Finally plucked up the courage today to go to the doctors for the panic attacks and anxiety i have been suffering with and she has given me beta blockers and done blood tests, has anybody else ever suffered like this and taken beta blockers if so what has the result been.
Thanx Jenny x
Hi Jenny — I too have had panic attacks in the past… dr gave me beta blockers, but had a look at side effects and decided against em … she also gave me a sleeping pills as i’d been walking up in sleeps and the vertigo… took two of the diazepam and felt a lot better, not that I would suggest to everyone to try em, because they’re so addictive …that was last yr and hadnt had one since… but last thurs had another one … I put it down to doing too much… with kids, work and not giving in to the fatigue… not sure what else you’re taking but I do tend to read side effects before taking anything… do you think you’ve been overdoing things?
Hi Jenny,
I’m a long-term anxiety sufferer.
I think part of it was in the genes (parents both like it), but part was due to the subtle onset of MS, when I began to struggle and lose confidence, without ever realising I was ill.
Unfortunately, I didn’t find beta blockers helped at all - nor anything else that was tried. Until diazepam, which I wished I’d tried first, instead of last.
As Pink says, there is an addiction issue, for some people. But just as not everyone who takes a drink becomes an alcoholic, not everyone who takes diazepam (valium) is susceptible to addiction.
Today, I still take it intermittently, and in small quantities, but these days mostly for spasticity, rather than anxiety. I find it is an excellent supplement to baclofen, when my legs really are bad (it’s a muscle-relaxant, as well as a mild sedative).
I’ve never experienced cravings on days I don’t take it, and never felt high on it either. When I’ve been really bad, with either anxiety OR the stiff legs, it has restored some normality.
The doctor, worried about addiction, I suppose, asked if I felt “happy” on it. My answer: “No. It just lets me have a ‘normal’ day, instead of throwing up with anxiety”.
I still maintain that’s all it does for me. I never think: “Oh, I really fancy a diazepam”. But if I’m in a state, and puking, I know there’s something that can be done. Likewise if my leg muscles are still rock hard, after two baclofen, I know I’m not out of ideas yet.
Tina
Thanx for all messages i’m willing to give anything a go for it to stop or a least get better so i can get my life back a bit xx
So pleased you are getting help now Jenny, I personally didn’t get on with beta blockers, I became very dizzy and stopped taking them. I’m on Cipralex which has really levelled me out, if you know what I mean. I had taken it previously as I found I could not change my negative thought pattern, whether through MS or menopause, I don’t know. Then due to family persuation and after a nice holiday and daughter’s gradulation I came off of it. I had my anxiety/panic attacks during a relapse before dx, It did take a month of virtually living with neighbours and family, plus dx and coming to terms with dx. I did wonder if I should have stuck with the betta blockers but as I said previously, my family didn’t approve. I trust my own judgement these days.
Good luck
Wendy
x
Thanks wendy its really helpfull to know i’m not on my own with this problem i felt so embaressed.
Jenny x