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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 8 of 8. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by Jo52 on August 4, 2004, at 8:46:33
I started taking Effexor XR 75 mg three weeks ago. After the initial side effects of nausea and sleeplessness I thought it was all over. However, a week or so after beginning it I began to experience a horrible ringing in my left ear. I went to my GP who said she didn't see any problem with my ear. I researched tinnitus and found a listing of antidepressants being one cause. Has anyone else experienced this? My next stop will be an ENT Doc. Thanks!
Posted by woolav on August 4, 2004, at 10:28:45
In reply to Side Effects - Ringing in Ear??, posted by Jo52 on August 4, 2004, at 8:46:33
Yeah, I noticed that while on paxil. It was getting very annoying. I switched to something else now, and havnet noticed it as bad. But its still there...I guess there's always a price to pay....
S
Posted by King Vultan on August 4, 2004, at 11:56:41
In reply to Side Effects - Ringing in Ear??, posted by Jo52 on August 4, 2004, at 8:46:33
> I started taking Effexor XR 75 mg three weeks ago. After the initial side effects of nausea and sleeplessness I thought it was all over. However, a week or so after beginning it I began to experience a horrible ringing in my left ear. I went to my GP who said she didn't see any problem with my ear. I researched tinnitus and found a listing of antidepressants being one cause. Has anyone else experienced this? My next stop will be an ENT Doc. Thanks!
I have minor tinnitus in my left ear that some antidepressants will exacerbate. In general, Wellbutrin is the one that is notorious for making people's ears ring, but I have had problems with other drugs causing my ear to act up and do strange things. I have not been to a specialist, but I believe I have some kind of minor inner ear damage from my younger days. I did not even realize I had this problem until about ten years ago.Todd
Posted by crazychickuk on August 5, 2004, at 6:42:06
In reply to Re: Side Effects - Ringing in Ear??, posted by King Vultan on August 4, 2004, at 11:56:41
HI, i also get tinitus even with out taking any meds, if there was something wrong with your ear the doctor would of said usually scar tissue is the cause, i have a scar in my inner ear my right one and i still suffer with frequent ear ache etc, if you want to go to the ent to get checked out then go for it, but mark my words it is the effexror, if it is bothering you that badly then come of it and try something else, or could you live with it?
Posted by Jo52 on August 5, 2004, at 8:05:53
In reply to Re: Side Effects - Ringing in Ear??, posted by crazychickuk on August 5, 2004, at 6:42:06
I'm not sure if I could live with this forever! However, the Effexor has made a big difference in my mood swings and depression. I'm not feeling the need to hide in bed for two days at a time anymore or wanting to rip everyone's head off! I'm leaving on vacation tomorrow for a week. If it is still this bad when I return, I'm headed for the ENT.
Posted by captain on August 5, 2004, at 8:41:43
In reply to Re: Side Effects - Ringing in Ear??, posted by Jo52 on August 5, 2004, at 8:05:53
This is such an interesting post because I have had ringing in my left ear lately and had no idea it could be from the Lexapro potentially!
I am a hypochondriac so I of course have thought it is a brain tumor or something awful!
I have been to an ENT, although for dizziness, not this - but maybe I will mention that to my doctor next time!
Thanks!
Captain
Posted by Alesa on August 5, 2004, at 15:48:44
In reply to Re: Side Effects - Ringing in Ear??, posted by Jo52 on August 5, 2004, at 8:05:53
Jo,
I've had ringing in my ears for years. I got it after taking Entrophen, a pain killer, and it just never went away! I've been to two ENT doctors, and they couldn't find anything wrong with my ears or brain. Basically, most of the time there is no known cause for tinnitus, and it's just a sensitivity, in my case. The Effexor has made the ringing a little more intense, but I've gotten so used to it, I just tune it out.
It's a good idea to go to an ENT doctor to rule anything neurological out, such as a small benign tumour that resides in the ear canal which they checked me for, but found nothing. The doctor told me that if there was a tumour, it would cause hearing loss, and my hearing is actually above normal. I had hearing tests done to check all that out. BUT DON'T WORRY TOO MUCH ABOUT IT because that will definatley aggravate it, as stress makes it worse. Also, stay away from caffeine, that can make it worse too.
Posted by feelndwn on August 6, 2004, at 10:26:09
In reply to Re: Side Effects - Ringing in Ear??, posted by Alesa on August 5, 2004, at 15:48:44
I have been on roughly 5mg of xanax for 9 years. I am now coming off of it and am dealing with a ton of acute withdrawal symptoms. One of them is tinnitus. My tinnitus was like a screaming guitar playing a single note that pulsed all day long. I have since implemented 2 courses of action.
1: less perceptual/stress input. The less stressed I feel the lower my symptoms (including tinnitus). This means less exposure to mall/grocery shopping or outings at peak times, crowds, heavy-trafficed driving. Basically, exposure to locations or events that can cause your hypersensitivity that the drug is causing or has caused to become exacerbated.
2: a vitamin/mineral regime that is totally overhauling my system and giving me the edge in combating my withdrawal symptoms.
Tinnitus occurs when nerve cells in the cochlea, the tiny, snail shellshaped inner ear, are damaged, according to Michael Seidman, M.D., director of the Tinnitus Center at the Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit. These nerves project hairlike endings into the cochlea, which is filled with fluid that moves in waves in response to sounds traveling through the ear. When a sound sends waves through the cochlea, the hairlike endings send a signal to the brain that gets interpreted as sound. When the sounds are too loud and the waves through the cochlea are too intense, the tiny nerve endings become damaged and may send abnormal signals that can cause hissing or buzzing.
In our cases it has been the drugs that have caused this inner ear damage. It is usually caused from a heightened auditory sense by, or from the drug.B12:
When it comes to nerves, vitamin B12 plays a special role. The body needs this nutrient to manufacture myelin, the fatty sheath that wraps around nerve fibers, insulating them and allowing them to conduct their electrical impulses normally.
A vitamin deficiency of B12 can raise blood levels of homocysteine, an amino acid that is thought to be toxic to nerves. Low levels of B12 have been linked to a # of nervous system disorders, including memory loss, decreased reflexes, impaired touch or pain perception -and apparently, tinnitus and noise-induced hearing loss.I could go on and on, but I will stop here. There is so much info on how vitamins & minerals are essential to the body and can easily with time correct problems of great severity. I won't go into all of this because you probably want me to shut up.
My tinnitus has gone away in 2 weeks. My daily vitamin/mineral regime:
Beta-carotene: 25k IU's
Copper: 1.5 mg (1mg for every 10 mg of zinc)
Magnesium: 400 mg
Selenium: 200 mg
B12: 1k mcg
Vitamin C: 500 mg x2 (1 in morning & 1 at night)
Vitamin E: 400 IU's (get the d-alpha-tocopherol, not the dl-alpha-tocopherol) d-alpha-tocopherol is natural and rocks the boat :)
Zinc: 15 mgcaution:
-if you have a heart or kidney problem talk to your doc before starting magnesium.
-if you're on anticoagulants don't take vit. E
-try to take your vit. E and Selenium together
-don't take your vit. C and Selenium together as they interfer with each other's absorptionthis is just my suggestion to you, but dang does it work...your body can heal
This is the end of the thread.
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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
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