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How to take betahistamine?

Posted , 6 users are following.

chris48721
chris48721

Hey folks

My GP thinks i might have MD so she has put me on a month trial for betahistamine. Says on the box take 3 times a day with food. So is it breakfast lunch and dinner? I was taking it morning dinner time and night time and it worked for awhile but now symptoms are coming back inbetween tablets. I did try and google but internet is pretty useless for finding info like that

Any help appreciated

Chris

1 like, 10 replies

10 Replies

  • maryduff
    maryduff chris48721

    Posted

    Hi Chris 

    I always take mine with breakfast, lunch and dinner and find it works for me. OF course everyone is different so if its not working for you go back to your GP. Good luck and hope you feel better soon.

    • chris48721
      chris48721 maryduff

      Posted

      That's great thank you. I'll try that and see how I go smile

  • Tunsc1963
    Tunsc1963 chris48721

    Posted

    Hi

    I don't think it matters when you take them as long as you take them with food and at regular times. I have stopped taking mine they didn't work for me. 

  • paul_88958
    paul_88958 chris48721

    Posted

    The did not work for me until my dosage was doubled. I take them breakfast lunch and dinner.
  • NeddyO
    NeddyO chris48721

    Posted

    Chances are you have been given no more than the max dose recommended in the British National Formulary - 16mg tds. You probably need a higher dose but your MD is not likely to be willing to do that until you have a definitely confirmed diagnosis from a consultant ENT or Auralphysiologist following Xray and MRI scans to exclude other possible causes so if not already arrangedask to be referred.

    I have copied below a reply I have given elsewhere in this forum which you may find useful. Good luck.

           "I have looked at some of your replies and it seems that the common factor is the relatively low dose of betahistine you are taking. Also it needs time to work.

    My consultant, having confirmed the diagnosis, and noting that I was not fully controlled tripled my dose from 16mg to 48 mg three times daily, and told me if I remained attack free for 6 months I should then wean myself off.  That strategy worked and I had a full remission period of 21 months.

    His advice was also that if the warning signs of MD returning (Ear fullness, unstable tinnitus, dizzy spells) occurred to not wait for a full blown attack but go straight back on the high dose and increase it further if necessary. The reasoning for this is that each major attack is very likely to cause further hearing loss which is not reversible.

    I got the warning signs again at the end of July so did as advised. The signs subsided over 2 or 3 days which was good but about 6 weeks later I had a sudden vertigo attack for a couple of minutes which left me feeling unsteady and unwell. I always carry buccastem and took one straight away – fortunately that worked OK. As a result I have increased my dosage to 64mg tds while I wait for a review with the consultant.

    This seems to be working OK.

    Suggest you ask your consultant to review your dosage. Good luck.

    • vicky39230
      vicky39230 NeddyO

      Posted

      Hi NeddyO as you seem to have good advice that has so far worked for me, i would just like your advice on that i am taking 32mg 3 x day which has worked fantastic for 3 weeks but yesterday the ear fullness has come back. Would you take 48 for a few days ??? I know your not a dr but you do seem to know more than my ENT specialist .
    • NeddyO
      NeddyO vicky39230

      Posted

      Betahistine is not a quick fix - it needs to be taken for a long time to gain maximum benefit. My first course was increased to 48 mg tds and after 6 months on consultant advice I weaned off it over 6 weeks. I was in remission for 21 months but have had a recurrence starting last August so again on advice I went back on 48mg tds which I have since needed to increase to 64mg tds as I had a breakthrough attack. I suspect when I see the Consultant in a couple of weeks he will say the same - if OK for 6 months clear gradually withdraw but be prepared to go back as soon as warning signs appear.
  • chris48721
    chris48721

    Posted

    Thanks for all the replies folks. You're correct in thinking I am on 16mgs and I've changed to taking them at breakfast lunch and dinner or at 5 hour intervals. Seems to be working a lot better. The first week I started taking them I was symptom free and then it came back with a bang. I'm on them as a month trial so I'm assuming as they are sorta working then it confirms MD? My GP has done an urgent referral to an ENT but NHS being what it is I expect to be seen in about a years time lol

  • chris48721
    chris48721

    Posted

    Can I ask for people in their own words describe an attack? Is it really hard to describe?
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