Is this the menopause- tinnitus, bitter taste, intermittent periods and hypothyroidism?!?!

Research quote concerning tinnitus and hormones:

There is a growing body of evidence that there exists a link between the female hormone cycles (or the cessation thereof) and the fluctuations in the perception of tinnitus loudness. While the majority of this evidence consists of anecdotal comments by researchers, clinicians and doctors from around the globe, their conclusions support the connection and demands further investigation.

According to the Royal National Institute for Deaf People (RNID), United Kingdom, “a number of women reported that their tinnitus either started, or became more noticeable, during pregnancy, menopause, or following Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT).” HRT is the taking of supplements of female sex hormones by women to alleviate menopausal symptoms and to reduce the future risk of osteoporosis and cardiovascular disease.

A worsening or onset of tinnitus may be a consequence of the side effects of HRT, which include fluid retention, depression, headache, dizziness, insomnia, raised blood pressure, and migraine. A 1996 study (1) gave an example of a woman who developed tinnitus and hearing loss in one ear, two days after taking Climaval (oestradiol) as HRT. After the HRT was stopped and she started on steroids, her hearing returned to normal and the tinnitus disappeared. She then began on Premarin with no symptoms initially. Over the next year she had a few episodes of mild hearing loss and intermittent tinnitus, but felt these were minor and not interfering with her lifestyle. In view of this and the advantages of HRT in her situation, she continued taking Premarin.

Other theories suggest that the prevalence of tinnitus associated with both peri-menopause and menopause as well as HRT could simply be due to an age related issue. Tinnitus is experienced more by people in their 60s, 50s and 40s than in any other age group – so tinnitus onset may be coincidental in menopausal women or those receiving HRT, and be more related to age or other factors. It is also theorized that menopausal symptoms such as sweating, hot flashes, and mood changes also affect tinnitus. Even the level of circulating hormones estrogen and progesterone could initiate or worsen tinnitus especially during menopause.

Some women reported that their tinnitus started or became more noticeable during premenstrual syndrome (PMS) (2). Some evidence suggests that artificial progestognes (such as those found in HRT) in order to insure regular cyclical bleeding can cause an exacerbation of the tinnitus.

I have been on various vitamins now for several months.....

Maybe I've just not found the right one yet?!

Can I throw blurred vision in to the mix as well? Lol x

I have had trouble with blurred vision too. As I mentioned I was also having issues with tinnitus and becasue of the two my doc sent me to have an MRI of the brain. Sometimes these symptom can be the result of a tumor , or they even questioned I had a stroke. This was something doc wanted to be sure of. At the time I had real bad vertigo (last 9 months). Tumors were ruled out, my brain looked just fine so i was back to square one.

I went to an opthamologist instead of a optometrist...aside from the blurred vision I was getting these stabbing pains in the eyes like someone poked a needle into the eye and everything seemed too bright. Leave for fall were brighter than their normal colors. I was also having trouble with patterns. If I saw a person in a striped shirt the striped were blinding to me. 

The opthamologist told me I had the beginning of cataracts that was allowing too much light inot the eyes. She also noticed that one of my eyes was no long round like younger eyes are and felt that might lead to some blurring. She gave me drops for my eyes as I told her if I used the computer too much my eyes would burn. She said that the shutter in my eyes was not as flexible and was not closing like it did as a younger person which might be giving me issues as well. She siggested I wear sun glasses when outside. However with all the testing, I still ahve 20/20 distant vision! Yeah, so I took it that my eyes were aging, fun. That didn't change anything.

So this is what I have found that works for me. For some reason when I started taking one cod liver oil tab a day, it helped me with patterns and brightness. I don't know if my eyes needed more vit A or if my body needed more vit D but I know it worked. I also found that if I drink milk it will make my blurred vision worse. I experimented with that sevral times to be sure of what was going on and every time it was milk that caused the bluriness. It was also milk that I concluded caused my scalp to itch and burn and caused the tunnitus in my ears. It was the wheat that caused my vertigo and foggy brain.

I thought I ate healthy but what we cannot see is what is happening inside our bodies. We do not know if what we are consuming is actually doing harmful things to our bodies and when we are told to eat healthy and we learn what healthy is supposed to be we are baffled by why our bodies might find certain foods an irritant.

Another tip too here that worked for me. We are all different and we all have to find what works for us so what worked for me might not work for you. However, you mentioned achiness. The vit D helped me with that but I would still get this random achiness of the joints especially. It almost felt like something was attacking parts of my body randomly and when this ache hit a spot on me it was very painful. Docs tested me for inflammatory markers, tested me for Rheumatoid arthritis among some other things....all my tests came back negative. I found a nettle tea which you can by thru Amazon. I had read about it, tried it and can you believe that did it for me. The achiness went away. My husband tried it as he has trouble with gout and his one toe would flare up on him and it worked for that too. You do have to be careful with it. Read all the wanrings if you decided to take it. Only drinking in the morning as you might find it keeping you awake. It can cause heart palpitations and once my palpitations were gone (wheat) I knew the tea after awhile was giving me the palpitations. I hope I didn't scare you with the warnings as this tea really is good and does help alot.

So reassuring to hear I am not alone - I am 52, in menopause and feel like hell. Tinnitus started 9 months ago. Loud droning, humming, buzzing, ringing. You name it I hear it. Other nightmarish things like, night sweats, daytime hot flushes, feeling weird, brain fog are manageable for me but the tinnitus has just tipped the balance and has made my menopause intolerable at times.

one bit of hope is that all my symptoms go in peaks and troughs, so I am patiently waiting for things to calm down a bit.  Tinnitus certainly seems to have variations in its intensity and even goes all together for small periods of time. 

I am am going back to my doctors to see about Hrt, final straw really..

I agree with many posts that doctors do not seem to consider menopause as a reason for many of the symptoms being described on this post. I have had numerous blood tests, thyroid tests, ENT , brain scans. Only thing discovered was vit d deficiency.. 

As as it is commonly called the change, I am ever hopeful for a change for the better. 

Good of luck everyone - we are not alone x

I can sympathise as I too have conflicting ailments,

4 years ago I was diagnosed with hypothyroid, which could turn into hashimotos disease that's what the gp said, and at the same time I started with the menopause, the anger and violence hate, lethargy hyperactivity sweating freezing cold weight gain ostio arthritus in spine and arthritus in hands and neck, panic anxiety agoraphobia palpatations, so was started on 25mg levothyroxine and hrt continuous because monthlys became erratic,  I have never felt so bad, I used to shout obscenities out of the window at passers by staring in I was constantly crying and very very depressed, was told I needed to see a counciller I had nothing to talk about no worrys no stress nothing apart from this illness whatever it may be.

anyway 3years went by in a blur,  my poor family have put up with so much, I felt like no one in the medical profession was helping.

moved house last year new gp hopeless, asked to see a different one who is really nice I feel like I have a good rapport with her,  tried lots of diffent hrt my body does not seem to like it, had coil fitted got very bad infection had to be admitted to hospital I was so ill I thought I was going to die. 

Cut a long story short, I am now on sertraline 100mg and 75 mg levothyroxine menopause suppliments and flaxseed and still don't feel 100%.

here are my symptoms and the list is long😳 I will start from my head.

hair loss brittle and dry some weeks.

headache/buzzing fullness in head and ears/runny nose

eyesight problems had to have lazer treatment for leakage at the back/gritty

sore throat/furry tounge/odd taste/acid reflux/feel lump in throat

hair on chin and top lip/red dry itchy skin/acne

cold hands/feet

excessive sweating at night drenched then cold

body odour different/discharge/leaky bladder/constipation/Diorreah/piles

anxiety depression tremors hyperactive lethargy insomnia panic attacks socially withdrawn anxiety palpitations

suicidal thoughts, 

tingling skin/brittle nails/ bruises.

complete loss of libido almost 2 years now

recently I have stopped taking hrt and the symptoms got worse, tempted to try once more on a different hrt.

i am just exsiting at the moment I have no pleasure any more I don't even look like me I look in the mirror and I see a worried haggard old lady, I have aged so much.

I am 51 with no stress or worries I have the most understanding husband and after all this he is still here.

is this the menopause or the sertraline or the thyroid. 

HELP I THINK IM GOING MAD😡😜

I have had ct scan on stomach all clear numerous ecg's, colonoscopy, and the camera that goes up your nose throat scan barium meal all good, still waiting for results of colonoscopy. 

good grief I sound like a hypocondriac, I just want to look and feel like a normal woman/wife and have my life back. 

moan over.  😀

 

I know you posted this ages ago, but I stumbled upon this site and your question and I may be able to provide some relief for the tinnitus. 

I too got tinnitus out of the blue in my mid-40's and thought I was losing my hearing but now, after reading this thread I'm sure that it's part of the whole melange of peri menopausal side effects. I too experience brain fog, memory loss (couldn't remember names when put on the spot), have bouts of nausea (felt like morning sickness), and developed rosacea. I've methodically been trying to lessen the severity of each sysmptom through supplements (I already eat a very healthy diet cutting out fried foods, limiting sugar to about 5 tsp a day and loading up on veggies), including tinnitus.

So here's my remedy that may help you too. A company called New Nordic makes a supplement called "Ear Tone" and I've been taking it for about 3 weeks. While the tinnitus is not gone, the severity of it is much less. There are even times when it's completely absent and that never occurred for the year I had dealt with it previously with no supplement. Although the tinnitus is not totally gone, I feel so much better knowing that a supplement I can buy in the pharmacy helps a lot. It's not cheap (about $1.00 In Canada) per day, but it's so worth it. You can find it on line too. Good luck