Hello, around 5 weeks ago I woke up to the room spinning, I did not know why and tried to get on with my day, since then I have felt constantly dizzy, lightheaded, off balance, ear pain and tinnitus. I went to the doctor's and they gave me some exercises which did not really help.
So I went back to the doctor's and they have given me betahistine 16mg x3 a day. I have been taking them for 4 days and i have had several headaches, but told this was expected and to give it some time.
Has anybody had success with betahistine with these symptoms? I'm 25 and im struggling to live my normal life and really want to get better now. If you have had success can you please tell me how long before they started working?
I've heard they don't help with tinnitus, but help with the vertigo, feeling off balance and dizziness and right now these are the 2 symptoms i want to sort as a priority.
Written by
bradji
To view profiles and participate in discussions please or .
Hi bradji With those symptoms I'm surprised your GP didn't refer you to ENT. If I were you I'd ask for a referral. You need to see someone with expertise in inner ear problems.
the doctor did mention this but wants to try betahistine first to see if it eliminates the vertigo symptoms. I have seen some very good reviews online about betahistine helping vertigo, but it takes a few weeks before you start seeing improvements. I just wanted to find more people who have had a similar experience to me and have taken betahistine.
I would go back and demand an audiologist and/or ENT referral. It could be labyrinthitis or something that will pass but you may as well get on the waiting list with an expert. I woke up with all these symptoms a year ago and they last months. I ended up seeing an Audio-Vestibular expert who was excellent after lots of tests including a full hearing test, which you should have, I was diagnosed with vestibular migraine and the medication is different for that. Though I still have 24/7 tinnitus and some dizziness, I do feel a lot better. Two bits of advice: fight for a referral so you can get some proper direction/meds that are right for you and try not to panic - your symptoms will ease and become more bearable over time. Good luck!
You have exactly what happened to me 18 months ago . Betahistsmine is the standard treatment and it should work but takes a few days . It will take a little time to regain your overall balance and confidence as its a shock. Get referred to ENT absolutely just in case its something else in the background but what was the diagnosis was it labrynthitis as its the first go to possibility but do the exercises google it. If you find youre hearing suddenly drops go straight to A E dont mess around as it could be start of an inner ear issue as was mine and needs urgent treatment.
the doctors said it sounds like BPPV, I did have blood tests and an eye test, both came back completely normal. I think i will ask my gp to refer me to see an ENT specialist as I can see people are saying it takes a while. What was your diagnosis and how did you get rid of your symptoms?
If it is BPPV there's a simple solution .. Or at least it works for me. Sit up straight and tilt your head back. Roll your head each way several times. I used to get dizzy spells with sickness and often had to lie in the floor for several hours to relieve the vertigo. If I wake up dizzy I do this straightaway. I haven't been sick since.
I have not had any sickness and i tried different exercises which i think helped with the spinning sensation, but i can't seem to get rid of the lightheadedness, dizziness and feeling off balance when I walk. I still have these symptoms constantly along with the ear ringing and pressure/pain.
Halen is right these symptoms are a shock to the body, when it happened to me last year I used to start shaking. Your GP is not a specialist therefore if it is BPPV you need a ENT doc to confirm and as Doglover1973 said you will be given appropriate exercises that should help🤞
I have tinnitus and occasional dizziness . I didn’t get on with betahistamine , so I’ve been prescribed prochlorperazine and another one for dizziness is stemetil. Think they might be made by the same company . I do not take any medicine now. Nothing helps tinnitus. Dizziness passes with time. However the. Ear Nose and throat department will do scans to rule anything out . You will improve in time .
Hi bradjiI was the same as you in 2020 lockdown....ears tinnitus and severe vertigo which was so bad I actually fell over a few times....I was given exercises and was told it would take up to 12 weeks for them to work so stick at them....also walk as briskly as you can as often as you can that helps to reset your balance....I got better but I was left with a feeling of being on a boat but at least the merry go round had stopped....I was still having problems with my ears at this point but I won't go into that....anyway after a lot of hassle with the GP and struggling since 2020 they put me on betahistine about 6 months ago....I was put on 8mg 3 times a day and it worked within a week although I suffered with tummy upsets even though I was taking it with food which took about 3 weeks to settle down but I was so happy to feel normal again when walking around it was worth the tummy upset. The relief of not having off balance issues and dizziness was amazing....I didn't suffer any headaches at all but my dose was a lot lower than yours....maybe check with your GP if you could take a lower dose first to see how you get on....it worked for me really well and I haven't had any dizziness or vertigo spells....I still got tinnitus and ear problems but I have been referred to ENT/audiology so waiting for that as I suspect I have some hearing loss too....take care and best wishes
I will give it 2 weeks of the medication as the doctors did say it can take some time to work. I'm hoping it will have the same effect on me as the dizziness is unbearable and I get worried leaving the house!! I'm glad your situation improved and I hope you sort your ear problems!
I was worried about going out aswell I wouldn't walk the dog by myself for months my husband had to walk with me. I didn't drive the car for at least 20 months I have just started driving locally again but my family all live 30/40 miles from me. I used to drive to see them all the time but now I get the train over once a month and stay over for a couple of days as I don't want to drive long distances anymore. At times my husband had to help me up and down the stairs and I slept on my back in a semi upright position with lots of pillows as I couldn't turn over and getting up out of bed in the morning took about 15 minutes! It was a nightmare for months so I really feel for you it's absolutely horrid. However the betahistine has made a big difference to me and I'm vertigo free at the moment. Give yourself a couple of weeks and chase your GP for a referral to ENT as the waiting list is long....Good luck 🤞
Hi! I had such a vertigo almost 16 years ago. The GP came home and gave me 2x24 mg Betahistine. And the vertigo stopped. Then in time I had Doppler for carotide arteries. I continued with Betahistine(that I take even today with a few breaks) , Complex B and Mg, the maximum dose per day. I take it at least 3 months per year even nowadays.I remember that they said I didn’t have Meniere disease. Don’t expect for immediate results. Later on, you can try Gingko Biloba instead Betahistine.
Just to add my two pence to this thread, anybody experiencing tinnitus with symptoms like dizziness and balance problems might want to bookmark the British Association of Audio-Vestibular Physicians website for reference - baap.org.uk
They publish a list of doctors specialising in inner ear disorders and conditions situated across the country, and many will be able to help with issues like Meniere's Disease, Benign Paroxsmal Positional Vertigo, etc.
I take Betahistine and it helped. I was diagnosed with Ménière’s Disease. If you get that diagnosis you should read this book, “Overcoming Ménière’s” by Mark Knoblauch, PhD. It’s all about maintaining a low salt diet. I have COMPLETELY ended vertigo attacks by going low salt. It’s a huge adjustment to make but it’s amazing how this lifestyle change can solve the problem. Really amazing. The book is a slim little book that I got on Amazon in the US. I read a lot of books but this little one really helped me turn the tide. Of course it depends if what you have is Ménière’s. The doctors will tell you to go low salt but they don’t impress upon you enough how huge an impact salt has on Ménière’s. I haven’t had an attack in a year and a half since seriously changing my diet. I still take 16 mg Betahistine twice a day but am thinking of trying to stop it. The author of the book was able to get off all medication after going low salt. It all has to do with too much fluid in the ear. Best of luck.
I have seen low salt and caffeine diets have also helped numerous people and I'm glad it worked for you!! I am going to try this aswell and see if i notice improvements. Thank you for the advice.
I’d concur with all that’s been said. I believe docs find it difficult to accurately diagnose between labyrinthitis and BPPV but treatment, such as it is, is the same. If you’re still not better after a few weeks then the Eply procedure might be the next step. Go to uTube and have a look. It tells you what could be wrong and the process to deal with it
Persevere with the exercises though. It takes your brain a little time to understand what you are telling it.
I had labrynthitis diagnosed when I experienced my first episode of dizziness. It was caused by a virus. Doc did the Epley menouvre and exercises to do at home which actually did help as Doc said The crystals in my inner ear may have 'shifted'. All went away until 2 years ago when dizziness returned. I had severe tinnitus too alternating with milder symptoms. Waited 2years for Ear Nose and Throat appointment and because by then I also had suffered severe hearing loss in my left ear, I was given a CT scan to rule out anything more sinister. I also was given a hearing aid to distract my brain from making too much noise. Also given the B drug like yourself but only for the dizziness onsets and the tabs definately helped and after 3 days I was recovering well from them. I was told to take them for at least two weeks but I had headaches and mild tummy upset when I did take them initially for the two weeks. I can truly empathise with your experience as its disorienting and I recall feeling insecure going out etc. It is a very stressed state which your body experiences when going through one of these episodes. Its always best if u can get referred to a specialist ENT consultant in spite of a long wait, but I went to Swindon ENT and they were so kind, reassuring and highly skilled practitioners and because they understand what you are going through , you feel better because all my family and friends don't understand - how could they as none have experienced it themselves. I do hope u will recover from this episode soon and do return to your doc if your symptoms continue for more than a few days.
Something i forgot to mention in the forum was I was ill for around 3 weeks in June, I had a chest infection and sinus infection. During being ill i found myself getting dizzy spells and ear pain. Once i recovered from the illnesses I was still getting mild dizziness but nothing cause for concern and the doctors thought I had sinusitis. It was late July when I woke up one day with vertigo (room spinning) and since then I have had constant dizziness, lightheadedness and episodes of vertigo, along with tinnitus and ear pain. So maybe i could also have labyrinthitis?
no cure as such but at least it goes away after a few weeks, which menieres or BPPV does not necessarily do.
Search Vestibular Rehabilitation exercises to train your brain but only do the ones where you move your head or eyes, not your body - as noted here by other posters.
I have had the symptoms for around 5 weeks so I'm not too sure, have been trying different exercises which make me very lightheaded. Will continue with the Betahistine for a few more weeks then return to the doctors if no improvement. Thank you for your advice.
also, I’m already on a low salt diet and it didn’t make any difference to dizziness. I have had to increase salt a little to cope better with cramp and adding more salt has not worstened the symptoms
I remember being run down two months before the first dizzy episode . Consultant two years later suggested I may collect fluid in my inner ear area and in winter when sinus (mild) starts I wondered if that had been another thing in the mix. I was frightened by Meniere's disease and Its not that. Best not to read too much as it will cause you more worry. Try and relax, try cutting out caffeine - i did and it helped- also cut out salt as this can cause fluid to build. raspberries are recommended to reduce fluid in inner ear too. Best get a referral appointment from your doc to an ENT at a hospital and if you are anywhere near Swindon I would highly recommend the team there. I havn't taken the B tablets since last Oct 2021 and havn't had another dizzy spell yet. so I don't think I have Menieres. Our individual experiences in this area are unique to us and there are so many complex issues you may have read about already which can be overwhelming. Try and calm yourself and breathe deepky and be in a quiet place if you csn - listen to calming music - be kind to yourself and book your referral. My Consultant's soothing and reassuring words to me where "even if you do have Menieres - we can help you" this helped me a lot knowing I didn't have to be alone in this. I have a loving family but you need to be under the care of the experts. you will feel much better then. All the very best. Sorry this is so longwinded.
I had a thorough hearing check and then spent a good hour with a Tinnitus consultant. At this point I had only just come through a pretty awful vertigo/dizziness episode so I was fairly stressed inside. I just felt so wobbly - knees weak, that sort of thing. I filled in their questionnaire about where I was with tinnitus and how it, and the vertigo, were affecting me at that time. My scores were very high. Total stress and fear etc. sense of doom. This sounds dramatic but I'm just being truthful. That lst appointment was 2 hours. 2nd appointment my hearing test was discussed. I agreed to a tiny hearing aid for the tinnitus and hearing loss in the affected ear. After that I was with the tinnitus consultant for an hour just talking through my anxiety re the vulnerabilities that vertigo and balance problems were affecting me mentally. (I had always been very 'together' sort of person)at that time. being understood helped enormously. Then saw another Consultant who thought I had the onset of Menieres and suggested the B tablets to take for six months. as i said in previous message to you, tablets did not agree with me and I wasn't happy to take them for 6months but I carry them in my bag just in case as I find they do work if I feel a bit unsteady. example: I accidently bumped into a person when walking around a corner - that sudden movement was a 'jolt' and when I got up next morning I didn't feel quite steady so took the B's 3 times daily over 3 days and then I was fine. 16mg each.(perhaps the crystals in inner ear had shifted with that 'jolt which can cause dizziness- who knows?) my tum was a bit off by the second day of taking tablets but nothing like the symptoms I got when I took them for 2 weeks straight as consultant suggested. 3rd appointment was a vestibular test where you are wired up to a computer and practitioner moves your head in short, sharp positions. This test reveals a lot and is very useful for the diagnostic side of balance - how your eyes react etc. Final appointment was a review. Again the consultant gave me over an hour, in a very calming and relaxing way, asking me to refill that same questionnaire. This time my scores were dramatically lower which proved that all my treatment/advice/being understood etc had helped me manage the complexities of the tinnitus/vertigo etc and give me back my confidence. After the vestibular test result came through there was a question mark as to whether I had onset of Menieres -and I had said the B tablets had given me side effects and wasn't happy to take them for six months straight. This was my decision to hold back on the tablets and wait to see how I get on. Up to now I havn't experienced any more episodes of Vertigo. So in conclusion I hope this helps you enough to know there IS help and great care out there and you will be surprised how being understood has a huge impact on your recovery! The questionnaire revealed how much progress I had made and is clear evidence that the Team's holistic approach is successful.
It’s definitely a mindset approach that works best. Combine that with mitigating causes of stress plus sleeping and eating well and you can cope with anything.
Hello bradji, What did the GP diagnose as being the problem? If it is Meniere's then the Betahistine at that dosage is likely to work after a week or so but if it's Labyrinthitis maybe not. ENT diagnostic tests would be best in providing an accurate diagnosis. I've suffered Meniere's for over 30 years on and off - more off than on luckily - and Betahistine prevents me suffering severe vertigo but does not really help the constant lack of natural balance symptoms. It doesn't help the tinnitus either but a low sodium diet seems to help me to some extent. Good luck in hopefully resolving the problem.
the doctors have initially diagnosed me with BPPV. The tablets have been prescribed to help with the dizziness and vertigo symptoms. If the tablets don't work I'm going to ask to see an ENT specialist. Thank you for sending your good luck!!
I have been experimenting with salt on and off now for six years. For sure, initially, it reduced spinning. I simply did not realize how much salt is added to everything. Plus I used tamari.
Now I just deal with tinnitus (yes, intense, but I somehow manage). A low-caffeine diet seemed to make little difference with my tinnitus. I just have a cup a day. Also green tea.
Sodium levels are tricky for me as my body craves salt. I also think a small amount of mineral salt in my diet is good for me. If I do have salt (added in bread/sauces), I ensure it is sea salt. I balance this out with drinking plenty of water. Hydration is important too.
I have not been giddy and dizzy in many years. Honestly, I am not sure of the right formula. I think it might be different for people and their unique body chemistry. It is a unique process of working out what enhances your quality of life. There are certain foods in my diet that I find comforting, for example, Gluten-free toast and muffins..! Pasta sauces and dips. I read the labels and make sure sodium is not super high). I also purchase organic products when possible. Find out what works for you. All the best.
HiI was diagnosed with Ménière’s Disease a long time ago, I had dizziness with sickness, it was a terrible time in my life.
I was prescribed stemetil initially for a few years, then Betahistine 16mg x3 times per day which I still take, I haven’t had a dizzy turn for a long time but I do suffer with very loud tinnitus.
I would recommend you take the Betahistine it should make a difference for you..
I understand fully what you are going through, seek a referral for an ENT appointment.
Ménière’s cannot be definitively diagnosed you have two of the most common symptoms. The other two are a feeling of fullness in the ear and hearing loss, often unilateral. With three of the four Ménière’s is usually diagnosed. Ménière’s can also come and go. Hearing fluctuates, dizziness may disappear as if by magic. Mine did after two years and no betahistine (I lived in Egypt and Ménière’s was not suggested at that time). Definitely try to get more clarity about what is going on. And good luck.
GPs usually try things like Betahistine and Prochlorperazine first to see if they help, and if not the next step is a referral to ENT. Neither did anything for me so I am working with ENT to get a diagnosis as there are many possible causes of vertogo/dizziness. If it doesn't resolve in a few weeks go back to your doctor.
So i took Betahistine for a month and nothing has really changed. I have not had the spinning sensations for around 5 weeks now, but i'm still feeling lightheaded, dizzy, off balance and still getting bad tinnitus. I spoke with the doctor today, I have been prescribed new tablets which I will pick up tomorrow (not sure what they are) and I asked to be referred to an ENT specialist and asked if i could get an MRI scan. Now this is where i couldn't believe what I was told. I was told to see an ENT specialist it would take around 18 MONTHS, not only that but my request for an MRI scan could also get rejected. I see this as completely unacceptable and I am now really considering going private especially if they reject my request for an MRI scan.
Content on HealthUnlocked does not replace the relationship between you and doctors or other healthcare professionals nor the advice you receive from them.
Never delay seeking advice or dialling emergency services because of something that you have read on HealthUnlocked.
Managing diabetes and help with tinnitus, hyperacusis, vertigo, et al
struggling with tinnitus
Tinnitus and MRI
Tinnitus/Menieres
