Tinnitus and Other Symptoms After Antibiotic (Zithromax). Please Help!

Hello, this is my first time posting on this forum and wanted to share and get some thoughts on what I've been dealing with.

About 4 weeks ago I was prescribed Zithromax for an infection I had. I had taken this in the past with no problems and didn't think much about it. I took it in the morning and didn't have any side affects until that night. I initially had a headache on the side of my head (around my temples) which is odd, because I never get headaches there. Anyway I went to sleep and woke up in the middle of the night with severe side affects. Ringing in ears, balance issues, headache, chills, ect. I did not take anymore of it, but with the extremely long half life of the drug I think the damage was done.

Anyway fast forward 4 weeks and I have seen two separate ENT doctors and neither of them believe it was the drug. One said it was from TMJ, which I have, but I doubt it since the coincidence of the onset and it never caused me any problems before. I brought up ETD, but they said it couldn't be that since I have no hearing loss. Below are some of the symptoms I'm still dealing with:

- Tinnitus, particularly in my left ear.
- On and off headaches around my temples and sometimes behind my eyes
- constant popping in my ears. Feels like there is something almost behind the eardrum sometimes.
- full feeling in my ears

Does anyone have any thoughts on what this could possibly be? Thanks in advance for any reply.

 

Hi. I've got my T from loud noises, but I don't have detectable hearing loss either. Audiograms only test to about 4khz usually, I believe? They test only the range of frequencies where everyday sounds mediate. High frequency audiograms go a bit higher than that, but still don't span over the whole range. You can easily have some hearing loss there which will go undetected and cause your body to develop that array of symptoms.

I don't know much about antibiotics, but -mycin group has a notorious reputation within the tinnitus community for causing hearing problems. Whether it was this drug or TMJ or smth else which caused your problems, I have no idea. Fixing TMJ wouldn't hurt, as it can worsen your T anyway, even if it was not the cause initially. Then check for ETD and if it all come back ok, then it was likely the drug as the culprit.

 

@Justaperson,
Sounds to me you might have sinusitis or rhinitis and would give you all the symptoms you describe.
You need see your doctor for treatment if it is.

 

I don't seem to have any sinus issues since this began. Like I said I've already seen two ENT doctors.
Could antibiotics cause my ears to be so crackly? It's like bubble wrap is in my ears.

 

Okay so a quick update. I was laying down laying down on my back a bit ago, and I got this pain/ache in my right ear(the one that isnt as bad) and the back of my throat.The ache is still there as of posting this. I feel like it coming from the Eustachian tube. IDK if its inflamed or what. I'm beginning to think I may have some fluid in my middle ear, but no idea if antibiotics could cause it, especially it being out of my system for a while.

Does this sound like anything to anyone? This is the first time I experienced this and no idea what is causing this no matter how much I research. Otitis media seems possible, but wasnt even mentioned during either of my ENT visits.