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Tinnitus and Ototoxicity from Antibiotic. Please help?
I'm hoping to find others who had drug induced ototoxicity that resulted in severe Tinnitus. I think I also developed a fear of loud noises as well as certain noises causing me distress. The main issue is the Tinnitus. I was prescribed a daily dose of 6000mg Neomycin and 1500mg Flagy for GI issues by a local doctor. I experienced extreme fatigue, weakness, numbness, loss of leg coordination, leg cramps, dizziness, visual and hearing issues. I now have mild hearing loss and severe Tinnitus (ringing in ears) and was diagnosed with Neurtoxicity and Ototoxicity. The noise in my ears has caused me severe anxiety and mental distress. I try to relax and it's ALL I hear. I am not the same person I was prior. I am more irritable and highly depressed. I can't stop the noise. I was NOT educated on the risks of this drug OR that it came with a Black Box Warning. The fact sheet from the pharmacy did not include a Black Box Warning. The doctors I had to see were all shocked at the dosage of Neomycin. They were also unfamiliar with it as it's not used often .No one can help that from what I've been told. I called my Mayo GI Doctor and he said they don't even use Neomycin. The other doctors I saw referred me to Mayo for help but Mayo has told me they can't help further and I have to "live" with it. I spoke with the ENT and audiology Department at Mayo. I thought there were devices to help ease the noise or something that could help? I'm so sorry for anyone that lives with Tinnitus. I'm desperate for anyone who can help! Thank you.
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That's very interesting! I did read that low music in the background can help tune it out. It's worse when I'm stressed or in a completely quiet room. At times I have to have the TV on quite loud to drown the tinnitus out. I also noticed that for some reason, it's worse when I'm inside certain structures. I found that to be strange. It's less when I"m outside and it may be because of the visual distractions of nature and noises. I also have an APP on my phone I downloaded that lets you design your own "soundscapes" of nature, music, sounds, white noise, etc... I use it when I absolutely can't avoid the tinnitus. Thank you for sharing your story and suggestions!
@tykehome-one more thing I forgot to add. Since you have caught this so early on, you can take steps to allow your brain to desensitize the message it is getting.
Look into Brain Neuroplasticity for tinnitus. You can take steps to retrain yourself to quiet the tinnitus. It takes work, just like regular exercise. But through diligence and focus, you can help yourself.
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1 Reaction@tykehome I don't have tinnitus but know many who do. So interesting and potentially helpful !
Thank you! I actually read an article recently on Brain Neuroplasticity and how it can be both beneficial and harmful to us. It's an interesting subject I only just learned about so I'll have to look into it and how it could help me with the Tinnitus. It will take work, and I've already tried to incorporate a few things such as not avoiding the noise completely and learning to focus on other noises, stress reduction, better sleep, etc... Hopefully I can learn or at the least find coping mechanisms in the meantime. Thank you again!
It's not fun and has caused me a ton of stress and mental anguish and I'm sorry for those who have it. If those you know have any advice, let them know they aren't alone and if they found out anything helpful and would like to share on this thread, I think that would be helpful to others. Thanks for your comment!
You did read that the medication saved the life in addition to possibly causing or adding to tinnitus? Sepsis, unchecked, is fatal. Seems a useful trade.
Ginko Biloba has been shown to be more effective than vasodialators (and placebo) as a long term solution to tinnitus. Some improvement noted by 60% of recipients with some permanence indicated. Tinnitus is a fact of aging for many, similar to losing the ability to see detail up close. This is a result reduced vascular health and elasticity in addition to damage from environmental factors. Many cases of tinnitus in response to medications are temporary and resolve (to some degree) over time but by age 60 10% of all people complain of tinnitus as a permanent condition. Mine comes and goes, medication exacerbated it but I feel mostly it's due to damage from my past. Things that seem to help my vascular health overall (and high blood pressure) seem to help the condition.
Hi triggs,
Might you have a link to a study reference about the effectiveness of Ginkgo biloba vs vasodialators to help with tinnitus? I found this 2017 study that concluded ginkgo biloba shows promise but more study is needed.
- Ginkgo biloba in the treatment of tinnitus: An updated literature review https://www.tinnitusjournal.com/articles/ginkgo-biloba-in-the-treatment-of-tinnitus-an-updated-literature-review.html
Do you have pulsatile tinnitus?
Would bethahistine help antibiotic induced ototoxicity? ( neomycin and rifaximin for sibo) I now have intense ringing in my ears!! No hearing loss yet.
Tinnitus remains a mystery for the most part. Like hearing loss, it's also unique to each individual. Fortunately, there is more research being done on this now than ever before.
Keep an eye on the Hearing Health Foundation's research priorities. There is some interesting information on their website. https://hearinghealthfoundation.org/tinnitus-resources
Do you find that anything with diet, environment, etc. makes a difference?
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