Tinnitus from Anti-HIV Medication. Will It Go Away?

Hi everyone. I'm a 31 year old healthy male.

On the 10th of August 2017 I was exposde to someone's blood during a car accident and was immediately put on anti HIV medication for 28 days.

I developed ringing in ears after taking the medication for 10 days.

I did an OAE test with an Audiologist yesterday and she confirmed that the high frequency hair cells (6-8 kHz) are not responding.

My question is, do I still have a chance of the tinnitus going away since it's been 3 weeks since I stopped the medication.

 

Hi @Lesly.

Everyone experiences tinnitus differently. So, the honest answer to your question is, sadly, no one can answer your question.

There is some good news though, there are studies that have shown that a very high percentage of tinnitus cases go away on their own.

@Bill Bauer wrote the following post discussing studies that show a fairly high recovery rate from tinnitus ( https://www.tinnitustalk.com/threads/spontaneous-recovery-stats-over-70-recover-3-studies.21441/ )

I wish I could give you a definitive answer, especially if it was the answer you were hoping for.

I wish you luck in your recovery. Please keep us updated on your progress and, this is a support forum, so if you find yourself struggling, reach out. Everyone here understands what you are going through. Although their tinnitus probably has different origins, we all understand the torture that tinnitus is and how it affects one's life.

 

I ditto Kolisar's sentiments.

If you listen to sound around 6 - 8 khz, are you able to temporarily suppress the noise?

My stem cell doctor said that he has seen the best results for improving tinnitus, which is caused by ototoxicity.

Which particular PEP did you take? Not entirely sure of its mechanism of damage, but there are various ancedotal reports of tinnitus after PEP. That is really unfortunate, but so would it have been, if you contracted HIV.

 

Do you mean by natural recovery over time, or via stem cell therapy?

 

Stem cells. I spoke to 2 people, who had intrarticular stems, which incidentally either eradicated or greatly reduced their tinnitus and resolved their hyperacusis.

The dr himself is waiting to see what other's experiences are with stems, but is considering trying it for himself as he has tinnitus also from taking rate controllers.

 

Thank you for your response.

Ah, stem cells! So tantalising! I want to believe so badly......

 

@Kolisar thank you so much for your message and support. I will definitely keep you updated on my progress...
@DebInAustralia I haven't tried the frequencies and I'm not sure how I'd be able to do so. I was put on Issentress(1 tablet twice a day) and Truvada(1 tablet once a day). The ringing is definitely less now but I still do hear in in a very quiet environment or when I wake up in the morning. I hope it goes away since it's been a month since I stopped the medication...The Audiologist also prescribed Bio Armor supplements with the hope of reducing the ringing and MAYBE stimulate the hair cells.

 

I can understand that.

I have to ask. Are you Australian?

 

You can find sound files on youtube if you enter the frequency of your hearing loss. If you are able to suppress your tinnitus by listening to the files (residual inhibition) then it is likely that your t is due to hair cell damage. I guess it doesn't change anything, but at least if you find listening to similar frequencies can give you some relief when you are bothered by your t. Alternatively, go to www.audionotch.com and use their frequency finder.

your t could still resolve, so give it a bit more time. consider nac.

 

@DebInAustralia I listened to both 6khz and 8khz sounds from youtube and I do hear the sounds. I can't really say that it relieves my tinnitus because I also don't hear the tinnitus when there's other background sounds which are not within the these frequency ranges I.e. rushing water. So I don't know. But my tinnitus comes and goes. My Audiograms from 3 different audiologist shows perfect hearing. The ENT told me that if tinnitus is permanent then there's hearing loss.

 

That is great that you can tune out to your t with everyday background noise.

If you don't find that listening to sounds with frequencies around your hearing loss gives you any relief, that I guess that means you cant take advantage of residual inhibition. Can you change your tinnitus in anyway by facial movements such as jaw clenching, yawning, etc?

If your t goes away at times, then it shows that your auditory system has the capability of behaving. I would see that as a good sign.

Were your audios extended ie up to 12000khz?

I am not entirely sold on the idea that hearing loss always equates with tinnitus, and its permanency.

I know someone who had congential hearing loss with tinnitus up to the age of 20ish, during which time she was assaulted, leaving her with profound deafness and NO TINNITUS. Now she faces a conundrum as she has been told that if she goes for a cochlea implant, that her tinnitus might return.

 

@DebInAustralia my hearing was only tested up to 8khz. Interesting thing is that the Audiogram shows perfect hearing in all these frequencies but the OAE doesn't respond to 6 and 8khz. Jaw movements and face movements don't change anything. I'm actually getting more and more depressed by the day. I can't imagine living with this for the rest of my life ☹

 

I'm sorry to hear you got it from PEP, I've heard that medication can be harsh.

If you only hear it in a quiet environment and do not hear it when outside I'm sure you will habituate to it even if it doesn't go away.

 

Hi Lesly, thanks for sharing your story. I have a question though, has your ringing now stopped after your initial regimen with these pills? I was on the same combo, but I quit after about 3 days as side effects were too harsh. However the ringing is there for 2 weeks now...any thoughts, discoveries? Does it ever stop?

 

if the hearing loss insist probably not, do you have a history of noise exposure, what caused the hearing loss?
"the medicine?

Also have you ever wondered why audiologist don't test for hearing loss above speech ranges? that's such an inconvenience to knowing the health of the cochlea. It's flat earth logic when it comes to how otologist view the inner ear, audiologist do a monumental disservice not testing above 8khz or in background noise.

 

Did the airbags deploy in the car accident?

 

Hi Lucaas_79 Unfortunately it has not stopped. I am now convinced that I have ETD as well. My ears feel clogged most of the time...I saw an ENT who confirmed that my tubes are blocked and prescribed a nasal spray to use over 3 months. I think the medication may have also caused chronic inflammation too. Still hopeful... How would you describe your tinnitus and has it reduced or gone away since?

 

this is really odd and contradicts current thinking, tell me more?

mild hearing loss tinnitus followed by total deafness abolishes it, there may be a peripheral and central tinnitus. hmm...

 

What caused the hearing loss is a question I baffle with daily. I cannot say exactly. Too many possibilities. I have not been exposed to loud noise and i don't work in a noisy area.

Audiology tests are very strange. As mentioned in my earlier posts. They told me the OAE test is the most accurate but I met an radiologist with normal hearing who's OAE test reveals nothing in all frequencies including speech ones. She did however tell me that hearing goes beyond the physical ear. I'm still trying to understand how tinnitus will affect my hearing as I age.

 

tinnitus doesn't damage hearing, tinnitus just means hearing is damaged.

 

I agree. What u meant to say was that I wonder how my hearing will be affected as u age now that there has been some possible damage.

 

@Lesly -- My acupuncturist told me he's had the best success with treating tinnitus if it was drug induced. If you're open to acupuncture, it may be worth checking out. At the minimium, I think a few sessions would relax your body (and psyche), which can only help you tinnitus at least some degree. -- All the Best...

 

Thanks @Lane Will definitely try it out.

 

Hi Lesly, I hope that you see this message and that you are doing well. I just joined the forum upon seeing your posting, as my situation is similar. I took the same PEP medication for 28 days (Truvada/Isentress) and had NO tinnitus symptoms until 3 weeks after completing the 28 days (it began about 2 1/2 months ago). So, for the last 2 1/2 months I've had varying symptoms on most days (some days are bad, some days are mild, and there have been a few days where there is NO tinnitus). Since you last posted about your experience, have your symptoms improved? Have you learned about any other similar experiences with PEP? Many thanks!

 

I hope you’ll see this. I had the same issue, yet it was two weeks prior to taking the PEP medication I developed this symptom and it’s awful, especially in quiet places. I’m not too sure if your symptoms are gone now?

 

How is it now, gone? I'm taking Truvada now, but no Isentress

 

I'm confused... You got tinnitus before or after taking Truvada?

 

I took the same drugs, after 15 days, a new ringing tone started, it's now been 48 hours, and I'm devastated.

It does go down in volume sometimes, but not going away... Man, I read up on these drugs, and nowhere did they say they are ototoxic... I'm at a loss...

Thinking of taking Prednisone.