Propranolol has begun!

Hi all! So, I’m on day 2 of propranolol - 10mg in morning and 10mg at night so startign small as my blood pressure is on the low side anyway. The 24/7 visual rocking has got a bit worse already, along with feeling wobblier (i know this is probably par for the course, as i got much worse before levelling on amitriptyline, but unforch that didn’t help me enough!) Just wondering if this is normal stuff, i’m sure it probably is! And also, how long i can expect before i get used to it i guess? Seems ages since i’ve had these little jolts like i’m falling in my head (who knows what i’m on about? Like someones making you jump constantly!) It’s only day 2 so i know i’ve got to be patient, it’s just annoying to ‘rock the boat’ after reaching more a of baseline on amitriptyline.

I wanted to reach out to anyone on propranolol and hear about your experiences? Positive ones really, as i’m not in the market for freaking myself out haha! x

Urrrrg i’m feeling dodgier by the minute, very nauseaus and MUCH more sensitive to the computer screen again. This is so odd. Amitriptyline was clearly doing alot more than i thought, but only at a dose that was too low to have a proper effect. I couldn’t tolerate it at higher more therapeutic dosages. I’m happy to be trialing propranolol but i had forgot how awful you feel when starting a new med. I’ve got a constant jolt in my head, like my body has been surprised.

amitriptyline can work at 10 mg- nortriptyline started to work for me at week 4 of being on 10 mg. Hopefully Kathyd will see your post she is doing well on propanolol right now.

Thanks Sarah. Yeah apparently after 4 months of 10mg not doing ‘enough’ though, there wasn’t much point in staying on it.
I think the biggest and most irritating thing is that starting a new med the MAV brain gets so sensitive again. Even typing this is trickier than usual. It kind of shows me that VRT is a bit silly - as i feel like i’ve gone backwards there too! x

wtc i agree it is torture when new meds make me worse and i just have to put up with it for a few weeks (i try to give it 2-3 to see if the worseness goes away)- it is torture upon torture- but the necessary evil i guess.

True say!

Hey WTC. I was on 120mg of propranolol for a couple of months when this first started…it didn’t have any negative effects. I tried a slow release 120mg again earlier this year (stopped as as started antibiotics) too. I know a few people (not on this forum) who take it for classic migraine prevention and it helps. Also, the National Migraine Centre in London advocate a low dose of nori in combo with a beta blocker. Good Luck! hope it is the one to help u. xx

Hello lovely lizzie, thanks for this. Yeah i don’t think i’m having side effects, just increased dizzies, probably just because something new is in the mix and i was so used to the ami! Thanks for the advice. So glad to hear thinks are on the up for you! YAY!

Thank u!!! U next. xxx

Haha fingers crossed! HATING having to go backwards before i can go forwards though! x

I know it’s so so rubbish. I was worse then better on propranolol. I have a feeling this might be the one for u. Good things happen all the time. Hang on in there! Xx

— Begin quote from “DizzieLizzie1”

I know it’s so so rubbish. I was worse then better on propranolol. I have a feeling this might be the one for u. Good things happen all the time. Hang on in there! Xx

— End quote

Oh you are sweet! Thank you! So much! :stuck_out_tongue:
RIGHT!
I’m ready for the worsening. Definitely feeling pretty gross this evening. Every little movement of my head is making my head jolt like i’ve trodden on a step that isn’t there after climbing a flight! (If anyone knows what i mean.) Little step back before we go forward again, that’s all!

Hey WTC! How are you doing?? I think all the meds have an adjustment period xx

Hello! I’m having increased wooziness, travel sickness type feeling and dizzies but only on day 3 - i know you felt the same didn’t you Anna? How are you doing now? Have you adjusted? xx

Yes I was off kilter! Dr S said it wasn’t the best drug for me & ditched it & added gabapentin instead. I didnt give it a fair go tbh. X

WTC, I was the same as Anna, I only tried the beta blocker for a few days and then chickened out cos I felt worse. If you can stick it out then do because I still keep asking if it might have helped if I had stuck at it x

Anna, Dr S has added gabapentin for me too so I will be on the same meds as you! I haven’t started it yet but am a little scared. I really must give it a proper go this time. I wondered how you are getting on with it??? x

You know what Jem I’m ok, going up to 200mg tomorrow. More head swimmy mainly I think no improvement as yet, will let you know? What dosage did he say you had to get up to? X

I think he said do 100mg per night for a week, then 100mg morning and night for a week and then 100mg three times a day. I am not sure if I will be able to go up as quick as that. I am trying to brace myself to feel worse at first and not quit. I will hopefully start next week. He said there is a lot of scope to go higher if needed.

He said we can have a telephone consult in 3 months time to save me travelling all the way to see him in person so that was good of him! I also saw the vestibular physio there and she is going to call me in 6 weeks with some new exercises etc.

What dose are you going up to? x

I will try Jem! I’m on day 6 now, can’t believe it! still feeling pretty shoddy. Just veryyyyy sensitive again. I’m surprised more people haven’t piped in on this post, i thought i’d have alot of ‘oh yes propranolol made me worse’ things…! It’s just so annoying that the doctors don’t seem to be aware of the increased dizzies with prophylaxis meds… my doc said to me once when i was on the amitriptyline ‘oh it certinaly won’t have made you worse’ - they just don’t seem to get that we are SUPER SENSITIVE and need a long adjustment period. Worse before we’re better is always the way for us! x

Hi WTC,

I have taken propranolol on three different occasions. The last two times I didn’t have any side effects at all. The first time I felt terrible for the first few days, although I started it when I was at my absolute worst ever! I don’t really know if I felt awful partly due to the new med, or whether it was just that I started taking it during a bad spell and it was a coincidence. I tend to think it must have been coincidence, as the other times I’ve taken it it’s not made me feel even the tiniest bit worse for a short time.

I’m wondering if not many people have piped up because a lot of people have tolerated it ok? I think it tends to be one of the easier meds to tolerate, compared to say, topamax.

Anyway, I really hope it will settle down soon for you. Personally I’d try to give it at least a fortnight to see if it will settle, but it depends on how much worse it is making you feel.