Has anyone used propranolol for treating hemangioma?

[Big Al]

On 21 August 2009 my at that time 3 month old daughter was admitted to Yorkhill hospital with a large hemangioma on her tongue. We noticed it from about 5/6 weeks growing steadily and consulted our GP.We eventually got a referral to Wishaw general hospital. Consultant from Yorkhill saw her there and had her admitted immediately. She was given steroids for 3 days and started on Propranolol 3 x 4ml daily and Sytron as it had been bleeding. In the interim period she has had an MRI scan and an ultrasound scan. We noticed a marked reduction in the size of it up to ten days after the steroid treatment stopped. After that the hemangioma began to return to its original size despite the propranolol. We have just visited the consultant at Yorkhill today and he was surprised it had not reduced. We have to give it another 2 months and if no reduction in size is obvious then she may require surgery. We are still hopeful the Propanolol will work. Will keep updating with progress. I have been reassured with the previous comments on this thread.

[Grandma]

Our ten week old granddaughter was put on propranolol at Children's Hospital in Seattle Washington on Friday ((6 days ago). She has three hemangiomas- two on her side and one on her nose. The one on her nose was growing rapidly, had become a dark almost maroon color and was surrounded by bruising beneath the skin. She was examined by two doctors - an ear nose throat doc and a cardiologist. Blood pressure was taken several times and she was given the propranolol. She returned every hour for the next three hours with no change in blood pressure. On the six hour drive home we stopped for a diaper change and all noticed that her nose was already looking better. We were worried that we were just being hopeful but it really had already changed in color to a more red color and was already going down in size. Every day it has continued to look better and better. Today at 6 days out it looks like she has a little rug burn on her nose and the big lump has shrunken down considerably. She has a whole new look to her beautiful little face! My daughter was sent home with a stethescope and was instructed to take her heart rate twice a day and to be sure it didn't drop below 120. It hasn't. We are incredibly grateful and excited about this drug and it's success. Our grandbaby is now part of a study being done at Children's Hospital by Dr. Perkins. We are anxious to see the results as they come out. Please consider this treatment before you have steroids! It has been a miracle for us.

[grphxgal80]

We began to notice a red spot on the corner of our babies nose a couple of weeks after she was born. It began growing and getting redder and also developing a bluish swollen bruise. This would be a compound hemangioma. Our derm. suggested propranolol. Like others, we were concerned because it was a new treatment for this. However, it is a very old drug and is safe to take. The dose is so small anyway. We spoke with a ped. cardiologist and they said it would be fine. The alternative was scarring surgery and steriods.

Anyway, we notice a difference after just one treatment. Like others had said, I wondered if the change was in my head. But, after I looked at photos I realized it definitely wasn't! The only side effect she had was cold feet and hands. That has gone away since she's gotten a little older.

She started the meds when she was two months old. One thing is to make sure the keep the dosage correct as your child begins to gain weight. It started to grow back when she had gained weight and they needed to up the dosage. You have to wait for the hemangioma to get out of its growth stage (9 months or so but there is no magic number) before you go off the meds or it will continue to grow again. We tried to take her off the meds when she was about 6 months but we notice it coming back so we put her back on it. She is eight months old now and we will try again soon. Her hemangioma has continued to shrink. Now, you hardly even see it anymore, and it was so huge!!! It's completely flat and very pale red. I HIGHLY recommend this treatment to anyone. HIGHLY...HIGHLY...HIGHLY!!! It is new for hemangiomas but the drug has been around forever and is soooo safe to take. To us, it's been a MIRACLE drug. We just thank God that our dermatologist was so willing to try this. Please email me if you have any questions or if you wanna see our babies progress in photos. I'm happy to share. I remember when I was so upset and scared and if I can help anyone feel better about this I am more than happy too.

[kelly55]

My son is to be admitted this Friday 10/16/09 for propanolol treatment for a hemangioma on his face/ear. I am extremely nervous about this and what wondering if anyone could give me some advice. Is the propanolol started IV or orally? Any side effects anyone could tell me about? Any info would be helpful.

[tinmuning]

Propranolol appears to have impressive beneficial effects on severe hemangiomas of infancy, according to several medical articles. Withing 1 day, the hemangioma may show signs of responding favorably with the medication like exhibiting change in color & texture.

Oral propranolol is used for this indication. With regards to side effects in infants like hypotension and hypoglycemia, they are typically few and short-lived.

[Big Al]

The only side effect my own daughter has had with the Propanolol is slightly cold feet and hands. She does not seem bothered by this and we tend to have extra socks on both her feet and her hands.

[kelly55]

My son has now been on propanolol for 1 week. Within the first 24 hrs the swelling and redness decreased slightly, but since that occured I do not see much difference. Will it take more time to see change? From what I have read I feel like there should have been more progress already.

[Big Al]

In response to Kelly 55. My daughter has been on Propanolol for almost three months for a Hemangioma on her tongue. There has been only a small reduction in size. The surgeon thinks the Hemangioma was in a rapid growing phase and the propanolol arrested the growth. It could be a similar scenario with your son. Hemangioma appear to grow rapidly in the early stages of formation and slow down over a period of time.