Re: new drug giving me a new start

[Guest guest]

Hm, that's pretty interesting! A quick google search shows there is some

research being done on the use of propranolol as a treatment for PTSD.

http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/729444 is the link I just read if anyone

is interested. Dually interesting as both a nursing student & a PTSD

survivor ;-)

I hope you continue to feel so well! Just make sure you follow up with your

doctor as necessary due to potential side effects of beta blockers. Ty for

sharing.

Mia

[Guest guest]

Beta blockers are known for lowering BP and heart rate too. That may be part of

the reason you feel so calm. Most of my heart friends don't like the sluggish

feeling they get when on BB's. I'm glad it's helping you. Just remember, after

you've been on them for awhile, never go off of them suddenly. Talk to your

doctor and s/he will explain how to taper off. It's not that they're addictive

but your BP could shoot up if you stop too quickly. Take care.

>

> I am on a new drug called propranolol. It is a blood pressure drug, (a beta

blocker) but has a wonderful side effect. It keeps me calm inside! I can't

believe it has helped me so much, but I can go out in public and deal with

everything just fine. Before I was on this, I felt so tightly wound, that the

tinyest things would really get to me. Now, I can DEAL! It has lowered my blood

pressure amazing well, too. I know we don't do much drug talk on here, but for

my ptsd, it has been a life saver, and I wanted to share my experience.

Blessings!

>

[Guest guest]

Thats great! I was on propranolol for awhile for anxiety, but I have low blood

pressure and it didn't seem to work. I'm on Amitriptylene now. I love it.

new drug giving me a new start

I am on a new drug called propranolol. It is a blood pressure drug, (a beta

blocker) but has a wonderful side effect. It keeps me calm inside! I can't

believe it has helped me so much, but I can go out in public and deal with

everything just fine. Before I was on this, I felt so tightly wound, that the

tinyest things would really get to me. Now, I can DEAL! It has lowered my blood

pressure amazing well, too. I know we don't do much drug talk on here, but for

my ptsd, it has been a life saver, and I wanted to share my experience.

Blessings!

[Guest guest]

Thank you for sharing that. I don't know why the topic of meds doesn't come up

often.

Meds are (like a lot of things) a personal choice, and sometimes due to personal

chemistry/metabolism/interactions a med that works great for one person will not

work for another. Or, will manifest an unwanted side-effect.

My Sister finds this frustrating. She'll find a new kind of toothpaste (with

tea-tree oil in it) or new brand of vitamins that works great for her, she'll

send me a sample, and I'll try it and erupt in hives. Or vice-versa. I'll send

her something I found that I like to use but it turns out she's allergic to

that. Our body chemistry is just too different, I guess.

But still, I appreciate hearing about new things I haven't tried for this or

that symptom and can at least bring a particular med to my doctor's attention

and see what he thinks.

-Annie

>

> I am on a new drug called propranolol. It is a blood pressure drug, (a beta

blocker) but has a wonderful side effect. It keeps me calm inside! I can't

believe it has helped me so much, but I can go out in public and deal with

everything just fine. Before I was on this, I felt so tightly wound, that the

tinyest things would really get to me. Now, I can DEAL! It has lowered my blood

pressure amazing well, too. I know we don't do much drug talk on here, but for

my ptsd, it has been a life saver, and I wanted to share my experience.

Blessings!

>

[Guest guest]

Propanolol is also prescribed for shorter-term use as an anti-stage fright

medicine. Lots and lots of people who do regular public speaking, acting,

whatever, take it and it works like a charm. I've taken it intermittently for

big talks that I have to give or during big interviews. I'm glad to hear it's

working for you on a longer term basis!

[Guest guest]

That's really interesting too yodababy. I was in band in high school and

always had to do solos! I was fine in groups, but I HATE performing by

myself, oh my goodness! I guess if I ever had to do something like that

again, I'd have to talk to my doctor. I'm just weighing the benefits &

risks of taking a beta blocker over an antianxiety such as xanax. I guess

the biggest thing I can think of would be no " loopy " feeling with BB as

there is with the AA. But, yes, beta receptors are all over your body,

including the heart & GI tract, so there are obvious risks to taking a BB as

well. (Including lightheaded feeling and dizziness, and as someone else

said, low BP)

Still find it very interesting.

Also, Annie was talking about different meds working differently in

different people, so so true! That's why there tend to be many different

types of drugs all in the same class. I do better with my depression &

anxiety issues on Cymbalta, everything else I tried made me feel... I guess

numb is the best word. No feeling really. But my fiance does well on

Prozac.

My personal and semi-professional opinion is that for people with

depression, PTSD & other anxiety disorders, medications can help but work

hand in hand with therapy. Unfortunately, there's no magic pill for most

medical conditions, including mental illness, so it helps to have a safe

place to vent and to learn how to cope. But I agree, nothing at all wrong

with talking about medications we find helpful for our

depression/PTSD/Anxiety etc! Just keep in mind, as others have said, you

have to talk to your physician about it so you can work together to find the

medication that will work best for you.

Anyway, I'll shut up now. Think this is a very interesting topic!

Mia

[Guest guest]

Super interesting topic! I've also noticed how differently individuals can

react to the same medications! Personal chemistry is a fickle thing! Have you

tried taking a slightly lower dose of xanax? I found that I got a lot of

anxiety-busting effects without the loopiness when I took about half of what my

doctor prescribed.

God wouldn't it be great if there WERE a magic pill? In the meantime it really

just comes down to a lot of trial and error... I wish so many of the relevant

drugs didn't take so long to build up to therapeutic levels in the body. It

makes the process so time consuming!