Anyone who has been prescribed flunarizine, were you at any point told to take a break from it for 2 days a week? Or to stop it completely after 6 months?
I’ve seen this info online from other patients who were given those instructions, and i also found it on a pdf file written by The Walton Centre nhs foundation. But my neuro never mentioned those things, he told me to take it every day, and to increase from 5mg to 10mg after 2 weeks. I read on an nhs website that it can be increased to 10mg after a month…which is twice the time i’ve been told.
I will definitely follow the instructions ny neuro gave me but i’m curious to see how it’s been prescribed to others.
Hey. When I was prescribed Flunarizine, I got the same instructions from my Neuro as you got. I also had the same concerns you had after reading online about taking a few days off a week - my neuro didn’t mention it either. I ended up coming off the drug due to side effects, so never got to bring this up and ask. Just thought i’d let you know that it was prescribed to me the same way it was to you.
Best wishes, D
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Flunarazine doesn’t appear to be in common use by users of this forum. It comes 30th out of 35 listed on @turnitaround’s graph of meds listed in User Cards. So I doubt you’ll be flooded with responses. If I were you I’d contact your consultant’s secretary after the long Holiday Week-end and ask her to seek his advice on your behalf.
I notice on the Exeter Headache Clinic PIL I was referred to by the neuro-otologist these med breaks are only recommended ‘after control has been achieved’. This could be a clue. Helen
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Ah, that might explain it, Helen, thanks. I think i will mention it if i need to contact the secretary for my next prescription.
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That’s a strange requirement. When I took it, I was not told to take breaks of any sort. I didn’t get to the six month mark, but I think that it would have been continuous if I had.
Like most meds, I think it would be important to keep a consistent level in the body so that one stays well.
I believe the half life of it is 19 days so it hangs around much longer than other preventatives. I was told to take it every day without breaks, it’s just that i’ve seen other people online who were told to take the breaks, and found it mentioned in info on medical sites too. I don’t know how old that info is though, it might not be a guideline that’s considered necessary now. My neuro has prescribed it to lots of people so i’ll trust his instructions.
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