i have recently started avin panic/anxiety attacks is my medication safe for me?

Question

i am 26 and recently started having bad panic/anxiety attacks an have been off work, the doctor prescribed me Propranolol 40mg tablets (betablockers) can i get addicted to them and are they safe for me to take?

Answer 1

Propranolol is not an addictive medication. Its safety for taking depends on your sensitivity to the medication. If you have any doubts you need to contact your doctor immediatly.

Answer 2

Don't listen to what that other person said about them being self induced and being a worry wart. I suffer from panic and anxiety attacks also. They can come out of nowhere at anytime. I am being treated for them myself with other meds. If they are being prescribed to you ask your doctor. If you find that they are not for you there are many more you can try. I have been on many different ones myself and finally have found the right ones. I am 52 and have had my share of problems in my life and have been seeing therapists and such for 10 yrs. I am at the point where I don't have them as often but wouldn't stop taking anything just because of that. They are the worse thing that can happen especially when they come out of nowhere. Don't want to you to have to experience these so keep on your meds and if you have questions also ask your pharamasist. I also found it very helpful to get a PDR in paperback. (PHYSICIANS DESK REFERENCE0 it tells you more than those sheets that comes with your meds. I worked in a pharmacy and those only give you some of the info. thats why they say ask your doctor or pharmacists. Good Luck!!!!

Answer 3

The doctor who prescribed the Beta blocker probably did so for the irregular heartbeat or high-blood pressure you have, not for the panic attacks. Heart conditions can and do cause feelings of panic in some people--but don't stop taking your Beta-blocker yet.

Beta-blockers increase narcotic effects, and blood pressure may drop suddenly or rapidly--DO NOT USE ALCOHOL WITH THESE DRUGS!!

Smoking may cause your heartbeat to become irregular also. There are no food interactions known.

These drugs take about 1-4 hours to work--they aren't very effective for stopping a panic attack once it starts--but they may prevent them by slowing the pulse and acting on the central nervous system. They are commonly prescribed to treat angina (chest pain) and sometimes for migraine headaches.

You didn't say if your panic attacks began before or after you began taking the Beta-blocker. If after, I would talk to your doctor about taking something for them as well--if before, perhaps you might want to get a second opinion on treatment for them. If you are taking the beta-blocker for a reason other than panic attacks, then you will be limited in your choices of things to stop the panic attacks. Make sure you tell the pharmacists what other drugs you are taking when you get your prescriptions filled, and ask that they check for drug interactions.

Answer 4

To use beta blockers for anxiety attacks in my opinion is inappropriate. It will lower your blood pressure and heart rate.It is not an addictive medication. Finding the underlying cause would be beneficial,exercise,meditation, and a short duration of an anti-anxiety medication could help ie xanax,ativan (these can be addictive but not if used properly) Anxiety and especially panic attacks can be very debilitating. Counseling would help also. I hope you get better soon.

Answer 5

I am so happy, it was only a 35 minute drive ( 70 minutes total) but absolutely no sign of anxiety or panic i shopped till I dropped - brilliant! I will now go for the next stage DUAL CARRIAGE way, probably at the weekend, with my husband accompanying me first then the solo drive, if successful the final stage of driving on motorway

Beat Anxiety And Panic Attacks Naturally?

Answer 6

My first panic attack was also in a theater when I was out of country, I was 18 at the time. You'll be told be lot's of people to just "talk yourself out of them." --But, as you have experienced, the change your mental state enough that often times this is not possible. One thing I'd like to mention is about alcohol. If you're experiencing panic attacks you may notice that alcohol helps them go away. This is a catch-22. Booze DOES help anxiety and panic symptoms go away while drinking, but the next day you are at much higher risk for another episode as the hangover increases blood pressure, heart rate, and screws with your normal thought processes. Like I said, I had my first one when I was your age, but forgot to mention that panic attacks have made severe alcoholic out of me (as described above, this is not uncommon, but now I'm 32, and still use booze to protect myself from anxiety). It's GREAT that you have been able to calm yourself down from them. I hope this continues forever for you! Luckily, the major antidepressants out there also treat panic. They're a pain in the butt to get used to, as they increase anxiety/panic for the first couple weeks, but once you adjust--Bye Bye panic attacks. Hope you curb this, it's pretty awful. Try to have fun on the rest of your trip!

Answer 7

Beta blockers may double the risk of heart attack. Search google news, or similar engine,l and find out the details. Its news just in, and bound to wake a few up. The obvious first step is to take things like Magnesium, or Chamomile, or Valerian, or Rescue Remedy (a flower essence) which are non-invasive, non-addictive, and non-toxic, and not something the Diseasestablishment which perpetuates disease for profit will ever tell you about.

Answer 8

If your doctor prescribed them, you can be sure they are safe. If they aren't safe and you have a reaction, you have a beauty malpractice suit. You can get addicted to drugs easy. I would suggest finding a natural helped that you can continue when you get off the drug. That way, you are left with a crutch while you wean off the drug. For me, it was lifting weights. Now, I'm not huge, but I keep my body weight at the ideal and still have my natural high waiting for me at the gym.

Answer 9

You can never just stop taking a betablocker because it can be dangerous. A betablocker slows down your entire system and helps with hypertension. Usually your doctor won't take you off of it if it's working. It's not dangerous at all that I know of. It's only dangerous if you miss your dose and you should take it the same time everyday.

Answer 10

All meds that are dispensed by pharmacies has a little history paper attached to them...Anxiety attacks...panic attacks are self induced...something is causing u to have these...whatever youre so worried about...DONT WORRY...You sound like a REAL WORRY WART.....relax...try to control your "thinking process" Listen to Motivational speakers like Joel Osteen...he is wonderful...and maybe..just maybe you can get off all those meds..