betahistine prochlorperzine do they help??

Thank you. Hearing from other people is so valuable. I hope it stays away for you x

Maybe not good long term, I think I might have read that but I will look into it. Thanks for you reply. Wishing u all the best x

Hi thanks for replying. I think based on what you say they are definitely worth a try. Thank you all the best ☺x

Oh, it INcreases histine levels in the body. So... well, it can't hurt my lingering cold symptoms anyway . I wonder why the pharmacist hadn't heard of this.

Hi it's full name is betahistine dihyrochloide. I have it in 16mg tablets. It is also known as serc. Try a different pharmacy if I were u. Feel better soon. Hope this info helps you. I can't say I have noticed any improvement yet I wonder if it takes a while to work?????? Does anyone know

My symptoms sound like yours I think. I feel unbalanced clumsy and moving around feels awkward. I can relate to your description of it. I've had this before and it lasted along time. I really want to recover quickly. I was told to exercise looking at things left and right. It took a long time but I recovered. This time I really will try anything to help it along. Accupunture anything I don't know??

Betahistine usually takes couple days get into system but once they are you should notice improvement. I too take the 16mg tablets but only at onset of attack then they usually work within couple hours. My GP also gave me prochlorperazine maleate which have to be dissolved on gum. These are only to be used in severe attacks but thankfully I have not used one yet. Hope you better soon. X

From what I read, this med only helps with vertigo (room spinning). Were you ever diagnosed with a condition? You said it went away after a while... how long is a while? I've been doing the up and down, right to left, balance exercises, but after 9 months, still no change. I am glad to hear that someone recovered from it! Going to a balance center today... also had BPPV and after 14 months and many many Epley's that is finally gone... yayyy... didn't even return with my cold, which I was afraid might happen. Yesterday, I was walking in front of a police car and I was sure the cop thought I must've been a little tipsy!

I plan to use a cane now, if I have to walk in public, until this clears up. It also puts a strain on my back due to the guarded position I must be walking in (without a cane). One thing I noticed, which may help you. If I clench my toes down while I walk, I seem to have better balance. Weid, but I know balance partly relies on sensation from the feet, so maybe that will help you too.

Hi Dee, do so feel for you having that long??? Yes claritin just for colds and hay fever etc. Am surprised you can't get betahistine over there. I don't have the room spinning unless look upward but do have the staggering symptoms and the betahistine certainly helps that. Hope you get some answers quickly x x

My first case of feeling a lack of balance was a year and a half ago. It lasted 6 months and I think the exercises which you can see on you tube under vestibular exercises work. There is a girl sitting at a chair focusing on a post it note. I did similar exercises as she does and walking looking left then right focusing on things as you turn your head. It was described to me like I had suffered a stroke and needed to relearn to balance again and practicing these simple( yet difficult in our condition) movements help the brain and ear communicate. I did not find it helped over night but rather it was a slow process and required repetition. But slowly slowly I recovered. I have had a run of colds this time and I must admit to being absolutely gutted it had returned. At times I feel like I am very very tipsy and giddy uncoordinated foggy with it. But I really really do think that it helps to know we are not alone. I feel sorry that others feel like me but the fact that we can help each other is empowering in an otherwise difficult and potentially anxious situation. I have never had the room spin. Today I was told to stop the betahistine as I have tried it a week and it has not helped so now trying the prochlorperzine 3 times a day. I will try it and begin the exercises again.

Thank you ☺

By the way last time I was tempted to use a stick to walk with and very nearly did. If it helps I would. It's interesting you have noted that if you clench your toes and walk that it helps. I read that last time I was ill. Someone else found it helpful. I didn't help me last time but well worth a go again. Thank you for mentioning it.☺

I think you can. Walmart pharmacist!

I will ask my neurologist, andy relief would be wonderful. Thank you!

If you don't mind me asking, what was your diagnosis? I imagine how fast (or if) one recovers  depends on what you have wrong with your body (brain, ear, VOR, etc). Yes, I have done the looking from side-to-side as you walk, too.

I just had an appointment at the balance center, and had the test where they put you in a "closet"-type thing where the walls move and then your platform moves different way. It was like a carnival ride. And I flunked.

Yes, so happy to be able to "go" someplace to share experiences here. Even doctors can't really understand it unless they have it themselves. And it's so frustrating to hear people dismiss it as "Oh, I get dizzy sometimes, too, we all do!" No, it's not like that! And when you have test results that measure things and tell you that something is not normal, some people still just assume it's anxiety. No, that's what the tests were for!

Feel better, and try the toe-clenching thing! It is very helpful when you are walking barefoot.

Yeah, I didn't read it anywhere, I just instinctively tried it I guess because I was tense while walking. And it doesn't take away that light-headed feeling, but it does help me feel a little steadier and more "connected" to the surface, and more confident that I won't fall. Not sure why it works.

I also plan on asking my doctor about the betahistamine.

My final diagnosis after an mri and after 3 consultations with a ent consultant was inner ear damage. I agree whole hearty about people being easily very dismissive. They really have no clue at all. Yes so that's why we all understand much better. And feel solidarity with each other. Xx

Hi Dee. You mentioned a 'closet' type test? Have you had an MRI scan like a tunnel where they give you different sound tones? I have annual ones as they discovered an acoustic neuroma like a small growth. I now have annual scans to make sure it doesn't grow.

Will definitely try the toe clenching. I hope you feel better soon too. We don't really have balance centres that I know of .. maybe theyexist but I've never been. Keep smiling and if I find or think of anything that helps I will be in touch straight away.

Oooh I've just thought of something else that helped it was an occupational health practitioner who gave this this advice but it did seem to help. Wearing sunglasses around bright light. Don't ask me why. It must be something to do with balance clues but anyway while I went back to work and was still recovering it really did help.

With you mentioning sunglasses helped I went to a conference on migraines a while ago with my daughter who suffers with migraines. They touched on migraineous vertigo. Apparent l y you can suffer with migraines but not have the tell-take headache but vertigo!!!! Have you tried taking migraine tablets if sunglasses helped? X

No I haven't. But this time I ve only had a bit over a week and I started to do the vestibular exercises as I did last time on a walk with my daughter. But when I got home I could move with pain behind my eyes it was disabling I just had to stay put. In the end my husband took me to an out of hours Gp. He said he didn't think it was a migraine as it was behind both eyes and thought it was the start of a virus and he said more than likely I would start with a temperature. A few day on and not temperature. I took the Coc odamol prescribed and ibuprofen but they didn't touch it. I rang and spoke to another Gp in desperation for some ease for the pain and she suggested asprin 300mg 3 tablets. And I didn't hold much hope but it did actually work. Most of the time at the moment I do feel a headache is lurching. I had thought about these migraines myself as I've read about them. I think I might bring it up with my own Gp and see what he thinks. It not the same sometimes when you just see a string of Gps you don't know. Thank you it will prompt me to ask. Xxx

I have had 3 MIRs but they were not for testing sounds. I feel sorry for you having to have them annually. 'Don't like them...

No, this was like a 3/4 circular closet where you went into it through the front and then the PT made the walls move, then the floor move, then you closed your eyes and tried to balance while she tilted the floor. A computer recorded how well you kept your balance, by sensors on the foot mat you were standing on. I flunked all but one of the tests. I think during that one I was clenching my toes down!

I know exactly why, C! Your balance is maintained by 3 things - I'm sure you know this, but they are inner ear signals to the brain; foot, ankle, and knee proprioceptors that send signals to you brain; and eyesight. When you squint (or at night in the dark) you eyesight is diiminished, so it's like you lose that input to keep you balanced. I found this out accidentally, too, when I was walking into the sun a few months ago. I couldn't see much, so that took away 2 of the 3 signals to the brain.

I mean it took away 1 of the signals.

Ooh that sounds like my worst nightmare. The MRI scans aren't bad when get used to. X

That's interesting. I tried it this time but it doesn't help. I'm on a very rough ferry or so it feels and the water is getting rockier!! Any tips are great xx

I think your very brave I found the mri scan frightening but I suppose when you know what to expect it might be easier. Take care x

Hi, I've had trouble with balance for 5 months now, following an ear infection. My right ear was leaking yellow runny liquid and has felt like it was blocked with cotton wool! The Gp initially gave me ear drops, which didn't help at all! I was referred to an ENT specialist eventually and have been on and off Anti-Biotics ever since March (Co-Amoxiclav, Augmentin). I developed intolerable ear, face, neck and right side head pain in April so 'was hospitalised! I've had a "Right Cortical Mastoidectomy" 4 MRI scans, a CT scan and numerous blood tests. All that has shown up is inflammation in the mastoid area and below the brain. The blood tests did show slight infection and very high inflammation markers. The liquid from inside my ear showed nothing! I've also had a Lumber Puncture. 

I have been without severe pain for 2 weeks now, I suspect the high dose of Steroids, Predisilone that I was taking for three weeks helped.The consultant also swapped the Gabapentin for Pegabalin 3 weeks ago, so maybe it was that? I have been taking Betahistine (Serc) for a month.

I am now pain free free but still "un-balanced" I've have a few falls when I haven't been holding on to some thing or some one! I am being referred to a Balance specialist at St. Thomas'. I've also got a second opinion booked in August at BlackHeath Hospital. I'm still on Pregabalin, Betahistine, Sodium Fusidate and Ciprofloxacin, I assume because they're worried about a secondary infection.

It's been very refreshing reading all of the reviews on here, I thought I was the only one in the world suffering from this! I wish you all well. xxx