Hi all

[Denny]

My name is Dennis I have been lurking the forum for months before joining today.
My tinnitus started on January 15 2013. I am a pharmacist by profession. I am not
Sure the exact reason medications,noise exposure, stress? I have learned a lot from
This forum much more than anything from medical providers. God bless everyone
In this forum. The suffering from tinnitus is unseen and unexplainable and people
have little to no understanding of this condition. In the beginning it was a terrible struggle
things have improved after many ups and downs but sleep is still an issue which bothers
Me the most. Many thanks to markuu and all the people active in the forum. I am a moderator
In another military forum so I appreciate this effort and understand what it takes to run
The forum. God bless you all and may we all find our inner peace.

 

[Karen]

Hi, Denny, and welcome to Tinnitus Talk! We're glad to have you on board, and I am also glad to hear you are a pharmacist as you will have an understanding of the drugs/supplements people often ask about.

Are you taking anything specifically for sleep at this time?

Thanks for joining us, and we look forward to hearing more thoughts/comments from you soon!!

Best wishes,
Karen

 

[Denny]

I was taking amitriptylline for sleeping but I stopped a month ago I felt it was making my tinnitus
Worst causing loud spikes at night. Many people are helped by amitriptylline, I was too in the
Beginning. After stopping many things that may have been worsening the condition this was the
One of the last on the list. I keep hydroxyzine around just in case I need to knock myself out
But I am trying my best to avoid taking anything. I was also taking lisinopril like you at one time
So this could also be on the list of possible causes?

 

[Karen]

Hi, Denny,

Yes, in my opinion, Lisinopril could be one of the causes. It was right after I began taking it that I experienced all my problems. I've since read several online patient forums, where people experienced loud ringing in the ears after taking Lisinopril. And it isn't mentioned by most doctors as a side effect of this drug. Mostly, they mention the cough that a lot of people get from Lisinopril. I never got the cough, but I really wish I had never taken this drug!

I wish you well, and hope that your symptoms subside. It's taken a long time for mine to improve, but it has improved somewhat.

For sleep, you might want to try a natural supplement, like melatonin or a melatonin/valerian combination. They are more subtle, but they really do work.

 

[Denny]

Doctors say that lisinopril like all ace inhibitors work in the kidneys but there are many
Side effects like alterations in smell and taste or a metallic taste that has never been explained.
Most of these are more common with the first ace inhibitors like lisinopril and largely ignored.
Some studies claim it is from zinc level alterations? If zinc is altered maybe other elements
Like potassium,magnesium etc are also altered that maybe important to auditory functions?

 

[Karen]

That is very interesting, and it really makes sense. In these past 3 1/2 years since I've gotten off the Lisinopril, I have been taking a magnesium supplement and an occasional zinc supplement, plus I eat a lot of foods that contain potassium. I wonder if that has helped with my recovery and tinnitus improvement? Also, when this all first began, I went to an internist doctor in desperation. He tested me, and found that I was very low in sodium -- and my previous doctor had told me to take Lisinopril and follow a low- sodium diet! I think all that had something to do with it.

Have you noticed any other problems since you've been on the Lisinopril?

 

[Denny]

I have been of lisinopril for almost a year. I took it for almost ten years, the only
Other side effect I can remember was a dry hacking cough once in awhile more
During winter months. Same enzyme that is blocked in kidneys to reduce blood
Pressure is also in the lungs where it is also blocked causing the cough. Doctor
Never felt the cough was bad enough to change or stop lisinopril.

 

[Karen]

It's good that you're off most of your drugs now, and maybe that will result in your tinnitus getting calmer. I hope so!!

What does your tinnitus sound like? Is it ringing, buzzing, hissing, or a combination? On a scale of 1 - 10, what is it like most of the time?

Mine is a high-pitched constant hissing. Also, I have pulsatile tinnitus, but that has improved in the last several months. I still hear a heartbeat sound, but it is not very noticeable during the day; mostly when I'm trying to sleep.

Also, are you able to control your blood pressure now without the Lisinopril?

 

[Denny]

My tinnitus started out as a loud hiss in one ear and it changed to cicada sounds and
a sound similar to the old tube tv's in both ears. It varies a lot from continuous from
morning to night to intermittent some weeks. It's hard to put a number but at times
i use the masking feature on the forum and have to turn the volume pretty high and still
hear it, i usually choose the purple noise. I was listening to it yesterday when my wife
commented my God you have to have it so loud to mask?? I told her this is how loud it
can get where it drowns out everything TV's ,conversations etc... ENT said I had high
frequency hearing loss but it was mild? At times i get scaird that it is getting louder
because i am losing more hearing and perceiving it louder?? Currently i am taking
Losartan an ARB to control my blood pressure i tried diet and exercise but did not help.
Another class of drugs just starting to be suspected in causing tinnitus is statins which i
also took(lipitor).

 

[Karen]

Denny,

It sounds like your tinnitus is at a pretty high level. Here's hoping it gets calmer soon. I know what you mean about the hearing loss; I also have some hearing loss in my right ear. I tried two different types of hearing aids, and they don't work very well for me, because it seemed to make my pulsating worse. But, you could consider trying a hearing aid/masker if nothing else works.

Yes, I have heard of Losartan, and hopefully it isn't ototoxic. I've been having good luck without any prescription drugs; I am exercising, watching my sodium intake, and taking supplements, including one called CardiTone (I ordered it online), which is helping to control my blood pressure. I'm 67, and feel very lucky that I'm able to control my BP without prescription drugs.

I've heard that statin drugs can be a cause of tinnitus, so it's good that you've been able to get off the Lipitor. Good for you for getting off most of the medications!!

 

[Denny]

I had a hard enough time accepting the tinnitus i don't want to try hearing aid maskers yet
i am 46 and still feel it is fairly young for hearing aids? I don't take lipitor but i think a good
natural alternative is omega 3 fish oil Carlson's or Dr Murray's which are pharmaceutical grade.
I spoke to a friend of mine who is a neurologist and he looks at Tinnitus differently he views it
as a problem arising in the brain stem. Pulsatile tinnitus has more vagus nerve involvement.
On a positive note I had a cousin who said she had severe pulsatile tinnitus for almost 15 years and now
she claims she is completely free of it unless she is sick or exhausted and even then it is
only temporary.

 

[Karen]

I certainly do understand about the hearing aids. They take some getting used to, and if you just have mild hearing loss, no need to add something else that might be bothersome!

I agree about the fish oil; I take fish oil regularly, and it does seem to help.

That is very encouraging about the pulsatile tinnitus! I keep hoping that's what will happen to me, too. The pulsatile tinnitus started with the blood pressure meds, and maybe now that I'm off them, the PT will subside.

I hope you have a peaceful evening,
Karen

 

[James]

Welcome to the forum Denny,

BTW, I take Lisinopril as prescribed by my doctor. I've had a dry cough for three months now! I thought it was something else I did. Jezzz, cold weather. Thanks for bringing that to my attention.

 

[Karen]

Hi, @James,

How long have you been taking Lisinopril? Did your pulsatile tinnitus start after you began taking it, by any chance?

 

[Denny]

Sometimes the cough can last a few weeks after stopping lisinopril.

 

[James]

@Karen, in reply.

I have to put a time line on it and recall back to March 2013, when all this started. It could very well be medications that triggered it. I don't have the answers. Makes me wonder. Thanks for the interest and yes I still have the pulsatile tinnitus, back to work today, and it seems to be loud.

 

[Karen]

@James,

Thanks for responding. I still believe that it was a medication that started my pulsatile tinnitus, and I was wondering if the same thing had happened to you.

Sorry you're having a bad PT day today.

I want you to know that mine has improved a lot recently, so there is hope for you down the road! I've had my pulsatile tinnitus for 3 1/2 years now, and things are definitely getting better!

Take care,
Karen