Can Progesterone Cream Make Tinnitus Worse?

My progesterone was 1.2. I asked an endocrinologist about it and he said we don't treat low progesterone just because it's low? It's tiring trying to figure out what's right for yourself with conflicting opinions of doctors.

 

I have tried so many different things in combination or alone. Although I am taking the Gabapentin, I noticed my sleep was improved and I was able to sleep 5 or sometimes even 6 hours straight once I started CBN.

Coincidentally, I did increase LDN a tiny bit yesterday and then last night I had broken sleep again waking up from sweating, which I thought I resolved with the compounded hormones I also had in the middle of the night and this morning the straight tonal EEEE again from my ear. It's now back to the high pitch hissing or air leak noise.

I am eagerly waiting for my appt to get the Stellate Ganglion block as I read several reports of it being used in menopause to help hot flashes, brain fog and tinnitus in other reports.

I wholly agree that I think hormone shifts start or exacerbate tinnitus.

 

I'm sorry you're on a bumpy road.

I think LDN impacts on hormones. I wonder if that explains the return of your night sweats... final tinnitus... etc...

 

It is hard to know what to do.

The only reason I'm doing HRT is because of my tinnitus.

Otherwise I would have toughed it out.

Are you symptomatic with your low progesterone? What are your Estradiol and FSH doing?

 

Hi Deb,

I listened to the first half of the following podcast with Clive de Carle the other night and found it interesting. Sorry, I can't remember the actual timestamp but he was mentioning stuff you're talking about here and was suggesting iodine deficiency. To be honest, it's a bit beyond my scope and understanding but you might find it useful.

PS - I think de Carle may divide some people with his various comments, but I guess most alternative practitioners do to some degree.

 

My estradiol is 529 and FSH is 21.9. As for symptoms, sometimes I get hot flashes but nothing consistent or too severe.

Is it part of why my tinnitus is worse? Who knows.

What level would your doctor like your progesterone level to be at?

 

Thank you for posting this.

This is of interest to me. I was diagnosed with sub clinical hypothyroidism in 2020 during another relapse. I was also found to be iodine deficient.

I forgot about that.

I had half an iron infusion around this time, as I was told that this was required to improve thyroid function.

I was also eating seaweed.

Guess I'll get back to that now out of desperation.

 

Did you do your test on day 21 of your cycle?

How old are you? Are your cycles still regular? Any changes there?

Your FSH is a measure of your ovarian reserve. It tends to get higher as you head into menopause, because the ovaries are getting tired.

Around this time, you will also notice your progesterone will drop first, then your oestradiol. Fun times

Without knowing if the test was done during your luteal phase or not, and not having the reference ranges in front of me, I can't comment.

You are probably in perimenopause. Given your FSH is not high, your progesterone is low, but you are still managing to make oestradiol.

I personally think I've been in perimenopause for quite some time. I used to have sweats at work so bad that I had to put ice packs in my scrubs. As I was being treated for Lyme disease concurrently, I assumed it was the infection. Thinking back, it was probably perimenopause setting its claws into me.

I wouldn't have bothered with HRT if it weren't for this blasted relapse and insomnia.

Maybe seek another opinion. I did. 4 times, before I settled on my current integrative doctor.

 

I'm 50 and my cycles are all over the place. From 22 days to 87. About day 53 at the moment.

Do you only see integrative doctors and not regular GPs?

 

What would the benefit be for me to see mainstream GPs?

 

Yeah, fair enough point. Hope you have a good doctor.

 

How are you going?

 

I did 2 SGB blocks on each side yesterday. When I woke up earlier in the day it was louder already and I may contribute it to the Progesterone. I am testing my theory out. I had a night I did not take before bed and slept amazing earlier in the week. I tested out not taking it last night again and slept great only waking once. I'm going to try taking it every other night this week and see what happens.

The SGB blocks made it louder I'm assuming because he uses Lidocaine and a steroid. But I am back to my baseline this morning again. I had to take a full Klonopin broken up in the day because I was loud. But oddly because it calms your sympathetic nervous system, I wasn't really distressed and not crying about it. I'm truly hoping this goes to a unnoticeable level within 2 years. The end of this month concludes 18 months for me.

 

I hope the SGB helps you.

I'd be interested to hear if the progesterone is making your tinnitus louder? What dose progesterone are you taking? I am only on 34 mg cream. I am still waking up hot, and of course, my tinnitus is doing its thing. I think I'll give it a miss tonight and see what happens.

I will add as because one of my estrogens was low on a salivary test, I have been recommended to start a low dose estrogen. However, this compounds things as I suspect I also have a histamine issue. If I drive up estrogen, I will risk driving up histamine. Now what?

My sleep is very messed up. Frequent waking at night due to heat, then unable to get back to sleep because of tinnitus and panic. Are you still taking Gabapentin and CBD? I wish I knew how to sleep right through the night without resorting to pharmaceuticals.

I have just started inositol = 3g. I haven't noticed any calming effect yet. Maybe it has to build up.

I hope you can get to a better place with your tinnitus. I believe you will eventually.

 

Hi Deb,

I don't know what is making my tinnitus louder lately. I did the SGB and that day it was louder, but the day after much quieter for maybe 70% of the day, then the following day louder again! I also happened to miss 2 doses of progesterone which I take before bed so I don't know if that was it? I am also wondering if it's too high at 200 mg?

I started taking Gabapentin and Cyclobenzaprine for bed (I ran out of CBN and it's expensive, just purchased more last night). That's what my mom has taken for years and it has been giving me good sleep but I was still waking at least once at night (bed around 10pm and awake usually around 5-6am). Well, since the SGB I have not woken up in the middle of the night the past 2 nights. Since starting the HRT cream with low dose estradiol and testosterone I have not had a single night sweat or hot flash. It took about a week to take effect I guess?

So for now I am happy about the menopause symptoms improving, but still working out ways to lower this God forsaken tinnitus. I am pushing and gritting my way through work everyday as hard as I can, but I have a phone job where I am on maybe 25 or so calls a day and I guess I'm grateful tinnitus is mostly in my left ear still so I can work - but sometimes it feels both or in my head again like a buzz. Just venting aloud but I really wish I'd wake up once morning and it be like a level 2 or gone lol.

I hope you are doing well and get the peri/menopause symptoms under control. I really wish I did not need sleep meds at all. I'd like to run and exercise but am scared ramping up tinnitus all the time. After 18 months I am almost considering Tinnitus Retraining Therapy just to get things under control although in the beginning I thought it was quackery and horse sh*t lol.

 

Hello lovely,

Thanks for your update. I like your positivity and proactive approach.

I hope your tinnitus volume has settled down again?

Is the effect of the SGB on the amygdala instant?

So you missed 2 doses 200 mg progesterone, and your tinnitus got louder?

I have read a few anecdotal reports of women experiencing improvements in their tinnitus from taking progesterone alone. I have also read a few reports of women resolving/improving their tinnitus with estrogen.

I vaguely remember reading somewhere that pushing progesterone up too much may cause it to be converted back to estrogen, and pushing estrogen up can drive any underlying histamine issues?

Do you mind sharing your prescription with me?

I had another chat to a doctor today. She has recommended I do the following:

- Complete Dutch hormone testing today
- Either bump up progesterone cream to 100 mg or take Prometrium
- Start Biest 1mg daily

No improvements with the low dose progesterone cream alone here. Sleep still messed up. Panicked most of the time, interspersed with bouts of sobbing and despair.

Tried a lot of things (outside pharma) for sleep. Pinning my hopes on estrogen saving me.

I have never taken Gabapentin or Cyclobenzaprine. it would be a miracle to sleep all night.

You have the resolve to get better. I hope I can follow your lead. X

 

I am so sorry you aren't sleeping better. I think it was honestly a full year before I wasn't waking up 2-3x a night. I tried a lot of different combos of sleep meds, natural and prescribed. Some failed terribly like Ambien, it did not work on me the way it does other people. I actually had a really bad breakdown from it, as I would cry telling my mother that it felt like my brain would just not turn off no matter what. I think my sleep improved from the tinnitus getting better too though. The tinnitus was in my ears and all through my head for a while and has now settled mostly to my left ear as it was in the beginning, but sometimes I can hear it in both.

I read 3 studies on SGB treating tinnitus and Meniere's and then found some people with parosmia from COVID-19 have had great success. I don't know the exact mechanism of it but they say it's kind of like a brain reset. If you look up videos there's several people that immediately after the block can smell and taste food and are crying because they'd suffered 12-18 months. It's also been used in studies for menopause symptoms. I don't feel it gave me any great improvement in tinnitus as I had hoped and am still weighing options if I should go back for another and ask for Lidocaine only (he did steroid/Lidocaine combo and I feel that is the reason why I spiked).

I do wonder if they started me too high for Progesterone, but my tinnitus has settled back after the SGB and the missed Progesterone the other week. So it's 200 mg Progesterone and Testosterone, 24mg/g Estradiol, 1.8 mg/g compounded cream, 1 click every 12 hours (but I only do one click every 24 hours). I haven't had a single night sweat or hot flash since a week after I started these. I am pretty amazed.

I have never had a test to see if I have histamine or MCAS issues, but I don't feel I do? I wonder if I should test anyway?

Yes, I have been willing to try everything to get this tinnitus down or gone. The first 3 months that wasn't the case and I cried and drank wine daily. It's been the worst experience of my life. I pray we all get better and I truly wish Dr. Shore's device would be available soon. I'd like to get to where I can barely hear it and watch TV. Progress is now where I can be out and about and not hear it sometimes, but I'd love to be able to watch TV and not be annoyed hearing it the entire time. Time hopefully heals more.

I wish you the best Deb and I know you will get sleep soon. Hugs.

 

Thanks Lovely,

I can only say that I am on 100 mg progesterone cream. I was suggested to take Prometrium, but after reading that it can cause dizziness and blurred vision - no thank you!

I recently added in low dose estrogen cream. However, I am concerned after reading that it can inhibit GABA/increase Glutamate.

I am waiting to speak to my doctor about this further on Tues daybefore recommencing. I was only using it for the night heat, but if it is going to add to my dramas with tinnitus, I'd rather find some other way of dealing with the heat.

I am really getting to the end of my tether with no respite from the head noise or hissing in my ears.

I had hoped that the progesterone would help settle things down, but it hasn't had any effect on anything so far.

Glad to read that the SGB has helped you. Do you think it has impacted on your tinnitus volume?

 

I may have already asked you this, but since your progesterone has dropped presumably, do you think your tinnitus has gotten louder?

 

My tinnitus has gotten worse but it's because I keep getting spikes. Ever since that bloody COVID-19 vaccine, everything has gone downhill. Whether my low progesterone has anything to do with it, I don't know.

 

Oh I am sorry to hear that. Spikes are definitely not on my list of fun things to do. I hope it settles down for you. Stay in touch x

 

Initially, it was loud and I was scared I messed up by getting it. I have days now that are loud and then substantially quiet like today. I can barely hear it today, it's there but in the background.

Yesterday, I was out and about with my mom going to estate sales and it was very loud all day and felt like it was in my head more than my ears. It's so frustrating to think I'm doing better and then the next day I'm not.

I am praying it goes down down down over time and I can't hear it unless I focus.

I did sleep amazing last night though not waking up once. Took Gabapentin, Melatonin and CBN to sleep and was out 10:45pm to 7am without waking at all.

 

I love how proactive you are and how determined you are to get to higher ground.

You are fortunate to have access to clinical trials.

Do you mind me asking you where you had the blocks done? How is your anxiety now?

Did Otonomy ever speculate with you why your head noise has largely disappeared? What is its mechanism of action?

I presume you are still on the LDN?

I know you were thinking your progesterone was too high. I can't necessarily see that as an issue given its involvement with increasing GABA and serotonin and lowering inflammation. I am more concerned about supplementing with estrogen given its ability to drive up glutamate. For that reason, I have stopped the estrogen cream for now, pending a conversation with a doctor tomorrow knowledgeable about neurotransmitters and hormones. Mind you, I have spoken to women who have practically eradicated their tinnitus by using estrogen.

The hardest part of this is not knowing what is wrong - in a precise way - it makes it hard to decide which direction to take. It all seems a bit hit and miss.

There is no reason to believe that your tinnitus won't eventually move into the background given you've already said that there are times you can barely hear it. I miss those days!

Here is a random consideration. Insulin and tinnitus. I tested mine. It is elevated.

 

I had the blocks done at a pain clinic here in TX.

I decided to take a break for a week and see what happened with LDN.

The researcher did not discuss this with me, only answered questionnaires and did new hearing tests every time I was there.

It's rare, but I will have a day it is low and I can't hear it driving or out and about. But like today, it's louder. My sleep wasn't ideal last night, waking up once.

I did a radical diet in the first 8 months of tinnitus and cut out sugars or carbohydrates. It did not make a great difference in my tinnitus but I had lost 55 lbs. Have since gained back about 25 lbs lol.

 

@DebInAustralia, for what it’s worth, I have taken combination low-dose estrogen and progesterone as a form of HRT for years and it hasn’t done anything to my tinnitus.

I’m also interested in trying CBD for sleep. I’m struggling to sleep as I had to stop my sleep meds because I had to go on an anti-fungal medication for 3 months and it can cause a heart arrhythmia with my sleep meds. Ironically Benadryl seems to make my tinnitus worse the next day. So I kicked that to the curb. Now I’m just taking my Clonazepam which doesn’t really make me sleepy anymore and I’m not going to increase my dose. With Melatonin I may be getting four hours of sleep.