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Does Meclizine help?

Posted , 7 users are following.

SisterSledge
SisterSledge

I'm having vertigo attacks every 8-10 days and tinnitus most of the time -- I can deal with the tinnitus (i think) but the vertigo is absolutely screwing up my life.  I'm on a dieuretic which doesn't seem to do much but make me pee, on a low sodium diet (which makes my choices exceptionally bland), now I have the diazipam (which does seem to help once the attack is upon me), have been on/off prednisone etc. etc. etc. -- I asked the doctor about the dramamine and he seemed ambivalent.  Thoughts?  

I decided to take it today because I was traveling (which I do for business which I am concerned I'll have to stop) and so far, no attack but the tinnitus is nasty.  I'm not 'due' for an attack as I'm only 4 days out from my last one but I would love to find a way to postpone it or whatever -- I know I can't control this but I'm trying -- does it help?

Thanks!

Anyway, does it help and is there any harm in taking it daily?

Thanks!!!!

0 likes, 15 replies

15 Replies

  • peter16657
    peter16657 SisterSledge

    Posted

    Hi, SS

     I had very similar circumstances to you, although this was my second bout after being clear for 18 months, gutted when it returned , any how, I had been taking betahistine for years and didnt stop during my "remisssion" I then read about Cinnarizine, went to my GP who said give it a try, interestingly it states on the box its for Menniers 2 3x a day seems a bit much but the point is it seems to work! if I was still in buisness I would definitely take it when i was due to travel etc, you can buy it over the counter, I would say try it, and post on this forum if you do and the results, coz its only us on here that can help each other

    • SisterSledge
      SisterSledge peter16657

      Posted

      Peter -- Thanks for your response.  That's a lot of good intel.  I will follow-up with my doc when I get back home and inform the community as I agree -- we only have each other.

      I'm sorry to hear you had recurrence --  this is truly a horrible disease and one thing I've noticed is how grateful I am for the days where I just feel good -- much more aware of those days that I used to take for granted.  

      Just out of curiosity, before your 18 month respite, how long were you in an 'active' state?

      Thanks SS

    • peter16657
      peter16657 SisterSledge

      Posted

      Hi SS I reckon about 10 years,although, and more at first there were periods of "calm" and then almost a routine of 3 attacks in relative quick succession, say 1 week apart and then it went away for a few months, as the years went by it slowly morphed into something more subtle, ie not so spitefull but more frequently and a longer recovery, by this time I had retired which was a blessing as i was able to cope with the initial stages with the help of a few trusted colleagues and still function in work,although in the latter stages work could have been a problem due to the more murkyness of the deasese, if that makes sense, during these 10 years I tried to isolate all the bad stuff to improve my circumstances but nothing kept it away, and i mean booze, cigs, salt, sugar, stress, lack of sleep, sodium, fatty foods, dairy products I even quit running as I thought there may be an off chance I was destabilising my ear by the continual shock of road running ( 2 X10 mile a week) and then after a pretty bad atttack it dissapeared, until recently, there we have it, my story in a nutshell!

  • kelsey0817
    kelsey0817 SisterSledge

    Posted

    2 years ago I had to take meclizine every day in order not to have vertigo. It worked but I was a zombie because it made me so tired. A diuretic does nothing for me either
  • tristan90302
    tristan90302 SisterSledge

    Posted

    Meclizene doesnt really help me either, I find it makes me kind of loopy and out of it for the next few days. Valuim really helps me, one for stress, and 2 for sleeping through the attack. Maybe ask your doctor about doubling up the water pill, or getting a different one. When I did that the fullness stopped and the tinnitus seemed to calm down a bit. I went months without an attack. And I used to get them every 4 days or so.
    • SisterSledge
      SisterSledge tristan90302

      Posted

      I was thinking of doubling up on the dieuretic but I'm noticing that my skin is unusally dry -- am I imaging this?  Could a dieuretic cause such a thing?

      The valium does help but it knocks me out -- need something that allows me to function.

    • tristan90302
      tristan90302 SisterSledge

      Posted

      I haven't noticed dry skin, but I have oily skin so it could be from the meds. I don't know for sure, and as of functioning, I'm not quite sure... I'm sorry. I do know that taking allergy medication helps prevent my attacks a lot though

  • NeddyO
    NeddyO SisterSledge

    Posted

    Like one of your earlier replies I take high dose betahistine which keeps things under control.

    You do not say if you have been fully diagnosed with scans and xrays to exclude other causes. The trouble with most of the drugs you mention is that they are basically sedative whereas betahistine is targetted at dealing with the increased pressure in the inner ear. If you have read up

    • NeddyO
      NeddyO

      Posted

      On how Meniere's progresses you will know that hearing damage progresses with each bad attack. For that reason you need to find a regime that prevents the illness - betahistine does it for me.

      Hope this helps.

    • SisterSledge
      SisterSledge NeddyO

      Posted

      I have been diagnosed by a 'renowned expert' at Yale but that doesn't mean I shouldn't get a second opinion -- I'm now going to another expert out of NYC just to make sure.  I have not had an MRI since the diagnosis but had a brain MRI not too long before because of chronic migraines -- Between my neurologist, my ENT and my GP no one seems in doubt -- but I'm with you -- no harm in continuing to prob.

      Question that hopefully you can answer -- I can't figure out if Betahistine is an OTC or Rx in US.  Would you know?

    • NeddyO
      NeddyO SisterSledge

      Posted

      Betahistine is prescription only in most of the world but I am unsure if it is even licenced in N America. Hopefully your new expert will shed some light.

       Good luck.

    • betsy70690
      betsy70690 NeddyO

      Posted

      Meclazine is OTC in US, but they keep it behind the counter so you need to

      Just ask for it.

  • SisterSledge
    SisterSledge

    Posted

    I wanted to follow up on my previous post.  I ended up going back to my ENT who doubled my diuertic.  There has been no question this has helped with the vertigo attacks as they lessened significantly from November until unfortunately this past thursday when right in the middle of an all day business trip in a foreign country, I had a full on attack (full ear, zero balance, incredible nausea).  The attack knocked me out that day and the three days following.  Incredible exhaustion continues to be a big struggle for me but inspite of this attack, overall I'd have to say the doubling of the dieuretic has been very helpful.  I also do take the meclazine when I'm traveling, which I have to do quite frequently.  I am very disappointed that the attack happened in such a public forum and now more people in my company know than I'm comfortable with but it is what it is ....

    Does anyone have winning suggestions on dealing with the exhaustion of dieuretics?  They really do wipe me out.

    • betsy70690
      betsy70690 SisterSledge

      Posted

      Caffeine, if you can handle that. Have a Coke or cup of coffee or tea?
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