I just had my doc bump up my Inderal prescription, and when I went to pick it up tonight, I noticed that it had “COUNSEL” stamped on it. I asked what that was about, and the pharmacy technician said that it meant that the pharmacist wanted to talk to me about taking it. And that would entail about a 40 minute wait.
I elected to boogie with the drugs.
Now that I think about it, the ensuing 40 minutes have not brought light to the human condition by my effort, but so be it.
So, what OTC or prescription drugs might be contraindicated when taking propranalol? It’s a beta-blocker that slows heart rate, and I was a little concerned when my dentist prescribed a codeine (opiate) containing pain-killer, but the pharmacist assured me it was OK. She was right; a week later I’m alive.
I was prescribed it for migraine prevention and months later another GP nearly had heart failure because of my asthma when he saw the prescription. It’s apparently serious stuff if you are truly asthmatic. Which it turned out I am not. The propranolol proved that
I also gained several kilos in a short space of time on that evil med, not that I am bitter or anything, oh no.
If you haven’t started taking any new medications since the last time you picked up your Inderal, then it’s probably not a big deal. They probably would have just asked you if you were aware that the doctor was increasing the dose (to make sure it wasn’t a mistake by the office staff), and to make sure that you were stopping the old dose (instead of taking both together).
But that’s just guessing. Next time ask if they can call you about it when the pharmacist has time.
Not having an asthma attack while on propranolol does not prove one is not an asthmatic. Propranolol can aggravate asthma in many patients, but it does not do so in all patients all the time.
