Lawry

I was wondering if anyone had any experience with beta blockers. I quit alcohol some time ago. I used to use it partially to feel comfortable around people and I still get social phobia when speaking to people, especially in groups.

I was wondering if anyone here has experience of beta blockers as I've heard they can be used as and when and are non addictive.

thanks

Lawry

Hopefloats

Lawry, Beta blockers are used for CHF I do believe. I cannot imagine what would be addictive about them...but I could be way off here.
Hopefully someone will come along with more information.
Hopefloats

RovingStar

Hi Lawry

I take them for anxiety (propranolol). They work really well in my opinion. Basically they slow your heart rate and steady any shakiness you may feel. They are NOT addictive. My doc seemed only interested in giving me anti depressants which I won't touch and I had to suggest these to him. As far as I know you can take them as and when or, as I do, every day.

Definately worth a try.

Good luck.

j'ade d'arcy

Hey Lawry!

I just started taking beta blockers for hypertension. Also suffer from anxiety and doctor said that they would help with that as well. Double checked with him and the pharmasist and have been assured that they are not addictive.

Just started mine (atenolol) two weeks ago and so far so good, a little woozy and dizzy at times but that is supposed to pass eventually. Apparently the drug slows down the heart and also reduces adrenaline production. Seems to be working for me and my blood pressure is almost on the high end of normal for a change. Also noticed my temper is not flaring quite so much.

Don't know if that helps you at all....have you talked to your doc?

flipntime

Hey All,

First post, and for this thread I decided to join. I likewise used to drink & smoke to calm social anxiety, anger & fear. I have been on a beta blocker (Toprol XL) on and off since 2009 and it works beautifully. I was prescribed the drug, while still a regular drinker of wine, because of an irregular heart beat I've had since childhood that eventually resulted in an episode of atrial fibrillation (a non-life threatening cardiac arrhythmia). I find that the beta blocker works very well for helping me to relax and calm the adrenaline, so I am no longer as tempted to drink. Alcohol or caffeine can exacerbate the arrhythmia so I stopped drinking both.

I have to add that you must take the beta blocker on a regular schedule, daily, or it will cause anxiety and other symptoms such as tingling limbs. The side effects I've experienced while taking it daily have been some dry mouth, weird dreams at night, cold hands and feet, and a slight fog at times, or feeling not quite 'myself'. Minor side effects. I did ween off of it in two weeks, but after 5 months I had another episode of A-fib so... back on it.

Good night.

Bubovski

I agree with you re anti depressants.
Took propranolol for a while when doing
a little public speaking.
One of my better choices.

Taking5

Flipntime and Murchovski,

You may not have noticed, but this is a 7+ year old thread.

Threshold

Thread may be old but the issue is still relevant.

Beta blockers are still prescribed for anxiety and are a great alternative to tranquilizers. I used them for many months after a suicide attempt, and they helped a lot.

Fandy

They are prescribed for me by my doc. (Atenolol 25 mg. , am &pm). For HTN, along with a low sodium diet.
She also told me that certain beta blockers can exacerbate depression, which is why i am on a lower dose twice a day, but sometimes forget the pm dose.
Losing weight and controlling the salt ( read the labels), helps a lot along with daily walking.
All are good for stress.

tsukiko

I got prescribed beta blockers for a combination of things, as a sort of cure all. Worked great, but a year on, I would say (like anything) they ain't perfect.

I question what addiction is when thinking about beta blockers...

1# It ain't advised anyone stops them suddenly. My doctor is constantly stressing this to me when I say I want off them, yet I've been unsuccessful in my attempts to taper...no doubt, due to the way I think; i'm an all or nothing kinda' person, like most addicts or former addicts. When (last friday) I ran out of my script and called my doctor she overruled the receptionist who said my situation wasn't an emergency and thus I couldn't have an appointment for two weeks; my doctor considered it an 'emergency situation' and wrote a script within the hour. In the worst cases, sudden beta blocker withdrawal can cause death or ‘beta blocker withdrawal syndrome’.

2# Though I don't spend my days preoccupied by wanting to consume beta blockers to get high, my day is somewhat determined by needing to take them. Three times a day I take them. If I miss one the evidence manifests itself physically and psychologically. Within four hours of last taking one I know (without looking at the clock) I 'need' another. Then, that pill does preoccupy my thoughts until I can take it. If I don’t take it I begin to experience ‘beta blocker withdrawal syndrome’: I get palpitations, breathless, shake, sweat, my thoughts become disorganised, I fidget and my anxiety levels skyrocket. I also experience palpitations and headaches. I should point out I don’t take these pills for high blood pressure etc; my blood pressure is actually naturally very low, thus, I began on a real low dose at the start.

3# I have, at times, taken up to 4 times my prescribed dose in a day and my tolerance and dose over time have increased. I do enjoy the calm beta blockers provide and find myself wanting to use more to get the feeling they first gave me. At worst, due to having naturally low blood pressure and then taking high doses of beta blockers, I have accidently reduced my blood pressure to the point I’ve lost consciousness. My doctor still prescribes them because she can't, as a doctor, suddenly stop my prescription due to the associated dangers. Yet, while she prescribes them I take them without tapering because I’ve nothing (drug-based or otherwise) to replace them; hence, I've no idea how to do for myself what they do for me.

I feel stuck.

Sound like addiction? I've been wondering this too...but never found any written or reported evidence of them being addictive.

AB588

I took one for migraines for a long time-it also helped with some anxiety. As the above poster described, they do have "addictive" properties-or maybe that's just a personal, genetic thing. I could tell when I hadn't taken them, and going off them suddenly is not wise. I didn't know about stopping them suddenly, so for a few days I had really bad headaches which I suppose were a result. I decided to stop them when my migraines started coming back as opposed to upping my dosage.

fruitymarzipan

Hi there, I just joined this forum / website today, im coming off ridiculous levels of pain killers and benzo's...oxy etc. Im an RN & I used to be prescribed propanolol for migraines and it is also used frequently in the UK for anxiety etc. I have never heard of beta blockers being addictive tho, dont worry, iv just double checked with my husband (who is a Cardiologist) and he says although they will obviously slow ur heart rate down and are good if ur a manic person, being addicted is rare, there is no high or rush and/or abusing them is not an option, you dont build up resistance needing more and more like with pain meds or benzo's, If you took too many betablockers they would slow ur heart rate right down decrease your cardiac output and u would be dead or at least seriously ill. So as long as ur sticking to a prescribed dose you should be fine. x

fruitymarzipan

p.s dont suddenly come off them ..like the other person says ..cut down gradually, and take medical advice xx

tsukiko

Fruitymarzipan - not my experience. My doc has upped my dose, I did used to experience a calm from them I can no longer seem to get and I have taken over four times the dose stated as safe for my height, weight and blood pressure etc without experiencing any 'illness' - not that I would ever advocate doing this, or plan on doing it again. But then, I'm diagnosed manic depressive and one of the (several) reasons my doc prescribed beta blockers was due to my refusal to be medicated, so maybe that's the (or one of the) differences? Beta blockers slow me down without dragging me down, that much is true. They're a bit like sandpaper; they take the edge off.

360shoes

I take metoprolol but it was prescribed to me by a cardiologist for a-fib. It's a beta blocker and is also prescribed for lowering blood pressure along with slowing heart rate, adrenalin etc. I had bad anxiety and the drinking certainly didn't help so was having panic attacks that would put me in an a-fib. It's not a narcotic. At first I felt a little light headed but that's because I don't have high blood pressure and that adjusted.

I never thought about it helping me with detoxing. My cardiologist said it does help with anxiety. My psychiatrist gave it 2 thumbs up for me too for the anxiety. The cardiologist and the psychiatrist were enormous help to me with the anxiety and I haven't a-fibbed or had a panic attack since it all started and they got involved.

I always recommend medical advice and when I had it with the panic attacks and anxiety I said call in the big guns...cardiologist and psychiatrist..that's when I got the help I needed.

fruitymarzipan

Hi there, im in the Uk, im guessing that what my husband is advising me is regarding some not all beta blockers, there are so many different ones, plus he has just said every case is different and every persons body is different as we all know. Tsukiko for a manic depressive you would probs need whopping big doses so that makes sense! I have to say that also, when I sit and ask my husband his advise as a Cardiologist on whether or not beta blockers are addictive etc and he says no if you take too many they will kill you stone dead, there is an underlying motive in that he's trying to scare me coz he's probs thinkin 'good God shes gonna start on them next, iv only just got her off the oxy lol'!! He's probs answering me as a husband not a doctor! In all seriousness just be careful, heart meds are a whole different bag!