Propranolol

Hello all. I have posted a few times in the past. I have had a probable “case” of MAV for the past 2+ years. My ENT specialist has suggested Inderal LA (slow-acting propranolol), as a migraine suppresant. Given that I have a bad case of tinnitus (past 10+ years), I am rather hesitant to take any medications out of fear that they may affect my hearing or tinnitus. Does anyone have any experiences (positive or negative) in this regard with propranolol?

I am tired of that constant feeling of dizziness and nausea, and would really like to do something about it.

-Op

I take metoprolol (lopressor) which is another beta blocker and have had good results with it for most of my MAV-ness (including tinnitus) - never. 100% goes away, but overall on good days my symptom profile is relatively low. My hearing is still above average for my age so metoprolol at least had no negative impacts there

Hi Gabrielle,

Thanks for the reply. Do you believe your tinnitus is associated with the MAV (somehow)?

-Op

Hello,

I have been taking propranolol for a number of years for MAV. It is the only drug that has worked for me with very little side effects. The SE’s I experience are that it affects my short term memory - this is the main problem for me and it has got worse the higher I go on the dose. However I suspect, from what docs say, that this SE is unusual. I think I am maybe 3 pounds heavier than I would be without it - it slows your metabolism a little and studies show that if it makes you put on weight it is only very minimal. It can also make you tired, especially initially and when going up on a dose, but I am very habituated to it and don’t really notice it now much at all. Your body gets used to it. I take 120 mg a day - although I started much, much lower than that at 20 mg - did ok on that for about a year. Drugs have a huge impact on me so generally I respond to low doses.

I tried countless drugs, nearly all with dreadful side effects so am extremely grateful to this drug. It doesn’t stop the MAV entirely - it controls it and I think, makes relapses less lengthy and profound. I still have to watch for trigger foods and all the other triggers - lack of sleep - stress etc… That said I was off work for 2 years and for the last few years have lived a fairly normal life doing a very full on, stressful job, so it did give me my life back.

I suffer from tinnitus and have done since I was eleven - long before I got this condition - although I now believe the condition was always lurking in the background waiting to pounce. I think the tinnitus is unquestionably made worse by the MAV - when I am in a relapse it gets louder. I also have TMJ and clench my jaw at night and I think that also contributes. IMO propranolol has never made my tinnitus worse, unlike some other drugs I have tried, if anything it has made it better as it controls the condition. I don’t think it has a reputation for worsening tinnitus either. I understand your concerns, I have had them too about any new drug I take but wasn’t too concerned about it with propranolol.

Propranolol is generally seen as a fairly benign drug, I know of only one person who had a really bad time on it, the rest I have heard of who don’t like it give up due to the tiredness, but like I said, for me anyway,the tiredness goes after about ten days when I go up on the dose.

One thing I would say is that slow release propranolol worked less well for me than taking the regular prop at intervals during the day. My GP when asked said it might be something to do with how the dosage is released in to your body, maybe if it isn’t slow release you getter a better ‘hit’ of the beta blocker. Not sure, all I know is I tried slow release for a while and went back to the regular drug as the former was less effective.

Hope that helps,

H

Hi Hannah,

That was very useful - thanks so much.

As I believe I posted above, my tinnitus also preceded the MAV by many years. It seems that tinnitus is quite common in the MAV community, from reading this forum.

-Op

I forgot to say that my mother has pretty severe tinnitus and took this drug with no adverse effects. In fact for a short while she thought it might have made the tinnitus better. It never made it worse for her.

Also, propranolol leaves the body pretty fast after you stop it, so if it doesn’t agree with you it will be out of your system pretty fast once you stop.

H

Op, like hannah I’ve had tinnitus for many years, but MAV definitely makes it worse

Hi Op.
Propranolol hasn’t changed my tinnitus. I’ve had tinnitus for many years every day now. It usaully becomes louder /worse during a migraine.
Propranolol also gives me memory problems, and the tiredness after taking it has never gone away for me, so I take it at night.

jen

I have been on 40mg Propranolol 2X daily for almost 1 week. I have absolutely no side effects. This stuff seems easy to tolerate.