A Health Related PSA

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You may have noticed that my blogging has been a bit infrequent lately. Apart from the big hurricane Ernesto scare last week and a pile of work that needs to get done at the office, I have been suffering once again from some pretty bad vertigo attacks. After months of tests and treatments, visits to specialists and so forth, I was told that there’s basically nothing that can be done. I have a perilymph fistula – a small pin hole – in the balance center of my right ear.

Ive been doing these exercises every day – basically like a field sobriety test – to help my left ear counter the right ear’s balance problem. My balance has improved but every so often I get nailed with a massive vertigo attack that just completely takes me out. After the initial vertigo attack I then spend about a week or two with major dizziness.

Ive been taking AntiVert for the dizziness but it just isnt cutting it anymore. It doesnt help much with the dizziness and makes me incredibly sleepy.

I went to the doctor on Friday and he prescribed a new medication called Serc – betahistine hydrochloride – to stop the dizzy spells. Serc has been used to calm the effects of Meniere’s disease for some time. The problem is, this medication, although it’s been around for decades and is used throughout the world, isnt available here in the US.

If anyone out there knows of a reliable and trustworthy outlet where I may fill this prescription, whether online or not, please email me or drop me a note in the comments section. Thanks.

14 thoughts on “A Health Related PSA”

  1. Why would the doctor prescribe a med not available here? Don’t get me wrong: I applaud his thinking out of the box and all. But it doesn’t do the patient much good now, does it?

  2. George,

    He had a patient with similar symptoms who started using the medication and was basically cured of the vertigo.

    There are MILLIONS of medications used throughout the world that arent sold in the US.

  4. I had an inner-ear infection a couple of weeks ago, so I know where you’re coming from with vertigo. Good luck on finding something that will help.

    I have a question: Do you have a good pharma guide? It is possible this drug has been approved for something else, and is called something else, in the USA.

  5. Val,

    I just Googled Sarc and found the following info. I can’t vouch for any of it, but it may be a place to start:

    Dr. Timothy Hain’s Review of Serc
    http://www.dizziness-and-balance.com/treatment/serc.html

    …Serc is not sold through ordinary US pharmacy chains but it can be obtained through US compounding pharmacies…

    …Betahistine can also be easily obtained from overseas pharmacies, especially those in Canada. Many of these pharmacies will accept prescriptions via fax and mail medication. Betahistine can also generally be obtained from “compounding” pharmacies. Betahistine is generally not covered by insurance with prescription coverage. A typical cost of a month’s supply at this writing (2006) is $50…

    ********************

    Serc (Betahistine Hydrochloride) Info
    http://www.menieresinfo.com/serc.html

    ********************

    FDA 1999 Review of Serc (MS Word Format)
    http://www.fda.gov/ohrms/dockets/ac/99/transcpt/3513t2.rtf

    ********************

    Doctor Solve – Canadian Pharmacy Website
    http://www.doctorsolve.com/
    (I’m not sure if they are good or not)

  14. Okay, I looked for Miami-area compounding pharmacies

    I got

    Marco Drugs and Compounding

    6627 S Dixie Hwy
    Miami, FL 33143
    (305) 663-3258

    Universal Arts Pharmacy

    6500 West 4th Avenue, Suite 4
    Hialeah, FL 33012
    (305)556-2673

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