Betahistine

[Baldyfella]

I'm at my wit's end. Vertigo has been unbearable. 4 days in bed, constantly sick. Can't talk, move or do anything. Tinnitus has been awful. Doc has given me Betahistine to help it eases. Has anyone had this medication with successful results. I'm not expecting miracle's but I get married in June and really need some kind hope that will get some results. The last thing I need is a round of Vertigo in my wedding day, that would be divorce be marriage.

[Happyrosie]

Baldyfella, I’m with you on this! Vertigo is so debilitating. I’ve not been prescribed Betahistine and indeed it is not now recommended for tinnitus anyway. I was prescribed Prochlorperizine for vertigo and it took the edge off. Also, please Google ‘exercises for vertigo’ and do the simple ones you get from there - eye and head movements. This is to get your brain to recognise what your eyes are telling it and not your ears. Your v should be much better in two weeks and nearly gone in four to six weeks.

Neither condition is “curable” but there is plenty you can do to help yourself, starting with the British tinnitus Association website.

[Baldyfella in reply to Happyrosie]

I hope something will help. I hate it.

[Hidden]

Hi

Congratulations on your upcoming wedding 😊

Sorry to hear what you're going through with the vertigo.

It is so debilitating. I have hearing loss, tinnitus, vertigo and inner ear probs. It is hard because often I 'look well' so it took a while for people to really understand what was going on for me.

I was prescribed betahistine for 'probable menieres disease' back in August but it absolutely flattened me and I had to come off it after a week. I could hardly function or think straight on it. As Happy Rosie says, according to Nice guidelines it shouldn't be prescribed for tinnitus...

I then tried prochloperazine but I had adverse reactions to that too (throat closing up, nausea).

I now regularly take 15mg cinnarzine on prescription (also available in chemists as Sturgeron) and it helps with nausea. I take it when I feel my ear pressure and tinnitus is building up. If you are in bed and feeling sick maybe this could help...? Hope you are able to drink water to keep yourself hydrated. It sounds hard going, the level you are experiencing. I hope it passes and you get some rest.

I don't get spinning vertigo but a lot of tipping sensations and can't judge depth, steps etc, sometimes stumble. I usually have to rest until it passes though it is more of a feeling of disequilibrium, which I generally have to varying degrees, along with the hearing difficulties.

I try to make sure I sleep well but it is hard when the ear pressure builds up.

All I can advise is don't put too much pressure on yourself to get up and move around when you are in the midst of a vertigo attack as you just feel worse and frustrated.

People will understand.

I don't drink anymore because it made my head spin - but I wasn't too fussed about it anyway.

I avoid noisy places. That is quite limiting socially but noise is a problem for me. It can be very isolating at times but I can cope with it now, mentally. I've just learnt to live with it and not put too much pressure on myself.

Take care and hope things ease up for you soon.

[Baldyfella in reply to Hidden]

Hey ya. I have tried so many different meds it's crazy. Prochloperazine and Cinnarzine didn't touch me at all. When it hits me it hits me good. I can got 6 weeks with nothing, then BANG! It is horrendous. It actually makes me cry and in a tuff bloke. I have a ENT referral and my Doc has also put me up for a Brain scan, which sounds scary.

[Baldyfella in reply to Hidden]

Have found that I can't take betahistine and Cinnarzine at the same time.

[Hidden]

What a shame. That is positive that they're going to investigate it further. Take care. x

[Tanney]

I've had Meniere's Disease (bilateral) for more than 10 years. I've been taking betahistine during most of that time and have found it to be extremely helpful in managing vertigo and ear fullness. It has limited effect on tinnitus. It's very important to start betahistine at a low dose....2-5mg a couple times a day then slowly titrate up to recommended dose of 16mg 3-4 times/day after about 6 - 10 weeks or so. Are you sure you have Meniere's Disease? Also, it is vital that you do NOT take ORAL antihistamines with betahistine. If you need antihistamines take only via NASAL SPRAY (avoids blood system).

[Hidden in reply to Tanney]

Hi

i was initially diagnosed with menieres then the 2nd ENT consultant suggested vestibular migraine. You're joking, I was started on 16mg twice a day! That explains a lot. Thanks for that. x

And Baldyfella hope you have a better day today. x

[Baldyfella in reply to Hidden]

16 mg 3 time a day for me.

[Baldyfella in reply to Tanney]

Not been diagnosed with it. So I'm guessing not.

[Bristolboy5]

Sorry to hear about the Vertigo problems, Know how you feel. This is how my Meniere's disease started, as for medicine I have been taking Betahistine now for a good 30 years, 4 a day as was so bad. Do you get sweats when having these attacks, been through stages now thank goodness Not one attack in 2 years, moved and air quality is so much better. When I was getting real bad attacks always opened windows and cold air helped.

[Baldyfella in reply to Bristolboy5]

Sweats is not the word. I'm like Niagara Falls. I'm really hoping the new medication helps with the Vertigo. I can deal with the Tinnitus by wearing headphones and having music. Not ideal though.

[Bristolboy5 in reply to Baldyfella]

Sweats was always the first sign of attack, and then crawl to bathroom. Was out of work for 8 months solid, doctor refused to send me back. Too much Salt didn't help,Now I have cut down on salt. 42 years shear, Last 5 have been Great and so happy to say that.It was a nightmare couldn't go anywhere incase of attacks.

[Gregoria in reply to Bristolboy5]

It's interesting to read this. I've had vertigo and I've been getting sweats too but my doctor said the two weren't connected.

[LoveActually01]

Hi. Sorry about this. I’m on 2nd day of vertigo. I get bad tummy with my menieres. Stugeron is available over the counter.

[Bewareofdog1]

You should read this bookOvercoming Meniere’s by dr mark knoblauch. I might have misspelled the name but it’s easy to find on Amazon (I’m in the US). Just search Ménière’s disease books on Amazon and it’ll pop up. The key to his success was a strict low salt diet. I followed that advice plus I take Betahistine (worked great for me, I tolerated it well with no side effects) and a small dose of a water pill. But it’s the low salt diet that changed EVERYTHING for me. A true low salt diet is very tricky to achieve. 1000 mg a day is what I shoot for but I went from vertigo attacks as often as a couple times a week to none in over 8 months. The same guy also wrote another book solely devoted to low salt diet but it’s pretty bitty gritty. I’d read the first more general one first.

You have to watch salt mg like you do calories. Read every label. Diet is so boring but I couldn’t care less. ANYTHING to stop those vertigo attacks.

Added advantage. Your blood pressure will go down in a good way.

Hope it helps. My ear specialist says the only problem with the strict low salt diet is people lack the discipline to stick to it. Won’t give up pizza and soup etc. but I would do anything to keep the world from spinning. Good luck.

[1Dar]

Hello I would really like to chat with someone who has a cochlear implant. I still have terrible tinnitus !

[surreycccfan]

Hi, when I had my inner ear event which caused my T, it also caused vertigo (Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo BPPV). The first point of call was to get an accurate diagnosis from an ENT as this was the first step in understanding what I had and how I could treat it. If you have not done so already it may be worth talking to your doctor so you can get a referral to an ENT.

For my type of vertigo I was recommended brandt daroff exercises which did help calm things down (as like you I could move when I first had BBPV), there is also a similar exercise called the Epley manoeuvre, again may be worth talking to your Doctor about these.

Hope this helps in some small way. Stay safe

[Baldyfella in reply to surreycccfan]

Hi. ENT referral done, CT scan being done as well.

[Jools777]

Hi Baldyfella,

I’ve just come across your post by chance. Firstly I hope you’re feeling much better and getting the right support. I have Tinnitus and associated dizzy spells especially at night. I’m waiting for a referral at present, but meanwhile my GP prescribed Betahistine 8mgms x 3 a day, it did help with the dizziness, but I did get some unpleasant side affects and I was advised to knock one tablet off which helps. Then to review everything in a few weeks time. So to answer your question it’s working for me. However, it doesn’t work to reduce Tinnitus. Are you getting ringing, or rushing sounds when it’s very quiet? If so it could be associated with middle ear problems. Whatever it is I hope you’re symptoms disappear and you have a wonderful wedding. Good luck.

[Baldyfella in reply to Jools777]

Hey, thanks for the reply.

So far I've had no sign of my vertigo, saying that I have had small night dizziness but that has not turned into anything. So far so good. The tinnitus I have is constantly high pitch rings. Whether I'm in a quiet place or a general place it is stil there, even when I'm working or sitting like now and my kids are being crazy. I have had a brain scan and awaiting results, or also have an appointment with the ENT specialist next month, so hopefully something can be ruled out.

Best wishes.

[Beagleears]

Hi I'm sorry you are suffering with Vertigo it is so debilitating and I really hated it too when I first had it. It started in late 2019 going into 2020 and the first lockdown caused me a lot of problems trying to get help. I had full on merry go round Vertigo initially....did some BPPV exercises stopped drinking I don't add salt to my cooking anyway so only get salt from eating cereals and bread. It took 3 months to get me to the stage where the vertigo was more like being on a boat swaying about a bit and sometimes it got a bit rocky and spatial awareness problems generally feeling off balance and unsafe on my own two feet. Anyway after 2 years of trying to get help I was prescribed prochlorperazine which made things worse and then got betahistine 8mg 3 times daily and it has been a fantastic medication for me. I haven't had any off balance issues in the last 6 months or so and feeling much better. Initially I had a bad tummy for 2/3 weeks even though I was taking it with food but I felt more balanced straight away so I persevered and it worked out really well for me. Tinnitus is the same but I can cope with that it's annoying at times but for me personally not as bad as the Vertigo. I hope you are feeling better now and I hope you have a lovely wedding take care of yourself.