Beta Blocker

Anyone takes Beta Blocker for anxiety provoking situations to help them cope? such as public speaking?

If so, how does it work for you? Do u get side effects? after i take one pill i get the shakes for days, and that's just counterproductive to my problem. But i can't seem to live without it for instances where reliance on it is crucial, such as presentations.

I am havin a fckin annoying case of shaking atm, and its drivin me nuts. I cna't even sit in class without feelin like a freak.

Any help/advice appreciated.

which beta blocker r u on?im on propanolol 160mg it doesnt help with my anxiety or ne thing just with my HH how many mgs are you on?have u been bac 2 docs?maybe u need 2 take it more regularly or a higher dose

If i'm not mistaken aren't beta blockers given to help people with heart related problems like murmurs and palpitations and not anxiety??
btw, is your shaking constant (nerves) or caused by your heart beat?

Beta blockers were perscribed to me once by my doc... he explained that they slow your heart rate down (i think) and it could stop me being so pannicky and take away some of my physical symptoms.It didnt like but obviously if they try it, it does work for some people.

They definatley shouldnt be making you shake Chihiro, and i think you should ring your doctor and to him/her.

i was prescribed them for HH and there is evidence in some cases that they do work for excessive seating i am a bit drier than i was b4 i started them lol still looking into the iontopherosis machine tho.......

Corrinaelizabeth,
I take a pill of Minax 50 (50mg). just one when i need it, i dont' actually go on it regularly because from teh effect i get from one dose im not sure i'll function properly if taking it everyday.

Danfalc,
yes my doc said its for heart problems. That's the basis for how they work on anxiety i guess, the way it slows ur heart and other physical symptoms. It works for me jsut a little bit, but gives me more psychological reassurance more than anything. They make me not shake very obviously i jsut think after teh effect is off, my heart rate and stuff comes back stronger and therefore make me more aggitated?

Boodizm,
i dont' know, my shaking is caused by my nerves. But when my heart is slowed by beta it is calmed a bit. Its jsut when its effect wears off that i get more shaky and unstable.

Chihiro said:

But i can't seem to live without it for instances where reliance on it is crucial, such as presentations.

Click to expand...

You say you can't live without them so you use them often right? If you have used them for some time you may have been increasing the dose to get the same effect. Things like heart rate and blood pressure can go up when you stop 'cold' which could be increasing your nervous rections.
Try lowering your dose and see what happens.

boodizm said:

Chihiro said:

But i can't seem to live without it for instances where reliance on it is crucial, such as presentations.

Click to expand...

You say you can't live without them so you use them often right? If you have used them for some time you may have been increasing the dose to get the same effect. Things like heart rate and blood pressure can go up when you stop 'cold' which could be increasing your nervous rections.
Try lowering your dose and see what happens.

Click to expand...

i dont' use them often, just things like interviews, presentations, or anything scary like that. I cna't live without them but i dont' live with it all the time. i use it for occassions rather than use everyday. yea i think heart rate goes up after teh effect wears off.

Chihiro said:

Danfalc,
yes my doc said its for heart problems. That's the basis for how they work on anxiety i guess, the way it slows ur heart and other physical symptoms. It works for me jsut a little bit, but gives me more psychological reassurance more than anything. They make me not shake very obviously i jsut think after teh effect is off, my heart rate and stuff comes back stronger and therefore make me more aggitated?

Click to expand...

Yeah that does make sence Chihiro... if you putting yaself through somthing which you find anxious to do and the beta blockers calm you down a bit.. like you said it comes back stronger (probaly because you have just done somthing stressfull so not only has it risen from the beta blockers wearing off but that aswell (your heart rate/aggitation ect)

Beta blockers can be extremely helpful if you have physical symptoms of anxiety, like if you shake a lot during public speeches.

It can also be useful in a game of poker or chess etc because you are not distracted with tons of adrinaline flowing through your body.

I take them "as needed". They give me a slight headache at the end of the day, and I generally don't like medication, so I would not take this every day.

I don't run or work out when I'm on beta blockers, so I don't know how it affects that, but they don't slow my heart rate down when I just walk or sit or sleep. They do stop it from increasing because of fear. They also don't affect the brain like alcohol and benzos. If someone slipped a beta blocker pill into my drink I wouldn't notice any difference, except for the headache. And if someone put a gun to my head my heart rate would still be 60 and I would look brave to the untrained eye.

endless_tension said:

They also don't affect the brain like alcohol and benzos. If someone slipped a beta blocker pill into my drink I wouldn't notice any difference, except for the headache. And if someone put a gun to my head my heart rate would still be 60 and I would look brave to the untrained eye.

Click to expand...

Hehe you think? That would be cool, but the dose we are recommended as anxiety sufferrers is tiny compared to that taken by people with heart conditions. The effects are so light and gentle on a lot of people that they may not notice it, hence feel as if it hadn't worked at all - all they do is slow your heart rate down, its all physical. And if that initial anticipation anxiety is what gets you even more worked up, they're perfect. I've found them very helpful, like others, in situations like interviews and presentations. I don't get any side effects at all. Yay.