PRESCRIPTION MEDICATION

Propranolol

type of medication:

Propranolol is a commonly prescribed medication (beta blocker) that’s often well-tolerated and effective as a short-term treatment.


Treatment for:

Physical symptoms of anxiety

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propranolol

How it works, what it treats, side effects, and more.

Mimi Winsberg, MD

Chief Medical Officer, Brightside Health
Stanford-trained psychiatrist with 25 years of practice

At Brightside Health, our psychiatric providers specialize in finding the right medication for your specific needs. As part of your treatment, your provider may recommend propranolol. They’ll go over how the medication works, and answer any questions you may have.

In the meantime, we’ve provided some general information about this medication below. If you have any further questions, please feel free to contact us at [email protected].

Propranolol, commonly sold under the brand name Inderal, belongs to a class of medications called beta blockers. Although typically used to treat heart conditions such as high blood pressure, heart failure, and an irregular heartbeat, beta blockers also can help with anxiety symptoms.

As a beta blocker, propranolol works by relaxing blood vessels and blocking the effects of adrenaline. It prevents adrenaline from connecting with your heart’s beta receptors, which lowers your blood pressure and causes your heart to beat more slowly and less forcefully.

Its main benefit, if you have anxiety, is to help you manage physical symptoms of anxiety. You will need additional therapy or medication to address the psychological causes of your anxiety.

Propranolol is best known for treating high blood pressure, irregular heartbeats, and tremors. It may be prescribed after a heart attack to reduce strain on the heart. It’s also used to prevent chest pain, migraine headaches, and physical symptoms of anxiety.

At Brightside, we use propranolol to treat short-term anxiety symptoms. The goal is to help you manage physical reactions to stress, such as dizziness, excessive sweating, fast heart rate, and shaky voice and hands.

Our psychiatric providers specialize in personalizing treatment for each person. We give you personal attention and expert advice you can count on and explain all your options. By using our expertise, we’ll work with you to find the medication that’s just right. It’s important to us that you understand how medications work and what to expect so that your treatment is worry-free.

At Brightside, we evaluate your symptoms and recommend medication that is tailored to your unique needs.

 Propranolol can help with the physical symptoms of anxiety, including: 

  • Dizziness
  • Fast heart rate
  • Shaky voice and hands
  • Sweating

Brightside providers have an in-depth knowledge of the strengths and drawbacks of each medication. You’ll get all the information you need to make an informed choice about your treatment.

We understand you want to make sure propranolol will work for you. How well you respond to this particular medication for anxiety may depend on your age, sex, genetic makeup, family history, symptoms, and other medications you’re taking.

At Brightside, we’re experts at finding a medication that helps you function at your highest level. We use our advanced Brightfinder technology to learn about you and discover which medications and treatment approaches will work best for you, drawing from a wealth of research. We combine leading-edge technology and our providers’ experience to develop a treatment tailored to your exact needs.

Together, you and your provider will develop a plan to improve how you feel as quickly as possible. Know that your provider may need to adjust your dosage to ensure you get optimal results with the fewest side effects. Your Brightside provider will make sure you’re well-informed and supported every step of your treatment journey.

We know that mental health concerns often can’t wait, so if you need to meet with a provider to discuss a new or existing medication, we offer telehealth services and provider consultations that can be scheduled within 48 hours.

It’s natural to wonder how long you’ll need to continue taking the medication. With propranolol, your provider may prescribe a regular dose of the medication or recommend that you take it just before stressful events. Propranolol is generally not prescribed for long-term treatment of anxiety.

The amount of time you need to take propranolol will depend on your diagnosis and specific symptoms.

How long you need to take propranolol will depend on your symptoms and diagnosis.

How well propranolol works for you may depend on whether anxiety causes physical effects in your body, such as dizziness, shaking, sweating, and fast heart rate.

Propranolol is likely to be most effective for you if you have performance anxiety in situations such as making a presentation at work or performing before a crowd. One study cites its effectiveness in these cases. You’ll generally take propranolol one hour before the stressful event and fully feel the effects of it in one to two hours. It decreases your heart rate, which can make you feel more relaxed.

In some cases, your provider may recommend that you take propranolol daily.

To get the best results with your medication, it’s important to consistently measure progress during treatment. This is known as Measurement Based Care, and it’s the approach we use at Brightside. It’s common to adjust the dose and/or medication when starting treatment for anxiety until you find just the right fit.

Some people are concerned that taking a medication for anxiety will change who they are. Propranolol will not change your personality, but it will make you feel better and more relaxed. But remember, it doesn’t happen overnight. Keep taking your medication as prescribed, and talk to your provider if you have any questions or concerns.

Propranolol is a safe medication, but it’s important to talk with your Brightside provider about potential side effects of this treatment. Most of these effects are mild and go away as you get used to your medication. If you take propranolol only occasionally, it is uncommon to have side effects.

Some of the most common side effects of beta blockers like propranolol include:

  • Cold hands and feet
  • Dizziness or lightheadedness
  • Depression
  • Fatigue
  • Headache
  • Shortness of breath
  • Vomiting, diarrhea, or constipation

In rare cases, serious side effects can occur. If you experience any of the following, call your provider right away or call 911 if you feel your symptoms are life-threatening: 

  • Blue fingers/toes
  • Easy bruising or bleeding
  • Decreased sexual ability
  • Fainting
  • Heart failure symptoms, such as shortness of breath, swelling of ankles and feet, unusual tiredness, or sudden weight gain
  • Increased thirst/urination
  • Mood changes
  • Numbness or tingling in your arms or legs
  • Signs of infection, such as fever
  • Swollen or aching joints 
  • Very slow heartbeat.

You are advised not to take propranolol if you have chronic lung disease, asthma, diabetes, certain heart diseases, or severe depression. At Brightside, your health and safety are our highest priorities. We make sure you get individual attention and guidance to help you feel your best.

If you are taking propranolol daily and decide you want to stop taking it, do not stop abruptly. Stopping suddenly has been reported to cause worsening of angina (chest pain) and even heart attack in some cases.

Talk to your Brightside provider, who will help guide you to reduce the dose gradually and avoid withdrawal symptoms.

If you’re pregnant or plan to become pregnant, please talk to your health care provider before making any medication changes.

There are no well-controlled, conclusive studies on pregnant women taking propranolol. There have been some reports of newborns whose mothers took propranolol during pregnancy being born with abnormalities or problems such as bradycardia (abnormally slow heart), low blood sugar, and/or respiratory depression.1 You and your provider will have to decide if the potential benefits justify the potential risks to the baby.

If you’re taking propranolol while nursing, small amounts of this medication will be in your breast milk, so caution should be used. Talk to your provider so you can develop a plan together to manage your symptoms and feed your baby safely.

Propranolol is not a controlled substance, and it’s not addictive like some other medications used to treat anxiety. However, it can cause withdrawal symptoms if stopped suddenly.

If you have concerns about taking propranolol or want to change your dosage, please talk to your Brightside providers first. They can help you avoid withdrawal symptoms.

GETTING STARTED WITH BRIGHTSIDE

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Start your journey towards life-changing care in a matter of minutes. You’ll receive compassionate support and expert advice the entire way.

Meet 1:1 with your provider

Complete a quick questionnaire, then connect 1:1 with your dedicated provider to discuss your needs.

Get your prescription

Your provider will pinpoint the most effective medication for you and send it to your pharmacy of choice.

Track how you feel

Weekly check-ins help you keep track of symptoms, giving your provider data to make adjustments.

View your progress

Watch your scores and well-being improve along the way with our Proactive Progress Tracking tool.

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Real stories.
Real results.

Read More Reviews

“I feel MUCH IMPROVED! My medication works well for me, and the personal care I have received has been wonderful! My provider listens to me with understanding and compassion.”

Tonya T

“5/5. My provider is excellent and takes time to understand my symptoms and make informed medication determinations. After many years of being on multiple medications, I am feeling much relief after less than two months of treatment.”

Anonymous

“Happier than I have been in years. One of the best decisions of my life was trying Brightside.”

Michael P

“I was impressed with how fast I was able to get an appointment as the wait in my area is months long. I received helpful medication quickly, which is also hard to get here. My provider is terrific, helpful, and kind. The zoom appointments are great for my hectic life. Really love this program so far!”

Anna W

“Very easy and simple to get the medication I needed. Since starting to use Brightside, I have begun to feel so much better about myself and I wake up every day with a sense of excitement that wasn’t there before!”

Brandon D

“It is so convenient to get medication and a therapist that work with my schedule. The quality of care is beyond top notch, and being able to see someone on Sundays is so convenient for people who work during the week.”

Anonymous

Real stories.
Real results.

“I feel MUCH IMPROVED! My medication works well for me, and the personal care I have received has been wonderful! My provider listens to me with understanding and compassion.”

Tonya T

“5/5. My provider is excellent and takes time to understand my symptoms and make informed medication determinations. After many years of being on multiple medications, I am feeling much relief after less than two months of treatment.”

Anonymous

“Happier than I have been in years. One of the best decisions of my life was trying Brightside.”

Michael P

“I was impressed with how fast I was able to get an appointment as the wait in my area is months long. I received helpful medication quickly, which is also hard to get here. My provider is terrific, helpful, and kind. The zoom appointments are great for my hectic life. Really love this program so far!”

Anna W

“Very easy and simple to get the medication I needed. Since starting to use Brightside, I have begun to feel so much better about myself and I wake up every day with a sense of excitement that wasn’t there before!”

Brandon D

“It is so convenient to get medication and a therapist that work with my schedule. The quality of care is beyond top notch, and being able to see someone on Sundays is so convenient for people who work during the week.”

Anonymous

Read More Reviews

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