Beta Blockers: What is your experience?!
Question: I am suffering from anxiety attacks which I know has caused blood pressure problems for the past two years. I had to stop drinking coffee and sodas because once the anxiety started they were making me dizzy (and sometimes blurred vision). I knew this was all a BP issue brought on by the anxiety (I'm only 33).
I freaked a little tonight because after I got off the treadmill (I had been on it for 40 minutes walking at 3.2 mph), my pulse was at 171. I'd never seen it that high. I worry because both of my parents died of heart disease (my father of a massive heart attack at 58 and my mom after heart surgery at 67), so I'm making an appointment first thing tomorrow.
Beta blockers sound like just the ticket for me. But obviously, I'm trying to lose weight and I want to make sure it won't stop my progress. I do desperately need help with the anxiety, freakish blushing episodes, and blood pressure. So what experience with these have you had, and did it have any bad side effects?
Answers: I am suffering from anxiety attacks which I know has caused blood pressure problems for the past two years. I had to stop drinking coffee and sodas because once the anxiety started they were making me dizzy (and sometimes blurred vision). I knew this was all a BP issue brought on by the anxiety (I'm only 33).
I freaked a little tonight because after I got off the treadmill (I had been on it for 40 minutes walking at 3.2 mph), my pulse was at 171. I'd never seen it that high. I worry because both of my parents died of heart disease (my father of a massive heart attack at 58 and my mom after heart surgery at 67), so I'm making an appointment first thing tomorrow.
Beta blockers sound like just the ticket for me. But obviously, I'm trying to lose weight and I want to make sure it won't stop my progress. I do desperately need help with the anxiety, freakish blushing episodes, and blood pressure. So what experience with these have you had, and did it have any bad side effects?
I am a nurse, and I have been on beta blockers since I was 18 yrs old. I have sinus tachycardia. I also had a radiofrequency ablation in 2005 which helped with another heart problem called AV node re entry.
You should check your pulse 1 minute after getting off the treadmill. I am not surprised your heart rate was 171 after hopping off the treadmill.
It actually sounds pretty normal to me.
If your worried about your family history of heard disease, see a cardiologist and ask for a work up.
I dont think beta blockers are the answer for your anxiety.
Beta blockers are a 1st line treatment for hypertension. Usually if a beta blocker doesnt bring your pressure down, they begin to add other drugs.
See your doctor and bring this concern to his/her attention.
You will feel better.
I took a beta blocker once called Tenomin after my kidney transplant in 1989. After a year of being on it, I was weaned off of it slowly. You cannot stop taking any beta blocker cold turkey due to it can cause severe heart valve damage that could become deadly.
Why only restrict the type of BP meds you can take? Did your doctor tell you this is the class of bp medication you need? Considering both your parents died from heart related problems this does not sound like a good idea if you ask me.
I take them with no problems. Since you have anxiety, maybe you should combine beta blockers with an antidepressant, like Zoloft.