time beta blocker takes to work?

[kisekishiawase]

For people who know and people who take it.
How long does for beta blocker to take effect after you swallow it?
I thought it could be 20-30 minutes (its long enough for me) but i heard it could be 1 hour or even more. (Thats too long)

I think a rapid onset beta blocker is needed since suffering in those episodes for long time is torturing.

And what i meant was different than the long term or steady state where it need continous maintainance in days.

Also from what i heard the long/extended release seem to take to act the longest too.(Or maybe it was only for the metroprolol extended release?)

I wonder if it means the short duration one is quicker and i heard propranolol is quicker?

Of course absorption is vary too and makes a difference?

 

[adreno]

About an hour is probably right.

 

[deleder2k]

For me it starts working after around 30 minutes.

 

[CFS_for_19_years]

It takes me 3 to 4 hours to feel the full effect. I take one-half tablet at a time (12.5mg) to control a pounding heartbeat and pulsatile tinnitus. If I don't get enough relief within 3 to 4 hours of my last dose, then I take another dose.

Besides taking 12.5mg doses during the day, I take 50mg at night, about 3 hours before my planned bedtime, so that the pounding heartbeat and pulsatile tinnitus are well controlled through the night.

While others have posted that it may start to work for them in 30 to 60 minutes, I don't feel a thing at that point.

 

[deleder2k]

http://www.rxmed.com/b.main/b2.phar...phs/CPS- (General Monographs- I)/INDERAL.html

Peak plasma concentrations of propranolol are attained 60 to 90 minutes after administration of Inderal tablets.

3-4 hours seem strange.. 12.5 mg is a pretty low dose though.

 

[CFS_for_19_years]

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10125
Clinical pharmacologic observations on atenolol, a beta-adrenoceptor blocker.

After a 200-mg dose, the effect on an exercise tachycardia was maximal at 3 hr and declined linearly with time at a rate of approximately 10% per 24 hr. The peak plasma atenolol concentration occurred at 3 hr and thereafter declined exponentially with time with an elimination half-life of 6.36 +/- 0.55 hr

 

[kisekishiawase]

Thanks everyone for posting

@CFS_for_19_years what betablocker do you use for the 50mg and 12mg?
I think its different from peak level? where i think after its peak level it goes downward.
But how long you feel it started to work/take effect?

I wonder why they dont make the faster ones since it would be helpful.

Also from what i heard the long/extended release seem to take to act the longest too.(Or maybe it was only for the metroprolol extended release?)

I wonder if it means the short duration one is quicker and i heard propranolol is quicker.

 

[CFS_for_19_years]

I use generic atenolol. I feel it take full effect in about 3 hours.

 

[deleder2k]

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10125
Clinical pharmacologic observations on atenolol, a beta-adrenoceptor blocker.

Aha.. Atenolol is a slow working selective beta-blocker unlike propranolol.

 

[kisekishiawase]

I use generic atenolol. I feel it take full effect in about 3 hours.

I see. 30 minutes is long enough for me.
I wonder why does it need such long time?
Usually antidepressant drug act quicker such as xanax.

is it okay to take it a couple of times every hours. instead of one or twice only a day such as the direction which 50mg a day?
from what i read on pamphlet it says dont take more before the next schedule.

Cause sometimes that happened to me too when i feel bad and feel the need to add beta blocker.

But the longer the drug takes to act the harder its to tell and the longer the torture.

 

[kisekishiawase]

Aha.. Atenolol is a slow working selective beta-blocker unlike propranolol.

I thought its the regular one and the slow working type is the metoprolol extended release?

Does that mean the long duration bb act longest too?
I wonder if it means the short duration one is quicker?

 

[CFS_for_19_years]

is it okay to take it a couple of times every hours. instead of one or twice only a day such as the direction which 50mg a day?
from what i read on pamphlet it says dont take more before the next schedule.

I started out at 50mg/day, just at night, then I told my doctor that I felt the pounding heartbeat sensations sometimes during the day, so he said it was OK for me to take some during the day. I would check with your doctor before adding more to your regimen. Usually the maximum daily dose for atenolol is 100mg, and my doctor is OK with me taking a few small doses (12.5mg) during the day as long as I don't exceed the maximum of 100mg/day.

I can't speak for your doctor and you will need to decide for yourself what your next step will be.

 

[kisekishiawase]

@CFS_for_19_years I see. Well the doctor just say add the dose when i say its not working. Have switch bb type couple of times too. And so far betablocker has been a hit and miss, the effectiveness for me quite blurry.

I usually cut down the dose when i feel better and add when i feel worse.

Unfortunately when on episode/worse time if have to wait 1 hour or more, the condition can change on its own so its ridiculous.
So its either get lucky it subside on its own which sometimes happen or end up dying. Such an irony. Well thats what happen to me.

But sometimes i couldnt tell if the drugs working or i get better on its own.

 

[CFS_for_19_years]

I chart all my medications with a record of the dose and time I take them. That way I can see if there's a trend or if there's an average daily dose I can try to hit. I don't know if doing this will help you or not, but I thought I'd mention it.

I always give atenolol at least 3 hours to work during the day with a 12.5mg dose. So for instance, at 10 a.m., 2 p.m. and 6 p.m. I take 12.5mg of atenolol. At 9 or 10 p.m. I take 50mg. I have stronger symptoms of heart pounding in the evening, so this type of schedule works out well for me.

 

[bertiedog]

I take 20 mg Propananol and it usually works within 30 minutes but on occasions if I have an adrenaline surge then it could take 45 minutes for everything to really calm right down.

For me its been one of the best meds I have ever taken and have been on it for over 15 years now at this low dose.

Pam

 

[deleder2k]

I thought its the regular one and the slow working type is the metoprolol extended release?

Does that mean the long duration bb act longest too?
I wonder if it means the short duration one is quicker?

I guess that one is even slower, but as I said there are different beta blockers. You have selective ones and non-selective ones. If you want something that works fast, then go with propranolol. You'll feel the effect in 30 minutes. One can also get a longer acting version of propranolol that lasts all day. In Norway it is called Propal Retard/ Inderal Retard. I guess that there are many versions of it around the globe.

 

[kisekishiawase]

@deleder2k theres only regular propranolol.
the last time doctor changed medication to bisoprolol he said its the newest type. Its long lasting, water and lipid soluble i wonder if its better or not.

I read about betablocker injection. But seems like its only available in US and maybe a few other country. Back then even when i had episode and got to hospital they hardly helping. Recently got high fever and heart went crazy almost rush to hospital but then again i dont know if its a good idea or not.

 

[deleder2k]

There are several extended release versions of propranolol as I mentioned, including Propal Retard and Inderal Retard. They active substance is just propranolol but it gets released throughout the day.

I am not sure if an injection is a wise choice.. If you have propranolol it starts to work after 20 minutes or so. If you are not very good with needles I would skip injections.

 

[kisekishiawase]

There are several extended release versions of propranolol as I mentioned, including Propal Retard and Inderal Retard. They active substance is just propranolol but it gets released throughout the day.

I am not sure if an injection is a wise choice.. If you have propranolol it starts to work after 20 minutes or so. If you are not very good with needles I would skip injections.

20 minutes is the fastest it could get i think? Some sites say its 30 - 1 hour so its quite confusing. But i think i keep propranolol around.

Of course i couldnt inject myself.
I can hardly do anything when in episode.
But i mean its beneficial in emergency situation. Thats also whats written. I think hospital should have it.

 

[deleder2k]

Peak plasma concentration is from around 1 hour, but it starts to work before the peak. It also depends on the dosage.