H2 Antihistamines (Famotidine/Ranitidine) — Safe?

Hey,

About 4 days ago I got a new sound: a brain tinnitus with echoing metallic sound all over my head. I made a thread about it, but only now realized that 10 days ago I switched my PPI med to famotidine (Pepcid). I also increased the dose (10 -> 20 mg) at about same time than my brain tinnitus started. Coincidence? Not sure, since other things were at play too.

The thing is I need to manage my night-time acid reflux. I was already on PPIs for three months and am terrified when it comes to long-term side effects... H2 antihistamines seem safer - I did not think them to be ototoxic and had no tinnitus listed as side effect.

Now I'm thinking to try another H2 antihistamine called ranitidine. Anyone have some insight over this matter? Could famotidine have caused this new brain tinnitus and if it did, would it be permanent? Is it safe for me to try switching to ranitidine to see if it changes anything?

I'm kind of torn between having to manage my night-time reflux and then also afraid this new brain tinnitus will stay. Or worse yet, if the tinnitus adverse effects just stack by me trying wrong meds.

 

Hi @NimQ,

I have no experience with those medications, and I do not know if this is the same where you live, but in the US, a pharmacist should be able to provide you with information on possibly side-effects associated with specific medications. I would start by asking your pharmacist about any known association with ranitidine and tinnitus. Again, I cannot speak to how it works in other countries, but I know that the training pharmacists receive in the US does contain a significant focus on drug interactions and side-effects.

 

The thing is that it seems to be somewhat tricky to tell whether a certain medicine will affect already existing tinnitus. I think there is mostly information from tinnitus induced by medication, but not much collected data from T sufferers. Medications that should not be ototoxic have caused reactions and even if T is not listed on side effects, there might be an underlying mechanism that might affect T sounds and volume. I will ask pharmacist as well, but as it is late evening already, I will have to decide what to do tonight when I go to bed.

 

You are correct. And, as you stated, there is probably not much data collected from tinnitus sufferers. But, I still believe that speaking to your pharmacist is probably your best course of action. S/he, as far as I know, is the best trained to understand how medication affects the body and interacts with other medications and symptoms from various afflictions.

 

I take Fexofenadine 180mg and
Cinnarizine 15mg up to 6 a day.
Love glynis

 

I decided to go back to use PPI for a couple of days, to see if my brain T goes away. Hopefully it does... And then I'll try ranitidine.

 

This one has been around a long, long time. Longer than Famotidine. It has never to my knowledge been associated with tinnitus, or anything much else for that matter. The thing with PPIs is they can theoretically inhibit the uptake of Magnesium which is why I think they rate a mention in relation to tinnitus. I don't think it's a big issue however. There's other threads around here about these drugs if you want to look further in.

 

@glynis
I take Fexofenadine 180mg and Cinnarizine 15mg up to 6 times a day.

Is this for sleep?

Thank you.