Nice to Meet You All. My Story.

[janetdwol]

I feel as if I have had tinnitus forever. It's been years, I don't even know when it started. But I do know now, that it's worse than ever. Bad enough, that I finally went to an ENT after a visit with my PCP and she said I had fluid in my ears and I may have allergies. Don't they all say that?
The ENT was okay, tried to explain there is no cure and promptly sent me off to get a hearing test. My voice recognition was 100% and I have drop off in the higher frequencies. But, he was so excited! He said, because I didn't wait too long, (what?), and my hearing was still fine, I could be helped with hearing aids! (shock).
I had an appt with the car saleswoman, Oh, I mean audiologist, so went into a 30 minute, non stop sales pitch for $5K-$7K hearing aids. I kind of left in shock and went home to do research.
Apparently, the celebrex that I have been taking for the last 5 years 2x per day and most recently 1x per day can cause tinnitus. I moved to Santa Fe last year and was able to cut back to 1x per day. Today is my 4th day not taking it at all. Maybe this will help. I have the very high pitched shrill of chirpers going on, non stop. It's not the pulsating version of T.
So, I'm looking for any type of help here. I sleep fine with it, sleeping is a period. I am able to tune it out sometimes when I'm busy and frequently am busy but when I have quiet time, boy, would I savor a really quiet moment once in a while.
I've got a second opinion appt this week.
That's my story

 

[Karen]

Welcome to Tinnitus Talk, Janet! We're a great group of people, and very supportive. We're glad you've joined us, and I'm sure you'll find lots of information here that will be useful.

I certainly understand what you mean about the drug-induced tinnitus. I had mild tinnitus for over 25 years, without it causing me any problems. Then, four years ago, I took a blood pressure drug for the first time. It caused my tinnitus to become much worse, and I ended up with pulsatile tinnitus, as well. I have since gotten myself off all blood pressure drugs, and I still have tinnitus, but it's much better.

For me, the hearing aids didn't work. Maybe it's because I have pulsatile tinnitus, because the hearing aids only seemed to amplify what I was already hearing. My tinnitus sounds like a high-pitched, steady hissing noise, and I have the pulsating undercurrent all the time.

I'm glad you're going to get a second opinion, and also that you've been weaning yourself off the Celebrex. It's good that you're not having any sleep problems, too. A lot of people on this board use maskers and/or sound systems as background noise; you might want to try that, if you haven't already. Also, distraction works best for me --- I find that if I keep really busy and keep my mind active, I don't focus so much on the tinnitus.

Magnesium has been a good, calming supplement for me. I've also (in the past) used holy basil and pharma GABA -- also calming. Others may have additional suggestions for you.

Glad you've joined us!!

Best wishes,
Karen

 

[Dana]

@Karen Hi!
Excuse me for my possible stupid question, but you have taken a drug for Low Blood Pressure, or High Blood Pressure? If you've taken a drug for High Blood Pressure, I can't possible undestand how that triggered pulsatile tinnitus, which can be caused by high blood pressure. Please answer, because I intend to take some drug for High Blood Pressure.
Waiting for you answer,
Dana

 

[janetdwol]

Hi Karen,
I'm so glad to hear from you and I'm very happy to have found this site. I look forward to everyone's suggestions and I'm happy to meet you.
I also have a high-pitched, steady hissing noise but I never noticed that it pulsates. It's just steady.
I also have been taking tumeric and magnesium. How much do you take?

Thank you!

Janet

 

[janetdwol]

Dana,
I'm not sure if you were asking me, but no, no drugs for high or low blood pressure.

Janet

 

[Dana]

Hi, Janet!
No, I was asking Karen, for she the took some drugs for blood pressure that triggered pulsatile tinnitus, and as I intend to take some (more) drugs for high blood pressure, I was very curious to know.

 

[Karen]

Hi, Janet,

I take about 1,000 mg. of magnesium chloride, about 1 hour before bedtime. I've had trouble sleeping in the past, and it helped me a lot with calming. The brand I take is Alta magnesium chloride, available through Amazon and other sites.

There are a couple of other types of magnesium that others on here have tried. Perhaps they have recommendations, too.

 

[janetdwol]

Thank you!

 

[Karen]

Hi, Dana,

The blood pressure drug I took first, that I believe started it all, was Lisinopril, an ACE inhibitor. Then, the doctor switched me to propranolol, then another beta blocker (Toprol XL), and finally a diuretic. I got myself off all of these a few months later, but the damage had already been done. I still have tinnitus today, but the good news is that it is much better than in was in the beginning.

 

[Dana]

@Karen

So you took drugs for high blood pressure and anxiety and you wound up with PT, caused sometimes by high blood pressure and anxiety, never from low blood pressure. So weird. Doesn't add up to me. I'm trying to educate myself with all this medicine, in order to cure myself, as the doctors aren't very good, nor they care too much, at least the doctors I met, but the information is so contradictory. Oh, God!
Thanks for your reply, Karen.

 

[Karen]

@Dana,

No, I didn't take any anxiety drugs, only a blood pressure drug. The Lisinopril actually started it all. I got myself off that drug when I had a bad reaction to it. The tinnitus was only part of it; I had many other side effects, including a pounding heartbeat before time to take the next pill, etc. I still wasn't feeling well, with fluctuating blood pressure, so the doctor put me on propranolol, in the hope that I would feel better. That didn't work, so I was switched to Toprol XL. I went to another doctor, who finally helped me get off the Toprol XL, by substituting a diuretic for it. It took me months to get over the effects of these drugs after I got off them. As a result, I ended up with adrenal fatigue as well.

Now, four years later, I'm over the adrenal fatigue and doing much better. The tinnitus and PT remain, but both seem more manageable now.

I don't want my experience to discourage you from taking a blood pressure drug if you need it. My experience was probably not typical, as I'm really sensitive to most medicines. Just take care, start slowly, and notice your reaction to the drug. I'll be interested to hear what drug you will be taking, and how you are doing.

Best wishes,
Karen

 

[DebInAustralia]

Karen..

Do you have thyroid issues?

 

[Karen]

Yes, I do, and I think there might be some relationship between my problems with the blood pressure drugs, my tinnitus, and my hypothyroidism.

 

[janetdwol]

I agree. I have hypothyroidism too.
But I have typically low blood pressure and do not take meds for that.

 

[Karen]

Janet,

I've read that there may be some connection between hypothyroidism and tinnitus. Are you on any medication for thyroid, and if so, how long have you been taking it?

 

[janetdwol]

Yes, two years. I didn't know I had it, I felt fine. But had a tsh of 14. I am on 0.05 mg of levothyroxine daily. I don't feel any different and my level is down to less than 3. What about you?