Experiences with
Cinnarizine

Cinnarizine is an antihistamine that stops you feeling or being sick (nausea or vomiting).

It works by blocking the effects of histamine in your brain to reduce the symptoms of travel sickness (motion sickness).

It also helps to improve blood flow in the inner ear. This reduces the dizziness and sickness you can get from vertigo, tinnitus and Ménière's disease.

Cinnarizine is known as a drowsy (sedating) antihistamine, so it's more likely to make you feel sleepy than other antihistamines.

It also comes mixed with dimenhydrinate (another antihistamine) to treat vertigo.

Cinnarizine comes as tablets. It is available on prescription, or to buy in pharmacies.

Who can take cinnarizine

Most adults and children aged 5 years and over can take cinnarizine.

Who may not be able to take cinnarizine

Cinnarizine is not suitable for some people. To make sure it's safe for you, or your child, tell your doctor or pharmacist if you have:

ever had an allergic reaction to cinnarizine or any other medicine
porphyria (an inherited blood condition)
severe liver disease
problems peeing or emptying your bladder
epilepsy or any other health problem that causes fits or seizures
an eye problem called primary angle closure glaucoma
Parkinson's disease, as cinnarizine could make your symptoms worse
an allergy test coming up

Cinnarizine can affect the results of allergy tests. Ask at your allergy clinic for advice. You may need to stop taking it a few days before your test.

Dosage and strength

Cinnarizine comes as 15mg tablets.

Your dose will depend on why you're taking it.

For travel sickness

Adults and children aged 12 years or older – take 2 tablets 2 hours before travel, then 1 tablet every 8 hours during the journey if needed.
Children aged 5 to 11 years – give 1 tablet 2 hours before travel, then half a tablet every 8 hours during the journey if needed.

For dizziness and sickness caused by inner ear problems

Adults and children aged 12 years or older – the usual dose is 2 tablets, taken 3 times a day.
Children aged 5 to 11 years – the usual dose is 1 tablet, given 3 times a day.

How to take it

You can suck or chew the tablets, or swallow them whole with a drink of water.

It's best to take your cinnarizine tablets after a meal. It will be less likely to upset your stomach.

How long to take it for

How long you take cinnarizine for depends on why you're taking it.

For travel sickness, you only need to take cinnarizine before and during your journey.

If you're taking cinnarizine to treat sickness and dizziness caused by inner ear problems, you may need to take it for several months.

Talk to your doctor or a pharmacist if you're unsure how long you need to take your medicine for.

If you've been prescribed cinnarizine to help with inner ear problems, your symptoms may return if you stop taking it.

If you forget to take it

If you forget to take a dose of cinnarizine, take it as soon as you remember, unless it's nearly time for your next dose. In this case, skip the missed dose and take your next dose at the usual time.

It's important to leave at least 8 hours between doses. Do not take 2 doses at the same time. Never take an extra dose to make up for a forgotten one.

If you forget doses often, it may help to set an alarm to remind you. You could also ask a pharmacist for advice on other ways to help you remember to take your medicine.

If you take too much

Taking too much cinnarizine can make you:

very sleepy or confused
feel sick or be sick
feel weak or shaky

It can also give you a very fast, irregular or pounding heartbeat (palpitations).

Too much cinnarizine can cause a child to have a fit or seizure.

you take more than the usual dose of cinnarizine

Go to 111.nhs.uk or call 111 .

you or your child take more than the usual dose of cinnarizine and:

get a very fast, irregular or pounding heartbeat (palpitations)
your child has a fit or seizure

If you need to go to A&E, do not drive. Ask someone to drive you or call 999 and ask for an ambulance.

Bring the cinnarizine packet or leaflet inside it, any remaining medicine, and any other medicines you take.

Common side effects

These common side effects of cinnarizine happen in more than 1 in 100 people. There are things you can do to help cope with them:

Stop what you're doing and sit or lie down until you feel better. Do not drive, cycle or use tools or machinery if you're feeling drowsy. Do not drink alcohol as it will make you feel worse.

Try a different anti-sickness medicine. If this does not help, talk to your doctor.

Stick to simple meals and do not eat rich or spicy food. It might help to take your cinnarizine after you've eaten.

If you're being sick, try small frequent sips of water to avoid dehydration. Signs of dehydration include peeing less than usual or having strong-smelling pee.

If you take the combined contraceptive pill or progestogen-only pill and you're being sick, your contraception may not protect you from pregnancy. Check the pill packet for advice.

Try not to snack on foods that contain a lot of calories, such as crisps, cakes, biscuits and sweets. If you feel hungry, eat fruit and vegetables and low-calorie foods. Try to eat well without increasing portion sizes. Regular exercise will also help you keep your weight stable.

Speak to a doctor or pharmacist if the advice on how to cope does not help and a side effect is still bothering you or does not go away.

Serious side effects

Call a doctor or call 111 now if you have:

slow, twitchy or jerky body movements, muscle stiffness, trembling or shaking – this is more likely to happen in older people who have taken cinnarizine for a long time
yellowing of the whites of your eyes or your skin (although this may be more difficult to see on brown or black skin), and dark pee – these can be signs of liver problems
joint pain along with a red skin rash, especially in parts of your body exposed to the sun, such as your arms, cheeks and nose

Serious allergic reaction

In rare cases, it's possible to have a serious allergic reaction (anaphylaxis) to cinnarizine.

Meds New IA (H4) - serious allergic reaction

These are not all the side effects of cinnarizine. For a full list, see the leaflet inside your medicine packet.

Cinnarizine and pregnancy

Cinnarizine is not usually recommended during pregnancy. Speak to your doctor or pharmacist about more suitable options.

Cinnarizine and breastfeeding

If your doctor or health visitor says your baby is healthy, you can take cinnarizine while breastfeeding.

It is not known how much cinnarizine gets into breast milk. It is also a drowsy antihistamine, so it is better to take occasional doses or only take it for a short time, as it may also make your baby sleepy too.

If you're breastfeeding or planning to breastfeed, talk to your doctor or pharmacist as other medicines might be better while breastfeeding.

If your baby is not feeding as well as usual, seems unusually sleepy, seems irritable, or has a dry mouth, or if you have any other concerns about your baby, talk to your doctor, pharmacist, health visitor or midwife.

Cinnarizine and fertility

There's no evidence to suggest that taking cinnarizine will reduce fertility in either men or women.

Meds New IA (H2) - Pregnancy non-urgent care card

Cautions with other medicines

Cinnarizine can affect the way other medicines work. It can also be affected by other medicines. Both can increase the chance of side effects.

Tell your pharmacist or doctor if you're taking any medicine that:

makes you feel drowsy
gives you a dry mouth
makes it difficult for you to pee

Taking cinnarizine can make these side effects worse.

Mixing cinnarizine with herbal remedies and supplements

There might be a problem taking some herbal remedies and supplements alongside cinnarizine, especially ones that cause side effects such as sleepiness, a dry mouth or making it difficult to pee.

Ask your pharmacist for advice.

There's not enough information to say whether other complementary medicines, herbal remedies and supplements are safe to take with cinnarizine. They're not tested in the same way as pharmacy and prescription medicines. They're generally not tested for the effect they have on other medicines.

Meds New IA (H2) - Cautions with other medicines alert