Tinnitus After Amoxicillin, Habituated — Now a Recent Spike After THC (Marijuana) — Feeling Hopeless

Hi - I am looking for some input as I'm struggling with a recent spike in tinnitus. I developed tinnitus/inner ear fluttering in my right ear after a one time dosage of Amoxicillin in August of this year, had never had tinnitus prior to that so pretty certain the Amoxicillin damaged my ears. ENT found some hearing loss at higher tones in my right ear, and some in my left ear as well (but no tinnitus in that ear, even though there's more hearing loss in my left ear). I started to habituate after a couple of months and was doing fine, but then smoked a small amount of marijuana (with THC) about a week and a half ago and it's spiked again, slightly worse than it was originally. Marijuana has never caused me tinnitus in the past.

Is it normal for things that never caused tinnitus in the past to now cause tinnitus spikes when you have ototoxic damage? I've been consuming caffeine and various foods with no spikes over last couple of months, this was the first spike I've had and it's brutal - way worse than the original onset, much more intense. I'm also confused why marijuana had this effect. How do we know what can spike tinnitus without finding out the hard way?

Also, is habituation a second time possible? I'm feeling a lot of anxiety and despair this time around because I finally was habituating and now it's worse than it was originally. I'm scared that this one won't habituate, and that I did additional damage to my already sensitive ears that were damaged by the antibiotic. Is it possible for my ears to heal or is this going to progressively get worse now, and I'll be sensitive to more things now?

Looking for some hope and help... I've never had ear problems prior to this antibiotic and I'm so frustrated.

 

Did the spike ever subside??

 

I've had pretty manageable low grade tinnitus for about a year and a half but I've noticed it's been getting worse over the last several months since having acid reflux, chronic bowel issues and taking Famotidine. My reflux feels mostly well controlled by the medication and diet, but still have bowel problems.

I'm wondering if I have some sort of vitamin deficiency/absorption issues at play because I'm also developing dry skin issues and sore eyes, and maybe that's what's exacerbating the tinnitus.

Any input would be appreciated!

 

Didn’t you refer you have hearing loss?

Never got some hearing aids for this? I heard they are helpful.

 

Famotidine causes tinnitus.

 

@summitplum, how are you doing? I was on Doxycycline for 2 weeks and Amoxicillin for 3 weeks. I didn’t notice issues while taking the antibiotics, but 2 weeks after my tinnitus hit and I was diagnosed with high-frequency hearing loss (which can cause tinnitus). No idea which came first, the chicken or the egg but I’m back on Amoxicillin for Lyme and I don’t know if I’m digging a deeper grave. Uggggh. Most say it’s not the Amoxicillin...

 

@GingerSpice, Amoxicillin is safe. Very few medications damage the ear apart from chemotherapy agents, antibiotics ending in 'mycin' and high high doses of Aspirin.

Stop Googling as there is some real nonsense out there.

 

That’s exactly what I needed to hear. It’s the Googling where I can read a million posts saying Amoxicillin didn’t bother them and one that says it caused their tinnitus and I’m like that’s it! It’s horrendous and I have a Master’s in nursing, you’d think I’d be more aware but nope, because apparently I have a doctorate in anxiety that makes me irrational.

I’m back on the Amoxicillin and I don’t want to be hyperaware that this will just put my ears over the edge after this first incident. Ugh. Thanks for your response.

 

@GingerSpice, you're welcome. How many people take medications? A few report tinnitus whilst on them but in many cases it wasn't the cause, just coincidence.

 

I'm afraid there is some confusion regarding this topic. Amoxicillin is a very safe antibiotic that does not damage the ears, contrary to Azithromycin, which generally does. @summitplum says that the cause of his tinnitus was Azithromycin, instead in his post blames Amoxicillin. I attest that Amoxicillin does not harm the ears. Please, let's not confuse people on such a serious issue. Thanks.

 

What were your early onset Lyme symptoms?

 

Accutane probably damaged my ear then as it's a "chemo drug."

Huh?

 

Where did you hear this? I take it. I looked up all side effects and tinnitus was less than 0.001%. Hardly causal.

Well said!