paxil for stage fright/performance anxiety?

[justagiiirl]

I am a new graduate LPN. I some how made it through with my shaky hands. I never had a problems with lecture but when it came to performing injections in front of my professor I would get so anxious my hands couldn't stop shaking. I performed well in lab. My professor said to me "you just don't like being watched." I have tried anything from breathing exercise - wiggling my toes - and dropping caffeine. I recenty got a job and decided to nip this in the butt. I asked my GP for a beta blocker but she refused. She prescribe me paxil. Has anyone ever tried paxil for stage fright? Or should I get a second opinion from another dr for beta blockers? Please help!

[alankay]

Paxil might help you feel less self conscious and therefore be helpful. I wonder why she refused? I've used a beta blocker(both atenolol and now propranolol) for years. If she would reconsider propranolol even at say, 20mg it might be very helpful(pretty darn safe at that dose too). It's a non-selective(not cardio-selective like atenolol so less likely to hold down the pulse much and so will reduce tremor) so would help the shaky hands I'm sure(it does for me). The only times they usually refuse is if you have asthma or blood pressure/heart issues. I have to say this a commonly prescribed med for anxiety patients(SA in particular). Ask her again and let her know that you'll watch your pulse, etc, if that's her big concern. It time you'll likely get desensitized to giving injections, etc, and can drop the dose and then discontinue/rarely use the med. Pitch it to her that way. I'm sure it would help with shaky hands. Oh, mine told me I need to take it on non workdays too but only at 10mg. 20 mg for work. I guess it reduces any potential rebound increase in BP. So that's my regime, 10mg weekends, and 20mg-30mg(max) for workdays. No side effects and my pharmacist said, at that dose, they were allot less likely. Heart patients(i'm sure you know) can take several hundred mg and that's where side effects are more common. Message me any time.