Beta Blocker

Anyone have any experience with beta blockers to curb anxiety?  My cardiologist apparently recommended them to my family doctor in my case.  I know I definitely don't want to try any more SSRIs and I feel like I'm making some good progress without any medication at all, just with counseling and reading.  But, maybe if a beta blocker would help with the generalized day-in/day-out  24/7 anxiety I should try it.  Just seeing if anyone has any experience with beta blockers. I am doing great battling the full-blown panic attacks but I still have constant anxiety.

Oh, and I'm not sure which beta blocker my doctor sent in a prescription for.

Thanks!

[loraeliz]

I have had unfortunate experiences with beta blockers... they actually may my heart beats and skips, flip flops etx WORSE...my doctor put me on a calcium channel blocker and that worked wonderfully.  I know when one takes an SSRI containing norepinephrine agent it can make the anxiety worsen...such as Zoloft, Prozac, Paxil etc...I take Lexapro and that seems to be the only one that works for me regarding additional anxiety.

[urdacrazy1]

I've had the opposite of that. I've been on beta blockers for palps for years. And they work  just fine for me. Now I take them as needed. And it pretty much helps my anxiety pretty well. It really helps with those "jitters". The trick is trying to take them about half an hour before you're in a situation thats gonna cause anxiety for you. If you take it while your full blown anxious or panicky then It'll take a while to kick in. Do you know if he's prescribing it as needed or on a daily dose? Let me know.

Good luck.

FYI, the one I take is Inderal aka propranolol.

[amish1979]

It will be a daily, low-dose treatment as far as I know.  I'm just concerned.  I would have prefered Klonopin, don't ask me why. I'm just really nervous about taking a beta blocker, so much so that I'll probably have a full-blown panic attack as soon as I pop one in my mouth.

[kobers]

My doctor gave me the choice of either a beta blocker or zoloft and I chose the Zoloft only because i have taken it before and it has helped in the past.  I too was very nervous about the beta blocker, I actually filled the rx and got scared after reading the side effects and stuff.  But you have to keep in mind that your doctor wouldnt have given it to you unless he thought it would help.  Good luck

[amish1979]

I feel so stupid.  I have no problem dispensing advice on this forum but I can't even take my own advice when it pertains to my personal situation!

[iamfaithful]

I am on metoprolol 25 mg and have been on it since May of 07.  It has worked well for me but I must admit that I don't like taking them just because they are meds.....I don't like taking meds, especially not everyday.  Anyway, sometimes it makes me very lethargic, but that usually goes away in a few hours.  I am hoping to be weaned off of them in the next month or so.  Now in the beginning I didn't too much care for them, I FELT like they were making my palps worse, but in acutality they slowed my hr down so I could feel the palps more, or was that in my mind, I honestly don't know???  A lot of times I think the aversion to taking the meds makes us have symptoms...you know what I mean?  Anyway, I hope they work for you.  Are you taking them for skps or for fast hr?

[amish1979]

It's mainly for an elevated HR.  When it gets going it really gets going.  It's actually pretty low when I'm at rest so I'm a little concerned with brachycardia (sp?).  I had a holter monitor last month that showed a few palps but nothing too out of the ordinary, mainly just a racing heartbeat.  Of course, it didn't help that I was wearing the holter the night my wife went into labor. LOL

[iamfaithful]

Well I am glad that you aren't really experiencing any skips-those are the worst.  Of course I am not trying to make light of the tachychardia......been there done that and it's no fun either!  I think your hr has to be pretty slow to be classified as having brachycardia.  The beta blocker will definately help with the fast hear rate.  

[urdacrazy1]

Yeah it definitely will help with the hr. I don't think you have to worry about brachycardia. Especially if its a low dose.
Hey, and about having the holter when your wife went into labor...
What's better than to have your heart monitored when under stress??!! If they didnt find anything wrong under such a stressful situation like experiencing the birth of a child then I think that should put anybody's mind at ease. Good for you!!