Beta Blockers and Pool

Due to medical problems I was given a prescription for Propanolol ( a beta blocker). This medication is primarily used to lower blood pressure and is also often prescribed to combat anxiety.

I have observed that the medication pretty much eliminates any symptoms of anxiety and produces a very calm "ice water in your veins" kind of state without any unpleasant narcotic effects.

You would think that such a state would be a good thing but, I am finding it to be quite the opposite.

I play my best when I'm a little wound up, a degree of anxiety and aggressiveness bring out the best in my game. Fast Eddie in "The Hustler" perhaps says it best when his stakehorse asks him how he feels and he replies "tight, but good".

IMO, pool is a game that serves as a form of ritualized combat, a way to vent our aggression in a civilized and acceptable manner, it is not a dispassionate, purely intellectual pursuit. For me the beta blocker effect is like having your testosterone depleted.

I cannot stop taking the medication because to do so would be flirting with the reaper. I wonder if what I've described is just a temporary effect.

Surely there are others here who have experienced what I'm going through and, if so, how did you deal with it?
 
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cuetechasaurus said:
When his backer asks him how he feels, Fast Eddie says "Fast and loose." not "Tight but good" LOL

Actually we are both right. I just looked it up in my copy of the screenplay and here is the dialogue:

CHARLIE
How do you feel?

EDDIE
Fast and loose, man.

CHARLIE
In the gut, I mean.

EDDIE
I feel tight -- but good.

LOL back at ya!:p
 
I've been on beta blockers for years, and I've never played pool without them, so I can't help you there. I can say that your body does adapt to them so any changes in mental state may be temporary.
 
other med's

I'd say talk to your doctor and ask him about other options. I was given a beta blocker but all beta blockers and the one in particular I was taking have an adverse affect on another health issue. I simply moved on to different drugs.

You may also note that beta blockers are on the proscribed drug list. I suspect that if the IPT had enforced that it would have pretty much taken care of all of the hall of famers. Of course they aren't sanctioned by anyone so whatever rules they want are all that applies.

Hu


Secaucus Fats said:
Due to medical problems I was given a prescription for Propanolol ( a beta blocker). This medication is primarily used to lower blood pressure and is also often prescribed to combat anxiety.

I have observed that the medication pretty much eliminates any symptoms of anxiety and produces a very calm "ice water in your veins" kind of state without any unpleasant narcotic effects.

You would think that such a state would be a good thing but, I am finding it to be quite the opposite.

I play my best when I'm a little wound up, a degree of anxiety and aggressiveness bring out the best in my game. Fast Eddie in "The Hustler" perhaps says it best when his stakehorse asks him how he feels and he replies "tight, but good".

IMO, pool is a game that serves as a form of ritualized combat, a way to vent our aggression in a civilized and acceptable manner, it is not a dispassionate, purely intellectual pursuit. For me the beta blocker effect is like having your testosterone depleted.

I cannot stop taking the medication because to do so would be flirting with the reaper. I wonder if what I've described is just a temporary effect.

Surely there are others here who have experienced what I'm going through and, if so, how did you deal with it?
 
What you descibed

is similiar to the feeling experienced when I was on Prozac
for awhile, which I did not consider to be a good feeling at all.
I do not think it will go away as long as you are on it, but you
probably can get your doctor to prescribe a different brand
type for you. To me, the best kind of medicine is the kind
where you don't 'feel' any effects from it at all. (except for
pain killers that is).
 
I was away from pool for over 20 years. I had a heart attack and quad coronary bypasses. The doctor said get off the couch and find something to do or die. My son was playing league pool so I started visiting with him and started back playing again, and now am hooked again. That was in 2000. Since then, I have been on 3 teams in Vegas, three in Valley forge, played in many other events......all that said, back to the medications...I take three cardiac meds such as beta blockers. I still get a rapid heartbeat when I get the adrenaline rush, but I don't think it is as much as it would be without it. I never really thought about it. I am considered to be very laid back under pressure....maybe I am just over medicated and don't know any better.......:confused:
 
> At the 2000 U.S. Open,I had a conversation with a registered pharmacist about this exact topic,along with players abusing stuff like coke and Desoxin,and here is what he told me. In addition to being prescribed for heart ailments and other things,Propanolol or Inderal is also prescribed by doctors to chemically treat STAGE FRIGHT. He went on to say that many professional actresses and actors,certain other types of athletes,surgeons,and even politicians/public speakers use it to eliminate nervousness associated with their professions. He added that it can hurt you if not prescribed,if you use a beta-antagonist like most inhalers for example,but said there is no chemical "high",no narcotic agents that leave you physically hooked,so it is not the type of drug people can get off on,making it a somewhat safe solution. He even told me there are 2 specific types to ask for if consulting a physician about it's compatibility with your system. Inderal LA,which stands for Long Acting,a time release version that lasts about 12 hours,or Inderal FA or Fast Acting,this version only lasts for 2-3 hours,but begins to act in 15 minutes on a full stomach. This is the version that according to him is used by politicians and such that do a great deal of public speaking,including the President himself. With such knowledge of a subject,I have no reason to doubt him,but never actually asked a doctor about it either. I use an inhaler from time to time,and surely a doctor would not knowingly prescribe a beta-blocker and an antagonist to the same person. If I could take them with 100% confidence that they would not harm me permanently,I would have tried them by now. Tommy D.
 
whitewolf said:
Hey Joe (my old APA teammate), how is it going?! I used to have a few drinks before I played any serious pool. Now I take the proponol (sp?), but just before matches and only when I want to take them. They work great for me. The original poster is correct in that they take a little edge off of any 'meaness' you may desire, so my preferred drug is alcohol. With alcohol I get the killer instinct in the worst way. Now that I don't drink I must use the proponol, I feel like you Joe, and the original poster. If I could just get past the first few matches I would be okay - wouldn't need any drug. Or if I played in tournaments and gambled all of the time, and/or played 40 hours a week, it wouldn't matter.

A few weeks you told me you couldn't figure out why you had to be down in games before your seriousness kicked in. Maybe it is the drugs you take. I always admired how cool you were under pressure conditions, but now I know ;) . Just kidding Joe, I couldn't imagine you getting upset over anything. Joe is like me folks - you have to get him mad to make him shoot his best, which is why we never play to our full potential :D .

Ray...nice to hear from you...Merry Christmas!!..tell Blue Wolf I said hi.

I haven't been so bad lately about digging a hole before fighting back. Won 18 of my last 20 matches and no losses so far this session...9 of 9. I still don't feel too bothered as long as my opponent hasn't sunk the last 8 ball.

Hey, you ready to get back into things next session?
 
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Secaucus Fats said:
.

Surely there are others here who have experienced what I'm going through and, if so, how did you deal with it?

Jerry, I took a beta blocker for over a year. I never had problems. If anything, I do feel like I could get into the tournaments quicker and not let the "early tourney jitters," get to me. In fact, I stopped having league jitters as well.

It's not something I would suggest for anyone to do strictly for pool, so don't anyone get any crazy ideas. Beta blockers, IMO, are risky. If you have a condition that warrants taking them, your doctor will let you know.

BTW, the beta blocker helped me and I'm now beta blocker free. I don't have league jitters anymore. And have a comfortable "early tourney excitement."


Fred
 
Cornerman said:
Jerry, I took a beta blocker for over a year. I never had problems. If anything, I do feel like I could get into the tournaments quicker and not let the "early tourney jitters," get to me. In fact, I stopped having league jitters as well.

It's not something I would suggest for anyone to do strictly for pool, so don't anyone get any crazy ideas. Beta blockers, IMO, are risky. If you have a condition that warrants taking them, your doctor will let you know.

BTW, the beta blocker helped me and I'm now beta blocker free. I don't have league jitters anymore. And have a comfortable "early tourney excitement."


Fred

Fred, you are absolutely right to warn folks not to take beta blockers for pool, etc to calm you down, etc. First, they don't work instantaneously, but rather over time. Secondly, a sudden abrupt stoppage of a beta blocker can cause a sudden abrupt stopage of the muscle it was controlling, if you get my drift.....
 
I just recently had to sart taking beta blockers but i have not noticed ant difference in my attitude.someone mentioned Inderal LA but that med is hardly ever prescribed any more.They have come out with new meds that far surpass Inderal.Right now I am taking Timolol.Secausus,You might want to consult your MD about switching to a different RX then what you are taking,maybe its too strong for you.
 
I was taking Indaril just over a year ago and I found that it helped my actual pool play but diminished a lot of the fun I got from the game, I play pool for the adrenaline high, normally when I go into a match hands shake with it. When I was taking Indaril I felt no pressure but I experienced no rush, also I play in an exceptionally hot pool room and I am an obese guy and I was the only person that wasn't sweating and it was incredibly weird.

I was given Indaril because I was suffering from headaches daily (the doctor was just trying all sorts of medications to relive them).
 
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