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Labyrinthitis and Prochlorperazine Maleate

Posted , 36 users are following.

rachel188
rachel188

Hi there. I have been diagnosed with Labyrinthitis. It started with slight earache and feeling sick. I went to the doctors and they just said it was a viral infection and that it would go on its own. The earache subsided but I had a pounding headache for about three weeks. Then one day, whilst driving, I nearly passed out. I now know that this was anxiety caused by the lightheadedess and dizziness. I managed to just about get home and then dizziness set in with a vengeance. I have been back and forth to the doctors and have been diagnosed with labyrinthitis. The doctor prescribed me with prochlorperazine maleate and I have to say that these have been a godsend. I am a single parent and am reliant on driving to get my daughter to and from school and I feel without these tablets I would not have managed at all. I have been off work now for five weeks and was starting to feel a little better. The doctor advised me to reduce the medication slowly and I have gone down to two tablets a day for the last week. About three days ago, I found that I was not able to do as much as I had been doing and felt vey lethargic. Today, I have had the anxiety back and dizziness to the point where I had to go and lay down (which didn't help as this caused roomspin). I have now upped the tablets back to three a day and think that I may have to be referred to an ENT specialist to start VRT?

Has anyone taken these tablets long term. I am conscious that I have to return to work. I cannot live without the income and work are not being very supportive, they have put me on SSP only, despite being there for over six years and not had hardy any time off! Any advice from anyone who has had similar experiences with these tablets would be welcome.

I have to say that I have had quite a few days and day where I have managed to get through the day (although taken very easy) and I have been managing ok whilst off work.

I am due to turn 40 in a few weeks and I had hoped to be off the tablets so that I could enjoy a few glasses of wine (I am not a heavy drinker and not drinking has not bothered me but would be interested to know if anyone has consumed alcohol (in small quantities) whilst on these tablets).

Thanks

Rach

1 like, 79 replies

79 Replies

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  • kerri18719
    kerri18719

    Posted

    Ray, i am the exact same as you going onto my third day of tablets today hoping they work, im a post grad primary teaching student on last placement so its a nightmare sad

    anyone else feel like they are always rocking to their heartbeat?x

  • ray74199
    ray74199

    Posted

    Hi Kerri, I'm on day 3 now and feeling quite good today. Unsure if it's the pills though as I have good and bad days. Still feeling dizzy but I feel less tired and more focused and I just managed to go to the gym without feeling like I needed to lie down afterwards.

    With me it’s a constant feeling of just stepping off a roundabout.

    Hope you get better soon!

  • elaine30474
    elaine30474

    Posted

    Hi Cheryl many thanks for your advice, have started exercises which I don't like doing but I must admit they help quite a bit. I still feel very dizzy with pressure in my ears and head, I have been feeling a bit under the weather with a sore throat so perhaps this is making matters worse, I have been trying to do things to stop me thinking about the labyrinthitis and hopefully it should improve. Thanks again.
  • susan85023
    susan85023

    Posted

    I am sooooo relieved to read that there are others out there who have the same symptoms I have!! I have been off work now for a week with dizziness when I move my head, feeling sick and nauseous, headache and my ears feel so full it's hard to describe! I was originally told my blood pressure was high (already on tablets forthat) so was prescribed another tablet along with prochlorperazine which has made me feel terrible! Went back to GP yesterday and was immediately sent for a CT scan. All clear! I now have to wait a couple of days for results to get to GP and to go see him. I feel as though I am not being taken seriously at all and I find it difficult to explain exactly how I am feeling especially when I do have to go out as I cannot do this on my own. I become panicky and anxious terrified to move my head in case it comes on and have to go back to the car if I am at the supermarket with my husband. GP and doc in A&E have now both mentioned BPPV. But has anyone else had a bad reaction to the prochlorperazine? It made me feel shaky, more anxious and very spaced out and could anyone recommend an alternative?
    • jacqueline01135
      jacqueline01135 susan85023

      Posted

      I see that you posted your comments 4 months ago, and you are, by now O.K. Even so, just in case it comes back, which I understand that

      it will be a lifelong companion, 

      i do have attacks of this unasked for, unwanted, and seemingly incurable disease,and I deal with it rapidly. Go to bed ,lie almost flat

      and still. After taking the tab P.M..Drink plenty of water,and Most

      imprtantly DO NOT STRESS OUT over it .It is not terminal, just

      another problem to deal with So. Try the breathing exercises

       and stay in bed  read to take your mind off the damned thing.

      and be positive ,not afraid of it  

  • louisa24645
    louisa24645 rachel188

    Posted

    Hi all,

    I've been reading all your comments. My husband was diagnosed with Labyrinthitis about 3 months ago, and has times when he feels I'll, and then he's ok. However last Wednesday after going bac to the doctor, he's been told he now has an outer ear infection in TOP of the labrynthitus. 

    He too is on prochloeperazine, and is to take them 3 times a day, as and when required.

    He can go days without taking but then starts to feel nauseous and takes one.

    However, tonight he has gone to bed feeling extremely unwell and with a belly ache. 

    He says he's boiling hot bit doesn't seen to have a temperature - that I can feel, but does feel clammy. He has not once been ill, but tonight has been reaching.

    I read up about Labyrinthitis tonight and tried to find out about an outer ear infection too, which lead me to read on about the medication. 

    It is an antipsychotic drug that can have nasty side effects.

    I need some reassurance tbh to see if anyone else has suffered like he has tonight?

    Although I understand you may think I'm bein over cautious, he does have other medical problems following on from childhood leukaemia so we need to be extremely cautious with his health due to his spleen beig removed. (He's now 40 - does it affect people around this age specifically?)

    I am waiting for NHS direct to call me back atm...  

  • angela811
    angela811 rachel188

    Posted

    Been suffering from Labyrithtis for almost 7 weeks now. Have been inconsistently taking Prochlorperazine since the start due to conflicting opinions from different drs. Back on them now for another go but have been taking them 3 times a day for the last  5 days...should they have kicked in by now cos i actually feel like theyre not anything and definitely hindering any respite i was getting from getting up and about to start the VRT process.

    Any advice would be appreciated

  • jacqueline01135
    jacqueline01135 rachel188

    Posted

    Hello Rach

    hereI am lying in bed ,felt a bit dizzy yestrday,this morning woke up with a mega

    swimmy head, and feeling sick. Went to the bathroom slowly. Back to bed, lay

    very still. with window wide open, fresh air blowing in. It dawned on me about an 

    hour later that I had been down this road before, Remembered that I had some

    Prochl-----------, took one, about three hours ago, and thank goodness the

    swimmies are clearing .I usually take the tabs 3 a day, until i feel O,K,

    • Mandylance
      Mandylance jacqueline01135

      Posted

      Could you get me the proper spelling of your medication, nothing comes up as prochi? Thanks
    • jacqueline01135
      jacqueline01135 Mandylance

      Posted

      Sorry .but it's such a looooooooooooong word

      Prochlorperazine maleate.

      Taken no 2 and feel almost normal.

      Good luck 

    • atifapps
      atifapps Mandylance

      Posted

      I think you can also get it with the name of stemitil .

      For me just 1 tab a day for 2 days worked .

  • atifapps
    atifapps rachel188

    Posted

    You must protect yourself and your ears from cold winds and also anything that's cold ... Keep your ears covered and you should be fine I guess 
    • jacqueline01135
      jacqueline01135 atifapps

      Posted

      where have you got that info from???

      What an exrordinary handle you have assumed, maybe you should change it to

      atiflapps biggrin

    • atifapps
      atifapps jacqueline01135

      Posted

      Lol ... Yes actually i used to have those swinging and moving symptoms but that would just last for not even a minute , but after I moved to UK which is a cold country I experienced that full fledged swinging and moving after I opened my eyes .

      That's when I remembered my doctor cautioning me from cold during winter season.

    • jacqueline01135
      jacqueline01135 atifapps

      Posted

      Yes, we all gasp a bit in Winter when leaving a warm house.,But I think that Labrynthitis is an internal condition, so all the cold will do to your ,

      ears ,is to turn them into a nice shade of Pink You are indeed fortunate if your, swings and roundabouts lasted only for a nano second

      By the way we in the U.K do experience hot days too.

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