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Bethistine

Posted , 9 users are following.

chris48595
chris48595

hi, I see all of you are on bethistine to help your vertigo. What is it does it have side effects? Thanks, Chris

0 likes, 50 replies

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  • christine_35821
    christine_35821 chris48595

    Posted

    I just found a link from past research on betahistine which describes a trial done in Brazil to assess the effect of the drug on restoring hearing. Hearing function after betahistine therapy in patients with Ménière's disease is the title of the article. 

  • judy2018
    judy2018 chris48595

    Posted

    My doctor has me on Meclizine. Is there a difference?
    • Bluesmann
      Bluesmann judy2018

      Posted

      huge difference....anyone with mennieres in my opinion should try betahistine....doesnt make you tired...releives the severity of dizziness.....very few if any side effects some folks get a rash...
  • tanney
    tanney chris48595

    Posted

    For those of us concerned about efficacy of betahistine vs placebo below is from National Institute of Health (NIH) report from August 2007.....

    The situation concerning the clinical efficacy of betahistine is now somewhat regularized in that randomized placebo and active controlled clinical trials have confirmed that betahistine is effective in the treatment of Ménière’s disease and related conditions. However, compared with modern standards of evidence-based medicine, further trials, randomized, placebo-controlled studies in particular, would be welcome. Nevertheless, the available data from recent well-conducted trials shows that betahistine is more effective than placebo.....  More studies are needed, but it is now clear that betahistine is effective in Ménière’s disease – after 40 years of clinical use it would have been surprising if this were not the case – its freedom from sedative properties that interfere with vestibular adaptation is a major clinical advantage compared with many drugs employed in this field.

    Although it remains true that there is still much to learn about betahistine, important advances have been made in understanding its place in the therapy of Ménière’s disease and related illnesses and in elucidating its mechanism of action.

  • Questor
    Questor chris48595

    Posted

    Absolutely no side effects here! I get mind through a Canadian pharmacy because in the states they don’t make it except  at a formulary pharmacy! Have your Dr/ or you can fax to them ! Lots of choices online! 
  • sarah87228
    sarah87228 chris48595

    Posted

    Hi, I was put on betahistine 16mg x3 daily 5 weeks ago, did anyone find that they had a roaring in their ears? If so did it calm down? 

    I’m desperate for something to work! 

    Many thanks 

    • tanney
      tanney sarah87228

      Posted

      Sara, did you start at 16mg 3xday?  That is a maintenance dose for most folks (although many of us need even higher doses) and most neurotologists start patients at 4mg or 8mg 3xday to enable you to adjust to any possible side effects.  You may have started at too high a dose.  If roaring tinnitus continues you may want to see if backing down to a lower dose eliminates the side effect.  If it does not after a week then you might want to consider increasing dose back up to 16mg and then steadily increasing the dose every few weeks until you reach the best dose for you.  Make sure though these changes are with doctor's knowledge and approval.  by the way, another side effect of starting too high of a dose is body rash which goes away after a few weeks as your body adjusts to the histamin. 

      Please keep us informed about how you are doing.

    • chris48595
      chris48595 tanney

      Posted

      Hi Tanney, I have to ask you are you a medical doctor or nurse? you always seem to have such good adlvice! I acturally have to go to ENT this Tuesday and I am asking him about the Betahistine. Not sure why he never mentioned it? Any ideas why? Maybe doesnt want to mix with m,y other medicine? If it stops tinnitus I want to try it!! 

      Thanks again all for all your comments> So nice to know Im not alone!

    • sarah87228
      sarah87228 tanney

      Posted

      Yeah started straight off at 16mg TDS. Reduced myself to 8mg TDS after 4 weeks, now have increased to 16mg again seems to be better this time around. 

      I’m not due to see specialist again for another 2 months, but seeing as I have medical training luckily I’m confortable adjusting my own dosage and know where to find the right information. Just wondered if anyone else had experienced it. 

      Thanks for your response 👍🏻

    • tanney
      tanney chris48595

      Posted

      Hi Chris.  No, I am neither a doctor nor nurse....thanks for the compliment.  I'm just an old man who has had meniere's disease for 40 years and bilateral MD for 4 years.  I have learned a lot about the disease from excellent doctors/nurses and via trail and error over the years. Thank goodness my MD is mostly in remission now.  I still have tinnitus and occasionally some ear fullness but the vertigo is gone.  Not sure if it works for others but what I do to manage all of this is:

      16mg betahistine 4xday (64mg total/day)

      50mg dyazide/day (diuretic)

      0.5mg Ativan as needed

      Gentamycin injections in left ear 38 years ago when it was relatively unknown procedure here in USA.

      low sodium diet (1500 mg/day) but sometimes I cheat a little when I go out to eat..

      no alcohol/no smoking/no caffeine for the last 35 years or so (I cheat very very little on this)

      Over the years I have had the occasional steroid injection which helped temporarily

      I get at least 8 hours/sleep and try to walk everyday for about 45 minutes.

      I also see a therapist (have been for years) to help manage anxiety/panic brought on by MD.  As we all know this disease can easily cause us to isolate ourselves from friends and from doing pleasurable things.  We all need to catch that change in behavior early so it does not become a habit. 

      I have also been through vestibular rehab which I highly recommend.

      Other than above I live a rather normal life smile

    • judy2018
      judy2018 tanney

      Posted

      Living in the states where do you get the bestahistine , it seems like that is a life savor 
    • chris48595
      chris48595 judy2018

      Posted

      Hi, just went to my ent today and told him everyone on the people on this website spoke how great it is. He said it is for Ménière’s disease and didn’t know for sure I had it but all symtoms lead to it. I’m getting a couple of tests to confirm it. He did give a prescription for lest dose and will pick it up tomorrow at a compound drug store. I live in California and of course everything is more expensive in Cali! Im hoping it will help with the tininitus. I’ll keep you all updated!

    • tanney
      tanney judy2018

      Posted

      Betahistine is available with a prescription at any compounding pharmacy in US or via mail order from Canada or UK.  Patients usually started on low dose of 4mg or 8mg three times/day then increase dose every 4 weeks or so.  Patient should be on 16mg three times/day by 8-10 weeks.  If after 12-14 weeks total patient still has vertigo then dosage probably needs to be increased further gradually until remission.
    • dbmarie3
      dbmarie3 chris48595

      Posted

      Hi Chris, if u have a medication that helps the tennutis please share the name of it. Mine is so bad it keeps me up at night. I also live in cali. I order my betahistine thru Canada it seEMS to be cheaper
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