@turnitaround as Helen said, Flunarizine is available on the nhs if prescribed by a neurologist (GPs arenāt allowed) but itās imported here from the US. However, in the US, its not used. There are some studies proving its particular good for vestibular migraine, and is often the go-to drug for MAV for headache specialist ls in the UK. Mine certainly rates it highly. It has much fewer side effects than meds like Ami, Topiramate etc, and is used only for treating migraine and also vestibular dizziness. Thatās all they prescribe it for in the UK. I donāt know why they donāt use it in the US. It would have been my drug of choice if the GP was allowed to try it. My headache specialist took into account my symptoms, health and circumstances when choosing the med he thought would be most effective. The GP and neurologists just went randomly through a list of meds, tteating me like a guinea pig, which is what it seems they do with most migraine patients. If we could see headache specialists sooner, iām sure we would get better quicker.
Withdrawn on safety grounds I think I read on Dr Hainās website. No further details given. Different country, different attitude I guess. Whatās available betwen here and there does vary. Like the attitude to Benzos, Helen
From Australia.
My neurologist said he had some remarkable results with prescribing flunarizine. It didnāt work on me at all, but lots of people reported very rapid relief.
That seems a bit absurd to me, given there are fewer side effects than Topiramate and Amitriptyline. The Parkinsonās type symptoms are completely reversible when you stop the medication so even if they happen itās not permanent. Iāve seen people say they were told to take a day off from it every week, and to only take it for 6 months but i donāt know where their doctors got that idea from, thereās nothing in the package leaflet to say that and i wasnāt told that. I think, to be honest, in the US itās probably a money issue or big pharma getting involved wanting contracts on their meds. Flunarizine seems much safer than other meds out there.
@Heliotrope how long did you try it for?
Hi MissMigraine. I think it was something like three months.
The other thing about flunarizine in this country is that the neurologist has to make a special application to some bureaucratic organisation to get permission to prescribe it. Then I had to take the permission confirmation with me every time I needed the script filled. The chemist would then fax it to the supplier. One chemist lost it and I had to get another copy from my neurologist. (I subsequently did several copies.) It was a very frustrating experience all up.
Ugh that sounds annoying. I didnāt have problems like that at Salford royal. They buy stocks of it like any other med snd i donāt have to do anything specific to get it. I donāt know if that will change because i want it delivered closer to home. The hospital uses Lloyds pharmacy and i guess they donāt force them into a particular proceedure.
I think you may well find you have to follow certain procedures to obtain your future supplies. Itās because itās not licensed in the UK (it is in Ireland I notice). I wouldnāt envisage major problems or the consultant would surely have mentioned it or put it in his letter to your doctor. Sure youāll easily get your head around it. Helen
I think the hospital will have to follow the procedure but iām not sure that I, the patient, will have to since I didnāt do anything the first time. It depends, I think, on if the hospital buys stocks of them or whether they only buy it on a patient by patient basis. Salford buys stocks like any other drug. I picked up the prescription the same way i would any other. Iāll find out anyway.