Are Ambien or Valium Safe for Dealing with Acute Onset Tinnitus?

One doctor suggested I may try ambien or valium for troubles sleeping with tinnitus. I know this is not a good long term solution and does not resolve the problem, but if it's something that helps me get through the early stages is there any harm?

I have read varying opinions on whether either drug can increase T. To my knowledge neither drug is known for being ototoxic, but my only worry is if either of these drugs could have a negative impact on my body trying to heal itself in the acute stages of acoustic trauma.

It seems stress is a huge factor, especially in early stages, and anything you can do to reduce stress and get good sleep would be a net benefit.

 

Hi, @Alue:

We were just talking about sleep and medications on the thread below. Maybe something helpful in there for you? Valium is a benzodiazapene, like Xanax.
https://www.tinnitustalk.com/threads/hi-new-to-the-forum-cant-sleep.12943/#post-158117

Some people believe benzos are ototoxic, but its not on the big hit list (like chemo drugs). Taking it short term should be OK. If your tinnitus ramps up, it should go back down after you stop taking the drug. Actually, Xanax made my tinnitus softer.

 

Thanks for the reply. What about Ambien and ototoxicity? Ambien works for me with little residual side effects (other than being drowsy and out of it if I stay awake). I used to take it years ago but stopped taking it.

For short term the thing I'm most concerned about is the healing process before tinnitus becomes chronic. It may well be chronic for me, but from my limited understanding, damaged auditory nerves can die off in the days and weeks following an acoustic trauma. Maybe it's faster than that but I don't even know if the medical community knows for sure.

 

If you are going to take benzos, use NAC and ALCAR to protect your hair cells. Or use melatonin for sleep and St. John Wort for depression.

Prevention of impulse noise-induced hearing loss with antioxidants.

Kopke R1, Bielefeld E, Liu J, Zheng J, Jackson R, Henderson D, Coleman JK.
Author information
Abstract

CONCLUSION:​

These findings indicate a strong protective effect of ALCAR and NAC on impulse noise-induced cochlear damage, and suggest the feasibility of using clinically available antioxidant compounds to protect the ear from acute acoustic injury.

OBJECTIVE:​

Reactive oxygen species have been shown to play a significant role in noise-induced hearing loss. In the current study, the protective effects of two antioxidants, acetyl-L-carnitine (ALCAR) and N-L-acetylcysteine (NAC), were investigated in a chinchilla model of hearing loss resulting from impulse noise. It was hypothesized that pre- and post-treatment with these antioxidants would ameliorate the effects of impulse noise compared to saline-treated controls.

MATERIAL AND METHODS:​

Eighteen animals were randomly assigned to 1 of 3 groups and exposed to impulse noise at a level of 155 dB peak SPL for 150 repetitions. ALCAR or NAC were administered twice daily (b.i.d.) for 2 days and 1 h prior to and 1 h following noise exposure, and then b.i.d. for the following 2 days. For the control group, saline was injected at the same time points. Auditory brainstem responses (ABRs) were recorded. Cochlear surface preparations were made to obtain cytocochleograms.

RESULTS:​

Three weeks after exposure, permanent threshold shifts for the experimental groups were significantly reduced to approximately = 10-30 dB less than that for the control group (p < 0.01). Less hair cell loss was also observed in the ALCAR and NAC groups than in the control group. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15966690

 

If you had an acoustic trauma such that you are worried about nerve cell death, you should see about prednisone.

As noted above NAC is also helpful though it may be too late for that.

Regarding benzos or ambien, Xanax and Klonopin helped me. Also no problems with Ambien. Tinnitus is a concern when stopping benzos. If stopped too quickly, some people experience tinnitus. Short term use at relatively low dosages to help with sleep or to take the edge off are not likely to be a problem though there are obviously no guarantees.

 

@Alue I took Ambien when it all started for me. I used it a couple of times a week for maybe 3 weeks. I must say that all I got from it was 5 hrs of sleep. (But 5 hrs was better than nothing.) No effect on t.

 

I am on prednisone, have been for a week now, but I did not start it till 5 days after the trauma. Even though I saw urgent care the following day. I really wish I was prescribed it sooner as my tinnitus set in the days following the trauma, it makes me wonder if it would have made a difference.

 

Thanks, how are you doing now?

 

It is what it is now. Do not worry about yesterday for it is gone. Try to get some sleep and stay positive. You will get better.

 

I'm an alarmist about benzos, but, I'd say that the risks of not sleeping are also not something to ignore.

If you really cannot sleep without drugs, then my advice would be to take the smallest dose of either Valium or ambien which helps... But don't take both at once! Personally I'd stick with Valium, I think it is a more gentle drug.

I would not be comfortable taking it more than a week or two straight, though.

 

Both valium and ambien are safe used temporarily for no more than a week at a time.

 

If you are depressed as well as not sleeping then seroquel might help you too...