Propranolol and Increased Heart Rate: What Users Say (Page 2)

• Jay...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• March 4, 2019

For Arrhythmia "Took propranolol just before Xmas, was just getting the odd palpitations. I'm 70 and not on any medications at all, and generally quite fit. My doctor put me on them as he said my pulse was quite fast, 80 mg one tab in the morning and one tab at night. First tablet OK. But after that, never felt so ill, my heart was racing. Felt no energy, tired. Sick. Couldn't eat. I was on them for 17 days, ended up in A&E twice, ambulance the lot. Blood pressure hit the roof, pulse was out of control. And when I came off them, I went worse. It is now early March 2019, and I'm just about getting back to normal. Prior to taking them, I had low blood pressure. Now it just goes up and down through taking them. Rue the day I was ever given them. Maybe not everyone reacts the same to them, and they do a lot of people good, but not for me."

• Hea...
• September 8, 2015

For Performance Anxiety "As a high schooler who has had bad anxiety since middle school, Propranolol is my savior. I get a red face, shaky hands and legs, weak voice, extremely dry throat, sweaty, and fast heartbeat when I have to read or present anything in front of one or more people. I even sometimes get those when just talking to people who I don't know. I took a Propranolol pill on the first day of school when I knew I would be very anxious and talking to many new people. It was a miracle. I was confident and had no trouble talking. Since then, I have also tried it for presentations, and I delivered a speech for the first time without embarrassing myself with visible and extreme nervous symptoms. I could actually talk without swallowing every 2 seconds. I love it."

• AK8...
• June 11, 2009

For Performance Anxiety "I have been suffering from pretty bad anxiety when faced with meeting new people, going to a job interview, going on the streets. Everything from a pounding heart, tense body, tight breath, pressure on the chest, and the feeling of wanting to run away from normal situations. Today I took propranolol for the first time, and so far it seems to have killed this feeling totally. At first, it felt like it completely emotionally numbed me, but as the hours have gone by (about 4 hours now), it's all good now. I'm still feeling relaxed but a bit lazy."

• Caz...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• January 4, 2018

For Migraine Prevention "I hope this helps someone reading. I was prescribed propranolol a month ago for my migraines. 80 mg slow release. Since being on them, I've felt so cold all the time and having terrible trouble sleeping. I seem to be in a foul mood and feeling depressed. After 2 weeks, I even got a migraine. I then missed 2 doses over 2 days. I took them mornings. By the 2nd evening, I felt shocking. My heart was beating so fast and then missing beats. My blood pressure went up high. I felt dizzy and out of breath. I'm seeing the dr tomorrow to see how to come off them safely. I've been researching and it seems very dangerous to just stop them. It seems you have to wean off of them. Please research before taking them."

• Adm...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• December 3, 2017

For Anxiety "I was prescribed this drug for performance anxiety, and I have been extremely pleased. I take it an hour before a presentation or important meeting, and it completely helps me function and perform normally. I’m still nervous, but it’s not debilitating, and the symptoms like rapid heartbeat, shaky voice, shaky hands, and flushed face are GONE. The doctor that prescribed this made a great point, he said, “this won’t take away all of your nerves, but you never want to lose that completely anyway. A healthy level of nervousness keeps you sharp, and the day you lose all nerve, it’s over.”"

• Dys...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• December 17, 2020

For Anxiety "This drug has increased my ability to function 10x. It has stopped my constant daily severe panic attacks and allowed me to function. I started on 10 mg Propranolol but only took half a tablet twice a day to be sure I would not suffer from side effects. The first three days my anxiety went into overdrive with 4 ER visits for chest pain, it was just my anxiety acting up. After those 3 days, I started to take 5 mg 2-3 times a day and have been doing so for two months now. This drug is a miracle, the only downside is that it will not fix your anxious thoughts, and I still have the odd high heart rate and panic attack, but it is much more manageable. I take 10 mg when I have something coming up, such as doctor visits, family visits, etc."

• Aku...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• August 1, 2019

For Anxiety "Worst drug I ever took. I was so sick for one month: nausea, low energy, throwing up, couldn’t sleep, hallucinations when I closed my eyes, nightmares, fatigue, blurred vision, chest pain, couldn’t breathe, fast heartbeat, depersonalization, loss of memory, libido disappeared, no appetite, couldn’t concentrate, fainting, body pain."

• Jay...
• December 4, 2018

For Anxiety "I've had the odd anxiety attack over the past 3 years. They came from nowhere. Probably caused by marriage breakdown and my son being diagnosed as epileptic. The final straw was 2 months ago when I had an attack, and I thought I was going to die! Extreme dizziness, feeling sick, rapid heartbeat, feeling very hot, and shaky, then fainted. Tests showed everything normal apart from high blood pressure. Have been given 40 mg once a day to see if this helps. Reading reviews, I'm hoping they do."

• mar...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• February 7, 2022

For Anxiety "I experienced a really bad panic attack, which I believed I was dying, and after this, I kept experiencing the same sort of panic attacks. My doctor prescribed me 40 mg of propranolol to help deal with the awful side effects that came from this: shaking, high heart rate, and sweating. At first, it helped greatly with reducing my heart rate, and I was so thankful. About two weeks later, I was the worst I had ever been. This medication will lower your blood pressure, this I was never told. I have had a “normal” low blood pressure my entire life. I started experiencing an abnormal heart rate, which made my anxiety worse. My breathing felt altered, and I found it so hard to sleep. I also have the worst diarrhea ever. I am afraid of this tablet, I have to now get weaned off it because they started me at 40 mg, and if I stop suddenly, it might mess my heart up even more. I dread bedtime now and the side effect of these tablets, it had made me more anxious than ever."

• Ano...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• April 1, 2025

For Anxiety "I was put on propranolol after still experiencing severe physical anxiety (chest tightness/pain, nausea, shakiness, fast heartbeat), even on antidepressants. This med works so well for me that I take it scheduled 20 mg twice daily. I like that it's fast-acting because I can skip it when I want to, and it's not controlled, so I only have to refill it every 3 months. It's also old, so it's cheap. I spend maybe $20 for a 3-month refill."

• Abo...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• May 30, 2021

For Performance Anxiety "This drug is amazing. I have always suffered from an elevated heart rate and shaky voice when public speaking. Well, I just took a 40 mg dose of propranolol before a best man speech and absolutely crushed it. I practiced my speech a lot and knew my material, but my body didn’t let me down. It was my best public speaking experience in my life by far, and propranolol is a major reason. You still need to practice and know your material, but your body won’t fail you."

• wor...
• September 9, 2014

For Panic Disorder "I was prescribed propranolol 4 years ago and was on 160 mg daily for around a year, and it worked straight away. Took away the racing heart and trembling hands and made me feel normal. After around 6 months, I started to feel lightheaded and dizzy and was moved down to 80 mg daily, which I was on for around 2 years. When I felt I was on better control of my panic attacks, I started to titrate down the propranolol, as you are not allowed to just stop taking it, and this is the downside, as when my panic attacks were under control, I was starting to get a racing heart and trembling again as the doctors were trying to get my titration rate sorted out, and I was moved down too quickly. It took 18 months to do this, which was the downside."

• Fin...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• October 15, 2016

For Performance Anxiety "I had pretty severe performance anxiety literally since primary school. This held me back my whole adult life as I did not pursue opportunities for fear of drawing attention to myself, being put on the spot and required to speak. How amazing that I can write this in past tense now! After being utterly sick of my anxiety affecting my life like this, and in preparation for a talk I'd dreaded for 5 months, I got propranolol 40 mg from my doctor. Propranolol was massively effective for me - NO blotchy red upper body, heart pounding, stomach cramps, sweating, gasping breath, and voice tremors! How liberating to speak and be myself without my body/adrenaline sabotaging me! I actually enjoyed giving my talk and felt calm throughout. Thrilled!"

• Anonymous
• Taken for less than 1 month
• July 31, 2019

For Performance Anxiety "Well, what can I say? It’s all true. I’ve read all the posts, and I must say that I agree with those who find propranolol effective. It just works! I mean, I’m so shocked how all my symptoms disappeared. No shaky hands, no rapid heartbeat, no sweating, no anxiety other than the anxiety from not knowing whether it would work. I literally walked to the mic in front of hundreds of people, said my speech, which I prepared diligently, realized I had no symptoms (noted above), smiled, and delivered it flawlessly. I’m so happy. This is a life changer. The sky is the limit now. Thanks, propranolol.....you’re the best."

• Tec...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• September 8, 2015

For Performance Anxiety "I have been in IT for forty years. As I reached my late 50s, my self-confidence began to decline. My job requires me to do presentations regularly. I started having serious anxiety and trouble getting through presentations. My heart would pound. My throat would tighten up significantly, and my voice was weak and shaky. My doctor prescribed Propranolol 20 mg. If I take it an hour or so before a presentation, I'm fine. None of the symptoms I mentioned above. Most workdays I take it when I get up in the morning, and I'm great all day-no matter what stressful situation comes up. I was skeptical that anything could do what Propranolol has done. It saved my career-and makes personal situations easier as well."

• Kyn...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• March 4, 2019

For Performance Anxiety "This medication does not solve my underlying social and performance anxiety, but it basically makes my professional life manageable. Without it, I can get fight/flight responses, which completely destroys my confidence and ability to even present myself in front of a group of people without having what feels like a panic attack. Heart racing to the point that it feels like I can't get a word out. In some sense, I'm disappointed that I need this to feel okay about my life, but mostly I'm just very grateful that it's there. I would recommend this to anyone who suffers with these issues. Enables you to focus on your job without having to battle your own body."

• It ...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• September 17, 2015

For Performance Anxiety "Was dreading my maid of honor speech and took 3 10 mg one hour before the speech and it saved me! I am no different from everyone else on here in that I am extremely affected by having all eyes on me and I get the shakes and pounding heart. I got up there, sailed through, with no physical symptoms. It's literally too good to be true. I can't wait to try it for work and grad school presentations. My savior."

• elp...
• November 5, 2015

For Performance Anxiety "For me, I'd say beta blockers work well for performance/social anxiety. Reading the comments on this page sounds so familiar to me. They will not stop you from being nervous but will bring you to a level where the physical aspects of your fear won't manifest, i.e., pounding heart and trembling voice. So once you start and realize this, usually things will go better. I have found, though, that certain brands are better than others. I order mine online, but yes, they have been a lifesaver in certain situations, such as introductions in meetings or big interviews, etc. Normally, for me, around 30 mg works well about 45 minutes to 1 and a half hours before."

• Kev...
• October 27, 2015

For Performance Anxiety "The first time I experienced any sort of anxiety in front of people occurred at a new job introducing myself in a large meeting. I could hardly get my words out, racing heart, red face, shortness of breath. This one bad experience made me fearful that it could happen again. I went to my doctor and was prescribed propranolol. Before my upcoming presentation, I tested it at 10 mg and then 20 mg another day. I didn't feel either dose was enough to get the job done for a presentation. For the presentation, I took 60 mg an hour before. Half an hour before my presentation, I was so calm although a bit scared. When I went to the podium, I was calm, and when I began talking, I was very comfortable. The presentation went very well."

• Pat...
• September 10, 2021

For Arrhythmia "3 days in on a tiny 10 mg x2 (20 mg total) for arrhythmia, I started feeling strange, lethargic, depressed, and waking in the middle of the REM cycle with heart pounding. I did some research, this medication crosses the blood-brain barrier (other beta blockers do not), where it has a direct effect on the central nervous system. I figured better safe than sorry, so even only being on for 3 days, I'm doing a quick taper off, 30 to 20 on the first day, then waited a few days to drop to 15, and dropping by 2.5 every 4 days since. I am down to just 7.5 mg per day, I still feel all the side effects that started on day 3. But I think a somewhat careful taper is smart. More proof you need to do your research and don't trust your doctor knows what medicines actually do. This is a very old drug, there are many better beta blockers that have been developed since. I was told this was a heart medication designed to stop irregular heartbeat, wasn't even told of any potential side effects or withdrawals."

• Ano...
• May 11, 2016

For Performance Anxiety "This pill does what a decade of therapy failed to do, and it costs WAY less. I had to take a speech class for college--a class that I'd been putting off for years (had already failed once due to anxiety). My doctor prescribed this when I mentioned what happens when I have to do any kind of public speaking (my fight or flight response goes through the roof and I can barely speak, my voice gets so shaky). Did I still get nervous? Yes, but it makes a HUGE difference because not only did it eliminate the whole racing heart and shaking voice thing, but it actually made me more confident because I knew no matter how much my speech sucked that I'd be able to deliver it cool as a cucumber. FYI, chewing a small dose 5 minutes before makes it fast acting!"

• Anonymous
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• October 15, 2022

For Anxiety "Life changing for me discovering this at the age of 32, after years of suffering from panic attacks in social situations and public speaking mainly. Now one 10 mg tablet 30 mins before, and I have absolutely no physical symptoms... no shaking, racing heart, etc. I wish I knew about this years ago. I would have never, ever thought I would be able to stand in front of a room of people and be able to present."

• Bri...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• October 23, 2021

For Anxiety "I went to a new doctor and mentioned my social anxiety. Before seeing her, I would get nervous in large crowds, but nothing big. I never had a history of blood pressure or heart issues. She prescribed this, telling me to take it in situations where I would be around a lot of people, though the bottle said every 8 hours. I took one that day, and I didn't feel any different. I figured it was just something to get used to, so I took one daily for the next 4 days. Didn't feel anything. On the 6th day, my husband and I went to a hockey game. 5 mins in, I had a full-blown panic attack, including nausea, racing thoughts, racing heartbeat. This was the first panic attack I've ever had. Stopped taking it, panic attacks continued another 18 months, especially when I drank caffeine. This med totally messed me up, do not recommend."

• Dee...
• February 19, 2016

For Anxiety "I have been taking this medication for 7 days now at bedtime, as recommended by my doctor. I have been having severe nightmares, awake half the night, and exhausted in the morning. I am waking to my heart rate beating faster than when I work out. I am not going to take it tonight and see what happens. I haven't read anything about the side effects I am having, has anyone else had these side effects?"

• Mel...
• February 23, 2016

For Performance Anxiety "I took 1 and a quarter of a 10 mg propranolol an hour before my speech and gave a 1.5 hour speech with no issues. I'm 5'1", 125 lbs. I normally have a high heart rate, sweat, and have trouble breathing during speeches or interviews. This is a miracle drug that eliminated my performance anxiety. I will definitely start taking this before any presentations in the future."