Constant Tinnitus in Both Ears — Potentially Triggered by Medications

Hi all,

I am 34 years old and my tinnitus started about a year ago.

Some background (actual tinnitus section below that):

A few days before it began I was extremely stressed and on one of the nights it was really hard for me to fall asleep. When I finally fell asleep, I woke up soon after from extreme heart palpitations. I sort of managed to calm myself and my heart down, but a few hours afterwards I suffered from it again. These were probably panic attacks, which I didn't realize back then (one reason I think they may have started, apart from the stress, is the fact that I was off Zoloft, a common SSRI medicine for about half a year, after continuously taking it for more than 10 years).

The following days weren't any better and I had a few more panic attacks and sleepless nights. I went to a psychiatrist who put me back on meds, but this time he prescribed me with Lexapro and a small dosage of Seroquel (to get some sleep). On the day after my first dosage I started shivering and my head was pounding, together with strong heart palpitations once again. Following another visit at a clinic, I was given a different benzo to try out and was prescribed with Zoloft once again (needless to say, I also did an EKG and blood tests that detected nothing).

Tinnitus part -
My condition got better after getting back on Zoloft and the heart palpitations subsided after a few days, and I also could get better sleep again. However, I started to notice this high pitched static sound in both of my ears, that got louder and louder each day. I went to different ENTs and doctors, performed numerous tests (hearing test, BERA, brain CT, head and neck ultrasound, TMJ, more blood tests), but nothing showed up.

This new constant noise has made my life a hell. I struggle to concentrate, sleep and enjoy things I used to enjoy. I have tried CBT, acupuncture, various herbal remedies, but nothing seems to really help.

Out of despair and misery I even flew to Germany during these harsh COVID-19 times to buy a Lenire device, which doesn't seem to improve anything (I have been using it for almost 3 months).

And that basically sums it. I can't give up on trying to find a successful therapy or at least some relief and simply can't hear the sentence "get used to it" anymore.

I hope to get more information here and hopefully next year will be better for us all.

Jeho