Posted by softheprairie on January 13, 2010, at 7:07:35
In reply to Desipramine + Propranolol?, posted by TriedEveryDrug on January 10, 2010, at 11:58:19
I do think the beta blocker would help your anxiety that is caused by the desipramine. I have the same problem, and a beta blocker helps me. (You can look up my posts in the archives; this is the main thing I've posted about.)
But, I don't know how much that would impact your attention. You could try it and see. I wish someone on this board knew and could answer your question, but I don't know of anyone who has addressed this.
I take desipramine for it's antidepressant effect, and it has been very helpful for me in this realm, when most others I've tried haven't. I do have attention problems, but I haven't noticed any improvement of them with the desip., unfortunately.
I do have a little worry about propranolol. I think it can increase depression in some people. Just what we don't need! I vaguely think I've heard any beta blocker can depress people, although I don't know too much about this subject, or how much it varies by specific drug. I have never tried propranolol. I was prescribed a newer one, Bystolic/nebivolol, at its low/starting dose of 2.5 mg/day. The literature on it doesn't say much (or anything?) about causing depression. I don't know if there is any hiding of this side effect by the drug company. (I think some suspicion is warranted.)
If you have insurance, propranolol probably has a lower copay, since it's old and has a generic available; Bystolic/nebivolol is only available in name brand in the US. It does have a pretty good patient assistance program, though, if one can't afford it. I got it from that assistance program for a while, until my circumstances changed.Also beware, I think (not sure) any beta blocker can be sedating. I caused one car wreck, and nearly another one a different time, while on these, plus other meds. But, then again, it was from inattention, and maybe not so much from tiredness. So, there are risks of not having the attention adequately addressed. Ugh, serious stuff. I talked to my pdoc after these, and moved some meds from taking at getting up to when going to bed. Both of the incidents (wreck, near-wreck, both my fault) were about an hour or two after I got up for the day and was taking some of the meds then. Now changed timing.
poster:softheprairie
thread:933128
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20100113/msgs/933466.html