Misc Propranolol for anxiety?

[Zon]

I've recently been having a lot of anxiety issues lately, I believe partly because I've messed up my GABA system with alcohol and benzos. Anyway I am thinking to try using propranolol instead of benzos as it doesn't seem to effect GABA and was just wondering if there is anything I should know about it before I start? I've been looking online but there isn't too much on it.

As I can tell, it doesn't effect GABA and it isn't addictive which is the main thing. I know that you should avoid heavy drinking or taking benzos with it but what about interactions with other drugs (legal or illegal)? Or are there any other things I should be aware of before taking this?

Also if anyone has any other experiences with propranolol please feel free to share.

 

[CFC]

It's certainly worth trying. It works pretty well for some people; others less so.

Are you not doing this with your doctor's help?

 

[JacksinPA]

Did nothing for me.

 

[Zon]

It's certainly worth trying. It works pretty well for some people; others less so.

Are you not doing this with your doctor's help?

Am hoping so, although I generally do not trust doctors so like to do my own research. I'm pretty sure I damaged my brain with benzos, even though I was only taking really low doses a few times per week. So I want to make sure I don't make anything worse or cause myself any new problems.

 

[CFC]

The propranolol will be relatively easy to tolerate, though the effect will tend to diminish (the body produces more beta receptors to overcome the blocking effect).

Tbh you might find something with mixed alpha/beta blocking like labetolol better in the long run.

Or else maybe adding clonidine to the propranolol (or just taking the clonidine alone).

These are all options an open-minded GP should be able to handle, though don't forget many GPs don't really know that much about medicines, so you may need to see a specialist.

 

[Crankinit]

I found it very effective at helping with the physical symptoms of anxiety, but it does have a strong contraindication with stimulant drug like coke/amphetamines - taken together the propranolol will cause the high blood pressure from stimulants to go up even higher, instead of keeping it down like you might expect. Just a heads up.

 

[Rafayte]

I've recently been having a lot of anxiety issues lately, I believe partly because I've messed up my GABA system with alcohol and benzos. Anyway I am thinking to try using propranolol instead of benzos as it doesn't seem to effect GABA and was just wondering if there is anything I should know about it before I start? I've been looking online but there isn't too much on it.

As I can tell, it doesn't effect GABA and it isn't addictive which is the main thing. I know that you should avoid heavy drinking or taking benzos with it but what about interactions with other drugs (legal or illegal)? Or are there any other things I should be aware of before taking this?

Also if anyone has any other experiences with propranolol please feel free to share.

Propranolol does not relieve anxiety because isn't psychoactive. Propranolol only relieves the physical symptoms of anxiety such as tremor or fast heart beats but the anxiety is caused by a trouble in CNS. If you take propranolol with anxiety your body will be normal but psicologycally you will be with thinkings and mental state with anxiety, the extra activity in CNS does not stop, only will relieve the physical symptoms

 

[CFC]

^ not correct. Blocking beta-adrenergic receptors does have an inibitory effect on anxiety, though not as strongly as some other medications. If a person's already tolerant to strong GABAergic drugs, it obviously can't be expected to do that much though. But it's always worth trying.

 

[ChemicallyEnhanced]

I was prescribed Propranolol for anxiety several years ago. It has the weird effect of getting rid of all of the PHYSICAL symptoms of anxiety (shaking, rapid heart rate, sweating, nausea, etc) while doing nothing mentally. However, I often found taking away the physical symptoms would automatically reduce the psychological ones, too.

Btw, why Propranolol is not psychologically addictive, you WILL become physically dependent on it if you take it regularly.

 

[Lobsterbutch]

My experience with daily severe anxiety generally manifests in physical visible symptoms. The anxiety I feel will cause sweating and tremors, and when I get really shaky, I get really embarrassed because I think I look like a wreck, for example, bumping into an Ex with whom I had a messy relationship/breakup caused an anxiety "pang" which generated tremors. Once I noticed the tremors, I thought, "shit she sees I'm nervous", and my voice gets shaky and I shake. This continues to get worse, in a terrible feed back loop. I get nervous, which causes shaking, which makes me more nervous, which causes more shaky, and that continues until I'm out of the situation which then leads to feeling embarrassed.

When i CAN short circuit the physical reaction to anxiety, it stops my anxiety from utterly spiraling out of control. And that is a relief in itself. I find stopping the cycle to be completely vital and necessary for myself. Looking nervous makes me so embaressed, like I think "what is it about ringing at a cash register that makes this grown man so scared?" its bad.

Sometimes the anticipation of the physical menifestation of POSSIBLE anxiety is enough to trigger the panic anxiety spiral I experience. Physical Relief would be a godsend

 

[Exs95]

Works great for me even in small doses [10-40mg] it will only help with physical symptoms of anxiety