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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 15 of 15. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by becksA on November 6, 2003, at 17:56:24
well today at my meeting with my pdoc we officially gave up on ssri's....he is trying a beta blocker for my anxiety...i forget the name exactly now, starts with a T...anyway has anybody tried this type of drug for anxiety? i'd like to hear about it...thanks
Posted by BigDave on November 6, 2003, at 19:58:39
In reply to Beta Blockers for anxiety?? anybody???, posted by becksA on November 6, 2003, at 17:56:24
> well today at my meeting with my pdoc we officially gave up on ssri's....he is trying a beta blocker for my anxiety...i forget the name exactly now, starts with a T...anyway has anybody tried this type of drug for anxiety? i'd like to hear about it...thanks
Hi Becks, I tried beta blockers a few years ago for social anxiety and they didnt help me much.
They're not a cure but rather a treatment for the symptoms of extreme anxiety/panic in situations you fear. If you have performance related anxiety or phobia, then beta blockers would help stop your heart racing etc in those situations, but they wont make the feelings of fear go away.
Posted by becksA on November 6, 2003, at 20:01:31
In reply to Re: Beta Blockers for anxiety?? anybody???, posted by BigDave on November 6, 2003, at 19:58:39
ok..thanks...yeah i dont really have performance anxiety as much as performance-in-social-situations.....when i have to meet new people for instance, i tend to tense up and appear quite uncomfortable.. you think this can be helped with the beta blockers or no?
Posted by mrporter1 on November 6, 2003, at 23:35:35
In reply to Re: Beta Blockers for anxiety?? anybody???, posted by becksA on November 6, 2003, at 20:01:31
Probably Tegratol? Beta blockers might manage the symptoms that someone gets from panic/anxiety, but nothing works (accutely) like benzos. Have you tried Xanax, Klonopin, Valium, Ativan?? Some folks take them every day - some as needed, they work relatively quickly.
In fact, many of us take beta blockers and benzos. Are you taking anything else?
Sorry you're suffering with anxiety. It's so terrible, but can be managed...
Posted by becksA on November 7, 2003, at 1:09:02
In reply to Re: Beta Blockers for anxiety?? anybody???, posted by mrporter1 on November 6, 2003, at 23:35:35
taking nothing else....my doc has never even brought up the subject of benzos, im pretty sure even if i did he wouldnt consider it, which isnt very cool.
Posted by mrporter1 on November 7, 2003, at 13:35:10
In reply to Re: Beta Blockers for anxiety?? anybody???, posted by becksA on November 7, 2003, at 1:09:02
> taking nothing else....my doc has never even brought up the subject of benzos, im pretty sure even if i did he wouldnt consider it, which isnt very cool.
any idea why you wouldn't consider it??
Posted by crazychickuk on November 7, 2003, at 15:13:38
In reply to Re: Beta Blockers for anxiety?? anybody???, posted by mrporter1 on November 7, 2003, at 13:35:10
Many doctors dont like to give prescription for benzo's especially here in the uk.. i had a prescription for 3? lol. when i had to go for a gyno appointment. what a laff
Posted by Snowie on November 8, 2003, at 0:05:37
In reply to Beta Blockers for anxiety?? anybody???, posted by becksA on November 6, 2003, at 17:56:24
I haven't read all the posts, but I did try a beta blocker once. My previous pdoc was totally against it since he himself was taking a beta blocker probably for high blood pressure. He gave me a low dose of a beta blocker that he said didn't affect the heart as much as some of the others. I have sinus bradycardia (slow heart beat), and after taking it a couple of days, I got very sick and almost passed out one evening. I stopped taking it since it wasn't the right med for me.
Snowie
> well today at my meeting with my pdoc we officially gave up on ssri's....he is trying a beta blocker for my anxiety...i forget the name exactly now, starts with a T...anyway has anybody tried this type of drug for anxiety? i'd like to hear about it...thanks
Posted by Caleb96 on November 8, 2003, at 14:01:11
In reply to Beta Blockers for anxiety?? anybody???, posted by becksA on November 6, 2003, at 17:56:24
You might have been given Tenormin aka atenolol. Beta blockers act by blocking the neurotransmitters responsible for the "fight or flight" response. Most musicians take beta blockers before a concert because it blocks the heebie-jeebies without affecting motor skills. In other words, you feel calm without feeling sedated. I've taken atenolol for 12 years for high blood pressure. I'd give it a shot, it just might help. Good luck.
Posted by becksA on November 8, 2003, at 23:58:47
In reply to Re: Beta Blockers for anxiety?? anybody???, posted by Caleb96 on November 8, 2003, at 14:01:11
Its called Trileptal, what he gave me.....anybody had any experiences with this?
Posted by jerrympls on November 11, 2003, at 4:00:24
In reply to Beta Blockers for anxiety?? anybody???, posted by becksA on November 6, 2003, at 17:56:24
> well today at my meeting with my pdoc we officially gave up on ssri's....he is trying a beta blocker for my anxiety...i forget the name exactly now, starts with a T...anyway has anybody tried this type of drug for anxiety? i'd like to hear about it...thanks
TENORMIN (Atenolol) is the med I think you're talking about.
Jerry
Posted by sadmom on November 11, 2003, at 9:45:20
In reply to Re: Beta Blockers for anxiety?? anybody??? » becksA, posted by jerrympls on November 11, 2003, at 4:00:24
I take Atenolol for high blood pressure and it does nothing for my anxiety. I take Strattera Remeron and Xanax as needed for anxiety.
Posted by Overwelmd on December 5, 2003, at 20:40:37
In reply to Re: Beta Blockers for anxiety?? anybody???, posted by becksA on November 8, 2003, at 23:58:47
I am diagnosed as having GAD (when I was young I suffered from panic disorder, but I've worked through that). I've been on Valium, Zoloft, Paxil, Celexa, Lexapro, Wellbutrin and Xanax and for the past year I seem to be getting worse (probably due to peri menopause). My anxiety is manifesting more as feeling totally overwhelmed and "all over the place", unable to focus, out of control. A neurologist suggested beta blockers (the Xanax is the only thing that helps but if I increase the dose I mostly just feel sleepy as opposed to calm.) I feel as though I'm running out of options. Has anyone else gone through this and have beta blockers been helpful (or any other medication I haven't been on yet?)
Posted by glenn on December 7, 2003, at 5:29:40
In reply to Re: Beta Blockers for anxiety?? anybody???, posted by Overwelmd on December 5, 2003, at 20:40:37
Iwould have to say that for me propranolol slow release does an excellent job on physical symptoms
but nothing for fear ie the feeling.
Xanax is also the only thing that works for me for that, I imagine that if you take it often enough the sedation wears off hopefully leaving the anxiolytic effect, but then you will be dependant on the xanax ?!
Yuo could look at the following:
Tryptozen
l-theanine ( suntheanine)
pikamilon
relora
niacinamide ( not niacin !!)and maybe give them a go
meditation/ relaxation does something for me, ie cures stomach problems, tones down the startle response but it is slow acting.
Have you tried the other benzos? they do seem to work differently for different people, valium makes me anxious for example wierdly enough, but xanax is excellent.
Good LuckGlenn
Posted by Overwelmd on December 7, 2003, at 22:46:10
In reply to Re: Beta Blockers for anxiety?? anybody???, posted by glenn on December 7, 2003, at 5:29:40
Thanks for the info Glenn. I tried Valium 25 years ago when I had severe panic disorder but it was like taking candy. The Xanax does take the edge off but my anxiety is now manifesting itself more in a physical manner, feeling overwhelmed, racy, all over the place and unable to focus as opposed to phobic or panicky. He was thinking about Xanax XR instead of multi doses. I'm also on Lexapro which I don't feel anything from. At first my doctor suggested Risperdal but changed his mind due to my intolerance of side effects. He's now sending me info on Anafranil since I'm staying up late trying to organize things to the point where I'm late for work. I never really had full fledged OCD, but apparently I'm getting compulsive to gain some sense of control of my life.
I will research the list of meds you posted. Thanks.
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