- Dec 7, 2024
- 1
- Tinnitus Since
- October 2024
- Cause of Tinnitus
- Beta Blockers (most suspected cause)
Hey all,
I've been trying to start discussions in Facebook groups about this, but it seems like this is where all the cool tinnitus kids hang out, lol!
I developed tinnitus in my left ear sometime in October 2024 following surgery, likely due to one of the medications they prescribed. They had me on beta blockers to aid in my recovery. Initially, it was manageable, but it ramped up over the course of the month. It got so bad that I ended up in the ER on suicide watch. It was just so loud!
The cardiology team decided to take me off the beta blockers, and I agreed it was probably time to stop them anyway. Since there is no real treatment for tinnitus, they conducted a mental health evaluation and sent me home with a prescription for Ativan. Their hope was that reducing my anxiety might help me cope with the tinnitus.
I took my first dose before bed and woke up the next morning with almost no ringing, about a 90 percent reduction from what I had been experiencing. I was instructed to take 1 mg doses "as needed," but within a few weeks, I settled into a self-prescribed schedule: one dose upon waking, one midday, and one before bed, for a total of 3 mg daily.
The Ativan is not a perfect solution, but it has consistently made my tinnitus about 80 to 90 percent better. Stress definitely seems to make it worse, but on great days, it is like the tinnitus is not even there at all.
[UR='][URL]https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10672175/#:~:text=Benzodiazepines%20potentiate%20the%20inhibition%20caused,%2Dmediated%20inhibition%20%5B6%5D']Here's[/URL] my problem[/URL].
Ultimately, the ER doctor, likely in an effort to get me to calm down and leave, stumbled upon what seems to be a "fix" for my tinnitus. This only works for certain types of tinnitus where GABA levels are the primary cause of the overactivity that leads to the ringing. Given how effective Ativan has been for me, it is likely that this is what is happening in my case.
That said, as the article above points out, there are significant issues with using this as a "treatment":
My psychiatrist tried to put my mind at ease, saying something along the lines of, "Look, you're not abusing them, and I've known people who have taken these for their entire lives for various conditions. As long as you keep the dosage small, the effectiveness shouldn't decrease, and you should be fine taking them for as long as you need to."
Anyway, I just wanted to hear from others who have been on Ativan or similar benzodiazepines specifically for tinnitus. How long were you on them? Are you still taking them? If you tapered, how did that process go?
I've been trying to start discussions in Facebook groups about this, but it seems like this is where all the cool tinnitus kids hang out, lol!
I developed tinnitus in my left ear sometime in October 2024 following surgery, likely due to one of the medications they prescribed. They had me on beta blockers to aid in my recovery. Initially, it was manageable, but it ramped up over the course of the month. It got so bad that I ended up in the ER on suicide watch. It was just so loud!
The cardiology team decided to take me off the beta blockers, and I agreed it was probably time to stop them anyway. Since there is no real treatment for tinnitus, they conducted a mental health evaluation and sent me home with a prescription for Ativan. Their hope was that reducing my anxiety might help me cope with the tinnitus.
I took my first dose before bed and woke up the next morning with almost no ringing, about a 90 percent reduction from what I had been experiencing. I was instructed to take 1 mg doses "as needed," but within a few weeks, I settled into a self-prescribed schedule: one dose upon waking, one midday, and one before bed, for a total of 3 mg daily.
The Ativan is not a perfect solution, but it has consistently made my tinnitus about 80 to 90 percent better. Stress definitely seems to make it worse, but on great days, it is like the tinnitus is not even there at all.
[UR='][URL]https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10672175/#:~:text=Benzodiazepines%20potentiate%20the%20inhibition%20caused,%2Dmediated%20inhibition%20%5B6%5D']Here's[/URL] my problem[/URL].
Ultimately, the ER doctor, likely in an effort to get me to calm down and leave, stumbled upon what seems to be a "fix" for my tinnitus. This only works for certain types of tinnitus where GABA levels are the primary cause of the overactivity that leads to the ringing. Given how effective Ativan has been for me, it is likely that this is what is happening in my case.
That said, as the article above points out, there are significant issues with using this as a "treatment":
- Reduced neuroplasticity, which is necessary for the brain to habituate to tinnitus, potentially delaying habituation
- Dependence (I just passed the four-week mark, but honestly, I have no intention of tapering yet)
- The eventual need to taper, which might cause new or worse tinnitus
My psychiatrist tried to put my mind at ease, saying something along the lines of, "Look, you're not abusing them, and I've known people who have taken these for their entire lives for various conditions. As long as you keep the dosage small, the effectiveness shouldn't decrease, and you should be fine taking them for as long as you need to."
Anyway, I just wanted to hear from others who have been on Ativan or similar benzodiazepines specifically for tinnitus. How long were you on them? Are you still taking them? If you tapered, how did that process go?
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