Propranolol

Propranolol is a prescription only medicine (POM). It is prescribed by a doctor to alleviate the effects of anxiety, such as flushing, coughing, sweating, and a rapid (fast) heart rate. The medicine should be taken 30-60 minutes before any stressful situation.

Propranolol have many uses, in the context of anxiety it is helpful in:

• The alleviation of Increased heartbeat.
• Controlling signs of social anxiety i.e sweating and trembling

How does Propranolol work?

Prevention from overworking in stressful situations:

The medicine belongs to a class of medicines known as Beta-blockers. They were first developed to treat various heart disease related conditions such as high blood pressure.

This medicine at a low dosage has been shown to have a significant effect on the heart and blood vessels aswell as protecting the heart from exhaustion in difficult conditions. It also bocks the effects of so called fight or flight hormones such as  norepinephrine, this further assists with combatting the actual side effects of uneasiness or anxiety.

Helping from physical symptoms of anxiety :

Propranolol deals with the physical signs of anxiety, such as tremor, flushing, elevated heart rate, and sweating. It is however not effective in managing behavioural signs of anxiety, like anxiety and a foggy or empty mind.

Most people find that addressing the levels of anxiety before a difficult situation, such as a test or a presentation, actually tends to alleviate the emotional symptoms of anxiety as you are less mindful of the nerves.

When is Propranolol a suitable option?

Propranolol 10mg tablets will help to reduce the physical symptoms of anxiety including:

• Shaking
• Sweating
• Flushing
• Fast heartbeat
• Fast breathing (hyperventilating)

Propranolol will not treat the psychological symptoms of anxiety, such as:

• Feeling tense or nervous
• Worrying
• Feeling a sense of dread

Correct dosage:

The advised amount of propranolol dosage is one to four tablets before any event if you have situational performance anxiety. AccessDoctor can prescribe you this medication to help control effects of short-term situational distress.

Higher doses of Propranolol are taken to control symptoms of daily migraines..

Propranolol dosage for situational anxiety

• Take 10-40mg, 20-30 minutes ahead of time, when using Propranolol to overcome performance anxiety.
• Start by taking one 10 mg pill three times a day if you are routinely using Propranolol to treat situational anxiety.
• You can increase the dosage to four tablets if necessary.
• Propranolol may either be taken without food or with food.
• Taking the pill as soon as possible if you skip a dose, unless it is almost time for the next dose.

Propranolol is not recommended if  you have

• You have had heart complications
• Low blood pressure
• Type 1 diabetes
• You are on a fasting diet at present
• You have allergies or other respiratory problems
• You suffer from chest pains
• You have been diagnosed with Phaeochromocytoma

Consult your doctor if you plan on taking Propranolol if:

• You have kidney or liver problems
• You have any signs, including weight loss and elevated appetite, of an overactive thyroid gland (hyperthyroidism)
• you have Raynauds disease
• You are a smoker 

Propranolol may cause complications if taken in combination with the following medicines:

• Verapamil and diltiazem
• Disopyramide
• Quinidine and amiodarone
• Ergotamine derivatives
• Adrenaline
• Medicines for diabetes including insulin, lidocaine, propafenone or flecainide
• Indomethacin
• Digitalis glycosides such as digoxin
• Chlorpromazine
• Cimetidine
• Other medicines used to treat high blood pressure
• Monoamine-oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs)
• Imipramine or fluvoxamine
• Warafin
• Rizatriptan
• Rifampicin
• Barbiturates
• Theophylline
• Diuretics

The above list is not exhaustive. Please read all packaging and the Product Information Leaflet before taking any new medicine and inform your doctor of medicines you are taking or intend to take.

When you take Propranolol pills, not everyone will suffer side effects, but if you do, they can include:

• Tiredness
• Sleeplessness
• Chilly extremities (these symptoms tend to go away as you continue taking the medicine)
• The syndrome of Raynaud
• Nightmares
• Slow or inconsistent heartbeat.
• Slow heart rate,
• Dry eyes
• Nausea
• Fatigue
• Sometimes a decrease in sex drive.

Propranolol is not considered to be addictive and has no major side effects. Before any situation which you think can lead you towards anxiety, you ca take a dose of 10mg-40 mg.

You can purchase Propranolol safely online. Ensure that you are using a regulated and fully registered Online doctor and Pharmacy service.

AccessDoctor are fully regulated and we only employ UK registered doctors.

Propranolol vs Atenolol

Both are beta blockers and can be used to decrease blood pressure and stabilise the heart rhythm. In fact, Atenolol is a selective beta blocker, it is effective e only targets the heart, not other body regions. 

Atenolol:

Atenolol is effective for reducing heart attacks and often a treatment of choice in managing high blood pressure.  

Propranolol:

Has a wider range of activities and acts in the extremities (periphery), it is used for numerous conditions such as:

• Nausea
• Migraines
• Tremors

Safety during pregnancy has not been established. Growth retardation and congenital abnormalities have been reported in infants whose mothers received propranolol during pregnancy.

Propranolol is secreted into breast milk . It should be avoided in breastfeeding mothers.

Side effects often associated with taking beta blockers are:

• blurred vision
• muscle cramps
• rash and fatigue.
• sudden removal from beta blockers can aggravate angina and even cause heart attacks.

Non-prescription options for anxiety

Over-the-counter items such as Kalms, Rescue Cure and St. John’s Wort have shown beneficial effects in some patients.

Non-medicinal alternatives to treat anxiety

• Breathing techniques: Relaxation and breathing techniques will achieve a  decrease in anxiety in the short term.
• Meditation: Research shows that meditation in adults may be beneficial in alleviating some symptoms of stress and anxiety.
• General care: Having enough sleep (8 hours a night), eating a balanced, nutritious diet, and exercising daily will all help make you feel healthier.

While it’s one of the go-to drugs for anxiety treatment, older beta-blockers like Propranolol can sometimes cause weight gain. This is because they slightly reduce the body’s ability to burn fat – although this is less likely at the dose used for anxiety treatment. Maintaining a healthy, plant-rich diet and regular exercise regime will help you maintain a good weight. Incidentally, these precautions will also help with your anxiety!

The chemicals in the Propranolol 10mg tablets are as follows:

• 10mg of propranolol hydrochloride

The following inactive ingredients to make up the full formula are also used in the Propranolol 10mg tablets:

• Maize gluten, lactose, magnesium stearate, stearic acid, hypromellose (E464).
• The coating includes: polysorbate, carmoisine (E122), titanium dioxide (E171), red iron oxide (E172), red iron oxide (E172), hypromellose, etc (E464)

Propranolol brings down your heart rate down (pulse). Alcohol can also reduce your heart rate. If the combined effect is significant, it can lead to sensations of discombobulation and then fainting.  Individuals taking beta-blockers ought control and highly regulate their alcohol intake.

Anti-hypertensives (blood pressure lowering tablets)

Calcium channel blockers and digoxin (Lanoxin) when ingested together with Propranolol, can reduce blood pressure and heart rate to dangerous levels.

Low blood sugar levels

lt can obscure early warning signs of low blood sugar (hypoglycaemia) and should be used with caution in patients treated for diabetes.

Irregular heart beat

Propranolol lowers thioridazine (Mellaril) synthesis, increasing thioridazine amounts in the bloodstream and eventually triggering irregular heartbeats.

Anxiety is a normal human emotion, for example, It’s normal to feel anxious about moving to a new place, starting a new job, or taking a test. This type of anxiety is unpleasant, but it may motivate you to work harder and to do a better job.

In the case of an anxiety disorder, the feeling of fear may be with you all the time. It is intense and sometimes debilitating.

This type of anxiety may cause you to stop doing things you enjoy. 

Anxiety disorders are the most common form of emotional disorder and can affect anyone at any age.

Anxiety is a key part of several different disorders.

These include:

Panic disorder : experiencing recurring panic attacks at unexpected times. A person with panic disorder may live in fear of the next panic attack.

Phobia : excessive fear of a specific object, situation, or activity

Social anxiety disorder : extreme fear of being judged by others in social situations

Obsessive-compulsive disorder : recurring irrational thoughts that lead you to perform specific, repeated behaviours

Separation anxiety disorder : fear of being away from home or loved ones illness

Anxiety disorder : anxiety about your health (formerly called hypochondria) post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD): anxiety following a traumatic event

No, a  single test cannot diagnose anxiety. A diagnosis of anxiety requires a lengthy process of mental health evaluations and physical examinations.

The process may involve blood or urine tests to rule out underlying medical conditions that could contribute to symptoms you’re experiencing.

Several anxiety tests/questionnaires and scales are also used to help your doctor assess the level of anxiety you are experiencing.