New Distraught Member

Hello, My name is Kelly. 60'ish y.o. female suffering from tinnitus for past couple of years, maybe more. At first, it was "light" and occasional and I didn't even think about doing anything about it or dwelling on it. I have been on lisinopril for moderately high blood pressure for about 4-5 years and who knows, I could have had the tinnitus since then. But about 2 months ago, I switched to nifedipine to see if that would solve another unrelated side effect. Within a few days/weeks, the tinnitus got deafening to the point where I couldn't stand it. It had previously been like a high-pitched screeching, but then, when it got really bad, it sounded like when the 17-year locusts emerge from their hibernation. I decided to go back to the lisinopril and see if that helped, and after 2 days, it does seem better, at least it's back to the high pitched screeching now, but it's constant, and much worse at night. I was at the pharmacy for something else and happened to pass the ear drops aisle and noticed "Ring Relief." I'd never heard of it before and am very suspicious of snake oil treatments, but for $11, I figured I'd try it. I'd been on this site a couple of times before, and ended up back here when I googled Ring Relief for comments about it. I guess the consensus is that it is just snake oil and I'll be returning it.

But at least I found a support group and I do appreciate that. I just hope this can ease up with time, I would give anything to hear silence again.

Thanks for listening.

 

Welcome to the form @kellysmith.
You probably took a drug which is ototoxic. Usually the effect of these ototoxic drugs will fade if slowly when you stop it. So ya, hopefully it will ease up with time. One thing you can do to help is to not let negative emotions take over. Try stay relax and calm as negative emotions such as anxiety, panic, stress and depression all can aggravate T. Take care, God bless.

 

Thank you for responding! My new goal is to get off all meds and then see what happens with the tinnitus,etc. My doctors won't like it, but really, who's in charge here?!

 

You're in charge. That said, if you've been taking meds for high blood pressure, for 4-5 years, you'd better monitor your blood pressure several times a day (for a while) should you stop taking them.

You had moderate high blood pressure 4 -5 years ago. So, without medication, your baseline blood pressure could be even higher than it was back then.

Your blood pressure might gradually or even suddenly increase. You don't want to put yourself at risk for having a stroke. So, please be careful.

 

Be careful stopping high pressure medication. Uncontrolled blood pressure in addition to the risk of stroke will damage kidneys. You should have a BP monitor at home to keep an eye on it. I take Losartan 100mg for my high BP and like you I thought it was causing tinnitus, stopped it and it made no difference.

Here's the dilemma, if you stop it and tinnitus resolves, you will be faced with a tough choice. There are dozens of BP medications, maybe your doc can try a different medication.

 

I've been on lisiniprol for years it has had no effect on my T. You can NOT just stop bp meds a stroke is a sure guarantee

 

I too have been on blood pressure meds for 5 years or so. I have had tinnitus for about a year. At first it was on and off. Sometimes waking me up at night with a horrible noise in my ear. Though I am on meds for high blood pressure...blood pressure readings were usually high when it woke me up. For about a month or so it has been horrible. I went to see my doctor and he sent me for blood work . My potassium level is a little high as was sugar and cholesterol.Told me to stay on the blood pressure meds and watch diet.

I have lost 10 pounds in 3 weeks and readings have been so low. I cut my pills in half. Was still getting ringing and to the point of not being able to sleep. What frustrates me is when blood pressure is too low ya get ringing and when it goes too high it gets louder.

Yesterday I experienced something new. All of a sudden out of nowhere my ear started to feel like a ton of water was moving around in there . It was so the worst I ever have had noise in my ear/head. So I took my blood pressure and sure enough...went up to 155/86. My readings had been 105 to 120 over 60 -75. So I gave in and took an extra blood pressure pill. It helped relieve the horrible thing going on in my ear. The only thing I had different was a cup of black tea instead of my usual coffee. This is so frustrating because the meds bring my bp down too low but then for no reason jumped too high.
Anyone else have blood pressure and medication issues????

 

I too have high blood pressure, been on Losartan 100mg for years. I posted something back in January asking how many of us have tinnitus and high blood pressure and there was never another post on that thread.

 

I've used Lostartan 50 mg. for about five years, and about 1.5 years ago we lowered the dosage to 25 mg. a day My blood pressure eventually stabilized and with my doctor's approval, about a year ago, I stopped taking it. When T first appeared last summer, I became stressed, my BP went up, and I started taking it again in August. I am currently taking 50 mg. a day. My doctor took my BP a few days ago, and it was 124/80. I also have a home machine that takes BP.

I agree with others here, be very careful when reducing or eliminating blood pressure medicine. It should only be done with your doctor's approval.

 

I am with others that you need to monitor your BP to make sure it isn't going too high if you stop BP medication. Not all BP drugs are ototoxic. I have taken Irbesartan for years for my BP and have no bad effect for my T. So don't stop your BP meds without consulting with your doctor.

 

Thank you for the support and replies! I didn't explain myself well enough, I didn't mean I would just cut off meds, I meant my goal was to get well enough to be able to get off of them. I have lost 15 pounds and my doctor has reduced the lisinopril in half. That was last week. Unfortunately, it hasn't really made a difference, but perhaps in time...