Safe to take Inderal?

[lea14]

My doctor prescribed 20mg of Inderal daily for a public speaking phobia and anxiety.  When I take it, I find that it's slightly more difficult to breathe and that I have an itchy feeling in my chest w/ a minor dry cough.  I have always had mild asthma, though for the last several years, it has been extremely well controlled.  I have only used albuterol once in the past 3-4 years.  I've never visited a hospital for an asthma attack.  I'm wondering if it's safe for me to take Inderal given its propensity to exacerbate asthma and whether my asthma would worsen while taking it?  I don't want to give it up b/c it's so effective in treating the previously mentioned conditions.  We had a plan for me to take it temporarily until I could engage in some exposure therapy to overcome my fears.  What to do??  My doc said to keep taking it, that my symptoms were probably just anxiety, but I assured her that I really thought it was the medicine, so she said to stop taking it for peace of mind.  Problem is that without it, I have no peace of mind.

[ChitChatNine]

Hi and welcome ... I'm not a dr so cannot give you advice other than from experience, etc.  Will your Dr let you cut the pill in half and try it again?  Sometimes anxiety can cause symptoms like that I think and also I do believe meds can do things too if even on a low level as you describe.  Just a few thoughts.

Welcome to our Community!

C~

[halbashes]

Since Inderal is a Beta Blocker, perhaps you could ask your doctor if there happens to be a Cardioselective Beta Blocker that would work in place of the Inderal.  A Cardioselective Beta Blocker will be somewhat less likely to interfere with your Asthma.