Meclizine and Tiredness: What Users Say

• Bir...
• March 13, 2016

Meclizine for Vertigo "I have suffered 4 bouts of benign positional vertigo in the last ten years. It comes on without warning. I always carry Meclizine with me. I get it over the counter. It helps, but it still takes me anywhere from a week to a month to get over the vertigo. At the beginning of the vertigo, I take a 25 mg tablet every 24 hours, but it makes me very sleepy and tired and 'hung over'... but I'm able to get out of bed and do things. As the vertigo subsides, I take 1/2 of a tablet once a day, and that seems to have fewer side effects. The only thing I've found that really cures the vertigo over a couple of weeks are the exercises I do 3x a day. I got them from a physical therapist. Along with the Meclizine, I seem to eventually get better."

• dro...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• December 4, 2019

For Vertigo "First, let me say that from the moment I was prescribed meclizine for vertigo, I didn’t feel it was necessary. I had a few short dizzy spells and brought it up to my doctor. He put me on 25 mg of meclizine, three times a day. Although weary, I took it as prescribed for 4 days before I had to stop. I felt such a heavy mental fog, I must have fallen asleep about 3-5 times each day that I took it, and I was completely spaced out. I felt absolutely exhausted from the minute I woke up. On the last day I took it, I had fallen asleep at 8 pm the night before, woke up at 7:30 am, went back to bed at 10 am, and didn’t get up until I had to at 5:30 pm because I had to go to work. I felt numb and “shut off.” The side effects were far worse than the brief dizzy spells I experienced."

• Ray...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• November 24, 2013

For Vertigo "I just had my second case of vertigo and tried 25mg of Meclizine and like many others it worked very well, but I could not stay awake. My doctor changed my med to the 12.5 mg, and I like that much better. Still stay a little tired, but at least I am not sleeping all day."

• Mis...
• May 20, 2017

For Vertigo "I have had dizzy spells (vertigo) since 2006. I get them about every other month for a day, and it is literally debilitating. I would rather have almost any pain than being dizzy. Yesterday around 5 pm, after work, I started feeling weird... I didn't take it until it was bad around 6:30 pm. Don't wait if you can help it. The trick is to take it before it gets worse. It worked around by about 7:30-8:00 pm. I slept the entire night in a sitting-up position. This morning I was okay. No effects, just tired last night. The doctor told me to also move my head three times in a counterclockwise position each hour. You feel a little sick but better after."

• Anonymous
• November 9, 2008

Meclizine for Motion Sickness "I went on a 4-day, 3-night cruise with my identical twin. Both of us had previously taken Dramamine but neither of us liked it due to the sleepiness. She bought some Bonine while I had my doctor write me a prescription for the back-ear sticker. Both of us took our medicines 12 hours before getting on our plane. I got tired while she enjoyed poking me and making fun. The back ear patch didn't work because I got sick within minutes of being on the ship. My sister forced me to take the patch off and made me take the Bonine. We had a great trip. We swear by Bonine and our family and friends love it too."

• Sar...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• July 7, 2015

For Vertigo "I went to the ER for extreme vertigo a little over a week ago. This was drop me to my knees, room spinning, vomiting vertigo. The ER first gave me Valium, but the results weren't that great, so they then gave me meclizine and wrote me an RX for some to have at home. It didn't work that great the first day because my symptoms were so extreme, but over time, everything is starting to go back to normal. It's just going very slowly. My balance is back, and I'm not dizzy anymore, but I still feel foggy. I'm weaning myself off and only taking 1/2 a pill at night. When taking the 3 pills a day, it was very tiring and loopy, and I couldn't remember anything. Also, driving is out of the question! I felt like I was drunk."

• TRI...
• June 7, 2015

For Vertigo "I was prescribed the 25 mg pill when I experienced lightheadedness and dizzy spells for a couple of days. The doctor told me that I had fluid behind my ear canal causing vertigo and that the medication would help. I've taken it twice since last night. It's helping a lot. But, it makes me withdrawn and very tired."

• Kim...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• December 17, 2015

For Vertigo "I have been on meclizine for about a year now. One day at work, I turned my head really fast and got so dizzy I felt like I was going to pass out. My doctor put me on the medicine 25 mg every 6 hours as needed. Also went to therapy for the vertigo but was told I didn't have vertigo and got sent home with a Popsicle stick and eye exercises to do (which doesn't work). My doctor is saying I'm dizzy because of my job and how my head and neck are always down. The meclizine works well but only lasts for 3 hours before it wears off. Hoping my doctor will up the mg, or let me take more in a day. Oh, and for the tiredness side effect, it does go away once your body gets used to it."

• and...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• June 21, 2013

For Vertigo "I'm a 71-year-old woman. Have vertigo and nausea that lasts for months. The Transderm-Scop patch helped off and on, but it is supposed to be worn on the neck, and it would itch and leave a rash. So, I tried meclizine. No dizziness, but I can't get out of bed. Tiredness overcomes me. Not sure what to try next."

• Anonymous
• February 3, 2010

For Vertigo "My doctor prescribed Meclizine to help stop the dizziness associated with my inner ear infection they call Labyrinthitis. It is very difficult to function or drive myself to work with the dizziness, but the Meclizine makes me so tired I feel drugged. Not sure which I'd prefer, the dizziness or the sleepiness, because either way, I can't drive, and that makes getting to work and functioning quite difficult."

• Anonymous
• January 24, 2012

For Vertigo "I was having problems feeling lightheaded and dizzy for about 2 weeks for no apparent reason. Meclizine knocked the dizziness and lightheadedness right out-no problem. But now I feel like I'm going to fall over because I'm so tired. I took one before bed last night, and I've been feeling the effects all day long."

• Anonymous
• Taken for less than 1 month
• August 13, 2017

For Vertigo "Had a bad neck adjustment and was taken to the hospital to make sure it wasn't from a stroke that I got very dizzy. They said it was not and gave me this for the vertigo. I took half (12.5 mg) the next morning when intense spinning started, and it seemed to help, and then 4 hours later spinning again :( so I took a whole 25 mg pill, and though it did make the spinning stop, I've been out of it ever since. I feel tired, off balance, just 'off' and strange in general and haven't gotten out of bed all weekend. I'm going to try a more natural remedy and exercises next."

• Dan...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• February 23, 2018

For Vertigo "I have only taken this twice for vertigo due to fluid in my ears. Once last night after I was prescribed it and once this morning when I got to work (stupid idea). It does make me feel grounded, and the rocking sensation I’ve been feeling goes away, but it makes me so tired. (Like first trimester of pregnancy tired.) I’m wondering if taking half a dose will work better for me. I can’t sleep all the time. I have a two-year-old to chase around! I definitely don’t recommend taking this during the day."

• Anonymous
• December 15, 2008

"I've been taking meclizine for over 20 years now. I was given it originally by my doctor to help with the dizziness and vertigo I would get from my hypoglycemia. It works well, but for me, it takes about 1 hour to kick in. Sometimes it takes the dizziness completely away, other times it takes the edge off so I can at least function. As far as I know, meclizine is the only drug out there for dizziness. It makes me tired, but I'll take being tired over dizzy any day."

• dri...
• July 23, 2008

"I was diagnosed with vertigo and was prescribed meclizine 25 mg to take 3 times a day. I am not dizzy as before and feel much better. I did not have bad side effects, only dry mouth and tired. However, I did not drive a vehicle while taking the drug, nor did I use machinery. I cannot tell you how that would work in conjunction with the drug."

• Jas...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• August 28, 2022

For Vertigo "Horrible. I had a very loud and rude nurse who got mad at me for asking for a half dose (12.5 mg instead of 25 mg) because I don't do well with antihistamines, they make me feel horrible. I was reassured this one wouldn't. I'm glad I only took half. And while they left me there for over an hour waiting for the dose, they didn't keep me even 3 seconds to check any reactions. I even got a little placebo effect, like 'did it help? It might have...' It didn't. My dizziness stayed the same, but about exactly an hour after the moment I took it, my heart started pounding like a sledgehammer, I was exhausted and started dreaming. This then shifted into hallucinations while I was awake off and on, that I couldn't tell weren't reality. I didn't pee for over 12 hours because I couldn't get up and still didn't even really need to when I went, which means it extremely dehydrated me. I've slept for almost 24 hours straight and going back now. Makes me can't wait for how bad I felt before because it wasn't this."

• Lis...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• June 18, 2022

Meclizine for Motion Sickness "A group of 20+ kids and adults were going on a charter boat to fish. We took this the night before and then again in the morning. Our charter was canceled due to extreme waves in which nothing would have helped. It was a long drive, and nobody got carsick. It did make a lot of us very tired, though. Just a heads up if you're the one driving."

• spe...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• October 10, 2020

Meclizine for Motion Sickness "I took 2 Bonine tablets every morning for 3 days at Disney World. I get stomach trouble/breathing going down hills too fast while driving. With this, I went on EVERY crazy ride, including Everest... this is a game changer. Ensure you get sleep beforehand, eat before taking the pill. Was slightly tired but not drowsy."

• Mar...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• October 14, 2021

For Vertigo "I rushed to the ER after experiencing vertigo very strongly. I was shaky and off balance and very scared. I just got up from my sofa and everything was a blur, a very scary feeling. I was given meclizine for vertigo, but it makes me so drowsy that most of the day I am laying down and sleepy. It did help me because I haven't felt dizzy, but I am very scared of it happening again. I can't feel alert, so tired and drowsy. I hope I get better."

• Zio...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• December 14, 2024

For Vertigo "I was driving down a highway yesterday and had a sudden attack. I was able to pull off the road before hurting myself or others. I parked the car, got a ride to the ER, and they gave me meclizine. My heart rate went down to as low as 52 bpm, and my bp eventually got down to 124/70 at dismissal time (it was 175/78 about three hours prior). It has an extremely calming effect, but I was exhausted for almost 24 hours following. Today, I have had a few minor spells, but nothing like yesterday."

• Mec...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• August 9, 2021

For Motion Sickness "I took it 3 hours before bed. I slept for 10 hours, which is way longer than normal, and I felt exhausted when I woke up. I also had mental fog for the next 4 hours after I woke up. I then went back to bed for 3 hours. I woke up exhausted again and with mental fog. I literally just spaced out/nodded off for 3 min while writing this. So hazy. Other people made similar comments. It seems to hit a certain group of people like this. It seems to have dried out my inner ear like the doctor wanted, though."

• Anonymous
• Taken for less than 1 month
• August 8, 2016

For Vertigo "Blurred vision and extreme tiredness. Slept entire day and night, fuzzy the second day. Only took one dose. Will not take again."

• Swo...
• February 20, 2017

For Vertigo "I feel very tired, sleepy, and my heart seems to be skipping a beat."