Propranolol substitute that is not a beta-blocker

[minkeygirl]

I take propranolol ONLY at night to stop my heart palpitations so I can sleep. It is some how crazily tied into my brain and quiets it so I can sleep.

I was good with up to 50 mgs PM but more than that and I get chest tightness which is a side effect of beta blockers. I discussed this with my doc just to let him know.

Now it seems even 30 mgs is causing me issues. I'm looking for a short acting "something" that will work like propranolol but is not a beta blocker. I don't really need it for BP, just to knock back the palps and stop the thoughts.

Clonidine does not work, not does an Ace. I'm going to try potassium again but I'm hit and miss with that. I don't take stimulants, not looking for a diagnosis, just some suggestions of things that might help.

Thanks, Please tag me

 

[Sushi]

@minkeygirl Taurine has helped me with this. Here is a study--though I don't take such high doses and don't take the arginine: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16797868

 

[minkeygirl]

@Sushi. Couldn't read it on a good day. But thanks

How much do you take and when?

Edit just read where some people said it stimulates them. Hmm

 

[Sushi]

@Sushi. Couldn't read it on a good day. But thanks

Cliff note version:

We searched for nutrient deficiencies that could cause cardiac arrhythmias...and found literature support for deficiencies of taurine and l-arginine....Arrhythmias may also respond to taurine because it dampens activity of the sympathetic nervous system...Cardiac arrhythmias having no known cause in otherwise healthy people are hypothesized to be symptoms of deficiencies of taurine and arginine.

I am taking less than the study recommended--about 4000 mgs divided into 4 doses.

 

[minkeygirl]

@ sushi. Thanks. I don't know if this is an arrhythmia or some crazy ME thing.

Taurine On my list. In not opposed to drugs. I just want something at night. Somehow the beating heart has something to do with my brain and constant thinking.

I told my doc and he just stared at me In Disbelief. He believed me but wth?

 

[Gingergrrl]

I know you said not a BB, but have you tried low dose Atenolol which is cardio-selective (vs. Propranolol which is not?) I also recently learned of Ivabradine but have never tried it myself.

 

[minkeygirl]

Can't take any beta blockers. They have a side effect that causes bronchial spasms. That's why I asked for non BB

 

[Sushi]

Somehow the beating heart has something to do with my brain and constant thinking.

taurine...dampens activity of the sympathetic nervous system..

 

[Firefly_]

My cardiologist was going to put me on a calcium channel blocker (not sure what, she was just talking out loud to herself) but ended up going with atenalol. Might check that out.

 

[Gijs]

You can try Ivabradine

 

[hardatwork]

i have asthma and pots so i take verapamil. its worked pretty well for me. cartia is another one i have taken. they are both calcium channel blockers

 

[Rooney]

I'm having problems with propranolol too. It pushes me into high blood pressure so I can only take 2.5 mg for POTS. Corlanor is rolling out in the US now. I've been waiting for it as I saw a positive paper on ivabradine in POTS. That's Europe's version of the drug.

 

[Gingergrrl]

I'm having problems with propranolol too. It pushes me into high blood pressure so I can only take 2.5 mg for POTS. Corlanor is rolling out in the US now. I've been waiting for it as I saw a positive paper on ivabradine in POTS. That's Europe's version of the drug.

@Rooney, did you mean that propranolol pushes you into "low blood pressure?" or high? Was just curious.

Also, is Corlanor (new US drug) exactly the same as Ivabradine in Europe or slightly different? Am curious if you or anyone knows and have heard different things from doctors. I have never taken it.

 

[Rooney]

@Rooney, did you mean that propranolol pushes you into "low blood pressure?" or high? Was just curious.

Also, is Corlanor (new US drug) exactly the same as Ivabradine in Europe or slightly different? Am curious if you or anyone knows and have heard different things from doctors. I have never taken it.

Too much prop. gives me high BP.

I can't answer your question on Corlanor. It would be a beta blocker substitute. US doctors will have no experience with the drug, but my understanding cardiologist who trained at Vanderbilt years ago knows about POTS and wants to find proper treatment for me.

 

[hardatwork]

my understanding is that corlanor is ivabradine. my cardiologist gave it to me last summer but my insurance won't cover it. its $450 per month out of pocket so I'm hoping the price goes down soon or my insurance covers it so i can try it

 

[Gingergrrl]

my understanding is that corlanor is ivabradine. my cardiologist gave it to me last summer but my insurance won't cover it. its $450 per month out of pocket so I'm hoping the price goes down soon or my insurance covers it so i can try it

@hardatwork Thanks and I was just curious as it was recommended to me as a possible option for the future. If it is $450 a month, my insurance is going to deny it as well and insist that I stay with the beta blocker which is $5 a month (and works well for me.) when I google Ivabradine, I get sent to the Corlanor pharma website promoting the new med and couldn't quite tell if it was the identical version or just a similar U.S. version.

 

[Tammy]

@minkeygirl ..........My daughter used Motherwort tincture to help with her palpitations when she had Graves disease..............she used it along with her beta blocker in the beginning and then eventually was just able to take the Motherwort.

 

[minkeygirl]

Thanks @Tammy I figured out it wasn't the propranolol that was the problem. It was NAC. I took it before Without problems so who knows?

I just wanted something cheap and simple.