Tablet
Flurizin 10 10 mg Tablet
Generic: Flunarizine
Manufacturer: Square Formulations Ltd.
Therapeutic class: Calcium Channel Blocker / Migraine Prophylactic
What is Flurizin 10?
Flurizin 10 10 mg tablet is manufactured by Square Formulations Ltd. and contains Flunarizine, a selective calcium channel blocker used mainly to prevent migraine attacks. It is a preventive (prophylactic) medicine: taken every day, it gradually reduces how often and how severely migraines occur. It is not a painkiller and will not stop a migraine attack that has already started. It is also sometimes used for vertigo and balance disorders.
Flunarizine works by blocking excessive calcium entry into the cells of blood vessels and nerves in the brain. This stabilises blood-vessel tone and calms the over-reactive nerve activity believed to trigger migraine, making attacks less frequent over weeks of regular use.
Indications
Doctors prescribe Flurizin 10 for:
- Migraine prophylaxis — preventing frequent or severe migraine attacks when simple measures are not enough
- Vestibular vertigo — recurrent dizziness or spinning sensations due to inner-ear or balance-system disorders, at the doctor's discretion
Flurizin 10 is considered when migraines occur several times a month, last long, respond poorly to acute painkillers, or significantly disturb work and daily life. It is a prescription-only medicine, and the decision to start preventive treatment — and for how long — rests with your doctor, usually a neurologist or medicine specialist.
Dosage & Administration
Flurizin 10 is prescription-only; your doctor decides the dose and duration. General information:
- Adults under 65: usually 10 mg once daily at night (the night dose helps because the medicine causes drowsiness).
- Over 65: usually 5 mg at night.
- Benefit builds slowly — it may take 6–8 weeks of daily use to see fewer migraines; do not give up early.
- Treatment is usually reviewed after a few months; doctors often pause it after 6 months to see if it is still needed, because effects persist and long-term use raises the risk of depression and movement side effects.
Do not stop or change the dose yourself — follow your doctor's plan, avoid alcohol, and be careful driving until you know how sleepy it makes you.
Side Effects
Common side effects of Flurizin 10:
- Drowsiness and tiredness, especially in the first weeks — hence the night-time dose
- Increased appetite and weight gain — often gradual; watch your weight monthly
- Stuffy nose, dry mouth
- Muscle aches; in some women, menstrual irregularity or breast discomfort
Two side effects need special attention with longer use: depression (low mood, loss of interest, hopelessness) and movement problems resembling Parkinson's disease — tremor, stiffness, slowness, restlessness — particularly in elderly patients. Report any of these to your doctor promptly; the medicine usually needs to be stopped under supervision if they appear.
Precautions & Warnings
Take these precautions with Flurizin 10:
- Use only under medical supervision, and attend reviews so the doctor can check mood, weight and movement.
- Watch for low mood: tell your doctor immediately if you or your family notice depression developing — flunarizine should not be continued in that case.
- Driving caution: avoid driving or operating machinery until you know how drowsy it makes you, especially early in treatment.
- Avoid alcohol — it adds to the sedation.
- Elderly patients need closer monitoring for tremor, stiffness or slow movements.
- Do not stop or restart the medicine on your own; follow the agreed treatment plan and keep a migraine diary to track benefit.
Drug Interactions
Tell your doctor about all medicines you take. Important interactions with Flurizin 10:
- Alcohol, sleeping pills and sedatives (benzodiazepines, sedating antihistamines) — drowsiness is markedly increased.
- Antipsychotics and metoclopramide — combined use raises the risk of Parkinson-like movement side effects.
- Medicines that can cause or worsen depression — combined effect on mood should be monitored.
- Phenytoin, carbamazepine and rifampicin — may reduce flunarizine levels and its benefit.
- Galactorrhoea (milky nipple discharge) has been reported when combined with oral contraceptives in some women.
Contraindications
Flurizin 10 must not be used in:
- Allergy to Flunarizine or any ingredient of the product
- Current depression or a history of recurrent depression
- Parkinson's disease or other pre-existing movement disorders (extrapyramidal symptoms)
Caution and specialist judgement are needed in elderly patients, in people with low blood pressure, significant liver disease, and in anyone with a strong family history of depression or parkinsonism. It is generally not used in young children unless a specialist decides otherwise.
Pregnancy & Lactation
Pregnancy: there is not enough safety information about Flunarizine in human pregnancy. Flurizin 10 should be avoided during pregnancy unless the doctor decides the benefit clearly outweighs the risk. If you become pregnant while taking it, inform your doctor — migraine prevention can usually be paused or switched safely.
Breastfeeding: Flunarizine passes into milk in animal studies, and infant safety has not been established. Breastfeeding is generally not recommended while taking Flurizin 10; discuss alternatives with your doctor if you are nursing.
Storage Conditions
Store Flurizin 10 below 30°C in a dry place, protected from light and moisture, in its original packaging. Keep it strictly out of the reach of children. Do not use after the expiry date printed on the pack, and return unused tablets to a pharmacy rather than discarding them with household waste.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will Flurizin 10 stop a migraine attack that has already started?
<p>No. Flurizin 10 is a <strong>preventive</strong> medicine — taken every day, it gradually reduces how often and how badly migraines occur, but it cannot abort an attack in progress. For an attack that has started, your doctor will advise separate acute treatment such as paracetamol, an NSAID or a triptan, taken early in the attack. Keep taking Flurizin 10 daily even on pain-free days; skipping doses undermines the preventive effect.</p>
How long before Flurizin 10 reduces my migraines?
<p>Be patient — preventive treatment works slowly. Most people need <strong>6–8 weeks of daily use</strong> before migraine attacks become clearly less frequent, and the full benefit may take up to 3 months. Keep a simple migraine diary (date, duration, severity, painkillers used) so you and your doctor can judge the response objectively at follow-up. If there is no meaningful improvement after about 2–3 months at the right dose, your doctor may switch you to a different preventive medicine.</p>
Why is Flurizin 10 not given to people with depression or Parkinson's disease?
<p>Because Flunarizine can itself trigger or worsen these two problems. With longer use it may lower mood and cause clinical depression, and it can block dopamine pathways enough to produce Parkinson-like symptoms — tremor, stiffness, slowness — especially in the elderly. So Flurizin 10 is contraindicated in anyone with current depression, a history of recurrent depression, or Parkinson's disease. While taking it, you and your family should watch for persistent sadness or changes in movement and report them to the doctor straight away.</p>
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