3 Months — Tinnitus Started After Stopping Xanax

I have had tinnitus for 3 months which started after I stopped Xanax. I have had my ear checked and I have no hearing loss. I am simply burned out and don’t know which way to turn. Any help or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

 

Well you've come to a great place to start, that's for sure. It may be comforting to know that many of us have felt the same way you do now, being exhausted with the prospect of dealing with tinnitus for the rest of your life.

I myself have had it for 3 years. At first I felt like I'd rather die. That feeling would lessen each day as I realized how often I "forgot" that I had tinnitus.

For example, I'd be reading and 30 minutes later go, "Hey, I have tinnitus! But I forgot about it for 30 minutes!" Those moments are sacred.

I'd wager that most people, no matter how loud their tinnitus, go through moments when they are less aware of their tinnitus.

These moments will increase over time. Eventually, you'll go hours without being aware of it and this is where things become quite hopeful. You'll start to recognize all of the things you can still do with your life.

You'll start to feel fortunate that you haven't lost more.

This feeling will push you through to the days in which they create the cure.

There are many attempts in labs all over the world right now, so we may have one within the next 3 years (is my guess, based on current lab results).

So remain strong. It does get easier, though in the beginning it may seem a crushing weight.

You will overcome it. Just give it time friend

 

Remain strong and give it some time. If it was drug induced it may take time for things to get back to normal.

 

It's not easy. If you've had it three months I'm sure you know about masking. The other advice I would give is take it one day at a time. It's ok to get emotional even if you don't want to tell anyone about it.

 

is Xanax ototoxic as is it harmful for the ear cells or is it when the brain gets dependent on it and then you quit that T start?

 

Someone mentioned that it mess with your GABA and it becomes dependent on the Benzo so stopping may cause the Tinnitus.

 

but this is not possible only after one 0.5mg pill right?

 

There seems to be a connection between benzo dependency and benzo withdrawal causing tinnitus. Anecdotally the occasional xanax will not cause any problems. I am not a doctor or a researcher, so I don't know for sure. This is based on anecdotal reports so take it with a grain of salt.

 

It’s an uncommon side effect of benzo withdrawal. Sometimes it persists indefinetly, sometimes it clears up, nobody can tell you for sure.

Just out of interest, is the tinnitus coming from your ears or your head?