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    Meclizine Tablet

    Drug: Meclizine Hydrochloride. Available with following brand names: Antivert, Meni-D, Meclozine, Bonine, Dramamine, VertiCalm, D-Vert, Meclicot, Medivert, Driminate II, Bonamine Postafen and Pregnidoxin.

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    About Meclizine

    Meclizine or Meclizine Hydrochloride is used as an anti-vertigo drug to control the symptoms of vertigo and imbalance. Meclizine is an antihistamine agent with antiemetic and antispasmodic properties. Antihistamines work by reducing the effect of histamine, a chemical generated in the body as a response to an allergic reaction, and interfere with histamine effects such as narrowing of the airways, vasodilation and heightened permeability of blood vessels.

    Meclizine suppresses the central nervous system by its anticholinergic effect on neurotransmitter Acetylcholine.

    Meclizine hydrochloride was found to be a good suppressor of vestibular stimulation by controlling the activity of hair cells in the inner ear and therefore helpful in treating vertigo symptoms like dizziness and spinning.

    Since the drug reduces central brain activity, it reduces nausea and vomiting sensation and is used for control of motion sickness as an antiemetic agent.

    The drug helps in muscle relaxation too due to its antispasmodic property.

    The above properties enable Meclizine’s use in various medical issues.

    Dosage

    Meclizine 12.5 mg is the lowest strength. The drug is also available in 25mg, 32mg, 50 mg and 100 mg.

    • Adults suffering from motion sickness must take Meclizine tablet an hour before travelling. The dosage can be between 12.5mg – 50mg. For travel sickness, one can take the pill 8 hourly.
    • Adults using Meclizine for vertigo can take it twice or thrice a day of 25mg-100mg strength for up to 5 days.

    Doctor’s prescription needs to be followed to get the desired relief from the medicine.

    Children below 12 years and older adults of 65 years and above must avoid using Meclizine tablet.

    Meclizine is considered to be safe during pregnancy and also during breastfeeding. Informing the doctor will help them to provide better treatment to you.

    It is not advisable to take Meclizine more than the dosage prescribed by the medical practitioner. If you have missed any doses, you can directly take the next dose rather than taking 2 doses simultaneously to compensate for the missed one.

    Form

    Meclizine is an orally administrable drug that is available in the form of a tablet, capsule and chewable tablet.

    Meclizine is a generic drug which is available under different brand names. The popular ones are Antivert, Meni-D, Meclozine, Bonine, Dramamine, VertiCalm, D-Vert, Meclicot, Medivert, Driminate II, Bonamine Postafen and Pregnidoxin.

    Side-Effects

    Meclizine Hydrochloride causes drowsiness. Consuming alcohol, driving or engaging in rigorous activities such as exercising, running, working on equipment should be avoided while on Meclizine.

    Other side-effects of Meclizine are:

    • Dry mouth
    • Blurred vision
    • Headache
    • Vomiting
    • Confusion
    • Reduced cognitive ability
    • Severe fatigue
    • Persistent coughing
    • Constipation
    • Diarrhoea
    • Hypotension
    • Skin Rashes
    • Swelling of face, throat, lips or tongue
    • Palpitation
    • Itching
    • Tightness in the chest
    • Difficulty in breathing

    Many of these side-effects persist only for the duration of the medication and subside after the discontinuation of the drug. However, if the conditions do not subside or get severe, consult your doctor immediately.

    Meclizine Hydrochloride may have some drug interactions. when taken with other medication. Inform the doctor about your ongoing medicines to avoid any drug reaction.

    Medical Conditions

    Your doctor should know if you have any of the medical conditions listed below:

    • Respiratory disorders
    • Cardiovascular problems
    • Glaucoma
    • Gastrointestinal disorder
    • Urinary disorder or enlarged prostate
    • Kidney or liver disorder

    Doctors do not prefer prescribing Meclizine under these medical conditions, as these either aggravate the diseases or interfere with the medication of these states.

    Meclizine and Vestibular Disorder

    As mentioned earlier in the post, Meclizine Hydrochloride acts by reducing the activity and sedating the central nervous system to reduce the vestibular stimulation. This action helps control the acute vertigo symptoms like spinning sensation and nausea.

    The drug is suitable for vertigo patients who are facing acute vertigo symptoms. The drug should not be taken for more than 5 days.

    Continual use of the drug will interfere with compensation of the central nervous system leading to a reduced or incomplete recovery. Instead, central compensatory treatment like vestibular rehabilitation therapy and physical manoeuvres help provide cure to the vertigo issue. This treatment provides sustained results in reducing vertigo symptoms and improves the treatment outcome.

    Meclizine does not address lightheadedness, unsteadiness, and imbalance. This drug is suggested mainly to vertigo patients with vestibular disorders like Meniere’s Disease, Labyrinthitis, Vestibular Neuritis in the acute stage. Meclizine should be stopped as soon as possible once the acute symptoms subside.

    Disclaimer

    All product and company names are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective holders. Use of them does not imply any affiliation with or endorsement by them.

    We’ve made all possible efforts to ensure that the information provided here is accurate, up-to-date and complete, however, it should not be treated as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. NeuroEquilibrium only provides a reference source for common information on medicines and does not guarantee its accuracy or exhaustiveness. The absence of a warning for any drug or combination thereof, should not be assumed to indicate that the drug or combination is safe, effective, or appropriate for any given patient. Please base your medical decisions only on the advice of a doctor or a registered medical professional.

    anita bhandari

    Dr. Anita Bhandari

    Dr.Anita Bhandari is MS(ENT) and a consultant Neurotologist practising in Jaipur, India. She has done a fellowship in Otology and Neurotology from Singapore. She has set up a state-of-art Vertigo and Ear Clinic in Jaipur (www.vertigoandearclinic.com) which is amongst the most advanced vertigo clinics in India. Dr. Bhandari is actively involved in the development of diagnostic equipment in the field of diagnosis and rehabilitation of vertigo and balance disorders. She has contributed to the development of Computerised Dynamic Visual Acuity, Cranio-Corpography, Subjective Visual Vertical, Video Nystagmography and Posturography diagnostic equipment and has two in this field. She has also been involved in the development of Virtual reality for vestibular rehabilitation. She is Scientific advisor to NeuroEquilibrium, a unique project to set up 500 super-specialised vertigo and dizziness clinics in India, Asia & Africa leveraging cloud technology. She has authored chapters on ‘Vestibular Physiology’, ‘Dynamic Visual Acuity’, ‘Surgical treatment of vertigo’, ‘Difficult cases in vertigo’ in various Neurotology textbooks. She is an invited speaker in various Vertigo & Neurotology conferences across the world. Dr.Anita Bhandari is MS(ENT) and a consultant Neurotologist practising in Jaipur, India. She has done a fellowship in Otology and Neurotology from Singapore. She has set up a state-of-art Vertigo and Ear Clinic in Jaipur (www.vertigoandearclinic.com) which is amongst the most advanced vertigo clinics in India. Dr. Bhandari is actively involved in the development of diagnostic equipment in the field of diagnosis and rehabilitation of vertigo and balance disorders. She has contributed to the development of Computerised Dynamic Visual Acuity, Cranio-Corpography, Subjective Visual Vertical, Video Nystagmography and Posturography diagnostic equipment and has two in this field. She has also been involved in the development of Virtual reality for vestibular rehabilitation. She is Scientific advisor to NeuroEquilibrium, a unique project to set up 500 super-specialised vertigo and dizziness clinics in India, Asia & Africa leveraging cloud technology. She has authored chapters on ‘Vestibular Physiology’, ‘Dynamic Visual Acuity’, ‘Surgical treatment of vertigo’, ‘Difficult cases in vertigo’ in various Neurotology textbooks. She is an invited speaker in various Vertigo & Neurotology conferences across the world.

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