Propranolol

[HazBaz]

Hi all,

Been a long time. I am currently 4 years in to a cluster free period! My longest in 12 years. Last episode was in 2018. Touch the woodiest wood that ever did wood. 
 

Been struggling with my mental health though. And the doc has suggested propranolol for anxiety. 
 

My question is, will the sporadic dosing of 10mg of propranolol only when needed, possibly trigger off my CH?

Any word on this?

Thanks. 

[Chet20]

Hi @HazBaz

I was actually prescribed propranolol once as a treatment for the cluster headaches by a neuro - I'm guessing since it's a beta blocker. Didn't work to prevent, but lowered my BP a lot so stopped. Don't recall it making the attacks any worse though, so possibly no effect on starting the cycle. However, I understand your fear so probably worth waiting till you get any more informed inputs. 

[CHfather]

Haz', I remember you well, and I'm so glad for your long remission!  You worked hard for that.

In general, people here have reported a wide range of results from propranolol (Inderal), which was actually prescribed for CH way back when and still is sometimes these days (it seems to help prevent migraines), from seeming to reduce their attacks to having no effect to seeming to make them worse.  I think only one person thought it made them worse.  You can see what people have said by putting propranolol into the search box at the top right of each page (if you're going to do this, do Inderal, too).  It seems highly unlikely to me that it would set off a cycle.  

[jon019]

...first drug ever prescribed for me for me way back in '85 (seem to recall 40 mg?)....after doc scurried back to office to look up migraine.  boy was i motivated for it to work, and took for at least a year. did squat all for CH (positive OR negative), had minimal effect on BP, but produced some truly bizarre dreams.....not frightening just strange. so, in my case, psychoactive properties but anxiety was not on my radar at the time so did not notice either way. haven't seen this as a current use...10 mg sounds too low to effect BP, which some ascribe lowering of to be "calming", seems pretty safe to try and see....

 

[oriley]

My GP prescribed propranolol for me earlier this week for the first time.  My blood pressure has always been 118 over 80 and my family has no history of heart disease.

However, I have noticed over the past year that my blood pressure would go up to around 145 over 80 when I was dealing with migraines. When I went in this week my bp was

160 over 80. My GP stated that she felt my that this drug would help to keep my bp down and hopefully reduce my migraines. I've noticed that since I started taking it I can still feel the migraines right on the edge of starting but not nearly as severe. I'm hoping that this will help reduce the migraines over time.

 

[jon019]

....yup, sometimes successful migraine med...... old, with poor results for CH. first med ever for me....1980"s..

....there are folks with both migraine and CH, it happens. sometimes, we can hope here, getting one under control helped with the other. if not, ya keep building your tool belt ....

...double bonus:  BP down and migraines too, if you feel right on the edge discuss with Doc, there are alterations in dosage that may help. (most meds, especially HA meds, are quite dosage dependent, methinks)...

Edited October 27, 2022 by jon019