At My Wit's End — Tinnitus from a Combination of Neomycin, Z-Pak and Methylprednisolone

[Aline Mohymont]

I'm already at my wit's end a month and a half in. I cry everyday. I don't see any hope or options. My reactive tinnitus is louder than everything around me. It reacts and changes frequency and competes with everything. It's like having two small plane engines idled on the tarmac that turn into a Boeing 747 to compete with other noises.

Everything that helps others: white noise (or any color of noise), waves, water sounds, fans, soft music, TV, etc just makes my tinnitus worse. It's like a microphone feedback. The worst are running water, city traffic, microwave, fridge, humming sounds... If I'm exposed for too long to those noises, it makes my tinnitus buzz, and my head buzzes along until I throw up. Does anybody deal with this? How does anyone handle it? Is it going to get better? I could handle my loud tinnitus if it didn't react to everything. I would just mask it like everyone else. I'm scared as my health has quickly deteriorated, too. I lost 16 lbs. The little food I eat past right through me. I can't sleep (tried over the counter stuff). I even have Ambien. I'm becoming desperate, a zombie. And of course, it's affecting my balance. I had to quit all my activities. Can't watch TV, listen to music, can't read or write, can't go back to Tae Kwon Do (balance issue). Had to quit school. I'm a volunteer in a hospital (which has become hard too, as the tinnitus is louder than a super busy and loud nurses' station).

My tinnitus was sudden from 3 ototoxic medications combined (Neomycin ear drops, Z-Pak, Methylprednisolone) for an infection I didn't have. The doctor misdiagnosed me. So the damage is done even though I took those meds for a few days ONLY. Also, I'm not on ANY medication and was NOT on medication before. My tinnitus went from 0 to 10 in a few days. I have no hearing loss.

I tried a lot of things already, masking, sound therapy, vitamins, detox in vain. It's unbearable. As I said, I feel I reached the end of the road. Also I live alone, have no family for support, and friends have already turned away because they don't understand.

I also have some hyperacusis.

I'm not sure which one is worse, the screeching tinnitus that is louder than my surrounding, the hyperacusis that makes sounds too loud, or the reactive tinnitus that gives me a microphone feedback effect.

I hope that someone can tell me that it will go down a bit (not just by habituation). I could easily habituate if the tinnitus did not constantly change frequency and give me microphone feedback.

Thanks. Sorry for the rant, but I don't see any light at the end of the tunnel.

 

[Dman]

I was prescribed Neomycin-Polymyxin for an alleged ear infection over the phone by an ENT. 5 days into putting the drops, I visited him in person and he mumbled that I must have had a "little" swimmer's ear infection. To add to the injury from the ototoxic medication, he cleaned my earwax with micro suction. 2 days later, I woke up with hyperacusis and reactive loud tinnitus. Went to another ENT and he put me on prednisone for 2 weeks. Thought that my life was over.

It's been 2 months since then and I feel 90% better. Hyperacusis is almost gone and the reactive tinnitus has become stable 1 out of 10. Today I haven't heard it at all.

It's important that you get your mental health under control and protect your ears for few weeks or months. Then I am sure you will make good progress.

 

[Aline Mohymont]

Thanks. It is reassuring because it's been almost two months, and my tinnitus is roaring, getting louder with everything. I can't sleep. I haven't been in weeks. Maybe an hour here and there. I'm falling apart.

 

[Joe Cuber]

One thing I wish I did sooner when my tinnitus onset was to speak with a psychiatrist. Once I did speak with one (I admitted myself to a psychiatric facility actually), I got some proper meds prescribed to get my mood stabilized and to help with sleep. It helped a great deal.

 

[Aline Mohymont]

One thing I wish I did sooner when my tinnitus onset was to speak with a psychiatrist. Once I did speak with one (I admitted myself to a psychiatric facility actually), I got some proper meds prescribed to get my mood stabilized and to help with sleep. It helped a great deal.

I already spoke with a psychiatrist. Not really helpful because they don't necessarily understand tinnitus.

 

[Joe Cuber]

I already spoke with a psychiatrist. Not really helpful because they don't necessarily understand tinnitus.

That's a shame. Did they prescribe any medication to help with mood and anxiety?

 

[Aline Mohymont]

That's a shame. Did they prescribe any medication to help with mood and anxiety?

Just Ambien for sleep.

 

[Ken219]

I already spoke with a psychiatrist. Not really helpful because they don't necessarily understand tinnitus.

Important: you need to find a psychiatrist that understands tinnitus! Anyone in Aline's area know of a good one? Also contact the ATA for more information. I pray for better treatments or cure.

 

[Damocles]

2 months in is really nothing in the grand scheme of things tinnitus, and most acute cases (like your own) can make a significant recovery (as long as they avoid further trauma to the ear).

Just going to have to white knuckle it until it starts settling down, I'm afraid.

In the meantime, here are a couple of steps you can take to improve your chances of said recovery.

Just remember, you're in the beginning stages, and yes it's hell, probably the worst thing you'll ever experience in your life, but we've all been there, and we made it through.

 

[BigNick]

Hi, I want to give you some reassurance that you will get better. I understand how frightening it is as I experienced exactly what you're describing. There are many other people here who have also recovered to a much better place.

The tinnitus will hopefully settle down over time, the distress you're in is likely making it worse. I would focus on getting through each day at a time and not think about the rest of your life.

If you read some of my posts, I share some of what's helped me (I've had tinnitus for 3.5 years).

You will be ok, just hang on

 

[Aline Mohymont]

2 months in is really nothing in the grand scheme of things tinnitus, and most acute cases (like your own) can make a significant recovery (as long as they avoid further trauma to the ear).

Just going to have to white knuckle it until it starts settling down, I'm afraid.

In the meantime, here are a couple of steps you can take to improve your chances of said recovery.

Just remember, you're in the beginning stages, and yes it's hell, probably the worst thing you'll ever experience in your life, but we've all been there, and we made it through.

Yes. I think you are right. But it is so loud, and so scary and so reactive. I get jealous when other people talk about masking their tinnitus with just a fan. I need an entire Los Angeles traffic to cover mine and it still doesn't work.

 

[Damocles]

Yes. I think you are right. But it is so loud, and so scary and so reactive. I get jealous when other people talk about masking their tinnitus with just a fan. I need an entire Los Angeles traffic to cover mine and it still doesn't work.

I never masked my severe tinnitus after I developed it.

Trying to was useless, for the reasons you've mentioned yourself: reactivity competing with every and any volume of noise.

But as a result I believe I habituated (became able to function despite the intolerable sound) a lot faster.

Anyway, like @BigNick said, it's best not to think about habituation and the future outcome right now.

Management of your more stabilised condition is something to think about, should you even need to, when the time comes.

As I said in my first post: these are going to be the worst couple of months of your life, but it's very unlikely to stay this way.

 

[Aline Mohymont]

I never masked my severe tinnitus after I developed it.

Trying to was useless, for the reasons you've mentioned yourself: reactivity competing with every and any volume of noise.

Did yours make your head buzz like full of microscopic robotic cicadas that make even your eyes feel weird? That's what I'm experiencing when I am around microwave, fridge, fans, etc... And does it give you a headaches? I even feel those robotic cicadas in my neck.

 

[Dman]

Thanks. It is reassuring because it's been almost two months, and my tinnitus is roaring, getting louder with everything. I can't sleep. I haven't been in weeks. Maybe an hour here and there. I'm falling apart.

It's important to calm down and manage to sleep, so your ears can heal. I couldn't sleep for the first 3 weeks, my brain was running in circles trying to find a solution, scared from what I had read online. On top of that there was a mockingbird close by that screamed every single night. Those were the worst weeks of my life so far and I didn't make any progress. Got prescribed Hydroxyzine for sleep and took it for about 10 days and stopped it. Since then I have been able to sleep for solid 8 hours and then the recovery started - psychological and physical.

 

[TheCapybara]

Did yours make your head buzz like full of microscopic robotic cicadas that make even your eyes feel weird? That's what I'm experiencing when I am around microwave, fridge, fans, etc... And does it give you a headaches? I even feel those robotic cicadas in my neck.

Hey Aline, I'm sorry that you're suffering from constant reactivity too. For me it's like a rapid morse code/computer beep. I hear it when I shower, use the microwave or a fan, when it's raining, a lot of high frequency things trigger it and we can't mask it so we just have to kind of take it all in. I understand how distressing it is, but stress and anxiety will make it a hundred times worse while also affecting your appetite and sleep so lowering that has to be a priority. Try to keep your mind busy focusing on any activity you can do to get through the days, and I hope you'll be in a much better spot after a few more months.

 

[AnthonyMcDonald]

Important: you need to find a psychiatrist that understands tinnitus! Anyone in Aline's area know of a good one? Also contact the ATA for more information. I pray for better treatments or cure.

By ATA you mean the American Thieves Association? Who over the course of 50 years have done absolutely nothing to benefit tinnitus or find a cure, other than gaslighting severe sufferers? Or maybe the (very) small amount of money they didn't embezzle they invested into useless studies about sound therapy?

The ATA is a joke, promoting pseudoscience TRT garbage and deleting comments in social media criticizing them (great sign of an honest organization!). Outdated website, outdated useless info. These guys should not be in the spotlight of tinnitus research/help.

However, I agree that some people with mild or stable tinnitus and anxiety/high distress can maybe be helped with CBT. Not TRT scam garbage.

 

[DaveFromChicago]

To Anthony McDonald:

Very honest, definitive assessment of ATA.

Their flat out uselessness for me was indicated when they actually published an article written by Julian Cowan Hill. You can't get any lower than this for quack charlatanism.

 

[Damocles]

Did yours make your head buzz like full of microscopic robotic cicadas that make even your eyes feel weird? That's what I'm experiencing when I am around microwave, fridge, fans, etc... And does it give you a headaches? I even feel those robotic cicadas in my neck.

No @Aline Mohymont, this has never been my experience of tinnitus. However, think of it like this: our tinnitus sounds and sensations are like fingerprints, unique to us all.

I mean, we could easily usurp STOMP if we were able to mobilise and outwardly broadcast the sounds inside our own heads on stage (without spiking each other). Everyday I see a new and exotic analogy for some sound a person is perceiving on the home page's status updates (and big respect for the founding of robotic cicadas btw, that one's going straight inside my sticker book).

But anyway, what I'm trying to say: is that I have never noticed any relationship between the type of tinnitus sound an individual was experiencing, and their likelihood of improvement. So stop worrying, and instead just keep focusing on trying to relax and distract yourself for now.

 

[AnthonyMcDonald]

they actually published an article written by Julian Cowan Hill.

Holy shit you can't be serious...

 

[Ken219]

By ATA you mean the American Thieves Association?

ATA IS A GOOD SOURCE FOR NEWBIES! People can figure out what ATA may do for them!

 

[AnthonyMcDonald]

ATA IS A GOOD SOURCE FOR NEWBIES! People can figure out what ATA may do for them!

ATA can gaslight them into wasting money on TRT and saying they are mentally ill white flag wavers if it doesn't work.

Anything that pushes TRT and interviews scammers like Julian Cowan Hill as "specialists" shouldn't exist...

 

[Aline Mohymont]

It's important to calm down and manage to sleep, so your ears can heal. I couldn't sleep for the first 3 weeks, my brain was running in circles trying to find a solution, scared from what I had read online. On top of that there was a mockingbird close by that screamed every single night. Those were the worst weeks of my life so far and I didn't make any progress. Got prescribed Hydroxyzine for sleep and took it for about 10 days and stopped it. Since then I have been able to sleep for solid 8 hours and then the recovery started - psychological and physical.

I feel physically weak. I have no help from nowhere. Lost too much weight, I guess. Still don't have good sleep.

 

[DaveFromChicago]

To Anthony McDonald:

There were a number of Posters who were livid that this was indeed the case.

Also, check out Hill's latest YouTube Video where he is sorely indignant about losing business; apparently, potential clients have been cancelling him when they read Wikipedia's Site on Craniosacral Therapy that repeatedly refers to it as pseudoscientific nonsense.

Hill had the gall to suggest that Wikipedia was engaging in Libel and Defamation; with baffling naivete he even asked if there were any of his viewers who might have a legal background to advise him. He also called Wikipedia's assessment of CST as quackery to be a "Witch-hunt."

In the USA, Libel and Defamation must also be accompanied by "Malice", which is defined as a direct attempt to impugn and slur the Plaintiff (which is why this is so difficult to prove in American Courts).

Did he think that Wikipedia had ever heard of him?

Also, all Wikipedia did was report on several clinical trials that reached this conclusion; they never formed any independent commentary about this.

It also never occured to him that Wikipedia surely has a Legal Department that is used to handling such crankish accusations.

For 17 minutes he rambles in such a confused, convoluted fashion about how admittedly CST has no proven scientific basis, but that is only because Medical Science has not yet gotten sophisticated enough to find out what it is.

I was going to mention these points in the YouTube reply section, but he has always erased everything I posted and will only accept the most fawning, ingratiating accolades (and in this regard is so much like Michael Leigh).

 

[Marshall]

I'm already at my wit's end a month and a half in. I cry everyday. I don't see any hope or options. My reactive tinnitus is louder than everything around me. It reacts and changes frequency and competes with everything. It's like having two small plane engines idled on the tarmac that turn into a Boeing 747 to compete with other noises.

Everything that helps others: white noise (or any color of noise), waves, water sounds, fans, soft music, TV, etc just makes my tinnitus worse. It's like a microphone feedback. The worst are running water, city traffic, microwave, fridge, humming sounds... If I'm exposed for too long to those noises, it makes my tinnitus buzz, and my head buzzes along until I throw up. Does anybody deal with this? How does anyone handle it? Is it going to get better? I could handle my loud tinnitus if it didn't react to everything. I would just mask it like everyone else. I'm scared as my health has quickly deteriorated, too. I lost 16 lbs. The little food I eat past right through me. I can't sleep (tried over the counter stuff). I even have Ambien. I'm becoming desperate, a zombie. And of course, it's affecting my balance. I had to quit all my activities. Can't watch TV, listen to music, can't read or write, can't go back to Tae Kwon Do (balance issue). Had to quit school. I'm a volunteer in a hospital (which has become hard too, as the tinnitus is louder than a super busy and loud nurses' station).

My tinnitus was sudden from 3 ototoxic medications combined (Neomycin ear drops, Z-Pak, Methylprednisolone) for an infection I didn't have. The doctor misdiagnosed me. So the damage is done even though I took those meds for a few days ONLY. Also, I'm not on ANY medication and was NOT on medication before. My tinnitus went from 0 to 10 in a few days. I have no hearing loss.

I tried a lot of things already, masking, sound therapy, vitamins, detox in vain. It's unbearable. As I said, I feel I reached the end of the road. Also I live alone, have no family for support, and friends have already turned away because they don't understand.

I also have some hyperacusis.

I'm not sure which one is worse, the screeching tinnitus that is louder than my surrounding, the hyperacusis that makes sounds too loud, or the reactive tinnitus that gives me a microphone feedback effect.

I hope that someone can tell me that it will go down a bit (not just by habituation). I could easily habituate if the tinnitus did not constantly change frequency and give me microphone feedback.

Thanks. Sorry for the rant, but I don't see any light at the end of the tunnel.

Same exact story. Holy shit. It'll get better, give it time. I promise. Took me 6 months to see some changes.

 

[Wrfortiscue]

Same exact story. Holy shit. It'll get better, give it time. I promise. Took me 6 months to see some changes.

Mine is quite similar as well. How are you faring now and what helped you?

 

[makeyourownluck]

Wikipedia's assessment

Wikipedia pages can be edited by anyone, so it would be almost impossible to sue them for deformation. I'm not a fan of Julian, but in general, Wikipedia is not a reliable source of information.

 

[Aline Mohymont]

Same exact story. Holy shit. It'll get better, give it time. I promise. Took me 6 months to see some changes.

Did you have reactive tinnitus, too? Did you need to wear earplugs? How is it now? What was the cause of yours? What did you do to make it better? Lots of questions. Sorry.

 

[Matchbox]

Did you have reactive tinnitus, too? Did you need to wear earplugs? How is it now? What was the cause of yours? What did you do to make it better? Lots of questions. Sorry.

I just got off steroids from sudden hearing loss.

The steroids always bring this to a new level of hell that I worry won't go away.

I have and had reactive sounds that drove me to playing with a loaded shotgun on the floor. Pure. Chaos.

But the past rhymes, this died down a lot over the span of months. But it did take months (for me, about 12 the first time).

Some supplements and meds help, but they were always temporary measures, ultimately your best help is time and "modest" noise/silence where real changes occur. You get more used to it, and indeed the volume decreases. This will test patience you didn't know you have.

And it may be difficult to feel grateful, but try... There are people on here far, far worse who will never improve. Perfect health is now not a thing and this helps you re-evaluate life for sure.

 

[MaxRabbit]

Hi Aline,

I have horrendous symptoms and I'm also 1.5 months in and ready to end my life.

Word of caution if your ears are sensitive to sound and using earplugs: I used both high fidelity filter plugs and foam. I think just due to the insertion both spiked my ears. Unfortunately the last spike in one ear has not lowered since yesterday and I fear it's permanent. Just be really careful and gentle with whatever you put in your ears.

I'm unsure what to say accept everyone here says it will get better but mine has only been getting worse like yours. Sleep is also a huge issue after one week of decent sleep. I also lack support (friends/family) and I am trying to set up seeing a therapist. Unsure how I will manage it but I think even just once a week may start something positive going. I encourage you to as well. Not for meds but for talk therapy. Sending love and calm your way.

 

[ZFire]

Damn I feel like I could have written this too. You mentioning Methylprednisolone as a possible cause is interesting because I also believed it may have played a role in me getting worse. Everything you say is pretty much what I've been dealing with for a year now.

How does anyone handle it?

It's a work in progress. You're going have to take things more slowly, one day at a time. Let the phenomenon of habituation do its thing and be patient for improvements. There's no easy way to answer this, but you'll learn how to navigate with it.

Did yours make your head buzz like full of microscopic robotic cicadas that make even your eyes feel weird? That's what I'm experiencing when I am around microwave, fridge, fans, etc... And does it give you a headaches? I even feel those robotic cicadas in my neck.

The head buzzing for me sounded more like lightsabers from Star Wars. Oddly enough, I was also getting serious migraine attacks (went on Nortriptyline to stop them). The buzzing went away over time.

Is it going to get better?

From what I've seen for most people, the reactivity will eventually ease up at some point. I'm having fluctuating days where the reactivity is not as noticeable. In the beginning that wasn't the case, it was pretty much constant.