A medication called meclizine, an antihistamine is used to treat and prevent motion sickness-related nausea, vomiting, and dizziness. Additionally, it is used to lessen vertigo and dizziness (both of which are brought on by issues with the inner ear). These effects are thought to contribute to the antiemetic effect of meclizine. meclizine can also act directly on the chemoreceptor trigger zone.
You might be curious about the benefits and drawbacks of meclizine, as well as how long it takes to start working after you take a dose. You can learn the response in the article that follows.
What is Meclizine?
Meclizine is prescribed for a number of ailments including vertigo, motion sickness-related nausea, and nausea brought on by radiation therapy.
Meclizine inhibits H1-histamine receptors, which lessens histamine’s negative effects such as vasodilation (widening of the blood vessels), increased permeability, constriction of the airways, and stomach cramps. Meclizine also has an anticholinergic effect, which means it prevents the action of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine on muscarinic receptors. Both these effects reduce stimulation of the vomiting center (one of the areas of the brain thought to control vomiting) from the vestibular system (the structure within each ear that provides the brain with sensory information about motion, equilibrium, and spatial orientation). The antiemetic effects of meclizine are thought to be influenced by these actions. The chemoreceptor trigger zone may also be directly affected by meclizine.
Meclizine is a member of the first-generation antihistamine drug subclass. It may also be called an antiemetic.
How to Take Meclizine?
Meclizine How Long to Work?
Pay close attention to all product-related instructions. Take the medication as directed if your doctor has prescribed it. A pharmacist or doctor should be consulted if you have any questions.
Use food or not when taking this medication by mouth. Chew the chewable tablets completely before swallowing them if you’re taking them. Your medical condition and treatment response are taken into account when determining the dosage. Take this medication only as prescribed; do not increase your dose or take it more frequently. To prevent motion sickness, take the first dose one hour before starting activity such as travel.
The research in Vestibular care supports the use of vestibular suppressants, such as Meclizine, for the first 48 hours of a new onset of vertigo. This medication for vertigo is helpful to bring relief and minimize discomfort for an acute case, or a new case.
Meclizine is not advised in the literature after the first 48 hours because it interferes with the vestibular system’s capacity to recover from a new injury.
Tips on Taking Meclizine
- Take one hour before you travel if you are using meclizine to prevent motion sickness. For the duration of the trip, you can take another dose of meclizine every 24 hours.
- Do not drive or operate machinery if meclizine makes you drowsy or impairs your judgment. If the drug does make you sleepy, try taking it the night before your trip.
- Avoid drinking alcohol while taking meclizine as this can enhance its side effects.
- Children younger than 12 should not be given meclizine.
Pros and Cons of Meclizine
Pros
- used to treat motion sickness-related nausea, vomiting, and dizziness.
- Vertigo symptoms brought on by conditions like labyrinthitis and Meniere’s disease may also be treated with this medication.
- Occasionally used to treat nausea brought on by radiation therapy or during pregnancy (off-label use; not an FDA-approved indication).
- Not as sedating as some other medicines used for motion sickness.
- Meclizine comes in a generic form.
Cons
If you are between the ages of 18 and 60, take no other medication or have no other medical conditions, side effects you are more likely to experience include:
- may also result in a dry mouth, a headache, exhaustion, and in rare cases, blurred vision.
- may make a person feel queasy or sleepy, which could impair their ability to drive or operate machinery. Avoid drinking alcohol as it may make these side effects worse.
- People who have glaucoma, liver, kidney, or prostate gland enlargement may not be able to use it. The elderly or frail may be particularly sensitive to meclizine’s effects.
- Children younger than 12 should not use this product, it is not advised.
- Rarely have reports of allergic-like reactions to meclizine been made.
- May interact with several other drugs including those that cause sedation or drugs that are also metabolized by CYP2D6 hepatic enzymes.
Final Thoughts
Meclizine works quickly and is usually taken 48 hours before nini travel activities. Inform your doctor or pharmacist if you have any allergies prior to taking Meclizine. Meclizine may contain inactive ingredients that cause allergic reactions or other issues. For more information, please speak with your pharmacist.
