Hello All

Hello everyone,

I am a 33 years old guy currently living in Berlin, Germany.

I have developed tinnitus as a side effect of Escitalopram (Lexapro). I have been prescribed this drug for mild depression and health anxiety. Been on 5mg for approximately 6 weeks, then on 10 mg for 4 weeks. While on the 10 mg my mood got gradually better and my anxiety was almost completely gone until one evening after a bike ride I felt this really high pitched noise in my ears that stayed with me since.

Initially I thought the bike ride on a windy day had something to do with it, but after researching the internet I saw that it could be a side effect of the drug so I immediately started tapering down (currently on my 4th day at 5mg instead of 10mg). I also visited an ENT doctor which after a thorough examination of my ears said there is no apparent physical problem and he confirmed this is most likely a side effect of the Lexapro as he's seen several other patients with the same problem as myself from this medicine (currently the most prescribed AD in Germany). He also said it is a good idea to go off the medication but to inform my prescribing doctor as well. In regards to what should I do to make it better, he said not much, just wait it out, try to ignore it and hope it goes away... He also prescribed Ginko Biloba but I think mostly for the placebo effect...

I know my story is not much compared to others since I've only had this condition for 5 days, however I feel it is bringing me down and can hardly do anything without thinking about it and the possibility of being permanent. The worst part is I am weaning of the medication that brought this upon me but on the same time I know it was helping me with my health anxiety so it's going to be a tough ride, not to mention the possible withdrawal effects.

I am really happy I found this forum and the people that contribute to it. I will try to give updates on my condition if it changes (hopefully for the better).

I am usually not very active on forums but I figured I'd post this so people think twice before going on this medication specially if they have tinnitus already.

Thank you for your time, wish you all well

 

Are you sure you need to taper off?

 

@Bill Bauer Thanks for your reply. I am not sure about anything anymore... I thought it would be smart to take 5mg for one week at least since I have red some horror stories about withdrawal effects from Lexapro even after only 2 weeks.

Good to know that your friend recovered

 

How loud is your Tinnitus? Can you hear it over everyday noises?

BTW, I'm from Germany, too.

 

@sky_high ,
If you notice your low mood returning their are other meds to try but exercise getting out on your bike can help and talking therapy but I'm sure if your tinnitus settles that will be a mood lifter too!
keep us updated on how you are getting on.
love glynis

 

@TLion tl;dr -> It depends on what I'm doing mostly but it does not let me sleep. Long version below.

I am Romanian, I only moved to Germany 5 years ago . It's hard to tell how loud it really is since there are occasions when I don't hear it at all, for example while I am at work and really focused on something (I am a programmer and fortunately I can get absorbed easily into what I am doing), when I have my headphones on and listen to some music even at low levels, when I ride my bike, etc. For example while I am writing this reply I can hear it very clearly, I remember this sound only from back in the day when I would spend the night in techno clubs and on the way back home I would have this really high pitch buzz in my head, like the whistle of a boiling kettle. It always went away until the next morning, that is the big difference from now.

It bothers me really bad when I arrive at home as I live in a very quiet area with my windows facing an inner courtyard, going to sleep is a nightmare, I only coped the last few days with 0.5 pill of Xanax leftovers which I was prescribed at some point for panic attacks. Also it's really bad in the morning when I wake up I hear it very loud, it's only after I start my routine I can hear it less: grind some coffee, put some music on, read the news, take a shower, etc... I have the impression it's always at the same volume I just notice it less in some situations.

Honestly after going to the ENT I notice it more, but I think it's the psychological effect of realizing the gravity of the situation, or at least I perceive it differently after a doctor that had on his specialization list 'tinnitus' and just shrug his shoulders and said there's nothing to do about it...

 

@glynis thank you for the kind thoughts. I know that there are other meds for this, however I am not planning on getting hooked on any of them in the near future since most of the anti-depressants have tinnitus as a 'rare' side-effect and benzodiazepines tend to be highly addictive and with horrible withdrawal symptoms.

Funny enough I am pretty active, I try to go jogging at least twice a week and ride my bike to work almost every day when the weather allows it. I am also going to talk therapy since a couple of months. Even funnier is since I got the tinnitus I realized I did not have that many problems and there's always worse things that can happen. Go figure )

 

Yeah, tinnitus changes your perspective. I used to worry about getting that next big promotion at the office. Now I just worry about whether I'll actually get to sleep without having hours-long panic attacks. And I'm thankful for the times I can sleep. It's possible it's made me a more content person, in a sick sort of way.

 

Hello Sky High I too am new to tinnitus, just over a month in. I am glad you found this forum as it gave me the hope and the support I needed from a lot of different people who are united by one element, tinnitus. From what I have read and experienced, the first couple of months are very stressful. You find yourself asking what is this, why me, what is next? As I am new to the world of T. I can only give you insight into the stuff I had to learn right at the start that helped me know what would help me, and what I should avoid doing which might aggrivate it. There are others on this forum who can speak with much greater knowledge about hearing and tinnitus, and answer your questions about how your T. started, your med.'s, and your future. Mine can get so loud I hear it over a car engine on the highway, I hear it when I wake up, and then it goes down to next to nothing, it is in one ear, then the other. What gets me through all this is the support and wisdom I have received on this forum telling me, after patiently listening to me, as to what was happening to me and what to expect. For me it was that I had some hopeful signs. So far, their advice has been pretty good, and what I needed.


Everyone knows what you are going through, and you are not alone, you have support at this site. There are others who regularly read, support and answer your questions. Just realize that this site is a world wide site, so if people do not respond right away, it is because they may be on another continent.


As I suspect, you have already been reading the post in the Introduce Yourself and Support sections. These sections may help you gain some insight to issues and aspects of tinnitus. What follows is the answers to my own questions re. 'How do I function?', I hope this helps you navigate the next little while. From what I have started to learn is that the first couple of months are the hardest, loud noise = bad (so at the start listen to your music at a lower volume and movies can be loud so be wary and keep the volume down, is your coffee grinder loud, if it is be wary or protect your ears while it is on), head phones = bad - so if it is possible for the next while at least, can you start listening with speakers?, ear protection = good (ear plugs, if you use foam make sure you know how to insert them, I got moulded, and/or ear muffs, perhaps when you are riding to help protect you from sharp loud sounds, but make sure you are still able to listen to your environment so you can hear cars to stay safe), being aware and not letting your guard down, e.g., going into a loud restaurant or coffee shop without ear protection and thinking it will be ok = not good, when outside and your tinnitus fluctuates realize it can be a result of normal fluctuations, so don't panic, but definitely avoid loud noises as this can affect your tinnitus. Over protecting your ears can also have consequences. It is an interesting balancing act.

When you go to bed have some music playing in the background, and in the morning when you get up. I have found on the internet Tinnitus Sound Therapy music, and for me it helped. I listened to different music, some spoke to me, some didn't. I have it on during the day, and at night I take my laptop into my bedroom and play it overnight (some of the sites go for 8 to 10 hours). From what I have learned, it is good to play it just below the level of your T, as it helps mask the T. allowing you to focus on it less. When I arrive home after being out I put on music, the tv, or a tinnitus sound therapy website on as it allows me not to focus on it.


This is the harder one, but is very important. Hope is a good thing and realizing that you can oversome this is, while hard to see, is very real. It is important, and I know it is much easier to say than do, but learning to focus your attention from the screeming in your ear is possible. As I am writing this, my left ear is louder, and my right has been angry for the past 2 hours, while it was quiet all morning. I am dealing with it by not focusing on it by looking past it and directing my attention on the tv for ex. and reminding myself that it will go down. It does take time to get to this point. One approach, of many, could be to shift your focus and try to think of something you enjoy, or makes you feel good. I remember one post where she watched Star Trek for a month, because it is filled with hope. Meditation and mindfulness and yoga have appeared in a number of posts from people sharing that this helped. If you don't meditate and are willing, there are guided meditation web sites, or look for a meditation class in your area. Tell the orgainzer why you are exploring meditation, and she, or he, can actually run a class that may help you deal with your T. Focusing constantly on your T. = not good, and actually gives your T. power over you, when it is exactly the opposite, you have the power over it. Unfortunately it does take time to adjust, so give yourself time, and some understanding.


From what I have learned in a number of cases it does get better, but that is where others can share their greater wisdon on this, especially with regards to your med's. The only thing I can think of is make sure your doctor and/or pharmacist knows about any changes to your med.'s. As I said I am new myself so I focus on the importance of support and hope at this important entry time to the world of T. as I call it. Coffee Girl, Bill B., Fishbone, Micheal L., Glnyis, Greg among others who have a lot of good ideas, and more experience than I do.


Best of luck, I hope this helps.

John CC

 

I am sorry you have tinnitus.

You probably know there are natural alternatives to ADs such as L tryptophan and 5HTP.

I know a few people here who have had success with no exacerbation of their tinnitus with mirtazepine.

I was told by a naturopath that taking benzos/alcohol downregulates gaba receptors. Precisely what you dont need to do when you are already struggling. Instead, look at ashwaghanda and passionflower.

Headphone usage might be contributing to your t. Have you had an audiogram?

 

@DebInAustralia I am not sure what an audiogram is... when I went to the ENT he put a device in my ears that felt like it was sending pressure in my ear drums. He then printed the results and looked like a graph, he showed it to me and said everything looks good. However I have no idea how the procedure is called and he did not give me the results to take home. He also checked for wax and said there is none...

About the headphones I am not sure what to say... Using them is the only thing that keeps me sane and I don’t feel I am doing further damage. I am quite sure noise exposure is not what cause my tinnitus, it’s the Lexapro...

Thank you for your reply

 

@John CC thank you for your input and advice. I am having a really tough first week... I hope it gets better. I wish you all the best

 

Hello John. I am new to tinitus as well, 5 months in. You seem very helpful to others already, good for you. And you also sound fairly positive for the early stages, I was not so lucky. My first three months were ....let's just say , the worst three months of my life. I live just outside of hamilton, so I just wanted to offer my support to a local Canuck. I hope you can cope well with this affliction, and I wish you a full recovery. Cheers my friend

 

Hi RCS Well, I have no choice to sound positive, you see I am a teacher and it is bred into us to always see the silver lining on every cloud/child. That is why I will never go on a boat cruise. I have this vision that there we are floating along, and BAM, the boat sinks in 5 mins. There are only 14 of us in one boat, and silver lining teacher that I am says, I am sure they got off a message. Two days later an airplane flies over and then BAM falls out of the sky, silver lining teacher I am says, I am sure they got off a message.

Three days later a boat goes by, BAM hits a whale named Moby Dick and down it goes, but silver lining teacher I am says, I am sure they got off a message. Four days later they turn to me, and say so we need one person to try and swim for it to lighten the boat, we were thinking of Mr. Positivity, what do you think?

Humour is a good thing, just like hope. I too feel the frustration of the world of T. You think it is starting to get better, and then BAM it goes from quiet to loud for no particular reason. You go outside because you are worried about your ears becoming too sensitive to sound and all that stuff, and then BAM something loud happens and you go back feeling like a sorry example of 'Do not pass Go, do not collect $200'. I sat with a friend today at a Coffee Culture, not too loud and then my right ear goes, and all your thinking is 'really??'. This is definitely not a lot of fun. My life was going great actually, at the start of the summer I was thinking this is as good as it can flow, and then BAM, loud noise, T starts a couple of days later in the left, and then the right. I have never had time go so slowly in my life, weeks literally feel like months.

So what gets me though it? A couple of years ago I started looking at problems as opportunities to grow. I flipped problems on their heads, and it helped me look at them differently. The last week of July was the longest in my life, and it took me a couple of days through a lot of despair to stop asking why, how, no fair, and to start to try to look at this as an opportunity to grow, to find hope where there was none, to see something, anything good somewhere down the road. It was not easy. In my picture you will noticed two cars. The Caramo is the Rally Sport with the beefed up suspension/engine, which I love to drive, the T. is a threat to it, and the convertible behind it. But, with ear plugs, ear muffs, etc. I have to believe I will overcome. This forum helped big time, as it gave me answers, and I didn't feel as alone as I was. I started to read the success stories, and realized I can be that to, and it gave me hope, sometimes hard to see when you wake up, but I focused on the thoughts, you can have hope, and more, and do something. I also looked at the first couple of weeks of this as if I had a major concussion, and had to stay in to heal.

Anyway, I too have long days, but I also thread them with some hope, and I try to do a little more each week. I am very fortunate in that I can take time off to heal from school. While I am glad I can, I do find it frustrating being away form teaching as I actually do love my job. I teach in an inner city school in To., it is challenging to say the least, but it does have its rewards. But I remind myself that sometimes you have to put your health first.

As a number of people here observe one day at a time, and they are right. I posted stuff to new people with T as I found by talking about it and helping others, especially with the what do I do's at the start that I had wondered about it, also helped me to cope and feel better about my own T. as well. Years of meditation have also helped me to.

How are you doing how? I still am finding it difficult to handle the fluctuations that apparently happen at the start of T. You think it is getting better, then it gets loud, and then it goes down, but I guess it is just the roller coaster ride you have to get used to. What do you think? Was it the same way for you too?

Anyways, I hope it is getting better and you are starting to see some light at the end of this really dark tunnel.

JohnCC

 

one month update

First of all, thank you all for taking time to post and answer my questions. I am closing in to the one month milestone since I have tinnitus and 3 weeks since I am off the Lexapro (that I assume was the culprit in the first place). The good news is I did not have too many withdrawal symptoms and my mood is not that bad in general.

My tinnitus is still present but bothers me a bit less. I cannot figure out if I am habituating or it is lower in volume. I can still hear it pretty much everywhere, but it is become less of a nuisance. I also don't need any medicine or white noise to sleep. In the first week I had to take half of Xanax or half of Zopiclone before bed, but fortunately I don't need those anymore. If I feel restless I just take some Valerian root and have a decent 7 hours sleep.
I would like to know if there is a definite way of telling if it's fading or I am just habituating. Sounds stupid but I really can't tell for sure.

I have a new symptom, my left ear feels clogged almost permanently since 4 days. I do not have any pain, it just feels that there is some water in there. Sometimes even my left nostril feels stuffed and feel some pressure under my left eye. This is something new and have no idea what might have caused it as I did not go for a swim, I stopped using headphones and no concerts. I also don't feel like I am coming down with a cold or anything.
Would it be advised to check with my ENT again or just wait it out?

Thank you,

SkyHigh