Misc Propranolol and depression

[Red Moon]

I was recently prescribed 10mg of propranolol three times a day. Very small dose, and it doesn't seem to be having any of the effects it's supposed to. No prevention of my out of control upright tachycardia, and not even any anxiety relief. Despite that, I've been way more depressed than usual since I started the script. I can't tell if the depression is from the med or if it's just hopelessness at the whole medical situation that has caused me to have to take the propranolol in the first place. I've googled this a bit and it seems there might be a connection between propranolol and depression, but it looked like the studies were very uncertain overall because others found it actually lowered depression. Very mixed studies.

So what I want to know is if anyone here has experienced increased depression on this beta blocker, what kind of dose you were on, and if it went away with time or doseage changes or anything else?

 

[Slow_Mobius]

Beta blockers make me lethargic which is a symptom of depression. It's probably making you lethargic as well, and that could be exacerbating other issues that are causing you to feel depressed

 

[keeping]

beta blockers are for stage fright or anxiety, they're not really to be used on their own for depression. in conjunction with an ssri or something yeah but alone they're pretty useless.

oh and googling your symptoms is a great way to get more paranoid about them

 

[zebedee79]

Yeah I've been prescribed propranolol for anxiety, won't help.depression but never heard of it making symptoms worse. Prob should ask your doc for a antidepressant to go with it if your symptoms are bad. Only go down that route if symptoms are bad though, antidepressants can be a blessing or a curse, so dealing with your problems without meds is best, but sometimes things aren't that easy unfortunately.

 

[AnythingEverything]

I'm prescribed it for anxiety but I find its really for acute anxiety / panic attacks (it does work in those cases at higher doses.). I'm prescribed 40mg a day (4x10mg) but I take at least 40mg in a dose for it to actually work. And I did tell my dr that.

I've never heard of it causing depression but I'm always depressed so who knows. I would check with your dr

 

[Tranced]

beta blockers are for stage fright or anxiety, they're not really to be used on their own for depression. in conjunction with an ssri or something yeah but alone they're pretty useless.

oh and googling your symptoms is a great way to get more paranoid about them

I think they're taking it for anxiety, depression is just the (possible) side effect.

Your dose sounds abnormally low? I'm no GP but I always thought 40mg once perday was roughly the standard. Maybe look into that.

I am prescribed propranolol, although I rarely take it. I had been taking it more recently though, and noticing that I maybe felt a link with depression afterwards/the next day, so I stopped. The effect on anxiety isn't very powerful anyway IME. It can help reduce physical anxiety symptoms, but only so much.

 

[CFC]

So what I want to know is if anyone here has experienced increased depression on this beta blocker, what kind of dose you were on, and if it went away with time or doseage changes or anything else?

Propranolol tends to dampen down some of the symptoms of depression but rarely causes it.

The dose you're on is rather low for anxiety, but pretty typical for POTS - so it could be your GP is focusing on the tachycardia moreso.

 

[Red Moon]

Yeah, I'm taking it for POTS. My doctor did tell me it might help with my anxiety too, so that's why I mentioned that.

Thanks for all the responses.

 

[Mmp85]

I don't take it but I've gone through a lot of med changes in general and I've learned if something doesn't work or makes you feel worse tell your doctor and there are always other options even though the process of finding the right solution is a real pain in the ass it's worth it when you find something that makes you feel better.

 

[isaaccain]

Pretty much all antidepressants make you depressed at the start, it lasts somewhere between 2 and 8 weeks, and it's hard to get over I agree. I don't know how long you've been taking it but it won't do anything until it's gotten into your system. My dad takes it for shaking (diabetes) and I don't remember when he started because I was probably about 5 but if you really hate it that much you could try an atypical antispychotic or something like thorazine or seroquel or something, I was offered both and also risperidone but I didn't want that shit in my life because they just kinda make you dead, like you know how Jesus is always played in movies he just speaks like really slow and calm and talks shit like he's high? Like that. You could try an SSRI if you want but they make you depressed too.

 

[Slow_Mobius]

Pretty much all antidepressants make you depressed at the start, it lasts somewhere between 2 and 8 weeks, and it's hard to get over I agree. I don't know how long you've been taking it but it won't do anything until it's gotten into your system. My dad takes it for shaking (diabetes) and I don't remember when he started because I was probably about 5 but if you really hate it that much you could try an atypical antispychotic or something like thorazine or seroquel or something, I was offered both and also risperidone but I didn't want that shit in my life because they just kinda make you dead, like you know how Jesus is always played in movies he just speaks like really slow and calm and talks shit like he's high? Like that. You could try an SSRI if you want but they make you depressed too.

Propanolol and other beta-blockers work right away. It doesn't work like SSRI anti-depressants. It would also probably only work for depression that's related to anxiety.

Like I said before, it's might be exacerbating your symptoms. It's unlikely that it's causing depression, but it could certainly make depression worse or more noticeable.