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Beta/alpha Blockers Experiences

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Gamereign555

MyPTSD Pro
After doing a little research and talking to my doctor, I am seriously considering one of these types of drugs to help combat my nighttime anxiety/panic and symptoms that make sleep difficult. I have the usual benzos to help and everything and am already on an antidepressant. But I would prefer to not have to commit to taking something like valium or xanax every night.

It is not always as simple as taking something to knock me out, symptoms from the anxiety/panic actually prevent sleep sometimes.

I'm looking for your experiences or opinions about these classes of drugs. How did they help with your anxiety symptoms, do they hold up in a panic attack? Did they help you with things like heart-pounding/heartbeat awareness, tightness with chest that causes pain and breathing discomfort or hyperventilation? Did they drugs have a sedative effect?

I'm also interested in any side effects, reactions, after effects or problems one may have run into taking these drugs. Rebound effects, sleep disturbances, increase in the symptoms you were trying to prevent, ect.

These drugs are used in much higher doses (200mg+ doses) to treat blood pressure issues, but I am more so looking for the smaller dose range used to treat anxiety symptoms however.

Fact is probably as soon as my next appointment I will bring it up with my doctor again and will possibly be getting one of these drugs but there are many of them to choose from, I am leaning towards something like propranolol (not a beta/alpha blocker but a antihypertensive), prazosin or atenolol.

I am a little paranoid about these types of drugs which is why I am asking the community what they think about them.
 
I have a script for Atenolol, that is mainly to calm my heart as I have an irregular heartbeat (triple beat).

The thing is that it only acts up in the summer when it's hot so I only take atenolol in the summertime. I don't need it the rest of the year.

The UK has actually downgraded the use of atenolol due to a link with diabetes. Another reason why I don't take it all the time.

I tried propranolol but I'm allergic to it. Propranolol requires multiple dosing during the day, but atenolol you only have to take once.
 
Yeah i haven't decided or not on taking it yet, I told my therapist and she wasn't too freaked out about it so maybe there not as unsafe as I thought they might be.
 
On rare occasions I've taken .1 mg clonidine sometimes .2 mg I don't like to take it because it has a rebound effect however if I took it all the time maybe it wouldn't be a problem. I took it on occasions when I was basically in hysterics or extreme flight or fight response so that I could get to sleep and to keep from launching verbal assaults on my husband. It is very effective in shutting that response down and letting me get to sleep. I just have to remember to take a 1/2 of one in the morning to keep from going overboard.

I had a bad bout of diverticulitis and no doctor so I took some antibiotics and hydroxyzine to get the spasms to stop and let me sleep. It knocked me out pretty good but I was very tired.

I've also tried Coreg for occasional high blood pressure + heart pounding and it works very well but I notice a rebound effect with it as well - it seems like I am very sensitive to blockers.
 
I forgot about Clonidine...

My advice? Steer clear of this one unless nothing (and I do mean NOTHING) else helps you sleep. It is a powerful drug that has to be monitored closely due to it's potential to dangerously drop your blood pressure. After two doses (of the smallest amount), I woke up feeling DRUNK, couldn't walk straight, kept falling over, etc. I probably should have gone to the ER but foolishly didnt.. This drug is commonly prescribed to ADD kids to get them to sleep at night after being pumped with stimulants all day.
 
I took propranolol for a year to help both my Migraines and PTSD. I thought it worked great. The issue I ended up with was severe memory loss. I think it's a personal call. I enjoyed the peace but when my husband would begin talking about things I could not recall one thing he was talking about I went full blown panic. When I researched the medication I was furious but at the same time I have never had the same issues as before even though I stopped the medication immediately.

I honestly can't say if it helped or not. I was in an extremely bad way and needed help immediately so they did what they could at the time.

Seeing as you are not in that position, I'd be leery.

peace,
Rain
 
I take propanalol (beta-blocker), and to be honest it is about the only thing that has ever helped my anxiety. It stops the palpitation feelings for me, and generally leaves me feeling calmer. While it doesn't stop panic attacks the physical feelings are much less. Less heart pounding, less chest tightness. No real change to the hyperventilation, but because my heart doesn't beat quite so fast it's easier to calm down, and not let the physical feelings overwhelm me. As a result the panic attacks are less frequent, and less debilitating.

Propranolol requires multiple dosing during the day, but atenolol you only have to take once.
I take slow-release / modified-release propanolol(80mg), so I take it just once a day. It doesn't require multiple doses throughout the day.

I can't say that I have ever suffered memory loss as a result of the propanolol.
 
Adrenergics are referred to as the Fight or Flight system medications and anti-adrenergics are designed to resist the Fight or Flight stages. A Beta Blocker is an antiadrenergic. When you think of fight or flight you think of everything your body does for survival. Vasoconstriction occurs to send blood only to necessary organs, your pupils dilate, you bronchodilate to allow more oxygen to enter your body, your GI system basically goes into shutdown, and your heart rate and blood pressure increase. So when you take a Beta Blocker you are going to reverse some of these occurrences, depending on type of blocker. This is why they are prescribed for anxiety by some doctors. They are excellent for some people, but not all people. People with asthma will almost never be prescribed one, for example, because depending on the type it will bronchoconstrict. Also a major side effect of these drugs is drowsiness, so it will depend on when you would be needing to take the drug and the dosage amount. They are also not usually prescribed for people with depression.

Hope that helps.
 
Good information indeed, I will have to find one that doesn't effect my breathing. I don't have asthma but I am prone to Hvs. I'll keep that in mind if I ask my doctor about a blocker next time.
 
I take propranlolol from 80- to 170mg a day depending on my state of mind, I don't find the SR work as well for me, if I am anxious I need to calm down there and then. I am asthmatic and they cause bronchospasms so you really have to be careful with them.
 
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