Beta Blockers for Anxiety

[House Cat]

Is anyone taking a beta blocker for anxiety? How is it working for you? Did you have any side effects? I read that the first dose will cause dizziness but after that, it will subside. Was that true for you? I’m asking because I have to drive all of the time and I’m not quite sure when to start this med.

 

[AprilBaby]

I am supposed to take 1 in the morning and 2 at night but the morning one made me so sleepy I couldn’t function. Other than that it works great. I got severe anxiety after being hit by a car crossing the street. I had a panic attack for a week where I couldn’t get out of bed. I was only mentally hurt. It’s been a long time now but I’m totally under control and no panic attack in years.

 

[ItsMainelyYou]

No, But I'll be interested to hear other's experiences as well. I have migraines and this was an option suggested by my GP. Also, some anxiety. So, definitely curious.

Edit: I'm not taking any other medications and I used to have low BP...still no meds, but fatter now, so BP I don't think would be an issue anymore.

 

[AprilBaby]

Nothing seems to help the migraines. I have low BP and this makes it lower. The migraines come with barometric pressure change so fall and winter are worst.

 

[House Cat]

Nothing seems to help the migraines. I have low BP and this makes it lower. The migraines come with barometric pressure change so fall and winter are worst.

Have you ever tried Botox or one of the new meds like vyepti, aimovig, or emgality? They’ll probably make you try everything else before allowing you to try these meds but it can’t hurt to ask

 

[ItsMainelyYou]

Nothing seems to help the migraines. I have low BP and this makes it lower. The migraines come with barometric pressure change so fall and winter are worst.

I FEEL YOUR PAIN. So frustrating.
Same for me! I have to track baro daily- to know what kind of day I'm going to have. I hate it. Ridiculously sensitive to it. I tried Topamax for awhile around six years ago-and while it worked, it had some nasty side effects. I lost half my lexicon and grew kidney stones. It's been years and the side effects still haven't fully abated.

 

[Karl_K]

Watch you legs when you start them, I put on 8+ pounds of fluid retention in my legs in 48 hours after starting them for high BP and had to take stronger diuretics to get rid of it over the next 5 days.

 

[Snowdrop13]

Hmmm. A beta blocker will reduce some of the physical effects of anxiety, like the racing heart beat and panicky feelings but it won’t address the underlying problem. Have you looked at other meds, like sertraline? How about CBT? I have found both of these very useful.

 

[MamaBee]

I take 25mg of Atenolol in addition to my Lisinopril for HBP. She added the beta blocker because my blood pressure was spiking really high when my mom had her accident. It’s such a mild dose I don’t notice anything at all. I’m still as stressed as ever..so no reduction in anxiety.. but my blood pressure doesn’t spike as high.

 

[House Cat]

Hmmm. A beta blocker will reduce some of the physical effects of anxiety, like the racing heart beat and panicky feelings but it won’t address the underlying problem. Have you looked at other meds, like sertraline? How about CBT? I have found both of these very useful.

I’m having trouble with the body symptoms of anxiety.

I’ve done therapy for 15 years and am currently taking a break I’m in therapy fatigue right now.

I can’t take ssri’s. I have bipolar disorder.

 

[House Cat]

I took one about an hour ago. My anxiety is greatly reduced. No side effects so far.

 

[MoxiRoxi]

I took a beta blocker several years ago to help with anxiety. It helped tremendously! Within a few Days of starting them my panic attacks all but ceased. I stayed on them for about 18 months and made some other lifestyle changes before weaning off. I’ve been off them since 2019 and have not had another panic attack.

i do Need to say that I had An underlying health issue (Lyme disease) which we believe brought on the anxiety and panic attacks to being with. I had no prior history of these issues and then it came on full throttle in Nov of 2017 Out of no where.

hope you find the relief you need.
~ M ~

 

[House Cat]

All in all, last night went well. At one point, I did notice that for no reason, my asthma started kicking up just a little. I looked it up as a possible side effect and it was. The pharmacist warned me that my albuterol inhaler might not work as well on propranolol but said nothing about trouble breathing. The asthma side effect went away after a few minutes. I’ve decided that if I get covid, I will discontinue this medication right away.