it reduced the physical anxiety symtoms. It was very soothing in that it slowed my heart and the surges of adrenaline. However, it does lower blood pressure, so if you have normal blood pressure you're going to experience light headedness and possible fainting if your b/p is too low. You will also experience fatigue from that as well. Beta blockers can cause fatigue regardless as well as cause depression and weight gain. I became extremly fatigued, cloudy headed and depressed. It happened so slowly I didn't realize it was the medicine. I now use it only occassionaly to reduce bouts of physical anxiety and to boost my regular blood pressure medication.
It does absolutely nothing for the fear, or what I call the true anxiety. If I only had the physical aspect of anxiety my life would have taken another path. It's been the fear of the anxiety symptoms that have destroyed my life. Beta blockers, unlike benzo's, do nothing to calm your "thinking" - the source of that anxiety and fear.
Good Luck
Posted by agencypanic on January 9, 2003, at 17:15:33
In reply to Re: beta blockers for anxiety?? » glenn, posted by ZeeZee on January 9, 2003, at 17:05:20
I've taken propranolol for high bp and am currently taking a different
beta-blocker for the same. Never taken it for anxiety, don't know that I've noticed any effect in that area.
I can tell you that propranolol, as with most beta-blockers that I'm aware of, can cause your extremities to become quite cold.
I don't know about weight gain.
Posted by FredPotter on January 12, 2003, at 20:59:04
In reply to Re: beta blockers for anxiety??, posted by agencypanic on January 9, 2003, at 17:15:33
This discussion about anxiety vs fear is very interesting. I have the feeling that something profound is being said. CBT has as its working model the escalating fear of fear. It's never made sense for me however. I've always been quite capable of feeling mentally terrified without precipitating thoughts or concomitant physical symptoms. Yes these two aspects will generally set in as a result of fear, but they don't cause it. If fear is mental and anxiety physical, then fear is about my mind, my spirit. And all these behaviourst models are crap, as suspected all along. Is it time to get down my 20 volumes of the Collected Works of Carl Jung?
Posted by ZeeZee on January 13, 2003, at 9:18:31
In reply to Re: beta blockers for anxiety??, posted by FredPotter on January 12, 2003, at 20:59:04
CBT makes good sense to me, I'm just not able to accomplish what it sets out to do. Although my head understands and believes what is being said, I can't seem to break the beliefs I have about the panic and thus the fear remains or escalates. Only drugs have been able to help with this aspect. Have you had a similar experience?
Posted by FredPotter on January 13, 2003, at 14:12:19
In reply to Re: beta blockers for anxiety?? » FredPotter, posted by ZeeZee on January 13, 2003, at 9:18:31
Yes more or less. There's a second fear, which is controllable with CBT, but the first fear, which can be the worst part , is amenable only to drugs. Xanax is the best I've tried, after alcohol of course, which made me worse in the end and created a new problem
Posted by agencypanic on January 13, 2003, at 16:05:43
In reply to Re: beta blockers for anxiety??, posted by FredPotter on January 12, 2003, at 20:59:04
Is it time to get down my 20 volumes of the Collected Works of Carl Jung?
Why bother? You'd be better served by taking down a few volumes of Kierkegaard.
Posted by FredPotter on January 13, 2003, at 17:55:42
In reply to Re: beta blockers for anxiety??, posted by agencypanic on January 13, 2003, at 16:05:43
dead right. Anxiety is the dizziness of freedom. Wouldn't expect or want Propanolol to do anything about that
This is the end of the thread.
Psycho-Babble Medication | Extras | FAQ
Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.org
Script revised: February 4, 2008
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/cgi-bin/pb/mget.pl
Copyright 2006-17 Robert Hsiung.
Owned and operated by Dr. Bob LLC and not the University of Chicago.