Beta blockers
 

Hi there all

Am looking for some advice. I have been a fairly heavy drinker for around ten years and have started to cut back, but have developed anxiety disorder (probably brought on by my heavy use!)

The doc has prescribed propranolol beta blockers for my bp and anxiety. I'm going to take the first one today but am still averaging a bottle of wine a night (this is down from a bottle of wine and a fifth of vodka a night) and want to double check peoples experience with them and alcohol.

Doctor did not say I should avoid it but panicking, hoping this will take the edge off my anxiety while I cut down further, have CBT counselling workshops starting in a few weeks too.

Being upfront and honest I guess I want to check I won't drop dead from 1 bottle of wine and 1 80mg slow release propanalol a day.

Hope your all doing well, best wishes

I would double check with doctor if I had doubts. If anxiety disorder gets too bad, maybe an inpatient detox situation may be best.

Hi helc,

I was in a similar situation a few years ago. I had increased anxiety after years of heavy drinking, and went on some medication. Despite the warning labels on the meds that say "do not drink alcohol while on this medication", I continued to drink. I bet your meds advise not to drink as well. But we alcoholics shrug that off, especially when drinking is the best temporary weapon against anxiety.

Of course, I was irresponsible and didn't take the meds as directed, and continued to drink...next thing you know I was in the hospital with seizures.

You should stop drinking, now. Get a plan together. Imagine if you could just stop the alcohol consumption, and finally get healthy? How great would that be? I am now 2 years sober, and taking my meds properly. I still have anxiety but dealing with this situation with a sober foundation is much more manageable. Why don't you give sobriety a try?

Hi all,

Thanks for the advice and some days I wish I was completely alcohol free but right now I'm okay with having a more healthy relationship with it,
I.e a few glasses of wine a night with my partner, not ideal but it has been a lot worse for me in the past.

I don't feel ready. I just don't. I have made such positive changes in the last 6 months but I'm not ready to stop altogether. Being honest.

My meds don't say that no being honest. Research I have done shows they may make them less effective but there is no dangerous interaction.

I just want some help while I work on myself and these are not like benzos, they will just give me room to breathe while I continue on my journey. I hope one day I can stop altogether but I'm not there yet.

Does anyone have any experience of alcohol and this drug?

Asking for or giving medical advice on the forum is not permitted here. Additionally, this is a sobriety forum - you won't likely find any advice on how to moderate your drinking, which is what you are currently doing - especially in combination with prescription drugs.

Okay, maybe the wrong place to ask for help. Sorry.

In your very first post to SR you wrote about wanting a healthy relationship with alcohol. That was two years ago. How's that relationship going?

My relationship with alcohol is still a struggle but I'm certainly in a much better place than 2 years ago.

I'm sorry I didn't realise asking for people's experiences when they were still drinking was frowned upon, genuinely. I can remove the question if someone can tell me how. I meant no harm just looking a bit of advice from someone who may of been in my position with this particular medicine. Apologies.

i would listen to your doctor. be careful with drinking and taking medicaiton.

No apologies required, it's definitely something you need to talk with your doctor about though. Is your doctor aware of the volume of alcohol you are consuming when you got the last prescription?

I have anxiety. Maybe I drank because of anxiety or maybe I am anxious because I drank.
I still have issues with anxiety 5 years sober. The thing is alcohol didn't help the anxiety.
It only made my life miserable. Anxiety is not a good reason to drink.
The real reason I drank was because it was hard to stop.

Helc if you can find yourself in this description you're welcome here:

I don't think there's many meds that work well with alcohol. I'd definitely speak to your Dr :)

D

Most of the anxiety meds will either be dangerous to mix with alcohol.

Or wont work with alcohol .

I took Beta Blockers ,and they worked good ,But was not drinking .

I think the best idea who to talk to a doctor.

Good luck

I took beta blockers for years to help with public speaking; they suppress your "fight or flight" response, and you feel calm - hands steady, voice OK - even if you're terrified or excited or angry or whatever. I drank a great deal after taking them without noticing that they combined with alcohol in any way. Their biggest contraindication is asthma, which I have, and have had pretty bad attacks when I've forgotten that I'd taken them and then exercised.