Graves' Disease Support Group

Graves-Basedow disease is a medical disorder that may manifest several different conditions including hyperthyroidism (over activity of thyroid hormone production), infiltrative exophthalmos (protruberance of one or both eyes and associated problems) and infiltrative dermopathy (a skin condition usually of the lower extremities). This disorder is the most common cause of...

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Help Me! Help Me! Beta Blockers!

scorpiogirl76
scorpiogirl76
Hello everyone! and thank you for viewing my post. I feel like I am going insane or close to crazy or partly looney... HELP! So, my doc put me on atenolol 25 mg once daily at bedtime... I chose to take 12.5 mg once daily during the day (as I most active then and my heart rate at night is already down to 60's). So far, I have felt great aside from some nauseousness... well, no after a little over a week of taking this... I am having absolutely horrible nightmares!!! and paranoia has set in. I feel like someone is always watching me or someone is in my house (when it's just me)... it's creepy. I read somewhere this can be a side effect but can't find it now. I saw propranolol can cause crazy dreams but when i was on propranolol, I was much better... no crazy dreams just TIRED all the time. Is this the atenolol? or is this my levels out of control? I want to switch back to propranolol now but will wait til I talk to my doc monday or should i wait til lab first (in 2 weeks) to see where my levels are? Someone please help me! It's not a good feeling... it's bad enough dealing with the ups and downs of graves, now this! Eeeeeekkkkkkkk!

Thanks so much! ~Hugs a ton.
scorpiogirl76
scorpiogirl76
Hi Koob... I will be calling my doc this morning to see if I can switch back to the atenolol and just maybe half the dose.... and see if the nightmares and paranoia subside.... I was on the propranolol before and now I remember why he switched me and took me off it.. the awful chest pains... also, I don't usually have high blood pressure..... that was just since yesterday taking the propranolol so I'm assuming the propranolol was making my heart rate drop too low (into the 40's)and so my body was trying to make up for it and therefore causing the high blood pressure.... what do ya think?
deleted_user
deleted_user
It's certainly possible - this stuff can get really complicated when you sit and think about it: slow heart rate doesn't necessarily result in a drop in pressure, because you can get increased return from your veins which increases the amount of blood pumped out per beat, so your ultimate cardiac output would be the same. The reason I say this is that in order to get the situation you're suggesting, you need a drop in blood pressure to engage your baroreflex (receptors in your neck that sense blood pressure) to constrict your blood vessels and raise pressure back up to normal. The propranolol could certainly do this and additionally block vessel dilation, leading to constriction of your coronary arteries - which is the ultimate the cause of your "chest pain". Either way I would probably get off the propranolol and try something else.
mmztcass
mmztcass
It does make sense.

It's just like I was told not to take PTU when I first began with MMI almost seven years ago because PTU bothers people more of those who have Rheumatoid Arthritis. I've had RA for almost 18 years now.

So why not with the different types of beta blockers and the side effects from these...?

{{{hugs}}} :-)
Karli1432
Karli1432
Isn't propranolol the generic for atenolol?

If your heart rate is that low...you probably don't need any bate blockers. My Dr. said when resting heart rate is 60 or lower, wean off the blockers.
Karli1432
Karli1432
I forgot to mention i was not on time release propranolol. I took the short acting one, that way i could be in control. Ask to switch to the non time release and take it when needed. I took xanax when I had the chest pressure and it helped a lot. Good luck!
mmztcass
mmztcass
Propranolol is generic for Inderal.

{{{hugs}}} :-)
scorpiogirl76
scorpiogirl76
The propranolol is the only beta blocker so far that drops my heart rate SO low... the other day was the lowest it's ever dropped it... perhaps, my levels are going into range??? who knows... i don't lab for another 2 weeks.... I did NOT take any beta blocker today and I actually a a little better.... the chest pain was SO bad last night that just COULD not bear another night of that.... I still have a little chest pain but not much. My heart rate did increase today (as it always dose between noon and 3) but I stayed as inactive as possible and obviously survived it. :) go me! I didn't call my doc today with fear of him saying to stay on it.... I will call my doc tomorrow and let him know what I went thru this weekend and I'll switch over to the atenolol again and just take half the dose in two doses.... maybe that will help and not cause so many nightmares.... or the paranoia... I feel like I went backwards with my symptoms.... I did so well for a few months and now that the doc wants me on beta blockers again, it's set me back... it's depressing.... argh! Thank you everyone for your support..... I'll keep ya posted....
cd3764
cd3764
You know....you do have another option since beta-blockers clearly give you trouble.

We know your FT3 is a bit elevated and that's why the beta-blocker Rx.

Truly, your doc could start BRT (Block and Replace Therapy).

You would take a little higher dose of PTU (or methimazole) which would bring down your FT4 and FT3.....you would also take a T4 med (such as levothyroxine which is generic Synthroid or Levoxyl) - that would keep your FT4 up at your "comfort level".

BRT bodes very well for stable thyroid hormone levels. Elaine Moore describes BRT in her book "Graves' Disease - A Practical Guide".

You might want to ask her about it.
scorpiogirl76
scorpiogirl76
Thanks for the suggestion cd... I'll ask Elaine about it. I asked my endo about that back in january and he told me he didn't think I was a good candidate.... but i will bring it up again at my next visit.