You do not need to stop playing sports if you take propranolol. But do not push yourself too much. Regular exercise is good for you because it lowers blood pressure by keeping your heart and blood vessels in good condition. Be aware, though, that in some sports propranolol is not allowed if you're competing at a high level. Propranolol can make some people feel dizzy especially when you first start taking it or after taking a bigger dose. If this happens to you, do not drive a car, ride a bike, or use tools or machinery.
If you have heart problems, you can boost the health of your heart by making some key lifestyle changes. These will also help if you have high blood pressure. If you get severe headaches, there are steps you can take to help prevent migraines. This includes working out what things trigger an attack so you can avoid them. Page last reviewed: 26 November Next review due: 26 November Propranolol - Brand names: Angilol, Bedranol, Beta-prograne, Half Beta-prograne On this page About propranolol Key facts Who can and cannot take propranolol How and when to take propranolol Side effects How to cope with side effects of propranolol Pregnancy and breastfeeding Cautions with other medicines Common questions about propranolol.
About propranolol Propranolol belongs to a group of medicines called beta blockers. If you have a heart problem, you can take propranolol to: treat high blood pressure treat illnesses that cause an irregular heartbeat , like atrial fibrillation prevent future heart disease, heart attacks and strokes prevent chest pain caused by angina Propranolol can help reduce your symptoms if you have too much thyroid hormone in your body thyrotoxicosis.
Help us improve our website Can you answer a quick question about your visit today? Propranolol slows down your heart rate and makes it easier for your heart to pump blood around your body. It is usually prescribed for high blood pressure and other heart problems, but it can also help with the physical signs of anxiety, like sweating and shaking. Your very first dose of propranolol may make you feel dizzy, so take it at bedtime. After that, if you do not feel dizzy, you can take it in the morning.
The main side effects of propranolol are feeling dizzy or tired, cold hands or feet, difficulties sleeping and nightmares. These side effects are usually mild and short lived. To make sure it is safe for you, tell your doctor before starting propranolol if you have : ever had an allergic reaction to propranolol or any other medicine low blood pressure or a slow heart rate heart failure which is getting worse severe blood circulation problems in your limbs such as Raynaud's phenomenon , which may make your fingers and toes tingle or turn pale or blue metabolic acidosis — when there is too much acid in your blood lung disease or asthma Tell your doctor if you're trying to get pregnant, are already pregnant or if you're breastfeeding.
Propranolol comes as 2 different types of medicine: standard release — releases propranolol into your body quickly, you may need to take it several times a day depending on your dose sustained release SR — this dissolves slowly so you do not have to take it as often, once a day is usually enough If you are taking it once a day, your doctor may advise you to take your first dose before bedtime, because it can make you feel dizzy.
Important Keep taking propranolol even if you feel well. Dosage How much you take depends on why you need propranolol. Doses for adults and children over the age of 12 for: high blood pressure , the starting dose is usually 80mg twice a day. If this dose is not working well enough if your blood pressure does not go down enough , your doctor may increase it to a maximum of mg twice a day.
This can be increased to mg to mg a day. Your doctor or pharmacist will explain how to split the dose over the day. How to take it Propranolol does not usually upset your tummy so you can take it with or without food.
What if I forget to take it? What if I take too much? Urgent advice: Call for advice now if:. Side effects often improve as your body gets used to the medicine. Common side effects These common side effects happen in more than 1 in people. Talk to your doctor or pharmacist if the side effects bother you or last more than a few days: feeling tired, dizzy or light headed these can be signs of a slow heart rate cold fingers or toes propranolol may affect the blood supply to your hands and feet difficulties sleeping or nightmares feeling sick nausea Serious side effects It happens rarely, but some people have serious side effects when taking propranolol.
Tell a doctor straight away if you have : shortness of breath with a cough which gets worse when you exercise like walking up stairs , swollen ankles or legs, chest pain, or an irregular heartbeat — these are signs of heart problems shortness of breath, wheezing and tightening of your chest — these can be signs of lung problems yellow skin or the whites of your eyes turn yellow — these can be signs of liver problems Serious allergic reaction In rare cases, propranolol may cause a serious allergic reaction anaphylaxis.
Information: You can report any suspected side effect using the Yellow Card safety scheme. Visit Yellow Card for further information. What to do about : feeling tired, dizzy or light-headed — as your body gets used to propranolol, these side effects should wear off. If propranolol makes you feel dizzy, sit or lie down until you feel better. Try to avoid alcohol as it will make you feel worse.
Do not smoke or have drinks with caffeine in — this can make your blood vessels narrower and further restrict blood flow to your hands and feet. Try wearing mittens they're warmer than gloves and warm socks. Do not wear tight watches or bracelets.
If you have to take it more than once a day, speak to your doctor. They may be able to change your propranolol to the slow release form.
It might help to take your propranolol after a meal or snack. Propranolol and pregnancy Propranolol is not thought to be harmful during pregnancy, but it is not possible to be certain. Propranolol and breastfeeding It is usually safe to take propranolol if you're breastfeeding. Non-urgent advice: Tell your doctor if you're:.
Tell your doctor if you're taking: other medicines for high blood pressure. The combination with propranolol can sometimes lower your blood pressure too much. This may make you feel dizzy or faint. If this keeps happening to you, tell your doctor - they may change your dose. These include some antidepressants, nitrates for chest pain , baclofen a muscle relaxant , medicines for an enlarged prostate gland like tamsulosin , or Parkinson's disease medicines such as levodopa.
Speak to your doctor if you have low blood sugar levels without getting any of the usual warning signs. You should check your blood sugar after exercise, and follow usual advice about checking it before driving, or operating machinery. These medicines may increase your blood pressure, so it's best to keep them to a minimum. For guidance on this, check out our page on getting support with your medication.
You can continue to drink alcohol while taking propranolol, but having the two together might make you a little sleepier and unsteady on your feet. During the first few days, it might be best to stop drinking alcohol until you see how the medicine affects you or until the side effects pass.
If you want to drink alcohol, remember that it may make you sleepier than usual. Make sure you can get home safely. Drinking alcohol every day, or in large amounts, can make your symptoms worse and the propranolol will not get the best chance to act. If you stop smoking, the level of propranolol in the body rises, and you might need to reduce your dose of propranolol slowly over one week. Propranolol does not mix well with some other medicines and drugs.
Before you take propranolol, tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are taking any other drugs. Tell the pharmacist you are taking propranolol if you buy medicines over the counter including things you put on your skin for common illnesses.
If you have food allergies and carry an adrenaline injection epi-pen , let your doctor know as propranolol could reduce the effectiveness of this.
Propranolol tablets may not be suitable for you if you have problems eating some sugars or dairy milk-based foods, as they contain lactose. Propranolol long-acting capsules contain gelatin, and this may be a problem if you don't eat meat.
The liquid may contain methyl and propyl parahydroxybenzoates and the food additive colour sunset yellow E which may cause an allergic reaction in some people. The liquid may also contain maltitol a type of sugar related to fructose. If your doctor has told you that you cannot eat some sugars, check with your doctor before taking it.
Taking propranolol may affect your eyesight, and make you feel tired, dizzy or faint when you start taking it. This could affect you if you drive a car, ride a bike, or do anything else that needs a lot of focus. It might be best to stop doing these things for the first few days, until you know how it affects you. Some people are given propranolol to help them relax and stop any shaking for their driving test, but they should test how they feel on propranolol a few days before they take the test.
When deciding whether to take propranolol during pregnancy, it is important to weigh up how necessary propranolol is to your health against the possible risks to you or your baby, some of which will depend on how many weeks pregnant you are.
Most studies with propranolol have looked at mums who take propranolol as part of treatment for their high blood pressure. There may be a link with propranolol taken early in pregnancy and spine problems or malformations of the mouth, but again it is not clear if this is really the case. Remaining well is particularly important during pregnancy and while caring for a baby. For some women, treatment with propranolol in pregnancy may be the best option for both mother and baby.
Taking propranolol near to delivery may mean that your baby is born with a slower heart rate, lower blood pressure, some breathing difficulties and a low blood sugar. All these will be checked at birth and can readily be dealt with.
Propranolol can be passed to the baby in the breastmilk, but the levels are very low and so the risk of side effects in the baby is also low. It is generally thought that it is alright to breastfeed while taking propranolol, but as everyone is different it is important to seek advice from your doctor or midwife first. Remember that it is important for you to remain well while you are bonding with and looking after your baby.
For this reason, it may be best to take medicine for your mental health when breastfeeding. If your baby was premature or has health problems, then you will need to be extra careful about taking medicines while breastfeeding. It may be best not to breastfeed if this is the case, but you should discuss this with your doctor or midwife. This and any other effects should pass after the first couple of weeks.
If they do not, and this is a problem for you, go back to the doctor and see what else you could try. Propranolol is a banned substance in some sports. For most of them, it is only banned while playing competitively. When you start taking propranolol, it may make you feel tired, dizzy, faint or confused, and could make your eyesight blurred, so do not do any sports that need a lot of focus just after you start taking propranolol.
You may feel dizzy, faint or confused when you start taking propranolol, and it can make your eyesight blurred. If they are more than a week away, however, you might find that it is better to start propranolol to improve any shaking or sweating that you get. You need to talk to your doctor or pharmacist before you take propranolol if any of the following apply to you:. You should talk to your doctor about how long you will need to take propranolol for before you start treatment.
If you are taking it for a long time, make sure that you see your doctor for a review every six months. Make sure that you know your dose. If it is not written on the label, check with your pharmacist or doctor. Do not take more or less of it or take it more often than prescribed by your doctor. This medication may be prescribed for other uses; ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information. Take the missed dose as soon as you remember it. However, if it is almost time for the next dose, skip the missed dose and continue your regular dosing schedule.
Do not take a double dose to make up for a missed one. Propranolol may cause other side effects. Call your doctor if you have any unusual problems while you are using this medication. Keep this medication in the container it came in, tightly closed, and out of reach of children. Store it at room temperature and away from light, excess heat, and moisture not in the bathroom. Unneeded medications should be disposed of in special ways to ensure that pets, children, and other people cannot consume them.
However, you should not flush this medication down the toilet. Instead, the best way to dispose of your medication is through a medicine take-back program. It is important to keep all medication out of sight and reach of children as many containers such as weekly pill minders and those for eye drops, creams, patches, and inhalers are not child-resistant and young children can open them easily.
To protect young children from poisoning, always lock safety caps and immediately place the medication in a safe location — one that is up and away and out of their sight and reach.
In case of overdose, call the poison control helpline at If the victim has collapsed, had a seizure, has trouble breathing, or can't be awakened, immediately call emergency services at Most side effects will go away within a few days as the body adjusts to the medication.
For others, this adjustment period may take longer. Side effects can get worse or better as dosages increase or decrease. Having these medical conditions could cause a negative reaction to propranolol, leading to additional health complications.
Propranolol might not be safe for pregnant women to take. Pregnant women or those who may become pregnant should consult their healthcare provider before taking or abruptly discontinuing propranolol.
A doctor will only prescribe propranolol to a child if necessary. Propranolol is prescribed to older adults with caution, especially for those with liver, kidney, and heart conditions. Doctors will always prescribe propranolol on a case-by-case basis. As a beta-blocker, long-term propranolol use may prevent heart attacks and maintain healthy blood pressure levels.
Long-term use of beta-blockers may cause common side effects to worsen. It can also mask symptoms of low blood sugar in people with diabetes, which could potentially become life-threatening. High doses of propranolol that are taken long-term can even make heart problems worse and cause irregular heart rates. Abruptly stopping propranolol can cause heart attacks and severe chest pain.
Consulting a doctor is the best way to keep this from happening. Taking propranolol with these medications could cause negative interactions:. This list of medications is not complete.
Healthcare professionals can provide a full list of drug interactions.
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