Misc Propranolol / Beta Blockers for Anxiety Permanant Result?

[SpecialK_]

Alright, basically got prescribed 80mg of these daily for anxiety and to go alongside them I decided to just go completely stone cold sober. Apart from Saturday where I drank 2l of cider and smoked a few draws of a spliff (originally I was a daily toker) I've been sober for 7 days basically. Baring in mind I am quite a heavy drug user of a variety of substances, mainly Speed/Cocaine/MDMA/Weed/Alcohol and usually, but as of late it's been the odd time classic psychedelics mostly LSD. I also went through 100 valium prior to this in a binging sense alongside these drugs, this lead to me thinking people were messing me about so I knew a break was in order, self destructive so to speak.

I'm starting to wonder though if these are even cutting it, I still feel pretty shit to be honest. But my main question is how do these things work, is it expected that once I finish my course of beta blockers my anxiety will disappear for good? Or am I supposed to take these things every day for the rest of my life, as in they are necessary to be taken that day to help the anxiety.

Reason being, I'm staying off grass at the minute which was a pretty good anti-depressant for me, but I was just making sure that it wasn't the weed itself making me anxious. But to be honest, if once I go off these script of beta blockers I'm gonah go back to anxiety or if I'm gonah have to take them for the rest of my life I honestly cannot be fucked and would much rather choose grass.

I'm beginning to wonder if these are also the correct thing for me, but the issue is I also don't want benzos because I don't want to become dependant on them, but essentially with the way I'm seeing these beta blockers I'm dependent on them if I have to take them everyday.

Does anyone have experience with this or can shed some light? It's a head fry in itself trying to suss this out. Head is frying like an egg and I have grass here I could easily smoke but I don't know if that's going to be like a reset button on this. But if it's possible that I'll finish this script of beta blockers (must be a week or two left) it'll mean my anxiety will be permanently eased, like when I take them then I'm willing to stay sober for the rest of this script.

Also note, I'm aware that I cannot take the uppers that I was taking while taking Propranolol as it is heart medication and don't intend to. Also, I get the feeling that these things don't last all day, so I've been timing them so that I take them when I go out rather than a set time each day. Is this the correct way to do it? Should I consider asking if I could have my dose doubled so I have another to take later in the day?

 

[alovesupreme]

propranolol won't "permanently cure" anxiety. like benzodiazepines, once you stop taking them, the effects wear off (although the two classes of drugs have different methods of action). like benzos, beta blockers, when prescribed for this indication, are typically intended for "spot control" in the sense that you'd take them e.g. when having a panic attack or previous to doing something that may induce panic or anxiety (e.g. public speaking). the only real permanent "cure" for anxiety is to get inside your own psychology and overcome the underlying issues...

 

[pasha]

Unfortunately there is no medicinal cure for anxiety. Beta-blockers are effective for the physical symptoms of anxiety eg. increased heart rate/adrenaline.

The positives are that if your anxiety is mostly physical which is rarely the case, then these may be of some service to you. Clinical studies show that they have some efficacy for panic disorder/panic attack syndrome since panic attacks are a tick in the fight-flight response which triggers adrenaline, some forms of performance anxiety, and social anxiety/social phobia.

The negatives would be that since beta-blockers block adrenaline, a hormone responsible for regulating depression they can worsen depression. I also posted a link to a clinical study in a thread with a similar question regarding beta-blockers interfering with the secretion of melatonin, the hormone responsible for sleep and regulating circadian rhythms. Beta-blockers also dramatically increase the chance of the user getting diabetes, causing them to fall down the pecking order from first line treatment for hypertension in many nations to as low as fourth.

Personally I've found them of no use as I've tried atenolol and propranolol. Don't be discouraged though and give them a chance as you've made the right choice by abstaining from drugs and choosing a non-addictive route towards treating your anxiety.

 

[SpecialK_]

Thanks for the advice so far all, unfortunately it's the truth I expected but wasn't looking forward to. But I've given myself 7 days of sobriety (bar the above) after being on these for 2 weeks or so, so I'm going to try and ride it out tonight even. Probably see how I am with a few friends tomorrow and see their opinion too on the situation and if they've noticed a change in behavior etc. Would just love to smoke a pipe right now as I know it would chill me out, but I have never ever stopped in my years of toking so have no idea if it's a source of anxiety in itself and I sort've feel it's too early to tell.

 

[pasha]

If by pipe you mean amphetamine or even marijuana, then the amphetamine is a definite culprit and the marijuana maybe as well, depending on the strain. Be warned though, amphetamines are contraindicated in those taking beta-blockers so be careful. If you do choose to use any stimulant again make sure you don't take the propranolol on the day.

 

[laCster]

7 days is not nearly enough time to reap the benefits of sobriety. You are going to feel like shit for the first month or so of sobriety, then shit usually gets better.

Like others haev said, propanolol is not permanent, and usually deals witht the physical aspects of anxiety

 

[SpecialK_]

If by pipe you mean amphetamine or even marijuana, then the amphetamine is a definite culprit and the marijuana maybe as well, depending on the strain. Be warned though, amphetamines are contraindicated in those taking beta-blockers so be careful. If you do choose to use any stimulant again make sure you don't take the propranolol on the day.

Pipe as in a pipe for smoking grass. Although speed = amphetamine which I do use above. I understand completely the comedowns etc were having a big impact hence my reason for taking a break. But weed doesn't give me a comedown, but I've never ever taken a break in all my time in smoking so I've no real awareness if it's having a negative impact on me. I've smoked since I was 14 and had these strong feelings of anxiety/depression to myself, noticeably, since about 13-14, however I'm fairly sure it's been for a longer period of my life and I was just simply aware that the feelings weren't normal when reflecting back on certain thoughts/memories of being much younger than that. I've never had a panic attack from grass, but I have gotten more paranoid/anxious of situations while on it - but at the same time I'm stoned like, much the same as someone gets a headfuck on acid.

7 days is not nearly enough time to reap the benefits of sobriety. You are going to feel like shit for the first month or so of sobriety, then shit usually gets better.

Like others haev said, propanolol is not permanent, and usually deals witht the physical aspects of anxiety

I don't plan to be sober permanently though. I decided to go sober as I wanted to see if these Propanolol would help my anxiety and just to give the head a rest after going a bit self destructive in recent months. Also it's heart medication and I'm not fucking with uppers while this is already doing things. However the issues I'm having are the same as those I've been having for years, this is just the first time I decided that my recreational drug use couldn't cover it any more and I needed to go see someone. Also unfortunately it seems that Propanolol isn't going to do what I hoped it would, because it doesn't have a permanent effect.

I'd love if there'd be something I'd take a script of for a month or two and it would balance me out as such, unfortunately there isn't. Maybe I should be considering other routes other than drugs, but also after this moderating my recreational usage much more.

Also, I've 7 of these left, I should be considering getting another appointment shouldn't I? Is it alright to be taking heart medication every day for a month then just stop? I wouldn't take these long-term after this script, because I'm going to go back to taking drugs, however I wouldn't mind having a few just to have on me provided I get anxious or something. Benzos would be better for this, but I don't want dependency. To be honest drugs are the things that make me the happiest and least anxious or depressed, but that shouldn't be the way things are in my opinion so I decided to give this break a try.

 

[pasha]

As with any other medication, tapering is always the best route. Using a beta-blocker for a month isn't a long enough time for you to experience rebound hypertension if you were to run out. Irregardless, use what you have to taper just to be on the safe side and make a new appointment if you wish to continue using them.