Need help please? I have a unique case of tinnitus

Posted , 8 users are following.

I never had T before. I'm 61 years old and I went through back surgery which really spiked my depression and existing anxiety I was diagnosed with a few years back. It all started when my doctor put me on the antidepressant Paxil. I was on it for a few weeks then quit cold turkey. I went through hell for six weeks. My doctor then gave me Prozac which caused this terrible pain and loud noise coming from my head it was no. Stop very debilitating. Out of desperation I took another Paxil which to my amazement my sounds went away for for five days then came back worse then ever. My noises have been constant buzzing swishing ringing my head and my ears it's crazy sad my swishing went away but I still have no stop noise in my head and the buzzing makes me crazy. It's been about three months my sounds have gotten lower will this ever go away?

1 like, 7 replies

7 Replies

  • Posted

    Hi Kenny - it's hard to say if your tinnitus will ever go away. I would imagine if you could figure out what caused it, you might be able to figure out if it will just go away. There are many, many medications that cause tinnitus and I'm uncertain if the Paxil was the exact cause or it was something else. I think once you figure out what type of tinnitus you have, you'll be better off dealing with it. I highly suggest you get checked with a good ENT doctor and have him examine you. I have suffered with tinnitus for many years. Mine is relentless and I get a few weeks each year where it's tolerable. Othwerise, it's just a loud hissing-constantly. Many different foods, meds and weather make it worse. Although I take Xanax daily, it does nothing whatsoever for my tinnitus. There are times I think it makes matter worse.

    Sorry I couldn't be of much help but just know you don't suffer alone. 

    Would love to see a cure for this nightmare before I leave this world. Research seems not close to a cure anytime soon. 

    Good Luck!

  • Posted

    Hi Kenny,

    I'm not a medically qualified person but have had tinnitus on and off since the early 1980s and originally put it down to my having a very large and very noisy dot matrix printer in my very small office which served the whole Company I worked for as the accountant.

    My doctor examined me, could find nothing wrong physically and basically said "you've got tinnitus - now go away".

    Tinnitus is one of the symptoms caused by Vitamin B12 deficiency.  I note your age, that you've had surgery and are on antidepressants - all three of which can lead to a lowering of your B12 levels.

    I've had Pernicious Anaemia for 45 years (a disease which causes a B12 deficiency) for which I have to have injections of B12 every month for the rest of my life and I have noticed that occasionally in the run up to my next injection my tinnitus returns - I have it now as I type and I'm due a jab on Friday.

    May I suggest you ask your doctor to test your Vitamin B12 and Folate levels if for nothing else but to rule them out as a possible cause of your tinnitus?

    I wish you well.

    • Posted

      This is an excellent point, Clive... I had a B12 deficiencey and I continue to take B12 supplements daily. (1000mcgs) in the beginning, I thought it was the miracle I had been waiting for. They helped for about 10 days and the noise came back full steam. In my case, I believe having bad absessed ears as a child and playing drums for a long time, along with operating power equipment with no ear protection, did my ears  in. At times, I think my ears are related to bad sinus. I have been to 3 different ENT doctors and they basically tell me I have to live with it and there's nothing out there that cures tinnitus. 

    • Posted

      It is reckoned that upwards of 40% of the population of the United States are B12 Deficient and I guess it's not too much of a leap to assume that it's not that much different over here.

  • Posted

    Kenny

    Tinnitus and depression/anxiety go hand in hand. It is possible to have tinnitus and bat it off so to speak, not let it upset you, lots and lots of people do, it doesn't bother them. But it does take a long time to get to this stage. You need a well trained audiologist to set you on the right path.

    Stay positive, things will change and improve!

     

    • Posted

      Gillian I think mine was due to an ear syringe too. I'm seeing an ENT Monday. So far I'm 3 weeks. Did yours go away?

  • Posted

    Kenny, did your tinnitus ever improve? I got it from anti depressant sertraline. I only took it for 3 days.

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