Hate to bug all of you friends out there BUT depend on you so much for help/reassurance. As I told you my dr. put me on a beta blocker because of fast heart rate, started them on Tuesday, well felt AWFUL on Wednesday, dizzy, eyes goofy, headache so stopped by the drs. office to have BP checked thinking it was LOW (mine runs low normally), well it was HIGH so nurse told me to stop the pills until she talked to my dr...didn't hear at all yesterday so called her myself late in afternoon and she said that all my symptoms were from the high bp and to keep taking verpamil sr(beta blocker)..well today have done fairly well, some dizziness if I move to quick but have had some pressure in my chest too, vision goofy (been on computer all day here at work tho)..How in the heck do you know what's side effects or something else ? Get so tired of it, just wanna feel better NOW..Thanks you guys for any help.:dizzy:

Well since it's a beta blocker, it's probably the drug. BBs have a lot of annoying side effects.

I don't know much about BB's, but I have taken many different types of antidepressants all of which caused major side effects including anxiety in many different forms, so it is really difficult to tell the difference. In fact, it is probably impossible. A good rule of thumb that I used is take the medicine for 2 weeks and see how you feel after 2 weeks. If you are feeling worse than when you started then the meds are probably not for you. I am sure someone will argue that some meds take weeks to work fully, but I argue, that if within two weeks you aren't back to the same level of anxiety you had before the pill, then stop there and move on to a new one.

I never did find an anidepressant that worked and still remain on 2 mg of Xanax per day for anxiety. It has virtually no side effects, but I do have some rebound anxiety every once and awhile. Nothin compared to how I felt before the meds. I would go through cycles where I would be really anxious for months and then break down and cry because I couldn't take it anymore. Feel better for a day and then repeat the cycle over again. It was no way to live. Anyway, everyone is different, but I would suggest you at least take a Benzo to get you through your first two weeks of any new drug. Especially SSRI's and from the previos post maybe BB's as well. Could help. Then stop the Benzo if you are worried about addiction.

Good luck.

Hey, thanks you guys for taking the time to respond. It is Saturday afternoon, feel like total crap ! Slept pretty well last night which is unusual but got up dealing again with the dizziness, almost out of body feeling, feel like my heart is pounding and at times short of breath (not walking too far either). Put up x-mas tree, cleaned house, fixed lunch and I am shot. In the back of my mind I'm thinking my dr. is really, really missing the boat on what's up with me. KNOW I suffer from anxiety and take zanex when needed but if the beta blocker is supposed to slow down the heart rate I don't think/feel it's working (taken 3 as of last night). I am 30 min. from any health care and am now FREAKING out. Saying prayers and trying to calm myself down but just fricking scared. I HATE PILLS ! Hate all the side effects (which is what I think I'm feeling)..Sorry for sounding like such a baby, lord all I want is answers and to feel better, don't know what to do at this point. If I lived in a bigger place I would get myself to an ER and have them check me out while I'm feeling this way. Oh I need to go calm myself down..Thanks so much for putting up with me, you are the best.