propranolol withdrawal - High & Low Blood Pressure Message Board

Aalewyn · 12-16-2007, 07:51 AM

Hey guys. I'm new here. I found this board by searching for information on withdrawal from propranolol. There was a very old thread on it. I looked to see if I could find a new one, so if I overlooked one I apologize.

Anywho.

I'm 22 years old, and have been on propranolol for almost a year now. I was placed on it for anxiety. At the time, I had pretty good blood pressure though my heart rate tended to stay a little on the high side. So it worked pretty well for me, though the dosage had to be increased more than I was comfortable with over time. I started out on 10mg a day and ended up on 120mg a day. I was taking three 40s a day. I ran out a little over a month ago, as I had moved and couldn't get a doctor to write me a new prescription. My old doctor wasn't being helpful either. Finally it got so bad that I wound up in the ER. My hr was 116 and my bp was 136/115. It was scary. The bp did go down while I was there, without medicine, but my resting hr stayed around 100.

THe doctor put me back on the med immediately, but he knocked it down to 40mg twice a day. Sooo I was on that for a month, doing well..and now here we go again. I ran out two days ago, and I just don't know what to do. I hate the thought of having to go back to the ER to get back on this medicine, especially since I dont' really want to be on it. I'm just feeling sooo terrible, and two different doctors also told me not to just quit it cold turkey.

I don't know what's going on with me, and I can't really get anyone to take it at all seriously. It's scary. I'm having headaches. They aren't severe, but they're bad enough to be bothersome. I feel lightheaded a lot, especially when I stand up. My resting heart rate stays bewtween 90 and 100. When I'm standing or walking, it shoots through the roof...hitting anywhere from 120-140, sometimes higher. I haven't been able to check my blood pressure, so I don't know where that's at. I'm having weird tingling in my chest/shoulder/arm sometimes.

I guess I'm just looking to see if anyone else has been through this. I don't know what to expect. I don't know what's normal and what's not, or when to be concerned.

flowergirl2day · 12-17-2007, 09:19 AM

Hi,

Quote:

I don't know what's going on with me, and I can't really get anyone to take it at all seriously. It's scary. I'm having headaches. They aren't severe, but they're bad enough to be bothersome. I feel lightheaded a lot, especially when I stand up. My resting heart rate stays bewtween 90 and 100. When I'm standing or walking, it shoots through the roof...hitting anywhere from 120-140, sometimes higher. I haven't been able to check my blood pressure, so I don't know where that's at. I'm having weird tingling in my chest/shoulder/arm sometimes.

I guess I'm just looking to see if anyone else has been through this. I don't know what to expect. I don't know what's normal and what's not, or when to be concerned.[/QUOTE]

Welcome!

Sorry to hear about your withdrawal problems.
I had a similar experience when withdrawing from Labetalol. I was on 800mg of this combination of an alpha and beta 2 blocker at the time.
My headache lasted six weeks, 24/7 and was severe. I was given nothing to relieve it. In addition to the tachycardia you mentioned, I also experienced palpitations and chest pain for a time after stopping this medication. Your blood pressure is most certainly high due to your present withdrawal symptoms.
I should have taken reduces doses of this medication over a much longer period of time. I was told to take 1/2 the dose- 400mg for a week then stop altogether.
I only have my withdrawal symptoms to compare yours to. They sound almost identical. I am glad you are under your doctors' supervision while undergoing the withdrawal. Unfortunately, that does not make it any easier. I'd say that that your withdrawal symptoms are normal in some people. When titrated properly, most people do not have these types of problems.
Because of your age I would urge you to get off this medication by whatever means necessary. Find other ways to treat your anxiety that do not include the use of medication-please!!!

Good luck to you!
flowergirl

Aalewyn · 12-17-2007, 05:13 PM

Today started out okay. I did pretty well until lunch time. Then, out of no where, my heart was racing, and I was falling apart. I managed to calm myself down though it took what seemed like years. It's four hours later, and my heart is still racing.

I worry that I'm not going to know when too much is too much. I've been having panic attacks for a while, so I guess I"m kind of used to them by now now matter how awful they are. Still, there's that nagging concern in the back of my mind...doctors have been very little help. I even had a doctor once attribute my misery over an abcessed tooth to being a panic attack. It's ridiculous!

Like I said, before I went on propranolol my bp was usually normal. Since I've been on it, it's really messed with me. My blood pressure would get slightly high when I was on it, and the couple of times I missed it or ran out before I could get a refill, it skyrocketed. I'm so angry with the doctor that put me on it. It's left me in a worse state than I was in before.

Anyway, thanks for the reply. It's nice to know that I'm not alone in all of this.

gib · 12-18-2007, 09:39 AM

Relax girl, YOU are your own worst enemy right now!

I've had bad anxiety in the past, with full blown panic attacks.

I have high blood pressure.

I've been on Propranolol in the past for both HBP and anxiety.

Propranolol is a beta-blocker that slows your heart down.

There were a couple of times I ran out and I did have a self induced panic attack since I *knew* it was going to happen.

Doctor gave me Xanax to assist with my anxiety, it is a narcotic, so I did not allow myself to use it regularly, only when I needed it. I still use it occasionally.

My anxiety was at it's worst roughly 10 years ago, I've come a long ways in coming to terms with it, managing it, anxiety doesn't bother me that much anymore.

Since then, I got off the Propranolol, armed with my Xanax, without too many problems. I certainly noticed an increased heart rate as I expected, but it wasn't that bad and I was able to keep the anxiety at bay.

Sounds like you need more help in dealing with your anxiety at this point...