![[dr. bob]](/dr-bob-sm.gif)
Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 11 of 11. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by mmcconathy on November 27, 2004, at 10:47:34
I dont know much about them, but could they help with the physical symptoms of a panic attack such as feeling of on coming heart attack, or tightness in chest, and arms?
Posted by Racer on November 27, 2004, at 11:12:21
In reply to Beta-Blockers for panic attacks?, posted by mmcconathy on November 27, 2004, at 10:47:34
Yes, they can. The first day I took propranalol, I felt relaxed for the first time in so long I couldn't believe it. I had been so tense for so long, I wasn't even aware of how tense I'd been until the propranalol took it away. Slowed my pounding heart, relaxed my tight chest, the whole shebang.
Since the doses used for anxiety are so low, there are far fewer side effects, too, which is a major bonus.
Posted by linkadge on November 27, 2004, at 11:39:12
In reply to Re: Beta-Blockers for panic attacks?, posted by Racer on November 27, 2004, at 11:12:21
You might try pindolol cause it has some antidepressant properties too. It has some effects on serotonin which might additionally help panic.
Linkadge
Posted by sdb on November 27, 2004, at 17:40:07
In reply to Re: Beta-Blockers for panic attacks?, posted by linkadge on November 27, 2004, at 11:39:12
you can try:
Atenolol: effective, longer half-life, less sideeffects because water soluble
Pindolol: very effective, short-acting, causing some headache or chest pain
Nadolol: very effective, watersoluble version of propranolol, very long acting, less side effects, but tiredness...
Propranolol: effective, calming effect, but tiredness, not my favorite
Bopindolol: effective, different long-acting version of Pindolol, improves HDL/LDL ratio (good side effect)
Oxprenolol: very effective to slow heartbeat, but headache (short and long acting version)
Metoprolol: not so effective, minor headache, there is a long acting version, cause beta upregulationThere are many many worthless betablockers for panic, performance anxiety:
nebivolol, bisoprolol, ...
They really to not have antitachycardic action, probably they lower bloodpressure by the kidneys.
(I have tested it on the treadmill)Beta1-selective are not so effective because there are also many beta2 receptors on the heart
Posted by sdb on November 27, 2004, at 18:05:00
In reply to Beta-Blockers for panic attacks?, posted by mmcconathy on November 27, 2004, at 10:47:34
some more advices:
If you want less sideeffects i would try atenolol or nadolol
If you want to take it regularly i would take atenolol, nadolol or bopindolol
If you want to take it as needed i would take the shortacting propranolol, pindolol or perhaps atenolol
If you have anxiety of the anxiety try Klonopin (but i'm not very experienced with that, i have tried it some times)
Please be aware of antidepressants if you have performance, panic. I once used mirtazapine effectively for that problem. But it was only effective for two days. First it blocked the crh1 receptors but when the plasma level slowly rose (very long half-time) the noradrenergic transmission (postulated as part of stimulating, antidepressive mechanism of the drugcompany) even increased panic.
Posted by ed_uk on November 27, 2004, at 18:30:22
In reply to Beta-Blockers for panic attacks?, posted by mmcconathy on November 27, 2004, at 10:47:34
Hi,
Some people do seem to find beta-blockers helpful for anxiety and panic. Sadly, I have always found them totally useless!
Ed
Posted by linkadge on November 27, 2004, at 21:06:53
In reply to Re: Beta-Blockers for panic attacks?, posted by ed_uk on November 27, 2004, at 18:30:22
I don't think that mirtazapine was a good antipanic agent for myself as well.
I was on celexa, and atenolol which worked well for panic, but the atenolol made me depressed.
Attenolol made me feel very much "in my body".
When you're really anxious, adrenaline gets flowing through the amygdala and you start to envision problems, and you are everywhere but in your body. The attenolol quieted my mind.Linkadge
Posted by sdb on November 28, 2004, at 3:47:47
In reply to Re: Beta-Blockers for panic attacks?, posted by linkadge on November 27, 2004, at 21:06:53
How much was your daily dosage for atenolol?
Posted by ravenstorm on November 28, 2004, at 11:04:34
In reply to Re: dosage range, posted by sdb on November 28, 2004, at 3:47:47
I too think that remeron is making me irritable and anxious. It is even worse since my pdoc added WB for a twelve week trial. I have been off the WB for over a month and I am still having anxiety, so I believe remeron is contributing. Even moderately loud noises startle me right up a wall. It is quite unbearable. Wish I'd followed my own instincts to stop it at eight weeks (so I wouldn't have to go through withdrawal) instead of letting my idiot pdoc talk me into augmenting with WB.
Posted by mmcconathy on November 28, 2004, at 13:09:20
In reply to Re: Beta-Blockers for panic attacks?, posted by sdb on November 27, 2004, at 17:40:07
or Propranolol, that should help me feels as something terribly wrong is happening in my body, i belive have hypochondriac thoughts after a panic attack that there was severe damage done. One time i thought i was having a stroke, and i wasnt going to be "all there" after the attack, due to loss of nuerons. Crazyness...
I had a MRI and PET scan done, everything was fine, exept there were actually overactive regions, i dont know maybe that is the problem...
Thanks guys.
Posted by Willyee on November 28, 2004, at 15:15:41
In reply to Beta-Blockers for panic attacks?, posted by mmcconathy on November 27, 2004, at 10:47:34
> I dont know much about them, but could they help with the physical symptoms of a panic attack such as feeling of on coming heart attack, or tightness in chest, and arms?
Im not sure about the symptoms you mentioned specficaly,i have however taken two beta blockers,both lopressor and clonodine.Lopressor was a great add on for me,it takes a slight edge of anxiety,and for me it did the most important thing,helped stopped racing thoughts and hyperness brought on by my anti-depressant.
Oddly though i found it to work most at a very very tiny dose,a small bite off a 25 mg tab would work.I also noticed at times it seemed to enhance my AD and added a effect that no single anti depressant did,the ability to simply laugh.
When i went higher in dose,to either a full 25 mg pill,or at a time purchased a much higher doasaged tab,the effects were opposite,i take an maoi and it was easy for the effect of the med to offer anxiety ease and mind racing,to instead interacting with the med and making me feel horrable,so after numerous trials for me i take only a small partial piace of the pill.
Taken alone it seemed to increase anxiety as well as bring on some heavy depression.
This is the end of the thread.
Psycho-Babble Medication | Extras | FAQ
Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.org
Script revised: February 4, 2008
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/cgi-bin/pb/mget.pl
Copyright 2006-17 Robert Hsiung.
Owned and operated by Dr. Bob LLC and not the University of Chicago.