Flunarizine (Calcium Channel Blocker) for Tinnitus?

Hello Everyone,

My life is deteriorating and rather than seeing improvements I'm experiencing setbacks.

As sort of a last resort I was prescribed Flunarizine, a calcium channel blocker. Has anyone tried this for their tinnitus?

I've looked at some studies and the results seem mixed or not very promising.

Thank you!

 

Has anyone tried this for tinnitus or dizziness? Has anyone heard of ototoxic or dangerous side effects? Please let me know if you have. Thank you.

 

Did you take it? My ENT suggested this to try for vestibular migraine (in my T ear). I am afraid too of the side effects. Other option was propanolol or sulpiride. It's okay that I can choose but I don't like the side effects.

 

It was prescribed to me by a second oto neurologist and at that point I decided to take it. Unfortunately I experienced no change to my tinnitus volume or pitch. Although I'm my case I also don't recall experiencing side effects.

 

What was the dosis you took? How many milligrams a day?

 

I am taking Flunarizine and the tinnitus volume decreases from 7/10 to 3/10. I'm taking 10 mg in the morning.

 

Do you have any side effects?

Do you take it for vestibular migraines?

 

I took it because the ENT prescribed it to me to reduce the tinnitus volume, and it worked.

 

Hi, how long did you take Flunarizine 10 mg a day? Was it for weeks or months before you noticed the difference?

 

I've been taking it every morning for 3 months now, this pill makes the tinnitus lower in volume, and I noticed the difference in the first few days, and if I stop taking it, it gets louder again.

The doctor told me to take it for 6 months, and then I had to stop. I haven't detected any side effects so far.

 

Can you give us an update on your experiences with Flunarizine? Are you still taking it and is it still working? And how would you describe your tinnitus? Is it high frequency? In the ears or in the head? Thanks for the help.

 

I hope this isn't premature of me to say, but I have been taking Flunarizine (Sibelium) 5 mg for 4 days now and I think it reduces the tinnitus volume but I am not really sure if that reduction cannot be attributed to other factors.

I'm still unsure whether Flunarizine helps noxacusis or not. Maybe taking it long term will have more effect.

The side effects are pretty tolerable so far, I don't feel as sleepy as in the first few days, the only thing that I dislike is that it kind of dulls my mind a bit.

I am really interested in what 10 mg could do. I feel the therapeutic potential of this drug is huge, especially for those prone to dark/racing thoughts.

As my main problem right now is noxacusis, I'm still on the fence whether or not I will continue taking Flunarizine.

I'm a bit spooked by potential long term damage.

 

Great effort. What kind of reduction? 30%? I will look into it.

 

I have habituated to my tinnitus pretty good and I am typically only bothered/aware of it if I have a spike, but two days ago in the morning hours I noticed that my tinnitus was actually remarkably low. I can't remember the last time I was aware that my tinnitus was low in volume, it was definitely something that felt unusual to me.

Yesterday my tinnitus spiked, I took a Flunarizine pill and it seemed to calm down a bit, but I'm not entirely sure.

It seems like the last few days my tinnitus is just a bit milder than usual.

However, like I said that could be caused by multiple factors or even a placebo effect. I'd really have to try 10 mg or maybe even more to find out its potential in reducing tinnitus volume, but that is not something on the agenda right now.

 

I was prescribed 10 mg Flunarizine for dizziness (believed to be from vestibular neuritis).

After a few weeks it seemed to have a positive effect on my tinnitus (potentially lowered the volume) although I was already habituated - but it was enough to notice a change.

However, it made me feel pretty shit - headaches, fatigue/sleepy and low mood.

 

I asked for a Keppra prescription but the doctor would not give it.

The doctor told me to take Flunarizine 5 mg twice per day, which I will do until my appointment with the pain specialist.

I will report back.

 

I am not able to find any indication if Flunarizine is ototoxic, does anyone know?

I just got prescribed it, 10 mg/day at night. I’m 1 month into noise-induced tinnitus.

 

Has anyone tried Flunarizine?

 

Did you start your treatment yet?

 

Neil Bauman would know! You can get in touch with him on his blog.

 

Can you take Flunarizine just as needed on spike days or is it something you have to take regularly without stopping?

 

No, I had another ENT advise against it. Although she couldn't really explain why, just something about side effects.

That and the lack of information online made me not take it as of now.

Did you ever take it?

Thanks! Should I email him directly or his center?

 

I took Flunarizine for my noxacusis for two weeks. First week 5 mg in the evening, second week 5 mg in the morning and evening.

The side effects were okay for me.

I did not really notice much effect on my noxacusis.

Can't say whether it helped with my tinnitus.

Flunarizine can increase the risk of developing Parkinsonism after 60 days of usage (not sure if consecutive or in total is meant).

 

Thanks! Why did you discontinue after 2 weeks? Did you taper?

I'm still confused as to why It is supposed to work on tinnitus. My ENT mentioned increased blood flow to the ears. What do you think?

 

I was initially prescribed Flunarizine by my GP (because of my own suggestion after he did not want to prescribe me Nifedipine). After two weeks usage I had an appointment with a pain specialist, who put me on Clonazepam and did not give me a repeat prescription for Flunarizine. I did not taper.

Generally speaking, a possible mechanism behind the tinnitus alleviating properties of Flunarizine is that it reduces neuronal excitability, in this case by blocking voltage-gated sodium and calcium entry in neurons.

It is probably the same reason why Retigabine and Flupirtine (voltage gated potassium channels) helped with tinnitus. But instead of blocking the entry of cations in the neurons, they facilitate their outward flow.