Does anyone take or know someone who takes Inderal?

[RN-oneday]

I want to first say I am not asking for medical advice.

I was diagnosed with MVP when I was 18 years old. I have not had any real issues with it since then except a little chest irritation here and there. Sometimes I would have a feeling of someone standing on my chest. I would have to cough to open it up. Sometimes I get lighthead and feel like passing out. But these things do not happen a lot but when they do they are scary.

At the beginning of the year I started going to the gym. When I started exercising, I found my heart rate jumping up to 185 to 190 within 5 minutes of starting any kind of cardio. Well I mentioned this to my doctor and he had me schedule a echo. He also gave me a prescription for Inderal.

I have researched MVP and Inderal. I am really concerned with both issues starting nursing classes in January. My dilemma...If I don't start taking the Inderal, I could have "stress episodes", which the professors might not take kindly to. I think these things happen to me because my blood pressure bottoms out. I don't want to give them any reason to kick me out. But if I do start taking Inderal, I am afraid of the possible side effects of the medicine causing the same thing. I am sensitive to medicine. Usually if there are side effects of medicine, I have at least one or more of them. The two side effects of Inderal that make me the most nervous is the possibility of low blood pressure and fatigue. My blood pressure now is on the lower end...it averages 110/60. I would be afraid that it would cause it to bottom out. With the fatigue issue, I am already tired all of the time (which is a symptom of mvp). I would not know what to do if it made it worse. I would not be able to study and retain the information. Another big concern is that once I start using it I would have to be weened off if I wanted to stop. I don't like to take medicine, so I hate to have to be dependent on drugs possibly the rest of my life.

Now my question...When you first started taking Inderal, did you experience any of the side effects? Does it really help with MVP? Does anyone have MVP that chose not to take Inderal because of the side effects? Whatever information on your experience would be highly appreciated. I know everyone is different when it comes to reactions to medicine but every little bit will help. Again not asking for medical advice!!!

[weetziebat]

Hi,

Well, I can tell you my experience with Inderal, but as you say, everyone is different and reacts differently to medication.

When I was diagnosed with MVP, I was put on Inderal. Was a long time ago, so don't remember the dosage, but I was taking it 4 times a day. At first I was unbelievably exhausted. On my breaks at work, I'd just lie down across three chairs in the staff dining room and fall asleep. But I adjusted to it rather quickly and the overwhelming tiredness stopped.

It really did help the symptoms I was having. My heartrate was up to ~190 at rest, I'd feel flutters in my chest and palpatations. A heaviness and some sharp pains. Also just a 'tired' feeling in my chest - can't explain it, but all together the symptoms were scary and drove me crazy.

Have had several echo's over the years that show the MVP is 'trivial' but when I've tried to cut back on the med, I just don't feel right.

At some point, and I can't even remember why, the doctor changed the med from Inderal to Atenolol. I take 25 mg. Q a.m. (like this med better, and only take it once a day) and have had no problems. My B.P. has always been low and I've had no problems with hypotension, nor have I been tired after the initial adjustment.

Think it comes down to how severe your symptoms are and how much they bother you. For me, I'll take a pill.

Hope things work out well for you, and suggest discussing your concerns with your physician. S/he should be able to reassure you, or perhaps give you other options.

[smilin_gp]

I have MVP and other heart concerns due to Marfan's Syndrome and take Inderal. I really have no side effects anymore but was very fatigued (and really unenthused about sitting through classes) for the first month or so when taking it. I was also fairly dizzy. If you are wanting to take it - and I am not trying to give medical advice, just my viewpoint from having been there- I would start it well in advance of nursing school so that you would know how your body reacts to it before clinicals and can make a more informed choice about whether or not it will jive with nursing school. Good luck!

[RN-oneday]

Thank you Weeziebat for responding. When I have my "issues", I have about the same symptoms you had. Were you always tired, not matter how much sleep you had, before you started taking the Inderal? I feel like I have not slept at all even after 8-9 hours of sleep. I try to eat healthy and take vitamins too.

Well I have my echo this Friday, hopefully it will show that everything is ok. Then I think I will start the Inderal to see how I react to it. I will just have to keep in mind what the worse case scenarios are. I think that I might talk to the doctor and see if I can have a prescription for 10 mgs twice daily and start off with one. I am not sure if this will be effective though.

When my doctor prescribed the Inderal, I asked him if my blood pressure could possibly bottom out and he said "we won't know until you start taking it". I know this is the only answer he could give me, but it just seems so unassuring. We talked about some other issues, but I just needed to hear from others that had personal experience. Like I said in my OP, I do not like to take medicines, but it looks like I might need to suck it up and take it.

Thank you again for responding.

[RN-oneday]

I have MVP and other heart concerns due to Marfan's Syndrome and take Inderal. I really have no side effects anymore but was very fatigued (and really unenthused about sitting through classes) for the first month or so when taking it. I was also fairly dizzy. If you are wanting to take it - and I am not trying to give medical advice, just my viewpoint from having been there- I would start it well in advance of nursing school so that you would know how your body reacts to it before clinicals and can make a more informed choice about whether or not it will jive with nursing school. Good luck!

Thanks for responding...I think that is what I will do. I am going to see if I can only take 10 mg instead of the 20mg he prescribed to see how I will react. Not sure if he will agree, but it is worth a try. I start school in January, I would hope that would be enought time for my body to figure what is going on.

Ahhh, I already get dizzy, not because I am blonde:lol2: , did you get dizzy before taking the Inderal?

Do you take the Inderal in the morning or evening? It was prescribed for morning, but if there are side effects that could limit your coherence, I wonder why it is not prescribed for night time? Just a thought?

Thanks again for your response.

[TheCommuter, BSN, RN]

I briefly took Inderal for tachycardic episodes related to Graves Disease and experienced no side effects. I am now on Lopressor (Metoprolol) 100mg TID because it is more effective for reducing my tachycardia.

[smilin_gp]

I was prescribed for it in the morning as well, must be some reason for this. And no, I wasn't chronically dizzy before taking Inderal, but it sure made me that way before I adjusted to it. Best of luck to ya!