Speaking of getting worse; "benzos"

I don’t think Serc is doing anything to help my situation … and I can’t really see why it would work. It’s only been 4.5 days (not the whole week) but I think I’ll have that Neurontin Rx filled…

Nowadays, I feel less balanced (physically). I wonder if I’d pass the posturography test if I were to have it now. In fact, I seem to be getting more klutzy, and I literally wonder HOW I manage to not fall, because it sure feels like I will. All the time. I just wonder if and when I’ll hit that point of balance actually becoming impaired.

By the way, are there any other benzos that seem to work (either from firsthand experience or from reading what others here have said) as well as Valium? Or has anyone tried the long-acting form, Valrelease? [I’m thinking of asking the doctor to try some other benzo, like alprazolam, and see if I can get away from Valium for a little while.]

Hi George

Serc never worked for me either. In fact the audiologist who seemed very on the ball about vertigo said that if migraine was the cause of the dizziness that Serc would only make it worse.

Brenda

I think generally klonopin works well with dizziness. I would try that or valium first, then try the other benzos if it were me.

serc did nothing for me, and I was under the impression that serc is not given for MAV. I was given SERC by a doc who had NO idea what I had. benzos didn’t help me, but you never know., what is hain’s take on benzos for this

Here is what he says on his website…

tchain.com/otoneurology/practice/drugrx.html

Valium works for me so I do not want to change…tried Xannex and it knocked me out. Did not like the side effects I do not get those with the Valium.

Don’t work:
Dramamine / meclizine make me sleep. Serc either does nothing or makes me marginally worse. Klonopin does apparently nothing (Hain was stunned that Valium worked while Klonopin failed).

Do work:
Valium works, at 5 mg or higher. Anything less does absolutely nothing. I did once try (as MAVLisa knows) an older drug called meprobamate, or Equanil / Miltown. That seemed to help.

The only thing I can find in common about Valium and Equanil is that they both bind to (the inhibitory) GABA-A receptors. I’ve speculated before (on here) that this is probably significant somehow.

if valium helps, why aren’t you taking it? Meclizine doesn’t work at all for me either. that’s no surprise with migraine.

Oh, I’m taking it, all right. (As for Serc, I’m just sticking with it so I can give it the week-long trial Hain told me to.) The 5 mg of Valium is the only thing keeping me at a semi-functional level here in the office today. Apparently it’s not contraindicated with Serc, so I have no reservations about taking the Valium when I need it.

Lots of docs regularly use clonazepam.

lisa

George,

The only two benzos I’ve tried are diazepam and lorazepam. Lorazepam (Ativan) made me feel really quite bad. Dizziness kicked in and I generally felt unwell. Valium, on the other hand, is a dream drug apart from its addictive nature. I’m on it now dealing with something that went down over the last few days and triggered a huge anxiety response.

Best … Scott

Hi George,

I have tried Valium, Klonopin and Xanex and of the three Xanex works much better (atleast for me). The only one that i have never tried is Ativan.

Joe

I have been on serc for 10 years now. It takes longer than a week to kick in if I remember, but although its nowhere near a cure, it did help me, it is only when I try to come off it I can see the difference in the vertigo attacks.

Christine

I think it is not helping. I don’t know if it’s Serc’s fault or not, but I seem to have some MAJOR “off-balance-feeling” (not just “rocking”) problems the last few days, much more than usual.

Are there any ideas as to why Serc would be useful for any kind of vertigo at all, OR why it would likely make things worse for people with migraine as the source of vertigo?

Hi George,

Quote "Betahistine (serc to you and me) exerts its therepautic effect in Menieres disease by
relaxing precapillary sphincters in the region of the stria vascularis. The increased blood flow
then reduces the high endolymphatic pressure in the inner ear.

There is a resemblance between the structures of betahistine and adrenaline but there is an even closer relationship with histamine. It is now considered a histamine analogue.

Results have been obtained in dogs measuring basilar arterial fow rates. Additionally dilation
following both orally and intravenously administered betahistine has been observed by direct
visualisation of the stria vascularis in guinea pigs and chinchillas."

So it looks like it increases blood flow to the inner ear and helps drain out the build up of fluid.

It took weeks for it to help me.

Christine

I did a trial of Serc thru Hain a few years ago. I took it for a few months, and then decided to discard it. It is indeed a vasodilator. Works for some folks, and doesn’t work for others. I actually got some wicked headaches from it several times. Sometimes I wondered if it was partially due to the fact that because Serc is a vasodilator, it could therefore contribute to migraine. From another angle, I sometimes I wondered if it was the gelatin capsule. The truth is probably somewhere in the middle.

In retrospect, I think it was worth the try. It’s all trial and error with these types of ailments.

Valium has always been effective for me. Verapamil has also been effective.

Same ailment…different strokes for different folks as far as treatment goes.