Started taking 10mg of Propranolol now on 40mg. Still not working very well. Any advice?
Posted , 3 users are following.
Hi there,
I started taking beta blockers about a month ago now.
They presumed A-Fib plus my Hyperthyroidism was very high so my doc placed me on these pills.
I started on 10, so 3 a day. And at first I felt a bit better and thought, great, no more palps/flutters/super fast heart beat just by watching TV/laying down etc etc.
Then after approx 2 days being on them, I'm drained, sleeping in the day, feeling sick, pains everywhere and thought I should let my doc know.
She then put my dosage up to 40, so i take 20mg 3-4 times a day (dependant on how I feel) and it just has no effect on me anymore.
I tested it by going back down to 10 and it wasn't working either.
My heart is still racing and above all of this, today I had the most painful stabbing pains around my heart area and arms (thought I was having a heart attack!) for a good 5 minutes.
I also fainted on Sat night (2nd march 2019). And I don't usually faint.
Not sure if these symptoms are related but my Doctor takes forever in calling me back or sometimes removes me from her call back list and I don't want to bother her because she's probably so busy.
So i thought i'd come on here and see if anyone else has had similar issues on Propraolol because I'm not sure what i should do.
I know i can't come off of them straight away but maybe coming off of them slowly is an option? Not sure, but I know i can't quite cope with this much longer.
Ps. I'm a healthy, 22 year old. I also exercise but haven't been much due to feeling exhausted and feeling sick.
No worries if you see this article and can't relate, just looking for some answers. Or even one. 😃
Thnx
Emma
0 likes, 8 replies
moon53540 emmac23
Posted
what other medication are you taking?
emmac23 moon53540
Posted
I am on my 20mg of carbimazole for my thyroid and general combination pill.
moon53540 emmac23
Posted
So if you are on propranolol and you are getting palpitations and stabbing pains I would strongly urge you to get a d-dimer blood test and a chest CT with contrast to look at your lungs. The combined pill can cause pulmonary emboli and it is something that can be life threatening. It could also be a problem with your heart so if I were you I would get an emergency appointment today with your doctor to get some tests ASAP. If you can't get one go to A&E or the ER depending on which country you are in. When it comes to your heart and lungs you cannot take the risk.
emmac23 moon53540
Posted
A d-dimer blood test and chest CT - ok got it, and that would make sense because i have difficulty breathing laying down since being on these meds.
I'm in the UK and I'm near a hospital but I feel I don't want to waste their time if I'm not having an actual heart attack because (if you're English) the NHS (Uk free healthcare system) are so understaffed and I don't want to annoy them by turning up with no physically obvious issue 😦
I don't want to take that risk at all, but your points make great sense and I will go to a private emergency doctor to raise the combined pill and heart issues.
Thank you for your advice I really appreciate it.
Emma
moon53540 emmac23
Posted
I am in the UK and you can phone 111 if you get into any trouble and you are worried they will send an ambulance if needed or get you an emergency appointment. PEs can be fatal if not treated in time and can often be missed as mine were for ages before I had to go private in the end and ask for a chest CT with contrast. Bring up your concerns about PEs because it is not the first thing a doctor will think of as they are rare in people your age. They may not offer you the CT but if you ask for a d-dimer blood test they should give you one on the NHS with your symptoms. Hopefully it is nothing too serious, but if you know something is wrong don't feel embarrassed to speak up. While you are experiencing palpitations and problems I would recommend giving up the pill and use other protection. Maybe think about switching to the mini pill. Good luck and let me know how you get on.
emmac23 moon53540
Posted
Thank you ever so much for your advice and replying to my message.
I didn't think of these points before so it's good to have new insight on what i can do onwards now.
Hopefully it isn't bad but i will go private if need be to get to the bottom of this!
Hope your heart is better looking at your comments.
Best regards
moon53540 emmac23
Posted
Hi pulmonary emboli are in the lungs although they can affect your heart. I am a lot better than I was but I find certain times of the month when my hormones change I get more symptoms. I don't know if you are the same, it might not be a bad idea to keep a diary of your symptoms as well as your period because hormones can play a big part in heart problems as well as PEs. If you keep a log of your symptoms it may be easier for a doctor to diagnose as well because when I used to go to my GP I would forget to mention things so it is probably why it took me having to go private before a diagnosis.
emmac23 moon53540
Posted
Thank you for your help! I wouldn't have thought to do it otherwise!
I hope you recover fully. These thing can't wait so I've already got a prvt appointment this week!
Emma