Aa
Aa
A
A
A
Close
Avatar universal

Propranolol and smoking

Hi I was wondering if anyone has even been on propranolol 40mg once a day for anxiety and stopped smoking and if so did you feel fine!
I want to stop smoking but on the leaflet it says consult your doc if u start or stop smoking
I did ask my gp but he dismissed the leaflet and just said stop smoking - I kinda didn't trust hos answer
Thanks
3 Responses
Sort by: Helpful Oldest Newest
Avatar universal
Smoking can lead to increased blood pressure and propranolol can lower blood pressure. If you stop doing something that can raise your blood pressure, it stands to reason that propranolol minus smoking can lead to an even lower blood pressure. That in itself could be a reason to use caution while taking propranolol during smoking cessation.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Google something like the Mayo Clinic or NIH websites and see if they say why quitting smoking might have any effect -- I'd think, just logically, it could only be positive, but it is a stressful thing to do -- anytime you quit an addictive drug or any drug that affects brain neurotransmitters it can be a stressful thing to do and maybe that's why they want you to consult your doc.  But here you have a bit of a problem that often arises -- general docs, if that's what you have, don't usually know very much about the drugs they prescribe.  They just match up symptoms with drugs from the diagnostic manual, but because they see so many patients with so many things wrong with them they often can't become expert at very much.  Psychiatrists, in my experience, range from clueless to really good, so it's still a bit of a crapshoot, but at least they do specialize in the use of drugs to treat anxiety -- that's all they do, so they're not also busy diagnosing and treating the flu and heart problems and body pain etc.  So theoretically they become much more expert in it and the interactions between drugs and things like quitting smoking and also in the appropriate drugs to prescribe for a certain condition.  Beta blockers, for example, have only been found effective for social anxiety, which doesn't mean they don't work for some people for other things but that's not their main use in anxiety treatment.  They obviously weren't studied for this in getting approval, as their approved purpose is for heart problems.  But given the enormous connection between heart problems and cigarette smoking, it would be hard to believe that any doctor wouldn't know whether it was safe to quit smoking while on this drug.  (If it were me, and it isn't, I'd quit smoking no matter what -- anxiety is awful, but it won't kill you slowly the way cigarettes do.  Horrible way to go, having lost three family members in part or in whole to smoking).  Peace.    
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Shouldn't hurt to smoke, that is a beta blocker it can slow your heart rate my question for you is do beta blockers work good for anxiety bc iv been on paxil zoloft celexa buspar wellbutrin prozac ativan nozinan and tranxene with basically no success
Helpful - 0
Have an Answer?

You are reading content posted in the Anxiety Community

Top Anxiety Answerers
Avatar universal
Arlington, VA
370181 tn?1595629445
Arlington, WA
Learn About Top Answerers
Didn't find the answer you were looking for?
Ask a question
Popular Resources
Find out what can trigger a panic attack – and what to do if you have one.
A guide to 10 common phobias.
Take control of tension today.
These simple pick-me-ups squash stress.
Don’t let the winter chill send your smile into deep hibernation. Try these 10 mood-boosting tips to get your happy back
Want to wake up rested and refreshed?