beta-blocker for anxiety?

miche31

Hi Will,
I take Inderal for my heart. I have a fast heart rate, and also SVT episodes(supraventricular tachycardia). I also have severe anxiety and panic disorder. Which came first, the heart or anxiety, who knows. Anyways, I take the Inderal 30mg times a day. That is a pretty low dose. You can go lower tho, but also much higher. What I will tell you is that it does NOT take away your anxiety. What is does ONLY is lower the bp and heart rate. I have anxiety every day still for which I am on Xanax but, if I don't take the Xanax, my heart rate is lowered from the Inderal, but Im still freaking out. She chose the Inderal because Inderal and Atenolol are beta blockers that block the adrenaline/epinephrine receptors that would affect that heart rate. So when I am having anxiety, the adrenaline or epinephrine starts to rise and make my heart go into my svt episodes, on the beta blocker, I still have the anxiety, but my heart does not go into the svt. It can still get a little tachy, like 110, but she said that is normal if I'm doing physical work. Is your resting HR 90-108? If it is when your moving around, that is pretty normal. Good luck, Michelle

JONO IN DARWIN

Beta blockers help the physical symptoms of anxiety (high heart rate, termor), but generaly dont help the feeling of anxiety it self.

willc

My resting heart rate is 90-108. I just had a stress test and then a stress-echo (sonogram). Heart doc says my heart is great. He says some people just have high heart rates. I have been through a battery of blood tests and everything is normal. Everything says I am healthy (a little out of shape though). I have to decide whether to see a psychiatrist to get xanax or find some other med to help with my constant anxiety. The only time I feel normal is when I take the xanax and that brings my heart rate down to the 80's (at rest). Don't know what to do. Thanks very much for the responses and I hope you all have the best of luck with your conditions. It's nice to know pwoplw care enough to respond to a total stranger. God Bless.[/B]

hamiltonkrewe

My former P-Doc prescribed me Propranolol (Inderal) it has a side effect of causing calmness. Some people even entertainers take it for stage fright, Many people say they work better then Benzos. I didn't think so. I thought they were fair.

You have to be very careful if you take them for a prolonged time. Stopping abruptly will cause major withdrawal symptoms possibly including a heart attack.

camjunkie

The beta-blocker should help you. Perhaps you could ask your doctor about ativan.