Tinnitus from Taking Prozac (Fluoxetine) for Five Days?

Hello.

About nine months ago, I took Fluoxetine 20 mg for four days. I took three doses, missed one day, and then took my last dose when I got a super dry mouth and ringing in my ears. After that, I stopped, and my side effects seemed to go away, including the ringing, after a few days.

I can't tell if I still had tinnitus, but if I did, I didn't notice it until a month or two later when I had ringing in one of my ears. I got the earwax removed, but my ear still rings to this day; sometimes, my other ear rings quietly, too.

I can't tell if it was the Prozac that caused this; I know it takes about a month to be removed from the body completely, so could it have done something to change my brain or auditory nerves?

Or did I have a silent ear infection or noise damage? I never had tinnitus until this point despite using headphones every day for many hours.

Has anyone taken Prozac? Did it give you tinnitus? And if it did, was it permanent?

Thank you. I want to be positive again, but the thought that Prozac permanently damaged something in my brain is a lot more depressing and plays in my head every day than if I got tinnitus from an ear infection or noise damage since it means more of my brain is damaged/changed too.

 

Hey, I'm really sorry to hear you're experiencing this uncertainty about your health. It sounds like you're facing a lot of questions about what's causing your tinnitus, whether it's related to Prozac or something else entirely. It's natural to wonder about all the factors that might be at play here, like how much you're exposed to loud music. I'm on Prozac, too, and haven't had any issues, but everyone's experience is different.

Tinnitus is listed as a rare side effect. Still, it's important to remember that in clinical trials and post-marketing reports, adverse events are reported regardless of whether they are directly caused by the medication or if they occur coincidentally while the medication is being taken.

Feeling like your brain might be affected is a heavy thing to carry. But try not to let those worries overwhelm you; I know it's easier said than done. It's okay to want answers, but dwelling on the worst-case scenarios can make everything feel even heavier. Given the low dose and short time you were on Prozac, it's unlikely that it's caused any serious damage to your brain.

Hang in there, okay? Better days are ahead.