Propranolol Or Atenolol?

[smish]

Hey everyone
I'm awaiting a diagnosis of POTS but would appreciate some help on here since my doctor at the moment is pretty useless but has referred me to the Cardiology dept. (not had the appointment come through yet)
I've been taking Propranolol as needed for a few years for tachycardia. I generally just take it when I feel bad, or if I'm on holiday in a hot place to deal with my heart racing in the heat. It's brilliant when I'm on it and I can tolerate exercise much better and generally feel so much calmer (the tachycardia makes me feel anxious). Problem is that I've started to notice that if I take it for a couple of days in a row, I wake up the next day feeling really depressed.
I've read a few things which say Atenolol is less likely to make you depressed, but is it gonna be any good for POTS? My GP has never heard of POTS, so I don't think she's gonna be much help!
Thanks

[Krissy21]

Smish,

I have taken both for POTS. I currently take atenolol 25 mg twice a day. It does a great job controlling the tachycardia and doesn't make me depressed. I took propranolol in the past. It didn't make me depressed either, just tired. It worked well for a while but I was eventually taking it 3-4 times a day because it would wear off. The atenolol is usually only prescribed to be taken once a day but my dr has me taking it twice for more even heart rate control. It gets out of control if I let the medication wear off at all. Different meds work different for everyone but atenolol is prescribed for POTS. ask your dr about trying if out and if it doesn't work for you, you can always try a different beta blocker.

Krissy

[corina]

Hi smish! Grat to hear the bb is working for you re POTS. I think that when you explain to your doctor that it makes you feel depressed she'd be okay to change you to another i.e. the atenolol. Hope you get this figured out and good luck on your cardio appointment once it comes through!