Need some suggestions

[hunterd]

I currently take meclizine for vertigo, but it is not working like it used to and I am wondering what everybody else is taking for dizziness?

[22cyclist]

Hunterd, I have chronic dizziness due to a pontine lesion. I am dizzy all day and all night. I take Valium 10mg per day since my neurologist said that the benzos were the only drugs that could combat CNS dizziness. I had to also take a drug called Compazine for the nausea that came with the dizziness.

One day on here someone said I should try Ativan as it works on dizziness and has an anti-emetic in it. So I did, but I have to take A LOT of these to equal 1 Valium, so I try just to used that instead.

My goodness I hope you start feeling better! When it rains it pours!

Take care
Lisa

[tortis]

Hi hunterd, I also use Valium for cns dizziness. Like Lisa said though, it is a benzo so you will build a tolerance . I break my pills in half and take them throughout the day but I have a certain amount I allow myself per day. It has been the only thing that has ever worked for me and it does help my spastic muscles some but not a lot. Good luck!
PEACE
Tortis

[hunterd]

Thank you guys!

[poohb3ar]

ditto

hi hunterd!
sorry to hear about your vertigo, it's not much fun! well, for you it might be if you're doing wheelies and such (who needs a roller coaster? )

when i was dxd in 2003, MRI showed brain damage that causes my vertigo, unrelated to MS. weird, i know!

i take diazepam (sounds nicer than valium) 5 mg 3 to 4 times a day. i can even tell when it's wearing off or miss a dose. drs. have wanted me to try something else, but nothing works as well as this for me.

praying you get relief and help for this.

take care & God bless ya!

[Kimba22]

Hi hunterd,

Maybe a higher dose of Meclizine would help? And/ or taking Valium.

I have both Antivert and Diazapam in my med arsenal, but Antivert never seems to do much and Diazapam doesn't work like it once did (tolerance). I still try them when I have vertigo and/ or dizziness , but when an episode does pass, I have to wonder if it would've passed without them, anyway.

Since this symptom happening while I'm in the hospital, I asked my doctor about it. He checked my eye movement (Of course, nothing going on at the time). Since he didn't see nystagmus, he didn't think my episodes were central vertigo this time, but peripheral vertigo ( but I have my doubts). So, put me back on Meclizine.

I asked him which meds can be used to treat this, and he mentioned some of the same meds I found here:

"Medications that may be helpful in patients with vertigo include Meclizine, low-dose Diazepam and Promethazine hydrochloride (an antihistamine). http://www.rxlist.com/script/main/mo...ids&monopage=2

Oscillopsia may respond to Clonazepam or Baclofen. Vertigo associated with nausea and vomiting may respond to Metoclopramide (Reglan)."

If it's really bad, sometimes steroids are prescribed. That's the only thing that stopped mine last year when I had it so bad last year, with severe vomiting. I also had nystagmus. The neuroIogist even tried a Valium IV.

"Vertigo is not uncommon in patients with MS and can be an extremely frustrating and disabling problem. Vertigo can present itself as sudden "spells" or it can last for hours or days at a time. It may at times be associated with oscillopsia - an illusory movement of the environment in which stationary objects appear to move back and forth or from side to side. Oscillopsia may be associated with severe nystagmus." http://library.med.utah.edu/kw/ms/treat_symptom.html#2

Drug Dose Adverse Reactions Pharmacological Class:

Meclizine (Antivert, Bonine) 25-50 mg q 4-6h - sedating -
antihistamine anticholinergic precautions if prostatic enlargement

Lorazepam (Ativan) 0.5 mg BID - mildly sedating - benzodiazepine - drug dependency

Clonazepam (Klonopin) 0.5 mg BID - mildly sedating - benzodiazepine - drug dependenicy

Dimenhydrinate (Dramamine) 50 mg q 4-6h - same as Meclizine - antihistamine anticholinergic

Diazepam(Valium) 2 bid PO
5 mg IV (1 dose)
http://www.dizziness-and-balance.com...ce/drugrx.html

Here is some more info about vertigo.
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/e...cle/001432.htm

http://www.webmd.com/brain/types-of-vertigo

I hope you find something that helps.

[AriD]

Hi hunter

I was taking meclizine 25 tid which takes the edge off despite mine being central vertigo. In the hospital I've gotten IV Valium. Now meclizine is prn for me.

Part of my PT is doing exercises to retrain my brain not to respond as much to stimuli that start my vertigo symptoms. It does help lessen them to be manageable. I start dry heaving and fall against the wall just walking down a hall and having someone unexpectedly walk by. That external stimuli is too much for my brain and the vertigo comes. Sometimes just the nausea and dizziness and sometimes the whole deal, room spinning and feeling like the floor is tilted. Worst feeling!

PT is tough because it starts up all the awful feelings but little by little it helps lessen them. Might be worth a try. Just make sure the PT works with Neurological issues like this. I've been to some that just do strengthening which is good but doesn't help the balance and vertigo stuff.

I hope things get better for you. Vertigo is awful m