Help
Posted , 5 users are following.
Hey guys, I will try to make this short and sweet
I have suffered from anxiety (intrusive thoughts) on and off since 2012. I have started and stopped my meds Prozac and lamictal- recently started back 40mg prozac(goal 60mg) and lamictal 100mg (goal 200mg)
I have always had the occasional ringing in my ears, but it has never lasted longer than 3-4 minutes and isn't bothersome. I have noticed that in the past it hasn't come as frequently. However, here recently I have noticed it has increased etc. last night I decided to smoke some MJ. About 30 minutes after smoking, my ears began ringing nonstop- which eventually sounded like crickets.. This lasted for at least 2 hours. I fell asleep because I was so scared that I was going crazy. I even asked my boyfriend if he heard crickets and he said no... My first thought was that I was hearing things.. (This increased my anxiety big time) started having thoughts that I was going to go crazy and start hallucinating etc.) I plugged my fingers in my ears to see if I could still hear it. When I did, I could feel pulsating in my ears and also ringing which was continuous and changed in frequency. I woke up this morning and no longer hear it, but when I plug my ears I can hear a slight ringing.. Has this ever happened to anyone? Or am I really going crazy. I'm extremely jittery and anxious today as a result. Additional info- my mom and grandpa both have tinninitus(idk the level etc.)
1 like, 18 replies
lindsey1212
Posted
lindsey1212
Posted
* since I've woken up, I can only hear it in my right ear when plugged. My left ear doesn't seem to be ringing.
clivealive lindsey1212
Posted
Both Prozac and Lamictal can lead to a deficiency of Vitamin B12 one of the symptoms of which is Tinnitus.
I'm not a medically qualified person but I have had Pernicious Anaemia (one of the many causes of B12 Deficiency) for 45 years and I often experience a return of my tinnitus in the run up to my next scheduled B12 injection.
I suggest you ask your doctor to test your serum B12 and serum Folate levels if for nothing else but to eliminate B12 Deficiency as a cause.
Do you eat a healthy diet of Meat and Greens?
lindsey1212 clivealive
Posted
Idk if this would help or not, but I take a stress B-complex supplement everyday and also fish oil supplements everyday. I take them with my other meds in the am. Is it possible that I have an overage of either supplements? I spoke with my grandmother & she did say that my meds. Could be causing it. Yes, I don't eat super healthy but I regularly eat meats and veggies. If it occurs at the level it did last night, I plan on speaking with my GP. It was very odd & with a person having anxiety etc. it def. doesn't make it any better. Lol
clivealive lindsey1212
Posted
You cannot overdose on Vitamin B12 as any excess is excreted via your urine. Do any of the supplements you take actually contain B12?
The only "natural" way to obtain B12 is by eating animal products such as meat, fish, seafoods, poultry, eggs and dairy produce.
To process the B12 it is essential to have sufficient Folate (B9) which again can only be sourced "naturally" by eating leafy green vegetables, sprouts, broccoli, asparagus, beans etc although some breakfast cereals are now being fortified with folic acid.
The old fashioned healthy meals of "Meat, potato, greens and gravy" provide both at the same time.
Go see your doctor and unless he can find some physical cause he will be as much in the dark as anyone else, but please do ask about your medication's affect on your B12 level - he may need to look it up. The leaflet included with the pills may well mention it as a side effect.
I wish you well
kiwiipics lindsey1212
Posted
Prozac won't help your tinnitus, and smoking your favourite with it will be counter productive.
B12 might have an effect ... might.
Prozac might have caused the Tinnitus as a side effect ...... sometimes it's MS style symptoms.
If you have Pulsatile Tinnitus .. none of the above apply,as the cause is usually vascular
lindsey1212 kiwiipics
Posted
Thank you. Yes, I figured it didn't help really. Before I smoked (which rarely do I) I already had some anxiety etc. because of the fact that I recently upped my dosage etc. this is why I only took 2 SMALL hits. I have made the decision to stop- at least until I get my med. situation straightened out. I will probably stop for good honestly. I have taken Prozac and lamictal in the past without this annoying potential side effect. However, if either med. is causing it, I would much rather continue the meds as my anxiety greatly outweighs the ringing.
lindsey1212
Posted
I had anxiety about smoking before I even smoked* that's what I meant. Ha
hope76097 lindsey1212
Posted
Hold on to the joy that it subsided. Make note of what may have triggered it. It is so complex and no 2 people have the same cause, so the professionals say. No one really knows the cause and many suspect certain things. Don't get anxious when it happens, just try to de-stress. Maybe take a shower first hot, then cold, then hot, then cold, then hot. That helps me a little. There has been a study related to sleep and for me that is the only thing that helps it subside completely--a good sleep. Going to bed before 1 am.
lindsey1212 hope76097
Posted
Thank you for your response. Idk, when it happened, it really scared me. (I believe that already being anxious and obsessive about things didn't help) I just need reassurance that I'm not going to go crazy or start hearing things!
Oddly, it came back again around the same time- didn't smoke or drink any alcohol. However, I'm now noticing that my ears are popping, especially if I open my mouth. It could just be that I'm paranoid about it, but now I'm very sensitive to sounds (not like it hurts but I have thoughts like "what if they aren't real sounds"
which in terms increases the anxiety.. I've read some articles that stress and anxiety can cause a flare up or tinninitus or make it worse than it was. I have never been formally diagnosed with OCD, but I have had a psych. And my reg. GP both say that I have obsessive compulsive like tendencies related to my anxiety. Basically I have a thought such as "what if I go crazy and begin hearing things" then my immediate reaction is to get online or talk to someone for reassurance that I'm not. I have obsessed about things such as health anxiety- I've convinced myself of having cancer etc. I sound like a crazy person right now! Lol. I know I have gone off of what the discussion is originally about but this happening honestly has scared me..
hope76097 lindsey1212
Posted
Have you been given any cognitive therapy or medication to use for your anxiety? There are two natural supplements (amongst others) that may help but studies are inconclusive. You may want to research Ashwagandha - comes in dropper, and NAC N-Acetyl Cysteine.
Do you have paranoia in your family? If you do start getting more anxious or hear voices, etc. don't blame yourself or panic. It could be in your genes. Simply make an appointment with a pscychiatrist.
Your conversation probably vered this way because schizo tendacies are in my family although only 2 out of 6 siblings have it and one only was diagnosed in her 50s. I don't have it but I have tinnitus at present. The earlier you sense you have a problem the better as there are treatments. If you wait too long your brain may become damaged and you may get in a rut of denying you have a problem and then everything becomes worse as it did with my older sister who we had to force to be treated.
Base your decisions on what you know, not what you fear. Fears can become giants if you let them. Chances are you are more of a perfectionist than OCD and your best help is to work on that and letting yourself relax. I'm of the opinion we go through problems so we can seek solutions and help others when they run into similar problems.
I suggest since you said when you opened your mouth you heard it that you see a dentist. It could be your jaw joint. When inflammed or out of alignment, it sends off vibrations. Happens to many people. The solution is usually to give you a tooth guard to wear while sleeping. Costly at first but worth it. Mine has lasted me many years.
Work on eating healthy and whatever you can do to stay healthy and if you end up with a mental-health issue, it is not your fault it is misfiring brain neurons which may need supplementation. It is a structure issue that unfortunately affects thoughts. But it is so common and treatable it makes no sense to panic. It is important to drop the stigma attached to mental health issues and just confess to them and deal with them and know you are still lovable.
hope76097 lindsey1212
Posted
I replied but it went to moderation. I hope moderator approves. It could be because I cut and paste a term because I didn't know how to spell it. Maybe it shows up as a link. Hopefully they post my long and thoughtful reply!!
lindsey1212 hope76097
Posted
clivealive hope76097
Posted
Hi Hope I know just how annoying it is to have a "long and thoughtful reply" moderated so what I do is block and copy my comment and if it does get blocked I either save it to a Word document or send it as a private message to the intended recipient by clicking on the enevelope under their name
lindsey1212 hope76097
Posted
If it isn't too much trouble for you, would you mind pm'ing me what you had said? I am genuinely interested in reading what you have to say! 😀
hope76097 clivealive
Posted
I sometimes do that and I even tried the back button but it wasn't there as there was no back button.
hope76097 lindsey1212
Posted
If they don't post it I will get back to you. I'm too tired right now.