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Q: Has anyone experienced relief of chronic migraines after taking the drug, propanolol? If so, how long did it take to start working?
Hello, Amy,
Yes, propranolol helped reduce both the frequency and severity of my chronic Migraines for several years. It took several months of gradually increasing the dosage to get it right for me. It generally takes up to three months at the correct dosage to see how well it will work for us.
Hope this helps,
Teri
You're welcome, Amy!
Hope is one of our most essential tools. :-)
I didn't have any side effects, but I do have high blood pressure, so we were using propranolol to treat both that and Migraines. The biggest problem I had was that when we were gradually increasing the dosage, it got to the point where I was supposed to take a small dose five times a day, and I kept missing doses. It would be hard enough to remember meds five times a day, but add in the mental fuzziness that was coming with my Migraines, and it just wasn't happening. So, we changed it to propranolol ER, which I only needed to take twice a day. Even with Migraines, I can remember to take meds at noon and bed time.
Propranolol worked well for me for several years, then stopped working. That can happen. Since then, my doctor and I have found other treatments to help. You might find this post interesting: My Migraines - Chronic to Episodic and Back Again.
The main thing is to not give up. There are so many medications and supplements that can be used for Migraine prevention these days that it would take 25 years, literally, to give each of them a fair three-month trial.
Keep me posted?
Teri
You have been so helpful, Teri! It's only been in the last year that I have accepted I have chronic migraine disease. I kept blaming it on birth control pills, hormones, lack of exercise, too much meds leading to rebound headaches, diet, etc. The truth is this is a progressive disease I've had since childhood. My doctors have made me feel like a crazy person or a hypochondriac. But I believe it's because they don't know what to do or say. I cannot believe how many people are suffering and have simiiar symptoms to mine. So again--thank you for your candid and helpful information. What a great forum! Oddly enough, I'm having an echo cardiogram soon to see if I have a very common heart problem that would warrant taking a beta blocker anyway. I've already started it but am glad to know that patience is definitely something I need to have before seeing a difference. Thank you for reaching out to me and for giving me the hope that I need! ~ Amy
You're very welcome, Amy. And thank you for your replies as well. I do like to hear back from people.
Even though propranolol quit working for me for Migraine prevention, I'm back to taking a beta blocker for a heart issue too - a murmur and tachycardia. Hope your testing comes out ok.
Teri
Amy,
I was prescribed propranolol for migraine (I don't have high blood pressure). The dosage was increased over time with minimal side effects until the dosage was a ways up there. We did step it back down after I felt very wobbly in the mornings after taking the higher dosage. You just have to ease into it slowly until you find a level that works for you. Yes, I think that over the long haul it did help.
Recently we switched to verapamil - taken only at night. Still in the test stages, so I don't know if this one will be part of "the answer", but we keep trying different strategies and meds.
Hang in there - some of this stuff does take a while to kick in.
C
I took it for many years, but don't think it made much difference. I didn't have high BP.
The first time I tried it, I felt lightheaded and dizzy along with a weird sensation that my heart was beating way too slowly. A few years later I tried it again for a few months, and the only side effect was to lower my heart rate from 80 to 60. No dizziness this time. Ultimately I quit it because I wasn't seeing any benefit in migraine frequency or severity.
My only peace of mind is that I have a resting heart rate of 90+ and blood pressure is usually a "perfect" number. I figure I have a margin for a lower heart rate and my bp dropping a little would be alright. It's just crazy to me that I'm taking a beta blocker when my bp is fine. After joining this forum, I'm seeing that this is pretty common among you all. What are you taking now? The Topamax didn't work for me.
Yeah, Topamax was awful... fuzzy, slurring, nauseated all the time, but with no benefit. I got sick of stumbling around like a better smelling wino.
I'm between preventatives right now, just taking magnesium and getting more sleep. I'm ramping up a new drug for a different problem, so I don't want the side effects to get confused. If all my teeth fall out or I start quacking like a duck, I want to know which pill to quit, you know?
When I get the courage, I will be taking depakote. My neurologist in one breath said there are plenty of preventatives out there I haven't tried, and in the next breath told me this prescription is something he usually uses as a last resort. The side effects sound lovely. Can't wait.
Honestly, though, you should be fine with propranolol side effects. It won't lower your BP or heart rate all that much, especially if you're at 90 now. I felt fine when I was on it. I just hope it's more effective for you than for me. I hear good things about its effectiveness from other people.
It didn't work for me. I wound up tired all the time, my blood pressure was really low, I was cold all the time and I gained a lot of weight. Finally found relief balancing blood chemistry and working with my neurologist and another doctor. It's been around two years and I'm like my old pre-migraine self again. I hope you find something that works for you.
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Thank you! Did you notice any negative side effects with the dosage increase? I do not have high blood pressure and I'm concerned this medication will make me feel sluggish or possibly cause weight gain. At the same time, I'm willing to try anything to get away from this continuious curse. I'm glad to hear you've found relief and knowing that also gives me hope. :)