Antidepressants (SSRIs, SNRIs, MAOs, TCAs, TeCAs)

Would just like to mention citalopram has never made my T worse

 

I had to go on antidepressants to help me cope, they took some getting used to, but have helped me so much. I have been on them for 4 mos now, tinnitus has not improved but at least I am functioning near normal now.

 

The same for me; after various attempts, brintellix work. Cutted rivotril from 2.5mg down to 1mg. Sometimes 0.5

 

I have never heard of these meds. but I will look them up. I live in Canada so these meds may not be used here, but I will find out. Thank you for the info.

 

I don't have ideas if you can benefit from it. Your tinnitus seems recent. Wait before starting a therapy with antidepressants or others, especially because those require at least 2 weeks to show improvement. Follow your doctor's advice and don't give up.

 

Just joined. I have had mild T for 15 years. Dr. told me to ignore it. I did in a week or 2 and it served me well for those 15 years. In July, I developed pretty severe T for some reason. Skeptical but trying acupuncture. I've been taking generic Paxil and clonazepam for many years for anxiety so adding those for me won't be a game changer. Yesterday Dr. prescribed Flonase, but I don't feel congested, but I'll try it. Thinks maybe I have a dysfunctional Eustachian Tube? Fingers crossed. Great to read from others. Hello!

 

After 15 years of T and your just getting diagnosed with this now. More likely the Dr. has no F-ing clue and is just experimenting/ giving you something to leave his office. No sweat, if it's noise induced better scientists/Drs. will be coming with something shortly.

 

I'm gong to be visiting my MD on Monday, he does not yet know about my T which I've had for about 2 months. I'm going to ask for an Rx for Clonazepam, for anxiety now, and possibly an SSRI for some point in the not-too-distant future if I need it.

I tried a generic Sertraline last year, before I had T, and the side effects almost killed me, although I had Sertraline in a different generic version some 12 years ago which was pretty good. There's just too many threads and posts here regarding SSRI's to read them all, so I'd like some suggestions of ones that have helped people with Tinnitus, if possible. My insurance only pays for generics (I live in the U.S.), I would pay for the name brand if that's better, depending on the cost. Thank you.

 

Trial and error In all of them - there is no 'best' one because what works well for one may not work for another.

Paroxetine is the most potent
Venlafaxine is an snri

These two are probably the 'strongest' however the withdrawal is hell on earth if not done properly!

If you have sleeping issues Remeron/Mirtizipine is an older antidepressant that is also very effective.

Good luck!

 

Is Mirtazapine or Nortriptyline considered the safest in terms of side affects and low chance of harming tinnitus at all?

Is there any chances these can help slightly lower noise induced tinnitus? Not how my mind views it, but calming it even a little?

I've lost my battle and I have only two options, try to get some reduction or take extreme measures which I don't want to do and can't do to my family. Lost all my progress, tinnitus is now not stable and tone is going up and down and up and down making it not possible to mask without a flood from the faucet.

Not sure what I've done, but it's as if my ear, neurons, something are on constant state of hyperactivity. I have no choice but to try to take something. Even a slight reduction could keep my sane.

 

Hello, you helped cipraleks from noise in the ears? What do you think about this drug as a whole? How long did you take it? I drink it for half a year for 10 mg and he helped. Recently I started to reduce to 5 mg, and it got worse. I started again with 10 mg. I hope the former condition will return and there will be no resistance. Do you agree?

 

Hello, Cipralex helped you from noise in the ears? What do you think about this drug as a whole? How long did you take it? I took it for half a year (10 mg) and it helped. Recently I started to reduce it to 5 mg, and it got worse. I started again with 10 mg. I hope the former condition will return and there will be no resistance. Do you agree? Will the tinnitus and condition return to the former, to the same as how it was on the higher dose? I took 5 mg for 5 days.

 

Hi all
Regarding Remeron, I'm wondering please does it help with less awareness of t during the day, or is it mostly just good for sleep?

Thanks

 

(Sorry if it's a bit off topic at this point in the thread, I'm looking into it and was interested in what people mentioned about it earlier in the thread)

 

Hi everyone,

Does anybody have any experience with taking Brintellix/Trintellix (Vortioxetine)?

If so for how long have you been taking it and at what dose? Did it lower, or exacerbate your tinnitus?

Thanks a lot.

Cheers,

Jiri

 

I take mirtazapine and my appetite has definitly raised from it, so I think I eat a little more then I used to. Luckily I have a very high metabolism, so I havent gained any weight. I think people on it, gain weight because they eat more.

 

I started on Brintellix in the late fall, and have taken it for about 3 months now - 10 mg. It has had no bad (or good) effect on my T.

 

Well, I've been on it for 3 months as well. 20 mg dose though. It's SSRI class of antidepressants which are known to be able to cause T. I'm going to taper off from it.

I found this anecdotal comment on this forum regarding this drug and it made me upset:

 

The current thread in treatments encompasses all possible antidepressants that can be described, which is problematic. SSRIs, TCAs, MAOIs, and so forth are all very different medications in terms of their psychopharamacology and side effects. You cannot accurately compare amitriptyline with Lexapro, for example.

That being said, despite the claims of Josef Rouschecker, I do not believe any serotonergic or dopamanergic drug will correct the so-called "gate keeping" function of the TRN. Antidepressants that are do not elevate serotonin levels can be effective at combating depression, anxiety, and not tinnitus. SSRIs have been shown to potentially worsen tinnitus hyperactivity in the DCN, thus they should be avoided.

I am curios as to whether the so-called "happy neurotransmitters" of serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine, which antagonize/inhibited, could improve tinnitus.

 

Why do SSRIs help some people then?

 

Like I said, effective depression treatment, tinnitus, not so much.

 

I will keep taking my Brintellix even though it is an SSRI

I really don't have much of a choice....well, I do, but if the choice is between not taking the drug and facing crippling on-going depression or keep taking the drug and being better mentally and only potentially worsening my T, I choose the latter.

 

I saw my psychiatrist yesterday and was told that Brintellix/Trintellix (Vortioxetine) is NOT SSRI class of antidepressants.

According to her, it is the "best" that is out there yet and she was not aware of any cases or studies where this particular drug instigated tinnitus in anybody. Though, she admitted she cannot know all the studies. This drug in a combo with Pregabalin(Lyrica) should be safe as well. I was told this by 2 other psychiatrists.

That is one antidepressant in a combination with a antiepileptic type of a drug. I asked then at a pharmacy and they were also not aware of any cases of raised tinnitus levels due to taking this combination of drugs or any other interactions.

Apart from some bad anecdotal stories (10 in total) I was not able to find myself a single study regarding this drug and a tinnitus. One has to bear in mind that those people who report worsening of their tinnitus in association with Brintellix have mostly been either on other type of antidepressants before (usually for years) or have been taking simultaneously other meds. This is all so very difficult to figure out what can cause what. We're all individuals.

I am aware that serotonin reuptake inhibitors influence serotonin levels in DCN which is not good for tinnitus.

I am going to call a uni teaching hospital and ask one psychiatrist there (the same one who put me on those drugs) about his experiences and what he thinks of it AND the withdrawal symptoms (tinnitus exacerbation and brain zaps).

 

Thank you so much for sharing that new knowledge It definitly makes me more calm to know it is not an SSRI and that their are no cases of T from it (at least that we know of)

 

I have to say that my problem has gotten worse since it started but the antidepressants are a barrier that i would only go through in the end. my last option
to this day I think it is better to accept the problem instead of masking it. endure it day by day, with the tears and the pain that entails

 

I do not even know why in some antidepressants, including modern SSRIs, there is a side effect such as tinnitus.

But it is indicated as a rare side effect. And, it seems to me, even in these rare cases is of a short-term nature.

In general, I believe it is advisable to increase the level of serotonin in tinnitus, especially with its obvious effect on the emotional background and quality of life.

I will give briefly some facts:
- Auditory pathways pass through the centers of mood in the brain, which is why tinnitus is so hard to tolerate emotionally - serotonin is called to stop negative experiences and improve mood;
- In the brain there is a constant struggle "between the forces of brain distillation and the forces of inhibition" - serotonin plays on the side of the centers of inhibition, and, on the whole, has a mild soothing effect.
- Serotonin improves sleep;
- Serotonin increases the threshold of pain sensitivity;

So, in general, the use of modern SSRIs with tinnitus is quite justified. Especially in a situation where we do not have at least some specific remedy for tinnitus in the world.

 

Except there was an animal model study which showed that increased serotonin agonized the hyperactivity of the DCN, thereby worsening tinnnitus. I would amp up dopamine and completely ignore serotonin. Despite its popularity in pop psychology it's not all it's cracked up to be.

Josef Rauschecker's "gate-keeper" model has been used to claim that commonly prescribed antidepressants could treat tinnitus by restoring the gate keeping function of the SSRI and treat depression too. However, study after study has failed to yield significant reductions in tinnitus symptoms (NOT perception, that's an emotional reaction and has nothing to do with tinnitus itself).

Amitriptyline has been somewhat effective at reducing tinnitus, but commonly prescribed SSRIs should be avoided, snd serotonin should not be increased. If your doctor or psychiatrist prescribes such mood enchanting drugs, you should throw them away in place of something else.

 

I have never before used SSRIs, but 2.5 weeks ago I was prescriped Sertraline to help me battle my spike/worsening T. I can't say for sure that it was the meds, but as far as I can tell, the noise has not faded - at least not by much - but I feel so much better now than three weeks ago.

 

So you’re benefiting from this med? Any side effects?

 

Yes, I do and I have absolutely no side effects. Not that I know of. I also take mirtazapine, so in terms of side effects it is hard to pin point which AD is causing it, but I have no side effects from either, at least they are very mild and not noticable if I have some.

EDIT: Of I forgot, I have a side effect, but I know that is from mirtazapine because it is a wellknown side effect of that drug, and that is a larger appetite, but it is not too bad and I am thin so I could stand to gain some weight.