propranolol withdrawal

hi i have reduced my dosage from 40mg to 20mg and have felt dizzy but also have muscle twitches/aches which is worrying me it could be a DVT? as aches likes crazt in my calf, any reasureance would be great

did you recover?

Hi Eleri i took propanolol for 1 month 40 mg a day everyday and stopped cold turkey worse decision ever my doctor actually told me it would be fine to stop cold turkey......my

anxiety was threw the roof i was scared of everything and had stomach issues mainly

in the morning with jitteryness its going to be 5 months for me and i can say things have gotten better i still have my bad days every once in a while but i have to keep reminding myself that this too shall pass.....

hia,

I has gotten a little better for me too although my source of stress has also reduced. The first week was the hardest but it's gotten better as time has gone on. I'd never ever take those tablets ever again. GP told me same thing - Stupid as this drug should come with a warning label. My heart rate is still a little increased but getting there slowly now.

Good luck xx

Hi Jesie,

Do you not feel better at all?

I'm only on day 4 of these withdrawal symptoms so feel worried it's not going to get any better. 😦

yes,i feel better now,no more withdrawal effects they are gone now,my heart is back to normal,finally I can eat pizza,which I couldn't do a month ago,unfortunately it gave me hyperthyroidism which I didn't have before starting propranolol,so now I have to take another drug for that but I'm not going to am afraid,only if I need to very bad ,because I am so traumatised because of propranolol.Don't worry it will get better, is different for everyone plus it has to do with the time that you have been taking it,so if you didn't take it for to long it may be easier and your withdrawal effect will not be that long I guess,so hang in there I know is hard,but better suffer a little bit now that continuing to take this awful drug,wish u well

Thank you so much for your reply. I can't tell you how much I appreciate it. It's so reassuring to know that someone has been where I am and come out the other side!

I can't wait for the fast heart rate to stop, other than the nights and that, that's the only thing I'm really worried about so I'm glad yours has regulated. Perhaps there is light at the end of this tunnel. xx

don't worry darling you can ask me anytime you wont,this forum pas been the only thing that has helped me during this dark period of my life,no one else understood my symptoms everyone said that maybe I am just anxious,do not expect the doctors to understand either,they didn't understand me at all because they don't really know much about withdrawal symptoms of propranolol,one doctor even told me that propranolol doesn't cause any symptoms when stopped because is homeopathic drug,so not really sure what to say about that,I think propranolol can be as addictive as benzodiazepines .It will get better I promise I give three months you will feel yourself again ,wish you the best dear ❤

Hi,

Thanks I may need to take you up on that offer.

I've just eaten something for the first time this week and I feel awful. Got the shakes and feel sick. Do you think that's normal? Feels a little like a panic attack coming on? Excess adrenaline maybe?

I did get the feeling the GP didn't take me seriously, as lovely as she was she told me I wasn't on a high enough dose to have withdrawals - so is all this lack of food and anxiety? I don't even know anymore.

I'm the same, totally traumatised by Propranolol. GP has written me a perscription for 10mg dose as she thinks I may do better on a smaller dose but I've totally lost trust in the medication and would rather do this whole cold turkey thing than take any more of those awful meds.

Today is day 4, do you think you started to feel better at all by day 7? I'm meant to be back in work on Monday but right now I can't even imagine it.

Thank you for your reply. xx

hi dear,the same thing happened to me after eating,it started after the fifth day of stopping propranolol is a normal reaction I guess,after food i had tachycardia,high blood pressure and it lasted for 15 minutes,this was everytime after eating,I think it is an overreaction of the nervous system because our bodies are used to propranolol and they don't know how to react suddenly with all the adrenaline,don't worry it will go away it did for me,you will feel the difference slowly everyday,but it takes time,on what dose were you on and did you stop suddenly?I reduced to 10 mg than 5mg but still had a horrible experience,so reducing the dose helps but doesn't prevent the withdrawal,so sorry you have to go through this right now with the virus and everything,don't be scared if you feel unwell but if you feel really unwell call an ambulance just to reassure yourself,for me the only foods that I could eat where toasted bread with cheese,mozarella cheese,salad,vegetables and boiled chicken fillet,everything else like pizza,fries,chips,bread,olives would make me feel so awful,still this day I eat no olives because of one time ending up in a&e ,it took three weeks for me to see little bit of difference I hope you didnt take it for to long maybe you will feel better sooner,dont worry just think anytime you will feel unwell at least you now is withdrawal don't be scared,you can try and go to work just if you feel unwell don't panic,that feeling will pas after 10 min so it wont kill you or anything like that.you can ask me anything anytime don't you worry about that .❤

Hi,

I was on 40-80mg a day (taking 80mg the last couple days) so effectively going cold turkey from 80mg. Over the course of one month I took 25 tablets - some days one a day, somedays two a day and others not at all.

I have not yet slept, I've had 4 quite severe panic attacks in the last couple hours. Constant shaking, fast heart rate and a totally not able to sleep. Has been very intense and difficult to the point where I've considered taking 1 x 40mg tablet just to see if it will stop the withdrawals and take the edge off. Do you think it will?

I can't pick up my lower dose of 10mg tablets until Monday but don't think I can continue like this until then. The shakes and tight chest are enough. I did wonder if I could cut the 40mg tablet in half and only take 20mg? does that even work?

Your prob asleep right now 😦 but any advice when you wake would be helpful.

hi dear,so that's why you are feeling like this maybe because of stopping cold turkey,but the fact that some days you haven't taken any tells me that you body is not that much dependent on the drug,so maybe the withdrawal will go way sooner than mine,so about the tablets I used to split 40 mg in half and take only 20,but is firm coated tablet so you never know for sure how much you have taken when you split it,if you can't handle the withdrawal you can take 40 or 20 for a week than 10 for another week than 5 for a week than 2.5 than nothing at all,that may help,just don't go for to long with it,me because I couldn't stop it I went on for 4 years,than I came to the point where only changing drug manufacturers gave me horrible side effects,don't worry about the panic attacks they go after a week,you will feel better everyday ❤

That's why I'm a little sceptical of re-starting even at a lower dose as in my head I'm day 5 and say 1/3 of the way through the worst withdrawals and don't want to be going through it again but at a later date. I'm sort of at the point where I just want rid and feel like me again, does that make sense?

Did you have problems with insomnia? My anxiety is always worse at night anyway so I can't say I'm surprised that I'm not too bad in the day but worse at night. x

hi dear,if I were you I would handle the withdrawal now rather than later again is like experiencing the same thing twice which is not worth it,but if you feel really unwell you can try 10 mg,but I think you would still feel unwell because your body would require the same amount that is used to,for example when I went from 40mg to 20mg it was hard,but it was wayyy harder when I went from 10mg to 5mg which sounds ridiculous,but is true because that's how I felt.I mean it was only 5 mg difference but it was so shocking for my body,so see how you feel,if you feel is impossible to wait just take 10 mg for a week and than 5mg and then nothing at all,But the best thing would be for you to be strong and wait to go back to your normal self again.The first three days I didn't sleep at all,no sleep for three days than I started to sleep normally,but it was hard to do anything,one time my heart started racing while I was changing bed sheets and when I finished it didn't go back to normal it was so fast and then I called an ambulance,when they came it was back to normal again.My anxiety is so bad right now bcs of the thyroid problem and bcs of the virus going on aswell,not sure how everything will sort out.xx

hia,

Yes, I agree with you, I'm already on Day 6 (Yay) so I'd rather continue now and have this damn medication be behind me for good. Trying to just take a day at a time and get through it. First week is the hardest right?

As you can see from my middle of the night reply, I am also having trouble sleeping. I had no sleep at all last night but after no naps, a calming bath, I did manage 4.5 hours but woke up at 3:30am and that's that. Woke up being a bit shaky and that, That's normal right?

How long was you off your food for? Tried to eat a sandwich yesterday but only really managed 1/4 as I just feel really nauseas and that which sucks because I genuinely think if I ate properly and slept properly the side affects would be much more manageable.

also, how long did the higher heart rate last for? Did you rest while it was high? It goes up to like 150 if I walk upstairs and that but wondering if it's safe to try an outside walk even if I know it will increase an already high heart rate.

Hope you managed a good night sleep! x

hello i hope now you will be feeling fine.. you are not alone having the same side effects.. i only took 10 mg x 1 a day for 5 or 6 days for panic attacks .. i had freezing feet dizziness very low heart rate everything written in side effects.. i asked my doc i could not take it but he continuously insisted me .. at the end i decided to stop it myself and took 5mg dose and just in 2 days ended up in hospital due to severe high BP and heart rate.. that night i spent in hospital ... again asked the doc i want to stop it . he did not inform me about consequence to stop it abruptly and prescribed me xanax .25 at night and citanew 10mg at morning . the first 3 days were a ok but from 4th day i started to have severe panic attacks and just walking few steps my HR was going on 140 150. now i m on 12th day and my panic attacks are reduced but still i could barely go to wash room just laying in bed and having rest.. i also have allot of sweating middle of the night with increased HR which has reduced now a little bit from few days. i m very scared what if i could not walk whole life or someday end up with heart attack . too much scared . this medicine should be stopped as very dangerous but still docs are prescribing it without any advanced warnings... plz post me back as it will give me a hope of being ok someday .. one thing i noticed since i started to take this pill my appetite has increased upto 3x .. i suggest you to eat something slowly with delays for strength and drink alot of water as this will also help you to reduce HR a bit ... do not eat anything 1 hour before sleep ..

Hi,

I am only on day 6 so still not feeling great. I too had crazy panic attacks around day 4 but I think I have a logical explanation.

This drug has a half life of around 10 hours give or take depending on the person therefore it's not out the body all together until day 4 so your body is frantically re-adjusting to this change and goes in to flight or fight mode, this increases symptoms such as high heart rate, shakes and so on which in turn and only naturally increases your anxiety which can then lead to severe panic attacks which will only make the original withdrawal symptoms worse. So by the time it gets to that point it's half the withdrawals and half a panic attack causing those symptoms.

I have found that with the above in mind I can try and keep check on my anxiety by telling myself it will only get worse if I panic, if I don't panic and ride it out a day at a time it will start to ease soon and I never need worry about these awful pills again.

I totally agree with you, I was not forwarned in anyway, I was not advised that you would get any kind of withdrawals or anything. Although I did do some online research too before taking I never in a million years thought they could do this to me. GP told me I hadn't had strong enough dose or long enough to have withdrawals and told me it must simply be my anxiety, did I want more pills? Erm...no thanks!

I find breathing exercises really help, also small sips of water regular. Haven't been able to eat properly for over a week but I am keeping hydrated. A hot bath helped me a lot yesterday and I actually got a couple hours sleep last night as I didn't the night before.

A lot of what I read have said day 5-6 is the worst and it only gets better after that so stick to it. I've also heard it can take a month for your heart rate to regulate itself.

Just think by day 12 the meds are all out your system and you never need worry about those horrible tablets again! You're nearly there, try and reduce some of the worry and I'm almost certain you'll feel better in no time. Good luck xx

thanks alot for giving hope it really matters. how are you feeling now. try to take some relaxant pill to reduce anxiety.. today i m feelings a bit better and did not wake in the middle of the night with full of sweat and higher HR .. it happened first time in 15 days. i also walked a little within home for few minutes without having higher HR rate which means i m improving.

i did research but till that time i was already getting them from 3 days. it took me 2 more days to convenience doc that these pills are giving me more anxiety but each time he scolded me. i wish he have to take these pills so he knows from which hell i m going through.. these docs do not have any feelings and we are just customer for them.

how are you feeling now. Are you alright ?

Hi,

Yes not too bad thank you. I still have a higher heart rate than normal especially after moving or eating. I'm not ready for any marathons but I do feel much better in myself.

My sleep is returning to normal (a lavender diffuser before bed really helps) and my appetite has started to return too so I'm able to eat small meals now.

The panic attacks and anxiety have eased a lot - obviously still there but not as heightened or as powerful.

I am glad I went through that hell in order to come off the meds completely, I will never touch them again.

How are you?

sorry for late reply how are you feeling now ? any improvement .. i m feeling better as compare to before but still heart rate increase when i walk for few minutes. i m very tense about it.. it has been more then 21 days i left the pills but still side effects are there 😦 .. i don't know what to do about it ...

hi. i know you haven't posted in a long time, but am hoping you see this. i stopped propranolol 3 weeks ago and while some of my symptoms have improved (like my heart is racing less often), i'm still having some symptoms including night sweats and flushing. i see that you were having similar symptoms and i'm just wondering how long it was before they fully went away?

hey, are you able to help me as I am going through similar symptoms?

how are you now?