Me again.
Tinnitus has been with me since 2013.
I have described and lived through several relapses.
The most recent one in 2021 was associated with perimenopause/antibiotics.
After a year long struggle - and addition of bioidentical hormone replacement therapy (BHRT) - I finally reached a good place with my tinnitus. Life slowly went back to normal - ish.
I am actually not totally sure what turned my situation around late last year, but from memory, the only thing that i was doing were the BHRT and returning to work. Around the time I felt back to my old self, I did order some blood tests that showed my estrogen and progesterone levels had increased, which was consistent with my improved sleep, mood, and tinnitus.
Until, I ended up having to take 3 courses of Amoxil (Amoxicillin) to know a nasty UTI on its head. It was a low dose. But now I seem to be experiencing louder, more intrusive hissing and worrying myself silly that I have damaged my ears.
However, on the recommendation of a friend, I checked my hormone profile, and found my estrogen and progesterone have dropped since taking the Amoxil. I am not entirely sure how relevant the drop is (as in is this a normal fluctuation or...?) Digging about on Google revealed that Amoxicillin and other broad spectrum antibiotics can cause a downregulation of beta-glucuronidase (deconjugates estrogens into their active forms) by dysbiosis associated with antibiotic usage (estrobiome). Amoxicillin can also speed up the pathways that metabolise estrogen in the liver causing the levels of circulating estrogen to drop.
I have been racking my brain trying to figure out exactly what the Amoxil has done to me.
I have checked with the pharmacist and Googled extensively. I was told that the Amoxil isn't known to be ototoxic and that it is more likely that it has caused a drop in my estrogen through disrupting my gut/liver microbiome (where estrogen is absorbed).
My theories are:
- Sped up liver detox pathways (glucuronidation and methylation) - excreting circulating estrogen.
- Gut dysbiosis - downregulates beta-glucuronidase - reduction in circulating estrogen.
- Gut dysbiosis - direct effect on brain, altering neurotransmitters and activating microglia - leading to raised TNF-alpha - neuroinflammation (lack of estrogen will do this).
- Ototoxicity?
- Nutrient depletion from Amoxil (known to deplete Calcium, Potassium, Magnesium, B vitamins - notably B12, B6).
I am taking BHRT, have sent off more hormonal panels, along with microbiome testing to look for gut issues. I am back to taking high dose Magnesium and supplementing with sublingual B12.
So, I am back to constantly being aware of the head hissing, feeling anxious and worried I have caused damage to my ears, worried how long this is going to go on for, and if it will ever get better.
I would love to hear from anyone who has taken Amoxicillin (I took 2 repeats of 750 mg/day and then 1,000 mg/day).
Please no negative posts. I'm feeling fragile again. I could use some reassurance and support.
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