Three Months with Tinnitus from (Probably) Neomycin

Hi everybody, my name Ronald, I am 31 years old and I have been suffering with tinnitus and what I believe is hyperacusis since May the 5th, 2019. If you want to skip my story I have some questions maybe someone can help me answer towards the end of my post.

Last year back in September (2018) I started suffering from chronic burping (40+ times a day) and coughing along with slight acid reflux every now and then. I spent a good part of almost a year undergoing CT Scans, Endoscopies, Barium swallow you name it. Nothing showed anything conclusive. I lost about 20 lbs. because of a strict low acid diet I was put on. The coughing was so bad that I had to drop classes (I go to Law School). In October (2018), I developed a ringing in my left ear. It would come and go and I could only hear it if the room was very quiet and it was easily masked. I did become very concerned because now I was dealing with two different issues. I did some research and ultimately I blamed the PPI's I had been taking for the reflux. After a few weeks into it, I found that it no longer bothered me as I could not hear it throughout the day.

Two months later, in December (2018) I started waking up every morning with what is best described as head tinnitus equally ringing in both ears. It seemed however to originate from deep inside my head. I also developed a sensitivity to “popping and crackling” sounds. As you can imagine, I started panicking again. The difference between this tinnitus tone and the one I developed in October was that this new one I could modulate with my Jaw and Neck movements. A friend suggested I could be suffering from TMJ/ Teeth grinding because of all the medical stresses I had been under, so I visited a Dentist who confirmed (based on my flat teeth) that I am a grinder. Immediately I felt relieved that it was something I could fix and without even getting on a bite guard, within a week both the new “head tinnitus” and “sound sensitivity” where 100% gone.

Finally in January (2019) after so many test and trying different drugs (Baclofen and Pregabalin), Doctors concluded that I had something called SIBO (Small Intestine Bacterial Overgrowth). The treatment for SIBO is 4 weeks of Neomycin and Xifaxan. I did my course and retested for SIBO. Apparently the antibiotics had not eradicated the SIBO so in May (2019) I was given another round of Neomycin and Xifaxan. I started once again and took my first set of pills on May the 5th. A few hours later while watching TV on my couch, I noticed that I had developed what can best be described as a static sound in my left ear similar to that of the old Tube TV's and a sensitivity to "popping" and "crackling" in my left ear.

I immediately called my Doctor and explained what happened and he said that Neomycin can cause tinnitus. I was horrified. I immediately stopped taking the Neomycin and Xifaxan and switched over to Herbal Antibiotics (which completely healed my gut issues). I scheduled an appointment with an ENT within the week. I explained what happened and he related it to the Neomycin. The ENT administered a hearing test which showed no visible damage up to 8000 Hz Range. In fact it showed that I had better hearing in the ear with tinnitus. He prescribed me with a 1-week Pack of Methylprednisolone. I must say that the first week with the tinnitus was a living hell. I must have slept a total of 8 hours in 7 days. Needless to say my anxiety and stress where through the roof. After going through the Steroid pack, I must admit that the tone regulated itself and I could only hear it if I really searched for it. It still bothered the hell out of me but there were times that the ringing would disappear for 30 minutes at a time. I started to do more research to try and find something anything that I could do to remove the ringing. I came across this site (Tinnitus Talk) and learned about having to protect my ears but not to over protect, etc. etc. Immediately ordered earplugs and shooting muffs. About 3 or 4 weeks in, the tone had not gotten any louder but the "sensitivity" to those popping and crackling sounds seemed to be diminishing.

It was however in the 4th week where I was cleaning my garage with my dad (very carefully I might add), and we accidentally dropped a metal pipe near my left ear. The tinnitus immediately elevated itself and remained a bit louder for the next few days. I was so mad at myself. I did the only thing that I could and got on another round of steroids, except this time I did 2-weeks of Prednisone (40mgs). After the two weeks, the tone had lowered itself slightly but it never really returned back to its normal baseline.

I started learning how to manage this new level of tinnitus and about a month after the garage incident my friend and I decided it be a good idea for me to get out of the house (I had been at home avoiding noises for almost 2 months). We went to a bar to watch a soccer match. I however went prepared. I took ear plugs, I took my shooting muffs and we strategically sat outside on the curb. From there we could see the game on the TV’s inside and the sound on the curb was about 80 decibels. As soon as we arrived, I was already wearing my ear plugs. Apparently however, I was not wearing them properly (I had never worn earplug before in my life) and after an hour my friend pointed this out and inserted them all the way inside my ear canal. Everything immediately felt very quiet. I spent the next hour wearing them properly. Next Morning, not only was my tinnitus significantly louder but my inner vibrated/twitched every-time sounds would be near my left ear. Particularity sounds coming from a computer speaker or cellphone call on speaker. I also had some ear fullness. I had a 1-week pack of methylprednisolone left which I decided to take. After 3 days, the ear twitching went away but the tinnitus tone remained somewhat elevated. At this point I could hear it while driving on the freeway and much easier just about anywhere if I tried searching for it.

Finally about a month (late July) after that bar incident, my tinnitus decided to raise itself again but this time with no apparent reason. It is now very intrusive. It changed from a static sound to a high pitched sound which I could here just about anywhere. My sensitivity to sound has remained at a constant. I am having a very hard time living my life at this point. I used to be a very active guy. Loved going to bars, traveling, racing cars at the track, dancing salsa on the weekends. Now all I do is sit on my couch and look back at what my life used to be. I feel like I have to walk on egg shells everywhere. I carry ear muffs/plugs everywhere I go. I am an only child, un-married/no GF and have no kids so you can imagine how alone I feel. This is so hard to go through, yet much harder alone. I feel like I will never be the same person I was.

If anyone has read this far first of all thank you for taking the time. I am reaching out to see if anyone has any suggestions, ideas, tips that can help me. There are some questions I have:

1. How much should I be protecting my ears? I wear ear plugs to the gym and carry plugs and muffs everywhere I go.

2. Is my sensitivity to popping and crackling sounds hyperacusis? I have no ear pain.

3. When I lay my head down to sleep, I can hear my left ear making popping sounds deep inside. These popping sounds seem to come from my face tensing up. If I lay with my left side of the face on the pillow and I “tighten my face”, my inner ear twitches slightly making popping sounds. Anyone?

4. I have slight headaches on my left side of the head almost daily (the more aware of the tinnitus I am, the worse they are). Anyone else gets these? Are they tension headaches?

5. Ever since my tinnitus elevated itself for no apparent reason (late July), when I yawn my tinnitus pitch raised significantly but as soon as I finish yawning my tinnitus goes away completely for about 2 or 3 seconds. Additionally, moving my neck to the right makes the tinnitus in my left ear spike.

6. I still have the tone I developed back in October 2018 along with the tone I developed in May 2019. The tinnitus tone from 2018 however does not spike but the tone from May 2019 is easily spiked? Is this a thing?

7. Is there somewhere I can meet other people locally with tinnitus that I can befriend? I feel like this is impossible to go through alone.

8. If I talk to someone with my head turned all the way to the left (chin to left shoulder) my inner ear twitches with the words coming out of my mouth. It doesn’t happen if I talk with my head looking straight? Anyone?

 

I'm sorry to hear about your story, it sounds like it keeps playing with you, and while mistakes and setbacks happen, it isn't entirely your fault. It just showcases how on guard when dealing with tinnitus. You are smart with your back ups of prednisone though, and I would keep getting back-ups if I were if your doctors are that giving. But, yes, check into what medications are ototoxic, theyre should be a list of them on here somewhere. I think meds that end in -ycin are ototoxic, along with -gabilin, among others, so it'd be best to gain some knowledge.

Anyway, now onto your questions.

1. How much should I be protecting my ears? I wear ear plugs to the gym and carry plugs and muffs everywhere I go.

Answer: You should find a balance of how much you protect your ears, though the best thing to do for your ears and ensure prevention of hyperacusis, at least, noxacusis is to avoid loud noise exposures for the time being. This means avoiding loud noises that are normal to some people's ears, but not your own. This means avoiding noise that are bothersome to your ears, make them, spasm, make them feel weird, cause pain -- anything, but normal etc. This means being mindful of dog barks, screaming, lawn mowers, blow dryers, too loud fans, paper shredders, phones pressed against your ears and overly loud music. Bars -- anything you notice that elevators or spikes your T, be mindful of it and avoid or protect against it. Just remember plugs and muffs are your first line of defense, but like a condom, they're not full-proof. Just abstaining is. You have to find a balance of protecting and letting your ears hear sound -- it is their job after all. Building up that tolerance and letting them heal again: you are smart to wear muffs, but be careful at the gym with overly loud music and people slamming metal everywhere.

2. Is my sensitivity to popping and crackling sounds hyperacusis? I have no ear pain.

If you have no ear pain despite your setbacks, that's good, but yes, that sounds like some form of mild hyperacusis - which you have to learn right now is an umbrella term for a lot of of understood/unclassified/not diagnosed hearing problems. But yes, it could very well be a subtype form of it as hyperacusis isn't just pain.

3. When I lay my head down to sleep, I can hear my left ear making popping sounds deep inside. These popping sounds seem to come from my face tensing up. If I lay with my left side of the face on the pillow and I “tighten my face”, my inner ear twitches slightly making popping sounds. Anyone?

I never had that before and I have no idea what it could be, but obviously your inner ear needs to heal and you should allow it. Make sure you wear your guard at night to prevent the tension, maybe your tension in your face is exacerbating your ear issues. basically, don't lay on it and consider a circle pillow to put your head through, so you don't rub or irritate your left ear.

4. I have slight headaches on my left side of the head almost daily (the more aware of the tinnitus I am, the worse they are). Anyone else gets these? Are they tension headaches?

It could be tension headaches, yes. Maybe you grind your teeth at night and it's largely distributed onto your left side, so wear your guard again to see if it's something physical or somatic based. Try Magnesium - chelated, because those finally rid me of my headaches for good and help with nerve repair.

5. Ever since my tinnitus elevated itself for no apparent reason (late July), when I yawn my tinnitus pitch raised significantly but as soon as I finish yawning my tinnitus goes away completely for about 2 or 3 seconds. Additionally, moving my neck to the right makes the tinnitus in my left ear spike.

That means you have somatic elements within your Tinnitus. Not saying it is the root cause, but it could be something that came on later on within your journey. My T also raises when I yawn.

6. I still have the tone I developed back in October 2018 along with the tone I developed in May 2019. The tinnitus tone from 2018 however does not spike but the tone from May 2019 is easily spiked? Is this a thing?

You had that tone longer - as in, just a theory, but if they're different frequencies, maybe your October 2018 Tone is more stabilized, because it's had a longer time of existing, healing, your brain adapting, etc, when compared to your May 2019 Tone that is still fresh with damage and neurons firing.

7. Is there somewhere I can meet other people locally with tinnitus that I can befriend? I feel like this is impossible to go through alone.

Maybe look into support groups in your area and see if they have support groups there. Talk to your friends, vent to people, your family. Support is important if you feel like you cannot go through it alone.

8. If I talk to someone with my head turned all the way to the left (chin to left shoulder) my inner ear twitches with the words coming out of my mouth. It doesn’t happen if I talk with my head looking straight? Anyone?

I, too, also have that. It's gotten less over the months, but occasionally happens. It's possibly damage that isn't corrected quite yet.

Anyway, for more research, I would consider reading this thread.

https://www.tinnitustalk.com/thread...itus-recently-this-info-will-be-useful.25741/

And to also take Chelated Magnesium, Nac, Riboside to help and aid with some minor protection to your hearing!

 

I read your story. I’m so sorry you’re having these multiplying issues. I can identify with the isolation although I have children. It has become very hard to be a truly engaged father suffering with this nightmare of a malady.

1. That is a hotly debated topic on here. I’m too new to tinnitus to have much of an opinion.

2. Yes probably hyperacusis. My hyperacusis started with no pain. Though now I’m concerned I’m developing some neuralgia in front of my left ear. Not sure if the hyperacusis is the cause or possible bruxism issues.

3. Possibly middle ear myoclonus?

4. I rarely got headaches in the past. Now I get dull ones on a regular basis. I’m not sure others may have more info.

5. This is somatic tinnitus. Being able to modulate your tinnitus in some way with certain movements. Everyone’s is different. Moving my eyes certain way, neck, teeth clenching, jaw jutting forward increase my pitch and intensity.

8. Not sure but unfortunately tinnitus seems to throw things out of wack as the brain rewires itself. I never had issues with ear pressure changes ala ETD before I developed tinnitus. Now when I drive somewhere my ears constantly change pressure most days and usually I have to cough a certain way to get my right one to pop.

That’s all I got for you right now. I pray your tinnitus subsides someday and soon. If not hopefully bimodal stimulation devices that are currently rolling out to market (Neuromod Lenire) and others being trialed in the US at UMich and University of Minnesota may bring us some relief.

 

@JaysterT
@GoatSheep
I am relatively new to the forum.
I retired after 34 years in August 2017. In March 2018 ate breakfast sandwich sudden pain in stomach. Fortunately I had already scheduled my 5 year colonoscopy and endoscopy. Results of procedure mild gastritis. Previous procedure were all normal. Told it will go away on its own. 2 months past still having stomach pains, bloating, feeling full quickly, and burping. GI performs ultrasound, CAT Scan with Contrast found nothing. Orders hydrogen breath test, blew positive for SIBO. GI did not know much about SIBO nor did I but prescribed Xifaxan for 2 weeks; did not help. GI refilled prescription for Xifaxan again for 2 weeks; did not help. Went to highly regarded hospital that specializes in SIBO. Took another breath test was positive methane dominate. So Xifaxan alone would not work for methane dominant SIBO but again my original GI did not know much about SIBO. New GI said you need combination of antibiotics. I opted to take herbal antibiotics ADP, Berberine, and Dysbiocide for a month 14 pills a day. Got geographic tongue, black tongue, extremely fatigued, lost 12 pounds, immune system compromised (histamine) put on Z pack another antibiotics. Another breath test numbers were lower but Doc said you ready to try pharma drugs. (Mind you during this time audiologists performed hearing test day before; hearing was excellent). Hospital GI prescribed Xifaxan and neomycin for 14 days. After day 3 ringing started in left ear. Got progressive louder next day causing ear pain. Went to a very cold ENT who prescribed prednisone for 8 days. Did not help. Landed me in emergency room at 2 am with high pitch ring and ear pain and feeling hopeless. I completely lost it. Gave me a choice admittance to behavioral unit or get a grip. Later that morning they introduced me to the world of anti anxiety meds Xanax. Now, prior to this time never took pharmaceutical meds not even for headaches. Nothing, never like them. I slept that night. Then quickly discovered the ring and pain was still there the next morning. I lost it again. I was bedridden for almost two months, we little more than 4 hours of sleep per week. Went from 173 to 139 pounds since 2018. Many times I did not sleep for stretches of over 72 hours. I stayed in bed crouched listening to ocean waves on phone app wondering if I could go on. This caused several disk in my back to herniate. Now, I have severe back pain, plus stomach pain from SIBO, and screaming tinnitus in left ear. All along wondering if I am going to go deaf. See neomycin is one in a family of drugs that stays in the body months years and can later cause deafness. Now, image trying to sleep, cannot lay on stomach, cannot lay on back or side. Sitting up all night rocking in chair because ears, stomach and back are dreadfully painful. Night after night. I hated taking Xanax and felt brain zaps but still could not sleep. I cried everyday my wife left to go to work. I went to a very dark place, one never ever I thought I would go. My wife and saw a therapist who wanted to take me off of Xanax and wanted to put me on Trazodone for sleep and Lexapro during the day. Well took 2 pills of Trazodone did not sleep instead hyperventilated for the first time in my life the next morning, keeled over hit my forehead on corner of table and bleeding. If my wife had not been there I might not be writing this now. It was the Trazodone and Lexapro. Stopped that went back to Xanax. Then found out it is highly addictive had to wean.

So in August 2019 off all meds. Started TRT with world renowned doctor using ear level generators.

After 6 months could not take broadband noise, drove me crazy with my hyperacusis.

Now, I am hear in my retirement years dealing with still bad digestion, tinnitus and hyperacusis, and herniated disk. Along the way after ringing ears underwent two MRIs one for stomach other for back, CAT Scan with barium swallow and 6 epidural needles in my back. Also, spent second night of life in hospital for extreme constipation and hemorrhoids. I had chills and sweats all night and day and could not walk. Had to ambulance to hospital. Put on opioid despite not wanting it so they could manually remove the waste.

What a retirement. My wife was planning to retire in spring of 2020 but now we don’t know. Our lives have been completely turned upside down. It’s been hell both emotionally and physically for me and my wife. It’s time well overdue for a cure. Let TOMORROW be TODAY for a viable cure for us all!!! I am sorry this is so long.

 

Hi @Christopher805 -- Sounds like you've really been through the wringer the past couple of years. Since you have an aversion to pharmaceutical meds, I'm wondering if you've explored more natural ways to address some of your severe symptoms. Is so, I would recommend you check out the following 22-minute video, which I think is excellent, and has a remarkable recovery story to boot. I hope you can find something that will improve things for you--soon! -- Take care...

How I Reversed Chronic Constipation Using Coffee Enemas! | SIBO IBS-C Gallstones

 

@Lane
As I set here tonight struggling to keep it together, I want to thank you for information. I will definitely look at it. Take care as well.

 

I am so sorry to read you are having such a difficult time right now, you sure have plenty going on. All these physical issues will only exacerbate your stress levels at the moment, which in turn will play havoc on your tinnitus.

It does sound like you are very sensitive to medication, and you are right, neomycin is a nasty drug which can cause lots of issues for some and unfortunately hearing issues is one of the main side effects of this drug. Things could still settle for you though, so do not lose hope.

What a horrid experience you had being told to get a grip, some Drs have no bedside manners or understanding and many certainly do not know much about hyperacusis and tinnitus, and sadly the medical people that we think should, such as ENTs and Neurologists, are sometimes clueless.

You also did the right thing weaning off the Xanax, this should not be used long term. I know your energy levels are probably low, but you must keep moving as much as possible, walking is beneficial for herniated discs, lying down and sitting for long periods will actually make things worse.

Make sure you stay hydrated, sip water throughout the day. Try and distract as much as possible, I am not sure how bad your hyperacusis is but when mine was bad I could not listen to music, but eventually I was able to listen to babbling brooks and nature sounds. I could never listen to white noise this always made everything worse for me.

Hang in there,

 

@Lane
@Star64
Thank you both for your warm and compassionate words. Word DO HAVE POWER. Go Bless You Both. Hugs to you as well❤️

 

Hi so sorry about your condition. I'm new to this so all I can suggest is if you're seeing a chiropractor for the neck jaw stuff? I've read a few stories of people so got the volume down with this.

Also search your symptons in this forum you may find more.

I recommed https://www.tinnitus.org.uk/find-a-support-group - you can call them and can email about a Zoom support group. It's a free service I'm not sure if it's UK only but nobody asked me where I was from and I noticed there was an Aussie and American on the call.

 

How are you feeling right now? Are you conditioned to it? Did it get better in time?