Yes, I did not focus on the medications in my reply but that is very true. Antibiotics were not the culprit for me. Tinnitus is also genetic and my father had tinnitus and the same pattern of hearing loss that I have. And then there is the noise factor because we live in a noisy world. Oy - don't get me started on noise (I'm the baby boomer generation and how many rock concerts did I go to and stand right in front of the speakers?). Many antibiotics, in particular, affect the cells in the inner ear (cochlea for hearing and semicircular canals for vestibular process). There are known side effects which are usually indicated in packaging information, and with some of these medications the tinnitus is permanent. (Full disclosure here: I trained as a speech-language pathologist and hearing is part of our training). But other medications besides antibiotics can cause tinnitus that is reversible when you stop the medication. It just depends on what a person is taking. Like you, nurseheadakes, a pharmacist is a good resource for this information if your physician doesn't have the answers you want.

Sorry am lost in all the various tinnitus talks... many years ago i first had tinnitus, before i even had a computer, just a few taps and such and it went away. All new to me. Then had been going to a physio almost for the year with steroid shots , about 5?, to my painful right shoulder but it was not until his son home for Christmas and maybe learning that the son put my neck in traction. didn't hurt but that night or rather 3am next day woke up to loud noise in both ears - I mentioned it to the doctor and he was upset and said that (traction) had nothing to do with it.. it lasted every day/night for a month and finally stopped; although every now and then it would give a bit of a tap or whine out of the blue - at least I thought it was random but now 25yrs later realize it could have been some meds I was on each time. As well, over 120 vancomycin 2018 C.Diff, and on and off tinnitus again; but since 2020 it has been persistent, like a rambling rumbling noise and to boot I self diagnosed myself with hyperacusus as sounds like even a plastic jug thumped down, or toilet flushing seems too loud. However, today I wanted to mention that I was given an antibiotic for uti and started it couple of weeks ago on a Friday and woke up Monday morning with definite tinnitus tapping or knocking in right ear and it has been every day mostly when resting on bed, awakening etc., and some times in left ear but as i type now its in right ear, almost a pattern of tapping/clicking. Like morse code. The medication was Trimethoprim 100 mg x 14 pills. The uti seems to have gone but I have them (uti's) freuently and when on them , any antibiotic, cannot take Imodium for my fecal incontinence/ibs-d. Separately this doesn't seem like a major life altering issue but I have other things to cope with like narrow angle glaucoma; p.n.; ocular migraines; chronic painful dry eyes; sinus issues/eustachian pain, and so on... not life threatening but life altering - peppered with some anxiety, depression and ageing. So cant blame the doctor, she gave me what she thought was ok, but now what? What about the next uti and there will be one, have gone through the list of antibiotics and all cause issues, side effects and I know its not only me, but I feel so down every so often and since this extra clicking started am now under a rock. How others cope with their more painful, more urgent, more life threatening issues is beyond me... bless them. Just venting but really, what do I do, i like your list of things to avoid , like sugar, and will reread in morning... but i have NO choice when have urine infection as have to take antibiotic. My spouse is on 20 meds daily and we both have had cancer so this household is not the happy place it used to be. More to my story but not uncommon on here , J.