Propranolol Side Effects?

[Altruism]

I was on Metoprolol for a while and it did nothing for my hr and bp. Now my doctor said she thinks I'm hyper POTS (still waiting for some more test results), but in the meantime she put me on propranolol.

I've only taken 2.5 mg last night and 5 mg this morning which is a pediatric dose compared to the 2x40mg she wants me to take, but I already feel so sick!

Is it possible to have side effects like extreme fatuge (yeah, as if I did not have enough of it), dizziness, sleepiness and heartburn from such a small dose?

Does it take time to get used to the new BB or I should only expect to feel worse as I increase the dose?

How much time does it take to see the long-term effect of the med?

Lastly, is propranolol (Inderal) good for hyper POTS (assuming no MCAS)?

If I had MCAS, how is a beta-blocker supposed to make me feel "worse"? Worse in terms of POTS symptoms being worse or new symptoms from the mast cell activation creep up?

Thanks!

[HopeSprings]

Yes, I just went through this with Propanolol. Same thing - increased dizziness and fatigue. In fairness though I am super/hyper sensitive to medication side effects and fearful about medication on top of that, so I don't know if you can go by my experience. I'll let others answer the other questions since I only took it for 2 days - I don't know if things would have improved in time.

[Altruism]

Thanks, Naomi! I'm sorry you are hypersensitive to meds. I think I am too, I've been cautious my entire life and have always had the rarest side effects, etc.

Let's hope more people will chime in

[cupcakemomma5]

Hi,

I have been on propranolol since Aug. It took some time for my body to adjust to it. I still get dizzy and the fatigue is there, I saw cardiology today and he would have liked to take me off it and up my florinef dose but decided to wait for the specialist referral to change anything (I am on 20mg a day).

It's funny Cuz propranolol does make you sleepy, but you do adjust.

My other meds contradict the propanalol and now I have insomnia.....lol I would love for the drowsiness to be back!

[SoliDeoGloria]

I'm on propranolol for hyperPOTS symptoms. I'm using the 60mg extended release. I have tried the regular propranolol tabs, and for some reason I cannot tolerate them at all. I think it's because my body is so hyper sensitive to even the smallest changes and the regular tabs don't supply the gentle transitions (as the drug kicks in and then wears off) like the ER capsules do. Although the ER capsules work like a charm, I will admit it took about two or three weeks to adjust in the beginning. The only drawback is that the capsules cannot be broken into smaller doses and 60 mg is the lowest available. So it's like taking 3 of the 20mg tabs spread out throughout the day. I am much less symptomatic in the winter, so I have recently experimented with opening the capsule and dumping out a set amount of the little bits inside. It seems to work.

It's so hard to be in the "trial and error" phase. I truly hope you find something that works.

[Altruism]

Thanks or the info, guys!

When will the short-release form leave my body? I feel HORRIBLE today! Dizzy, tachy, VERY tired, brain fogged and much worse than yesterday... I want it to stop...

[E Soskis]

I take propranolol 40 mg every 4 hours - around the clock - I get up at 1am just to take the middle of the night dose - I can't miss a dose or I get sick. The side effects I experience are....fatigue, occasional heart burn, and occasional dizziness - these are all minor compared to what happens when I don't take it or miss doses. I have a very irregular heart beat and without the propranolol to block the irregular beats, my heart goes kind of whacky. My cardiologist would not let me take this much until I had a pacemaker placed. My own intrinsic heart rate has slowed to 20-40 beats per minute and without the pacemaker, the risk of it slowing down more was too much to take high-dose propranolol. As it turns out, in some cases of dysautonomia, propranolol actually does not slow down the heart rate - it strengthens the heart so that it beats more effectively and helps keep down the irregular ventricular heart beats.

[Altruism]

Thanks for your responses, guys!

Day 2 for me is even worse. I took 2.5 mg in the morning which is way below my 2 x 40 mg recommended dose and I crashed 2 hrs later. I'm EXTREMELY tired, POTS+ tired, dizzy, feeling like I'm drunk and very stupid and feeling depressed... I can't stop crying... I feel worse.. is anything ever going to help me? I can't keep living like this, this is not living, this is ****..... (((((((((( I'm hopeless, really. I can't ive with a newborn crying, me neding help and husband at work in a foreign country. I'm soooooooooooo sick and tired and desperate and nothing helps.... ((((( Florinef, metoprolol, propranolol, compression salt, water.. nothing helps...

[E Soskis]

If you are feeling this bad after taking it, then stop taking it - if you are feeling depressed, get help immediately! You have a newborn which means you are at high risk for post partum depression - I went through it also and was absolutely miserable until I got the help I needed. When you are extremely tired, (as in taking care of a newborn), and when you are sick on top of that - your ability to function at a basic level gets tossed right out the window. You need some help. Do you have a friend or a neighbor who can help you with the baby while you get rest? - Is there a phone hotline you can call to talk and get advice? - Do you have a pastor or other clergy who can counsel you and arrange for other church members to assist? I must urge you to seek immediate help - any other family who can assist? Don't try to go this alone - I suspect most of the trouble is needing some relief and rest - once you get that, you will physically feel better which will improve your mental state. I say again, if you are severely depressed....go immediately to an ER and seek help. I was very depressed after having a child - there is no shame in seeking help - it saved my life and I am forever grateful - so are my kids!

[badhbt]

I totally agree with E Soskis.....you have a lot on your plate. You have my number, please feel free to call. Big HUG.

[badhbt]

Please read your private message. Hugs.

[MomtoGiuliana]

I'm sending you a message as well. My experience was very similar to yours. I'm sorry things are so difficult right now. I believe the beta blocker can cause or worsen depression. I think it did this for me initially. Please talk to your doctor about how you are feeling.

[Angela]

hey mamma, maybe this is not the right one for you....listen to your body and mind and tell your doctor. you, in fact, are your own best doctor as you know what you r going thru, they don't know exactly how u r feeling, reacting, etc. bb's did the same to me. there are alternatives. not just benzo's u have to find what is right for u. some pots people only do natural supplements! who knows

[Altruism]

You're all absolutely awesome! I love you!

I saw my neurologist and she said she does not think it's possible to experience so many and so severe side effects from Propranolol on such a low/pediatric dose (2. 5mg). Since my standing NE is very high and my QSART is negative, it means I have hyperadrenergic component but no neropathy, so my doctor thinks Propranolol is the best drug for me and insist on giving it another try. She attributes these symptoms to probable postpartum anxiety/depression. How could this be? So I'm not allergic to Propranolol, just sensitive to the side effects and then I overreact on them because I suffer from PPD? Does this make sense? I'm torn.

[MomtoGiuliana]

That is frustrating. I faced the same thing--everything a doctor could not explain was attributed to PPD. It makes getting treatment during this period more complicated, for sure. I agree with you, I do no think it makes sense that PPD would cause an over-reaction to a med -- I just say that from my similar experience. I think POTS patients are often more sensitive to meds and side effects however. I am not sure how to advise you, other than to say that beta blockers are considered a very safe drug. Taking at a low dose is unlikely to be dangerous, IMO, if this is what your dr has prescribed even after reviewing the symptoms you had.

[HopeSprings]

Confused. If you're symptoms got worse or new ones came when you took the medication and then went away when the medication wore off, I would think you were experiencing side effects. If you felt the same symptoms when not taking the medication then it's something else. What I've done in the past is test out a medication and if I had what I thought were side effects - get some distance from the medication, then try it again say a week later and if the same thing happened, I knew it was the medication. I'd give it another try if I were you and see what happens. I can tell you that even a pediatric dose can cause problems in a medication sensitive person - which many of us are. Not saying this is the case with you, but it is possible. I'm sorry you're going through this. I would think post pregnancy hormones can mess you up for a while. I hope that once things get back to normal in your body you'll start to feel better.

[HopeSprings]

Just wanted to add (as people have suggested to me in past) even if the medication initially causes side effects, it could be a matter of adjusting to it. I think that's a personal choice - whether you can or want to tolerate side effects to see if it eventually begins to helps. I'd always check with the Doctor to make sure those side effects are normal or okay though.

[boymommy3]

I tried propranolol some years ago, for hyperthyroid symptoms, and I couldn't tolerate it either. It just dropped my BP so much that I would almost pass out and I had littles at that time, ages 3, 2, and newborn. I was, however, fortunate to find something that helped.

I also agree with everyone else. If you have anyone at all you can call on for some help, please do. A woman's body/hormones can do crazy things after giving birth and to have to compound that with POTS is a miserable mixture. I pray that you will get relief. I know there have been many times in my life dealing with health issues that I couldn't see the forest for trees (as my mother would say), BUT....Joy comes in the morning and I am going to pray that your joy be restored.

Blessings

[coastalmom]

Just want to add that my cousin is so sensitive that she can't take the generic propranolol due to side effects. She has to take the name brand Inderal to get the benefits.