Best meds for anxiety, jitters, and tremors?

wearycrane55 said:Hi everyone, I’m looking for some advice regarding an upcoming presentation where the clock is ticking. It’s for my class. The absolute worst part of this whole ordeal is that the moment I even head toward my computer, my heart starts racing uncontrollably, my stomach turns, and I begin to stutter—even when there's a strict time limit and the grade is on the line. Honestly, the old "just calm down and take a deep breath" advice just isn't cutting it anymore. I was wondering if anyone knows of any over-the-counter calming aids available, and perhaps what they typically cost? I did a bit of reading on Percocet, but I'm really looking for something I can grab right now without a prescription. Once I get through this immediate hurdle, I definitely plan to sit down with a doctor to discuss a more potent prescription; this fear of public speaking and presentations is simply becoming more than I can handle on my own.

Propranolol is often used by musicians and other performers to prevent stage fright. It has been taken by surgeons to reduce their own innate hand tremors during surgery.[12]

Propranolol should be used with caution in people with:[30]

Diabetes mellitus or hyperthyroidism, since signs and symptoms of hypoglycaemia may be masked.
Peripheral vascular Disease and Raynaud's, which may be exacerbated
exacerbated Phaeochromocytoma, as hypertension may be aggravated without prior alpha blocker therapy
Myasthenia, may be worsened
Other drugs with bradycardic effects Propranolol is contraindicated in patients with :[ 30
Propranolol is contraindicated in patients with:[30]

Reversible airways diseases, particularly asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
Bradycardia (<60 beats/minute)
Sick sinus syndrome
Atrioventricular block (second or third degree)
Shock Severe
Severe hypotension
Cocaine toxicity [per American Heart Association guidelines, 2005]

hiddeneagle98;51481698 said:Propranolol is usually the go-to for this kind of thing. I’ve tried it myself and it actually works. I also know some musicians who swear by it to deal with stage fright and essential tremors—like violinists and stuff.

Wait, works for what exactly? I was taking it for something else entirely as part of my prescription, but it didn't do a single thing for my nerves.🤷 My heart rate definitely slowed down, I guess, but my brain still felt totally fried, so I still ended up bombing my exam regardless.

gentlesailor25;51482208 said:

hiddeneagle98 said:Propranolol is pretty much the go-to for this kind of thing. I’ve used it myself and found it works quite well. I also know plenty of musicians—classical violinists, for instance—who rely on it to deal with stage fright and essential tremors.

By the way, you can usually pick it up without a prescription here, unlike in some other places where the bureaucracy is just a nightmare.

If your doctor is being difficult about writing you a script, you could always look into options in Canada.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Propranolol

Propranolol is often used by musicians and other performers to prevent stage fright. It has been taken by surgeons to reduce their own innate hand tremors during surgery.[12]

Contraindications

Propranolol should be used with caution in people with:[30]

Diabetes mellitus or hyperthyroidism, since signs and symptoms of hypoglycaemia may be masked.
Peripheral vascular Disease and Raynaud's, which may be exacerbated
exacerbated Phaeochromocytoma, as hypertension may be aggravated without prior alpha blocker therapy
Myasthenia, may be worsened
Other drugs with bradycardic effects Propranolol is contraindicated in patients with :[ 30
Propranolol is contraindicated in patients with:[30]

Reversible airways diseases, particularly asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
Bradycardia (<60 beats/minute)
Sick sinus syndrome
Atrioventricular block (second or third degree)
Shock Severe
Severe hypotension
Cocaine toxicity [per American Heart Association guidelines, 2005]

Hypertension?

For me, it worked perfectly to block that "nervous edge"; that’s why I tried it. It’s almost like it could sense those moments when I was about to start freaking out and just stepped in to stop it. It isn't a perfect "clean" fix—because if it were truly perfect, I wouldn't even realize I was *supposed* to be feeling anxious in the first place—but it does the job. Compare that to Xanax, where I won't even get angry, let alone realize at the exact moment I should be losing my cool, which is basically like missing the anxiety altogether.

But from what I can see, most people use it for stage fright; I haven't really seen anyone using it for exams.

When it comes to exams, though, I see way more people turning to stimulants. Personally, that just makes everything worse for me...🤷

hiddeneagle98 said:Hypertension?

For me, it worked perfectly to block that "nervous edge"; that’s why I tried it. It’s almost like it could sense those moments when I was about to start freaking out and just stepped in to stop it. It isn't a perfect "clean" fix—because if it were truly perfect, I wouldn't even realize I was *supposed* to be feeling anxious in the first place—but it does the job. Compare that to Xanax, where I won't even get angry, let alone realize at the exact moment I should be losing my cool, which is basically like missing the anxiety altogether.

But from what I can see, most people use it for stage fright; I haven't really seen anyone using it for exams.

When it comes to exams, though, I see way more people turning to stimulants. Personally, that just makes everything worse for me...🤷

gentlesailor25 said: