Lorazepam and Diphenhydramine Reduces My Tinnitus

It was 2013. During a period of severe stress I took daily 0.25mg Clonazepam + small dose of Clonidine. On day 7 of taking these drugs, I suddenly woke up in the middle of the night and got a monotone tinnitus in my head. Several days later I felt that the tinnitus was changing to whistling.

In the worst days the tinnitus was up to 11 dB, while other days was fine.

I tried 30 sessions of Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy without benefit.

Acupuncture with Chinese tea helped my anxiety and I functioned very fine.

Later my psychotherapist recommended me an SSRI, 0.5mg Cipralex, which I took daily. After half a year I did not care about my tinnitus. But this drug damaged my sleep, so I stopped taking it.

Then I started to take 1mg Lorazepam nightly for sleep. After 6 weeks I decided to quit it and during the tapering period the tinnitus increased.

Now I found that my tinnitus reduces by going back to >=1mg Lorazepam and improves even more by adding 50mg Diphenhydramine. I know that neither drug shouldn't be used long-term, so what should I do?

 

Have a talk with your doctor on what is best for you to take long term.

If you only want help for sleep then getting hooked on a benzo wouldn't be the best treatment.
A low dose antidepressant for sleep would be better like Amitriptyline or Nortriptyline.

Love,
Glynis