beta blockers for anxiety?

[Zookeeper44, RN]

I am a nursing student...I have done great with everything they have thrown at me so far and I even do well in clinical and do not really get nervous (not to the point where I can't function anyway). The bane of my existence seems to be checkoffs in school...they just about make me sick. It's not because I am not prepared, I practice until I can do it in my sleep. But there's something about the checkoff scenario that panics me and I feel like my brain is almost paralyzed.

I am wondering if taking beta blockers to ease this anxiety is in any way wrong, unethical, immoral, etc. as a nursing student, or if it would be bad to take them medically as well. This is actually something that was suggested to me by RNs.

Any thoughts? And please be kind...I am asking this earnestly as I do not know what is right or acceptable in this situation. Also ANY other hints or suggestions as to what I can do to get through these situations would be appreciated. I feel like if it weren't for the checkoffs, I might actually ENJOY school

[caliotter3]

People talk about this subject frequently in the peer bulletin board for the Excelsior College nursing program. Many students obtain a prescription for anxiety dealing with the CPNE exam at the end of the program. Fellow students actually recommend the practice and talk about the tranquilizers or beta blockers prescribed by their personal physicians. I believe that this is between you and your doctor. There are nursing students who are treated for anxiety and it does not pose a problem. No one has a right to pass judgement on you for any medical problem that you choose to alleviate instead of bearing the suffering. Do what you think is best. And good luck with those checkoffs!

[mamamerlee, LPN]

You have every right to be medically treated for your anxiety. Have you tried any other techniques, like stress-reducing exercises, or self-hypnosis? Are there any other times that you feel overwhelmed?

Meds are okay - you are not alone!

Best wishes!

[CuriousMe]

We were told in pharm class that treatment of social anxiety and stage fright were a common off label use of beta blockers. Talk to your Doc. and see what they say.

[Zookeeper44, RN]

The reason I was interested in beta blockers in particular is that my understanding is that you can take one here and one there, when needed. I don't want meds like prozac that you must take continually because the checkoffs (once or twice each semester) are the only times I feel I could use some help. I am generally a high-anxious person but nothing that I can't normally handle with other stress-reducing techniques. Most of the time I "use" my anxiety to achieve a high level of productivity...but the anxiety of checkoffs for some reason sends it over that threshhold

Would a dr. prescribe a beta blocker for anxiety? I didn't know if that was considered an accepted use for the drug...I guess that was really what I intended to ask in my original question...I know other students who have started taking things like SSRIs and the faculty have no problem with it, in fact I think they recommended it to a couple of people.

[Zookeeper44, RN]

We were told in pharm class that treatment of social anxiety and stage fright were a common off label use of beta blockers. Talk to your Doc. and see what they say.

Thanks...didn't see this before my last post...I will look into it. We don't get to this category of drugs for another couple weeks in our pharm class so hadn't read that far yet

[caliotter3]

As I said in my previous post students have stated they were prescribed beta blockers for anxiety before the CPNE. You may not have seen it, but approximately four to five years ago, there was a piece done on "60 Minutes" (might have been 48 Hours), about the use of propranolol for the treatment of post traumatic stress disorder. This off label use was being used in the US Army for treating PTSD in soldiers returning from combat tours. I also seem to remember a woman being prescribed propranolol for PTSD caused by her rape experience.

[CountryGirlRN]

My doctor asked if I wanted a beta blocker when I asked for something for anxiety for my CPNE (Excelsior College clinicals), but I ended up getting a one-time rx for xanax. It worked like a charm and I only took it when I needed it. Good luck on your check-offs!

[Pack RN]

I had a terrible fear of public speaking in my previous career, but needed to give presentations pretty frequently. Beta-blockers allowed me to take the "edge" off of my anxiety without losing my ability to focus. I definitlely recommend them if you're anxious.

I'll probably pop one Wednesday when I take the NCLEX.

[leslie :-D]

i've been on inderal la for around 4 yrs.

between that and my cymbalta, i'm in darned good shape.

the inderal literally worked miraculously...

couldn't hope for anything better.

leslie

[rachelgeorgina]

I've seen beta blockers, in particular propanadol, used in the treatment of the physical symptoms of anxiety. That is to say, it's my understanding that the medication targets things like the shakes, a racing heart rate and so on - that are caused by anxiety. They don't actually erase the anxiety and act differently to anti-anxiety agents like benzos.

If you only get anxiety at check-offs then maybe before you try medication you should look into and practice other non-pharmacological techniques like relaxation and mediation. Maybe buy a self-help book on performance anxiety with exercises that you can complete and practice.

[HmarieD]

Huh. Weird. My DH takes a beta blocker for cardiac dysfunction. They seem to make him anxious and irritable, but also really run-down and kind of spacy. I guess everyone's different.