kalamazoo Posted February 23, 2012 Report Share Posted February 23, 2012 I'm just curiousabout your experiences with beta blockers. For POTS or any other reason. I'm consdering them for my anxiety and rapid heart rate but have always heard mixed reviews. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
julieph85 Posted February 23, 2012 Report Share Posted February 23, 2012 I'm not able to tolerate them at all. They do reduce my heart rate but because the tachy is a compensatory response to blood pooling, they make my dizziness, headaches, and chest pain way worse. I was 10 times sicker on it then without it. They also reduced my Hr too much at night to wear I was getting bradycardia when trying to fall asleep. They are good at reducing the tachy, but they make the original problem- the pooling and hypotension worse in my opinion. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MomtoGiuliana Posted February 23, 2012 Report Share Posted February 23, 2012 I take a very small dose which just takes the edge off the tachycardia. If I take more I can feel worse, as Julie also describes. However in a flare up I will increase the dosage just to get heartrate and bp down (my doctor has ok-ed my adjusting the dosage on my own, however in a flare up I will call him before increasing significantly, and I check my bp at home). I tend to get high bp during flare ups.I have read that beta blockers do not work for everyone with POTS (of course! nothing works for everyone unfortunately) but tend to work best for patients who do not have problems with hypotension. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Alex Posted February 23, 2012 Report Share Posted February 23, 2012 hi there,before being told I have POTS, the drs told me I have anxiety issues which are responsible for my tachycardia so they put me on beta-blockers despite being hypotensive.I tried metoprolol - could not tolerate it - it made me dizzy, sleepy, drowsy, I was like a zombie. Then I was switched to bisoprolol which I tolerated better but came with a lot of side effects for me. Lightheadedness, pins and needles in my arms, hands, feet, legs, headaches, and ... To this day I wonder if the chest pains I started having soon after starting the bisoprolol had/have anythjng to do with the medication itself. Now, after the tilt table test and the POTS diagnostic, I am taking propranolol - as needed. It all depends on my bp and hr readings (lately I get some strange swings in bp that are quite difficult to manage and tolerate ... You'd think that a bp of 120/80 should be fine, yet I am experiencing quite some discomfort with that, plus, 5-10 min later my bp can read 92/60... But that's not the point here).I think I tolerate propranolol much better as I haven't complained about lightheadedness or pins and needles anymore, but I still get the chest pains. From what I heard and read different people react differently to different beta blockers. I'm sure though that you can work things out with your dr.Good luck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
julieph85 Posted February 23, 2012 Report Share Posted February 23, 2012 Yes I agree with mom that everyone reacts differently. Some are successful with them some aren't. I should add that I present as hyper andrenergic with orthostatic hypertension as a compensatory mechanism for splanchic pooling. I believe that is why they don't work for me, they make the pooling worse, which makes the cerebral hypo profusion worse. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peregrine Posted February 23, 2012 Report Share Posted February 23, 2012 Going off of the atenolol this week for autonomic testing has made me more and more aware of just how much it improves my symptoms (other than the spaciness, which nothing seems to touch) and quality of life. With it I went from unable to stand in the kitchen or shower (stools in both!) to being able to stand for a 20-minute shower on an okay day and being able to stand to cook a quick meal (with prep sitting down). It's amazing. But ymmv :^) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bellgirl Posted February 23, 2012 Report Share Posted February 23, 2012 Bystolic has decreased my heart rate to almost normal levels, but I have to admit, I still have surges on occasion, but at least most of the time, I'm a lot calmer. When I went off Atenolol, which made my heart rate and blood pressure too low, I actually had a physiological anxiety panic attack, but when I was put on the bystolic, 3 days later, I haven't had one since!! It is one of the newer beta blockers, and it is cardioselective, which means it doesn't affect your breathing, if you have asthma or other breathing issues, like apnea. It also has a longer half life, which makes it effective longer throughout the day! I take it before going to bed so I don't get too sluggish during the day. It's changed my whole existence; I am able to do more, with less fatigue...I'm not as tremulous either . Medication can make you more functional. It's up to you...and your doctor. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kalamazoo Posted February 24, 2012 Author Report Share Posted February 24, 2012 Wow thanks everyone for the information! Very informative. this is definitely the best place to find information. It sounds like everyone has mixed reviews, more worse than positive it seems though. i just want my anxiety to go away my heart rate is bad when i have a panic attack, I can't even ask the teacher a question or stand up to say my name because immediately my heart starts throbbing. I have rrad beta blockers are good for panic attacks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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