hearing impairment..

Hi, David, and welcome!

It is possible that the drugs (one or both) could be causing your hearing problems and ear tenderness. Do you have tinnitus now, as well? I can certainly relate to your situation, because it was an ace inhibitor that caused my tinnitus to become severe.

I had mild tinnitus and some hearing loss in my right ear for many years, but it was not bothersome. Then, when I began taking an ace inhibitor (Lisinopril) , all that changed. My ringing became very loud, and about 2 weeks later, I started to have pulsating tinnitus (heartbeat sound in ear), as well.

However, you must be on those drugs for a very good reason, and I would NEVER tell you to get off the drugs!! I made that mistake, and got off the ace inhibitor too abruptly; it gave me bad side effects for many months afterward. Blood pressure drugs are powerful, and it can be dangerous to get off them too quickly. Your good health may be at stake, so don't do anything until you talk to your doctor first!

What I would suggest you do is (1) look up the side effects of both, and read some online patient reviews of the drugs, as well, to find out if they are otoxic; (2) go back to your doctor, tell him what you've just told us, and express your concerns; (3) see if your doctor can put you on another drug, or drugs, that will not be ototoxic.

Best wishes, and please keep us updated on how you're doing!

 

Hi, again, David,

I'm not sure if the effects would be lasting or not. I think it depends on the person. For me, I'm sorry to say that is has been. Although I took a different drug than you did, it has had a long-lasting effect on my tinnitus.

I got off the Lisinopril within 1 month of taking it, but then the doctor put me on propranolol (a beta blocker); then switched me to Toprol XL (another beta blocker); then hydrochlorothiazide (a diuretic). I got off all the blood pressure drugs back in 2010, and I still have the ringing and pulsating. It has gotten somewhat better with time, but it is still there, and at a higher level than what it was before the drugs. The good news is -- my blood pressure is now under control! I'm taking natural supplements, exercising, and watching my diet, and my blood pressure is normal again. I think my blood pressure became high in the first place because I've been taking Synthroid (thyroid medicine) for many years.

Some of these drugs do not list ringing in the ears as a side effect, but in reading other people's comments about them, it looks like it is often is a little-known side effect. It would be best to research these drugs as best you can, and then see what else there might be for you, if you are concerned about it.

I hope this has helped somewhat! Take care, Karen

 

I just realized what a proton pump inhibitor is; it's for acid reflux. I haven't heard of ear problems as a side effect of that type of drug, but you never know.....it's possible!

I hope that the ear syringing works for you, and that your problems are only due to a build-up of ear wax.

If that doesn't work, maybe you could go to an audiologist to have your hearing tested, if you haven't already done so. They could tell you what kind of hearing loss you have, and in what frequency. That might be a good next step to take.

 

Hi, David,

I don't know of a non-ototoxic blood pressure drug, but there are a lot of different types of drugs out there. Your doctor is sure to know of one that is non-ototoxic. I'm not sure calcium channel blockers are ototoxic; that would be something to check into.

As regards ear wax --- surely it isn't possible to become hard of hearing from just that! There may be other factors involved. If you're over 50 (so am I), our hearing may just naturally degenerate as we age. I know that mine has!

Have you checked to see if the Paxil might have been ototoxic? How long were you on it? Did you have to wean yourself off it gradually?

 

David,

I just found this about Paxil:
http://hearinglosshelp.com/weblog/o...you-stop-taking-a-drug-such-as-paroxetine.php

I'm just wondering if you are having a residual effect from the Paxil. Maybe if it doesn't change after you have the ear syringing procedure, you could consider seeing an audiologist or ENT.

 

David,
In that case, it sounds like the other drugs could have something to do with it.
Are you going to continue with the ear drops through the weekend? Is the purpose of the drops to soften up the wax?

I know you must be miserable right now. Do you have any sort of background sound you can play during the night to help with sleep?