Tests before starting Propranolol

RsMom · #1 06-15-2010, 10:21 PM

For those of you who have used propranolol, what tests were done before starting? Did you baby stay in the hospital for monitoring of the first dose or was it given at home?

mperron · #2 06-16-2010, 02:42 AM

My son did not stay at the hospital. He saw a cardiologist and had an electrocardiogram test. No other test was done. He was started on a low dose and gradually increased.

jkmorgan333 · #3 06-17-2010, 12:55 PM

Our experience was similar to mperron's experience. No hospital stay, electrocardiogram, and gradual increase on dose. We went in for a followup a week after DD started the meds to check her BP and glucose levels, but it was all fine. We follow up again with the doc on July 8 which will be 6 weeks after initially starting the propanolol.

tlampley3 · #4 06-17-2010, 09:24 PM

we did an ekg and started medication at home. we have been gradually increasing the dose and had visits after 1 week, then 2 weeks, and this time we get to wait 3 weeks.

annina · #5 06-18-2010, 07:14 AM

My daughter has a large facial segmental H and another in her belly button so before going on the drug we did brain MRI, echocardiography, ECG and blood test.
She has the first dose in the hospital and we were there for about 6 hours.
We were back to the hospital after 5 weeks to increase the dosage and we did the same, every 30min a nurse was checking her blood pressure and heart rate.
She still need to have monitoring of blood pressure and heart rate on a weekly basis (at home!) while she continues to take Propanolol, which she may well need up until the age of one year or more.

RsMom · #6 06-18-2010, 10:17 PM

Thanks for you input everyone. We saw the derm again today. She gave us clobetasol and timolol to use for now. We go back in 3 weeks to decide if we'll start propranolol or not. She said we would have an EKG and her blood pressure would be monitored regularly but that she would not stay in the hospital for the first dose. Although, I'd feel better having her stay at the hospital for the first dosage, I'm comforted that thats not the norm! Hope everyone's little ones are doing well!

momof3inpa2009 · #7 06-19-2010, 02:31 PM

My daughter saw a cardiologist and did the 72 hour hospital stay. She was actually the first baby in our area and this Children's Hospital to do the procedure and protocol. Good luck to you and if you have any more questions I would be glad to speak with you. My daughter has been on it since about 5 months old and we just tried to wean her off but her hemangioma got a little larger so we went back to two doses. She was on three but we weaned her down to two does and then took away the 2nd dose but that's when the H got larger so we went back to two doses.
PS: Yes I totally agree %100 on you'd rather have her in hospital for monitoring, although it was a pain in the butt to do the 72 hour stay I am glad that we did it that way. I felt so much better and safer.