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

Already on Lorazepam and Escitalopram. I'll have to take one 1mg Lorazepam in the morning and before going to sleep. Then half 15mg Escitalopram in the morning. I haven't started yet. Dr said i was digging deeper and deeper in my anxiety and depression and that it's time to give them a shot after four years managing severe tinnitus with no drugs help whatsoever. I'll miss booze A LOT.

 

I was just prescribed 20mg Prozac for depression and anxiety centered around my hearing loss and tinnitus. I don't think I'm going to bother with it, though.

Give me FX-322 or give me death.

 

@Tweedleman -- I suspect your "prescriber" probably neglected to tell you that Prozac could actually make your depression, anxiety, and tinnitus much worse. -- I think you're wise to forego this route.

 

When I asked about it being ototoxic she said, "No, I don't think it will effect your hearing."

 

@Tweedleman -- Her attitude seems pretty cavalier to me, considering that the consequences of her being wrong about her "hunch" could lead somebody to lifelong debilitating tinnitus and/or other auditory problems. Not trying to tell you what to do, but you may want to check out another thread on this topic, where I made THIS POST, which describes some of the (infuriating) history of the whole Prozac approval process.

 

Yea I was a good sport on the low dose amitriptyline (which I've ceased taking) that she first prescribed for sleeping, but the Prozac seems to be much higher stakes. I want my shitty cochlea preserved as best as possible for the glorious day the ENT is ready to shoot me up with regenerative drugs.

 

How did you feel with Lexapro?

 

I tried many SSRIs... last was Prozac for a week... I’ve been having a spike since and I stopped two weeks ago.

 

How long have you stopped drinking? I think I should do the same thing but it really helps cope!

 

But what about Lexapro? Helped you a bit? Spiked your tinnitus?

 

One week.

 

I developed tinnitus years after I started Lexapro. I stopped taking it thinking it would help or stop my tinnitus... never happened... but getting off Lexapro was horrible...

 

Is your tinnitus noise induced? What made quitting so horrible? What symptoms did you go through?

 

Every day in the morning and in the evening? Why exactly? Do you have severe insomnia so you have to? And did he tell you to take it if you need it (like, if you can't sleep you take it and if you can, you don't?) And if you started taking it, is it helping with anything or making you feel better in any way or are you just taking it because the doctors think it can help and "can't hurt"?

 

That was what the doctor said. One in the morning and one before going to bed. Then an optional one if I feel extra anxiety. She was well aware of me not having had any sleeping issues since onset four and a half years ago. I've could sleep solidly all this time without any help despite my tinnitus being severe. She said Lorazepam is intended to help me while the effects of Escitalopram kick off. I am supposed to stop taking Lorazepam next Thursday, which will mark two weeks since I started. Then continue taking Escitalopram 15mg.

Effects. First three days I felt really fine. I come from two months of a really rough patch, suicidal thoughts, obsessive monitorization of my tinnitus, worsened tinnitus, depressive behaviour, growing anxiety... Those first three days were heaven, then I've had mixed feelings. Frequent sighs, shivers, low mood, upbeat mood, quiet tinnitus, loud tinnitus... Everything is expected to stabilize in a couple of weeks.

In these four years I've been through times of really loud tinnitus not being bothered by it and even completely forgetting about it. I just hope antidepressants (Escitalopran) is able to help me to get back on that track.

 

I’m not sure how I got tinnitus... I do have hearing loss in my left ear. Getting off Lexapro... brain zaps... dizzy... insomnia... lasted for about 6 months.

 

Ok, if the plan is to stop taking them as soon as possible, I have nothing to say for now.

 

The plan is to stop taking Lorazepam and keep taking Escitalopram indefinitely.

 

OK, if you ask me I would not take "an optional one", and make sure that starting from friday you have something to do when you are home so you don't get bored during the transition.

 

What happens with taking Lorazepam?

 

Depends, it's different for everyone, it can be addictive. Not if you take it once or twice a week I guess. I mean if you take it every day for a few weeks or months. Why? How are you doing?

 

I've been back on the low dose 25mg amitriptyline. It still makes no difference to my noise-induced tinnitus. I combine it with a high dose of valerian in the evening and the effects are very relaxing.

I used to be a cannabis connoisseur, but hearing damage and tinnitus absolutely ruined that for me. And aside from the occasional beer, I'm avoiding alcohol as it doesn't do much for me.

I just find I need something to get me by. The amitriptyline + valerian combo is all I've got. I look forward to it all day.

 

Perhaps you could redirect your cannabis connoisseurship to the nuanced universe of tricyclics. For example, you could try nortriptyline for a month or so and see how it compares

I've never tried valerian. I'd be curious to give it a whirl.

Before tinnitus I was almost anachronistically square. With tinnitus, I'll do anything and everything that might help.

 

I'm here to report a data point. Went on Cymbalta and it made my H worse. As I weaned off, my H has been improving. I'm not necessarily recommending you don't try something, as we are all different. Maybe an antidepressant is exactly what you need. But one of the smartest things I did was put my foot down about increasing the dose when it was making me worse.

I'm weaning off and getting some withdrawal symptoms (like minor brain zaps), but it's not that bad because I put my foot down before I became too dependent. If I could do it all over again, I definitely would. In fact, I may try a different AD in the future -- we'll see.

 

I'll ask my doc about trying the other tricyclics, I've been interested in nortriptyline.

I say give the valerian a try, especially if you have difficulty sleeping. I go way over the recommended dose and combined with the amitriptyline the effect is pretty strong for what it is. Tonight I took the 25mg amitriptyline, 2000mg of valerian, and 10mg melatonin for good measure. I'm pretty whacked. It doesn't do anything to the tinnitus, but it will knock you out.

 

I've noticed a lot of people in the forum seem to use amitriptyline, but the ENT's I've been in touch with all seem to prefer nortriptyline.

I've tried melatonin but it makes me super groggy the next day, so I don't use it. But I'm curious about valerian so I'll buy some the next time I venture out into the hot zone.

I also bought some pharmacy-grade CBD oil, but haven't tried it yet.

 

Has anyone taken an anti-depressant that’s actually lowered the volume of their tinnitus?

 

Just for information I was on nortriptyline for headache when I got tinnitus and I would say the volume reduced when I came off the drug, a few months after getting tinnitus. And that’s one of the ones they use in tinnitus.

 

Are you still on this drug Drone Draper?