Is it safe to take betahistine 16mg tablets?

[V1978]

Hi all I have been diagnosed with labyrinthitus about 1 week after suffering for about 2 months it all started when I woke up one morning and I was laying down and the room was spinning when I got up I was sick. This continued for 2 weeks after a month my top lip had swelled up and I felt terrible I ended up collapsing after the most unbearable dizziness I have ever had twice and was admitted to hospital they said I had collapsed due to the viral infection. Hitting me hard since that day I've had 5 weeks of mild dizziness looking left up and down, ringing in the left ear mainly but haven't lost my hearing, feel like I'm losing my balance alot pressure in nose and head but that is alot milder now, sometimes feel as though I'm been pulled left right or backwards lol, I have been prescribed betahistine tablets 16mg actually I asked for them because I was originally prescribed prochlorperazine tablets 5mg but was worried about all the side effects, my mum takes betahistine tablets and they work for her vertigo and labyrinthitus my question is are they safe and do they work I want to get better and do walk around alot and push myself to do things as I believe just sitting around can make everything worse I am currently on no other medication right now but since my collapse I have been cautious about medication as I was on anxiety tablets propanalol at the time I was on 40 mg once a day and had taken them for 7 years.

[HarryB Administrator]

Hi V1978

Thank you for your post. I am sorry you have been going through such a horrid time recently. I have no personal experience of betahistine but I am sure if your doctor thought any harm would come to you by taking it, he/she would not have prescribed it for you. Remember that just because something is listed as a side-effect of a medicine does not mean you will experience it.

Best wishes

Harriet