My Struggles with Ringing

So, I haven't had tinnitus very long. Just this year in fact, but it's been hell.

For some background to begin, I have a psychotic (as in hallucinations, delusions, etc.) form of PTSD as well as generalised anxiety disorder. Originally I was prescribed buspirone 10mg as needed for panic attacks or PTSD episodes. I never noticed any unmanageable side effects. Then earlier this year I got out of a domestically violent marriage, so my psychiatrist upped my dosage a lot (understandably so) to 15mg twice a day. At first, again, no noticeable side effects, but at some point I ended up with very quiet, annoying at worst tinnitus. Something I was going to look into but I didn't get the chance because of the nightmare that happened afterwards.

I was diagnosed with bipolar just a little over a month ago. I was prescribed Lamictal, and it did wonders for my emotional health until the tinnitus side effect ruined my life. It was so loud I couldn't sleep, I got migraines, it was horrendous. For a while it went away but then I changed the time of taking my bipolar meds slightly and that was enough to make it come back full force. I didn't sleep last night because of it.

I'm on a new bipolar medication that doesn't have tinnitus as a known side effect now, but I know it will take time for the tinnitus to fade. I just really need hope this will pass and I'm scared to talk to my psychiatrist about the possibility buspirone started this mess, because I feel like she won't want to switch me to a different PTSD medication. And I can't switch psychiatrists because Medicaid sucks. Any insight or advice is greatly appreciated.

If it's important/may help, here's other medications I take and health issues:

• Synthroid for hypothyroidism
• Lexapro (never had any side effects from it)
• Trileptal (new bipolar medication, though I know its use for bipolar is 'off label')
• Singulair
• Prazosin (started at the same time I started Lamictal, not really sure how it affects me)
• Broken wisdom teeth (hopefully going to be removed sometime in the next few weeks)

 

Hello Tobii, how are you doing? Feeling better? Hope you are.
In your case, the psychotic episode was due to PTSD or Bipolarity?