My Dr. is writing me a prescription for Beta Blockers for my anxiety, I havent heard of this before, is this something new? Has anyone else had sucess with them?
Lynn

My doc prescribed 12.5 mgs of Atenolol for this purpose last year and I got PAC's (Premature Atrial Contractions) while on it. They're harmless contractions of the heart but they were really annoying and my pulse was also in the low 40's. I guess my heart beat was slowed enough that my heart felt like it was trying to get an extra beat in there somwhere.
I'm no longer on Atenolol and the PAC's went away shortly thereafter.
You may react differently so it's worth a try.

I was put on the beta-blocker Atenolol a few months back, i really didn't take them enough to see if they helped, cause i was worried about taking a blood pressure medicine to treat anxiety. But YES they can help with ( what is IMO the WORST part of anxiety, the physical symptoms such as fast heart rate, blushing, the shakes) You just have to make sure your blood pressure isn't too high (i'm sure your doctor already checked) before taking them. Also, you have to be careful if you take them everyday then all of a sudden stop. Thats one of the reasons i'm glad i didn't keep taking them , cause as of right now i'm without my doctor who originally prescribed them for me since they dumped my plan a few weeks ago, and it's taking me a long time to find a new doctor and get a new insurance card issued.

Mine is Lopressor, and I take half a tablet twice a day, so far it had seemed to help with the constant panic attack feeling I was having, but it also does worry, concern me about using this type of med, and was just wondering how common this was.
Thanks
Lynn

i too was recently put on a beta-blocker for my panic, my heart rate was getting up there with the panic episodes, i too wonder about the meds,

I'm glad this was bumped up for 2 reasons. First i see that i accidentally put that you shouldn't take them if your blood pressure is TOO HIGH. Thats wrong and i should have put TOO LOW. Also after checking a few times i think my BP is kinda high anyway, so i am thinking i should see about beta blockers once again. I would just be worried about when i don't have anxiety and my BP and HR gets low what kind of an effect that will have. I thought they should only be taken when you think you will be having an anxious episode, but wouldn't that mean pretty much everyday for us sans the days when we lock ourselves in our rooms and don't leave for a day or two. But my doctor who really didn't know that much about anxiety medicine ( i told him about beta blockers after reading up on them from an anxiety forum) But he wanted me to take them at night which i thought was weird!! i don't care about my anxiety symptoms when i am laying in bed alone in the dark getting ready to sleep! and he also wanted me to take them every night. I'm glad i don't have him as my doctor anymore as far as anxiety problems are concerned!

I have been wondering about beta blockers.

My friend takes them when she flies. I have a rough time flying and valium really didnt help much last time. Do you guys think they will calm my SOB when taxying up the runway? as the valium dont anymore.