Propranolol.

[[Ra...]]

Hey all

 

Question. I have been doing better and better. I Can see all this is lifting. Still not easy but continual growth and healing. I’m almost through 18 mos.

I stopped propranolol. I was at 60 mg. I

Went down to 40 for 6 weeks. Then 20 milligrams for a month. I stopped on Monday. I am an absolute mess. Horrible dizziness, sick as hell feel like the world is coming to an end. Very much like acute. This journey has been so difficult. I didn’t need this. It’s a feeling of that you cant live like this. It has to be the propanol. I started taking it again today. Just feel so

Bad i

Can’t handle it. Anyone go through This with this drug?

 

Ranch

[[Up...]]

Propranolol will mask some sx in some people.  It is the med used to treat  akathisia sometimes.  I don’t know of a withdrawal from it.

[[de...]]

Beta blockers can create anxiety/panic in their own right.  Also a withdrawal syndrome attached. 

 

I've had problems with metoprolol, which yes, reduces bp, but still create anxiety/panic in me, and others not going through benzo WD.

 

I'm trying to find one that does not cross blood brain barrier.  Seeing doctor on Tuesday.

 

I think you are suffering withdrawal from Propranolol.  Maybe you reduced too rapidly? 

 

Tell your doctor. 

 

Did you feel better after you took one?

[[Ra...]]

Deadwood

 

I don’t feel better. I feel worse than I have in a long time. Very scary to me.

[[ty...]]

I started on 60 mg of propranolol a year ago. I’m down to 10mg. Haven’t felt any withdrawal……I took it for akathisia. I went down to 40 about 6 months ago….then a couple months ago I started reducing by 5 mg. I’ve heard many people on this including christy Huff and Jenn Leigh……neither had withdrawals from it. It’s also noted in the Ashton manual. I have never heard of withdrawal other than maybe increased anxiety and heart rate.

[[Ra...]]

Tyson

I think that is where I made the mistake. I quit taking it at 20 mg. I’m

Goi g to

Taper know by 5 mg. This has been horrendous.

[[ty...]]

I’m at 10mg…….my plan is to wait a couple more weeks and then start cutting 2.5mg at a time…..and hope the akathisia doesn’t return.

[[Ar...]]

I love the stuff!

[[ty...]]

Why do you love you? Can you explain your experience with it……thanks

[[Ar...]]

I love propanol because it slows down my constantly racing heart and eases the physical symptoms of anxiety.  For that reason I am in no hurry to get off the stuff.

[[Ph...]]

I’m on Atenolol at 50mg/day. i think is very similar to propranolol.  I was always borderline high blood pressure anyway. But i think it has definitely helped through my benzo taper so far.  I’ll probably just stay on it long after benzo taper completion. Unless my blood pressure drastically reduces post taper.

[[Fa...]]

Hi Ranchman,

 

Propranolol does require tapering off very slowly.  Like all cases, some can come off easily.  Some cannot.

 

It certainly does mask symptoms during withdrawal for many.  I started taking for AKA.  I know I will have to taper slowly when I am done this taper as I forgot to take a dose one evening, and I went into a panic attack.  When I remembered that I had forgotten to take it, I took it and all calmed down.  But, that was at my regular dose...not during trying to taper it.

 

I does sound like the quick reduction has left you with these symptoms.  I think that reducing slower and over a longer time will be the way to move forward to alleviate this reaction.  I understand exactly what you are experiencing, and I believe you are on point with what has triggered this.  The good thing...it's not a benzo, and coming up with a new taper schedule to move you off of this will solve this problem for you.

 

Warmly,

F

 

 

[[ty...]]

Do you think when you forgot to take it your aka just came back? Maybe not a panic attack. I’m down to 10mg from 60…..worst is idk if the aka will come back once I’m off the propranolol…….it terrifies me every day.

[[Fa...]]

Do you think when you forgot to take it your aka just came back? Maybe not a panic attack. I’m down to 10mg from 60…..worst is idk if the aka will come back once I’m off the propranolol…….it terrifies me every day.

 

No.  When I forgot to take it, it was full blown panic, racing heart.  My AKA never went away by taking the Propranolol...it just took the edge off.  It was acute anxiety that hit me.  And, many are placed on this for anxiety/panic.

 

If your AKA went away completely while on it, then it worked really well for you.  I would just gently taper the remaining amount, if it were me.

 

I wish you only the best.

 

Warmly,

F 

[[ty...]]

DO YOU THINK PROPRANOLOL HAS ANY AFFECT ON RECOVERY/HEALING? IM ALWAYS WORRIED THAT IT IS HOLDING ME BACK............EVERY TIME A SYMPTOM GOES AWAY IT ALWAYS JUST COMES BACK IN WEEKS OR MONTHS..........JUST AWFUL.....NOTHING EVER JUST GOES............HOW LONG DID YOUR AKA LAST?

[[Fa...]]

DO YOU THINK PROPRANOLOL HAS ANY AFFECT ON RECOVERY/HEALING? IM ALWAYS WORRIED THAT IT IS HOLDING ME BACK............EVERY TIME A SYMPTOM GOES AWAY IT ALWAYS JUST COMES BACK IN WEEKS OR MONTHS..........JUST AWFUL.....NOTHING EVER JUST GOES............HOW LONG DID YOUR AKA LAST?

 

Hi Tyson,

 

In my opinion, and with any knowledge I have acquired over this time, I have heard nothing that would indicate that it will interfere with healing.  I'm sure many would say the same.  No different than healing occurring from a benzo while on an AD.  You will heal and are healing.

 

I still have AKA.  Right now, the severity has decreased.  I have had it for a year now.

 

Tyson, I looked at your signature.  I see you came off your benzo and your AD within a fairly short period of time and quite quickly.  Have you given any thought to your actually healing still from not one, but two medications/drugs?  I know you are going through recovery, and symptoms do go away only to resurface again.  As you know, healing is non-linear, and what you are experiencing is normal...terrible, but unfortunately normal.  And, with the passing of time, symptoms and their resurgence will become less and less.

 

May I ask if you are choosing to come off the Propranolol right now because you are afraid of it hindering your healing?  It is, as you know, a beta blocker.  It is not a psych med.  It is not affecting your gaba receptors.  Your gaba receptors are in the process of healing.  You are, also, in the process of healing from your AD.

 

I know you are panicked about this.  Have you given thought to staying on the Propranolol longer...just staying where you are until you see some improvement and you are able to calm some, and then resume your taper?  I can only say what I will be doing when the time comes...and, I do know that I will be waiting a good while before I taper my Propranolol when I am through this taper, and it will be slow.

 

I know how incredibly difficult this is...but, your body is healing.  The Propranolol will not interfere with its healing process.  You are experiencing the healing process in all its messiness and ups and downs.  Be grateful you have them out of your system, and the real healing is taking place...because it is!

 

Warmly,

F   

 

[[ty...]]

Faith,

 

Thank you for the reply, it makes me feel better. I am trying to get off prop cause i am just out on all meds and am paranoid that its doing me harm........I also would like to know if the aka is still there. I feel like its weighing over my head every day......I have also hear that prop can cause insomnia and tinnitus, which I have both.......it would be nice to know that whatever is happening to my body isn't caused by a foreign substance.

 

 

 

[[Fa...]]

Hi Tyson,

 

I understand what you are expressing.  If you would like to continue with the taper of it, you may want to just slow it down to see if it makes a difference.  But, ultimately, it is of course up to you.  Whatever makes you feel most comfortable.  I am no stranger to fear and terror during this, and I know how much my symptoms can become exacerbated by it.  So, whatever you need to do to alleviate that fear is what you need to do.  Just talking about it can help.

 

I'm glad you feel a bit better now.

 

Warmly,

F

[[Es...]]

Hey all

 

Question. I have been doing better and better. I Can see all this is lifting. Still not easy but continual growth and healing. I’m almost through 18 mos.

I stopped propranolol. I was at 60 mg. I

Went down to 40 for 6 weeks. Then 20 milligrams for a month. I stopped on Monday. I am an absolute mess. Horrible dizziness, sick as hell feel like the world is coming to an end. Very much like acute. This journey has been so difficult. I didn’t need this. It’s a feeling of that you cant live like this. It has to be the propanol. I started taking it again today. Just feel so

Bad i

Can’t handle it. Anyone go through This with this drug?

 

Ranch

 

Propanolol is the only beta-blocker also having anti-anxiety properties. Even in very small doses. Often prescribed for BZD WD. The drawback is its short half-life of 8 hrs. So dosing twice a day is necessary.

[[mi...]]

I was given Propranolol in the hospital almost two years ago to help with akathisia and an overactive parasympathetic nervous system after a nasty reaction to Flagyl. The first dose instantly made me feel normal. It was insane. The next day it made me feel depressed. This was 10mg, so they slowly upped me to 60mg where I stayed for 2 months. I was starting to get a toxic chemical feeling and my brain would burn so bad, I went for a short bike ride and descended into a week of psychotic, toxic, hallucinating fog that was a trip I can't even describe. I just had an intuition that my body wasn't tolerating it. I'm also on low dose K but that never seemed to do this to me. I also was getting these insane jerks in my legs where i'd be on the couch and my entire leg would load up with electricity and then explode and my legs would shoot out. It felt like Propranolol masked what I was feeling but instead of making it go away, it kept it trapped inside. Felt like I was having a panic attack that couldn't manifest. Like restless legs in a straight jacket. Made aka way worse. So I tapered to 40mg, and felt immediate relief which lasted a week, then withdrawal started, which was not fun but not the worst thing I've endured. Then I started feeling lousy again so I cut again, and had similar improvement for a week, but withdrawal was bad again. Felt like someone was inflating my body with air in every vain and free space, felt like the most intense internal pressure, but no mental symptoms at all, so I could be in a totally calm mental state but my body felt like it was exploding. My BP went up a tad, heart rate just a little, just mainly a very uncomfortable feeling. The only thing that would help was a hot shower. Seemed to calm it down. Anyway, I tried cutting at various times and doses and increments, and what I found was anything less than 5-6 weeks had horrendous symptoms that made me feel like i was dying, but if I waited 5-6 weeks, the cut was very manageable even with those side effects. Even one week sooner than that schedule and it was bad. When I'd make a bad cut it would take a few days of updosing to feel normal again. Once I got to 10mg, I think I went to 5mg, and then cut. So something like 60, 40, 30, 20, 15, 10, 5. Took me a little over 6 months and then I was off. Not fun but nothing catastrophic if done right and I was living life normally most of the time. NOTHING like K tapering. Just space out the cuts and stay consistent. Once off, I felt a little up and down for a month maybe two, then felt fine. It really messed me up badly being on it, coming off made my world feel so much better. Sucks I had withdrawals, others I've known haven't, but my body is just that way. Hope this helps.