Betaserc has been a hot topic with regards to Meniere’s disease. Here in the USA you can’t get it at a drug store (although one reader told me that it isn’t illegal but you have to get it “off label). It is not a FDA approved drug. However other places like Canada and many countries in Europe still prescribe it.
I wanted to share with you another doctor opinion on Betaserc. He has a unique perspective in that he has meniere’s and he is also a doctor.
This is from Eduardo Huertas…
I am a brain surgeon (practicing in Costa Rica) diagnosed with MD. After a major vertigo attack I was immediately started on Betaserc 16 mgs three times a day. I haven't experienced significant improvement, but I don't expect immediate results.
We don't fully understand MD. It cycles, (I was symptoms free for over a year without diet or medication) so it will be hard to know if I improve due to Betaserc or the natural behavior of the disease. I am still experiencing intense ear pressure and headaches. So far I have had 3 minor and 2 major vertigo crisis... last one has taken me a week to recover from, and I am not OK yet.
I doubt Betaserc will make a significant difference. Not because of the medication itself, but because of the underlying mechanism of MD. Nevertheless, because it is a H3 blocker (with no problematic side effects) I will continue on it.
I am yet to see a good double blind controlled study for Betaserc and MD... I would appreciate if anyone can direct me to it or them.
Dr. Huertas expresses the same concerns that a lot of us do. Is the medication helping or is it just the Meniere’s disease strange behavior taking place.
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Wednesday, April 21, 2010
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10 comments:
I'm not up on Betaserc research because I thought I read somewhere that it wasn't available in the United States. Plus, valium works for me. I better add it to my list for my next doctor visit.
It seems to be popular in other places in the world besides the USA.
Hi David,
I catch up on your blog from time to time to see what you're discussing. I've had bilateral MD for three years now and have regained most of my hearing and have had very few problems after being on the "John of Ohio" suppliment regimin for 6 months. John doesn't make anyt money off of the regimin since you simply buy the suppliments through whomever you wish. From what I hear on the Meniere's blogs my recovery is typical. In fact over 85% of people who have tried have found some level of relief. Just another topic for your blog. THere is an older version of his regimin at: http://www.menieresfoundation.org/johnsregimen.htm
-Paul
thanks Paul for the comment
I have read about John of Ohio before and the supplement that I take is made up of alot of the things that John has in his regimen.
Although I can't say for sure that it has helped I can't say for sure that it hasn't
I still take it
David
I am new to this site and would like an opinion/advice. I have been dealing with MD for about 4 years now after a "remission" of 20 years (had it for about 4 years before that, during my child bearing years). I have tried all of the first lines of defense without much relief (no salt diet, diuretic, supplements, chiropractic, accupunture and SERC). Last week I got my first Gent. injection and it went pretty smoothly, not too painful. I have had some dizziness since then, twice the day of the shot and twice a couple days later, one pretty bad one. The doctor said this is normal. I guess my question is, how long will this last and should I get the second shot that the doctor is advising next week? Any input would be helpful. I am a 53 year old female with unilateral MD. I have already lost about 80% hearing in my bad ear and have tinnitus that is very loud. Another question....The doctor said I shouldn't expect these shots to have an effect on the ringing, what do you think?
Thanks for any advice
Lindsay
Lindsay,
I had the gent injections in 2008, it took me a couple of months before things settled down for me. The injections really took a toll on my balance, it was so bad that I went on disability for 2 months. But after that things got a lot better. I still have attacks but they aren't nearly as bad as they were before. for me the gent injections were a success.
It is hard to say how long it takes to recover from the shots because everybody is different.
As for the tinnitus, I'm not really sure.
stay in touch
David
I've been suffering from MD for about 5 years. For the first four it was just slightly fluctuating noise and pressure in the ear. Local ENTs didn't figure what it was. The vertigo attacks started the last year and it became obvious at that point.
The episodes of dizziness were mild at first (just unsteady for 10-15min), but got worse over several months to the level of fully incapacitating vertigo attacks.
During those months the episodes were usually spaced 1-3 days apart during onsets of the disease. The remissions were 1-3 weeks long. The severity of the attacks varied with only about 10% being severe ones.
The trigger seems to be any kind of infection around. The onset usually starts a day or two before somebody in the family shows up with running nose or fever.
I've tried the Jon from Ohio regiment, but can't say it helps in my case.
The diuretic (dyozide) helped, but only to some extent and increasing its dose (to more than 24mg/day) did not seem to have any positive effect (actually I felt worse).
About a month ago when another onset has started I decided to try Betaserc. I was taking 12mg 2/day. After approximately 10 days instead of intermittent attacks a day or two apart, the pressure became permanent, headache increased and the attacks started to happen about every 4 hours (actually it felt more like a continuous attack several days long). After 4 more days I stopped taking Betaserc. About 2 days after stopping the permanent pressure is gone and attacks returned to the 36-48 hours cycle. That's my experience so far, YMMV.
Hope that information is useful to somebody and hope that if there is a clear negative reaction to a particular medicine maybe there also is a positive reaction to another…
Good luck,
Denis
Denis,
Thanks for sharing your experience with betaserc. I have heard others say that betaserc doesn't help at all and then some folks say it has helped immensely. So I guess alot of the meds you just have to try it and see.
thanks
David
David,
betaserc doesnt work for me,in fact it causes more problem for me. But this year after 2 serious attacks I was given Cinnaizine for a change and thank God it works for me.I still have attacks but just mild ones, thats because I take cinnarizine to suppress it during the attack. Now I carry Cinarizine in my wallet wherever I go incase.
Ben Ooi
Hi Ben,
I haven't heard awhole lot about Cinnaizine. I'll have to check it out.
thanks for the info.
stay in touch
David
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