Bupropion Induced Tinnitus — Reduced by 70%!

[Joey72]

Don't do it man. We've been lied to from day one about the so called COVID-19 vaccine. They won't allow anyone to see the ingredients for 75 years, why is that. And no I'm not an anti-vaxer. I get most of them. I'm 72, eat healthy, and exercise. My wife and I got COVID-19 when it first hit. We were both real sick for 5 weeks but we pulled through.

But in the end it has to be your choice. Good luck.

 

[T_Almost_Gone]

Month 22 Update

• Since the last posting the volume has decreased again.
• Soft hiss. Much less annoying.
• Once I talk on the phone or have a meeting my brain is easily distracted from the noise. I definitely get a few hours each day where I forget about it.
• Not used masking noise in a few months now.

I have an opportunity to travel for work but that destination requires a vaccine to enter the country. Genuinely in a dilemma. My life has improved so much I cannot go back to that hell of loud electronic eeeeeeeee piercing both ears - with no data as to if it will stop. For the whole pandemic I have masked, sanitised & lived like a hermit, no public transport, no public venues. I would choose this life over louder tinnitus any day. It's been suggested that I take one jab of the Pfizer. And then wait 3 months before the next one. It seems a sensible application. But only a proportion of people who got tinnitus from the vaccine have bothered to report it centrally, the odds are much higher of getting tinnitus.

 

[Wellbutrin_Case]

Don't do it man. We've been lied to from day one about the so called COVID-19 vaccine. They won't allow anyone to see the ingredients for 75 years, why is that. And no I'm not an anti-vaxer. I get most of them. I'm 72, eat healthy, and exercise. My wife and I got COVID-19 when it first hit. We were both real sick for 5 weeks but we pulled through.

But in the end it has to be your choice. Good luck.

I thought they didn't show the exact ingredients to prevent theft of intellectual property.

 

[Joey72]

I thought they didn't show the exact ingredients to prevent theft of intellectual property.

I don't know about that. I do know that a group of researchers and scientists sued the FDA to force the release the documents related to licensing of the Pfizer vaccine. Pfizer promised full transparency, where is it. You cannot sue them BTW if you are injured. A federal judge has ordered an expedited release. The article is from Bloomberg Law.

 

[Dann_sheep]

I got vaccinated twice with the AstraZeneca one and apart from a sore arm that was it.

 

[T_Almost_Gone]

Month 23 Update

• IMPROVEMENT AGAIN.
• Softer hiss + the ringing part of the noise is almost gone. I have plug my ear and strain to hear it
• It's a lot less annoying.

I still have hope that it can completely stop. Crazy that this thing has been my life for almost 2 YEARS. Especially at the start when it was too loud to think/relax/work/do anything. I wish there was an objective scale to measure loudness.

To those with similar medication induced tinnitus, please take a minute to post an update here. Tell us what you took, when you took it & how long it's been going on for.

Wishing everyone the best in this unfortunate situation.

 

[MaximBrutii]

Thank you so much, T_Almost_Gone! I've been lurking for a few days and have mostly read through all of your posts. You give me hope that my Wellbutrin induced HELL will fade with time. Although I'm only 3 weeks into my hell, your posts as well as others are what's keeping me going with optimism. Thank you!

 

[TomBradyGOAT]

This is great. Thank you for coming back and reporting. The only sad thing is that L-Carnitine made it louder. It is supposed to be great at raising libido.

 

[ma7555]

@T_Almost_Gone, how are you feeling this month? Hope you are on your way to be tinnitus free. My story is very similar to you with only 5 days on 150 mg for smoke cessation. I have no history with antidepressants or tinnitus before that. Your post gave me some hope it will get better.

 

[PeanutButter]

Month 23 Update

• IMPROVEMENT AGAIN.
• Softer hiss + the ringing part of the noise is almost gone. I have plug my ear and strain to hear it
• It's a lot less annoying.

I still have hope that it can completely stop. Crazy that this thing has been my life for almost 2 YEARS. Especially at the start when it was too loud to think/relax/work/do anything. I wish there was an objective scale to measure loudness.

To those with similar medication induced tinnitus, please take a minute to post an update here. Tell us what you took, when you took it & how long it's been going on for.

Wishing everyone the best in this unfortunate situation.

Can you seem to locate the exact position of your tinnitus? Like what part of the brain does it seem to come from?

I notice when I push my tongue to the roof of my mouth or position my jaw oddly to flex my muscles around my brainstem, I hear the tinnitus get louder and more clear. My tinnitus is still intense and constant. Although it is not throughout my brain any more, it seems to be in my brainstem.

I'm very worried this is permanent, since I only took the antidepressant for 3 weeks, and had tinnitus for over a year. I know it is the cause, but the connections and most likely damage to change my brain to cause tinnitus are not reversible because they are there now, and my brain is using them.

I'm not sure what happened but I know the dysfunction that is causing the tinnitus is coming from my brainstem. I am assuming it's the dorsal cochlear nucleus, but I don't know. All I know is that my life has been ruined ever since I took that horrible drug that I knew wasn't going to work. I constantly get stress headaches and the tinnitus is making me want to commit suicide. The only reason I don't is because if it goes away I can start to enjoy my life, but if it takes 5 years and I'm still in this same situation, suicide will be harder to stave off, and I will most likely know for sure it is permanent, and I can't live with this anxiety and depression that has worsened from tinnitus.

 

[Lane]

I know the dysfunction that is causing the tinnitus is coming from my brainstem

Hi @PeanutButter -- I've visited an ME/CFS forum for many years, and one of the threads focuses on the "one thing that helps me the most". One guy said he shines some kind of laser light on his brainstem every morning. Not having a laser light, I decided to try some acupuncture needles in the brainstem area.

A couple days later I went for a drive, and noticed my neck stiffness was vastly improved. I've since gotten into the habit of doing self-acupuncture in the brainstem area about once a week, and massage that area daily as well. I think it all helps me, and believe it likely helps keep my tinnitus in check. My tinnitus was also drug induced.

 

[PeanutButter]

Hi @PeanutButter -- I've visited an ME/CFS forum for many years, and one of the threads focuses on the "one thing that helps me the most". One guy said he shines some kind of laser light on his brainstem every morning. Not having a laser light, I decided to try some acupuncture needles in the brainstem area.

A couple days later I went for a drive, and noticed my neck stiffness was vastly improved. I've since gotten into the habit of doing self-acupuncture in the brainstem area about once a week, and massage that area daily as well. I think it all helps me, and believe it likely helps keep my tinnitus in check. My tinnitus was also drug induced.

I'm a broke loser. I already spend a ton of money on therapy, as I was doing before, but now I have no hope of ever being happy. I hate my life and I hate that doctor who I told I didn't want an SSRI (who cares if it was an SNRI). You would think maybe if the doctor wasn't so mindless, they would ask "why not an SSRI, what happened?" Maybe even think, ohhhh the SNRI is in the same class so he won't like that either.

Now I sit in my room alone (as I have always done) but instead of thinking about my future, I'm distracted with a constant ringing deep in my brain that doesn't let me escape my depression and anxiety for even a second. And my depression and anxiety was never this bad. I already know I'm going to kill myself, I just don't know when. Not anytime soon, but if I have tinnitus 5 years from now, still no friends and broke as shit, yeah probably.

Why would Pfizer give a drug that can cause permanent tinnitus to a severely depressed person. I hate my life, that doctor, and Pfizer.

 

[T_Almost_Gone]

Month 25 update

This update is later than usual and that's GOOD NEWS! Volume has reduced by 2 more times.

More hiss, less ring & it takes up less energy in my head. Easier to ignore even in a silent room. Can pretty much work with no background noise.

I see this thread has a lot of views, I will keep it updated because when my tinnitus first started, I know I needed hope. I needed to read about someone's journey who documented all of the facts - to stop me going off the edge.

So to anyone reading please have hope - I feel like I'm not just doing this for me, I'm doing it for all of us. Like I want to post one day and say it's completely stopped so that we can all know it's possible.

 

[T_Almost_Gone]

Can you seem to locate the exact position of your tinnitus? Like what part of the brain does it seem to come from?

I notice when I push my tongue to the roof of my mouth or position my jaw oddly to flex my muscles around my brainstem, I hear the tinnitus get louder and more clear. My tinnitus is still intense and constant. Although it is not throughout my brain any more, it seems to be in my brainstem.

I'm very worried this is permanent, since I only took the antidepressant for 3 weeks, and had tinnitus for over a year. I know it is the cause, but the connections and most likely damage to change my brain to cause tinnitus are not reversible because they are there now, and my brain is using them.

Take hope from me please. Mine hasn't stayed the same. It's improving. I think most people improve and that's why they don't come back to update on here.

Mine started bilateral. I felt it all over my head but mostly in the ears. Now it's just in my left ear, it totally feels like it's in the left ear canal.

Have you researched TMJ? You have have a combo of TMJ and antidepressant reaction.

 

[PeanutButter]

Take hope from me please. Mine hasn't stayed the same. It's improving. I think most people improve and that's why they don't come back to update on here.

Mine started bilateral. I felt it all over my head but mostly in the ears. Now it's just in my left ear, it totally feels like it's in the left ear canal.

Have you researched TMJ? You have have a combo of TMJ and antidepressant reaction.

I know what TMJ is and I don't have it.

The neurotransmitters are dysfunctional in my brainstem.

 

[Uklawyer]

This update is later than usual and that's GOOD NEWS! Volume has reduced by 2 more times.

Great news @T_Almost_Gone. So what % are we at now compared to the beginning? How much reduction?

Thanks for keeping up the thread.

 

[Sam Marksmen]

It's good to hear you have gotten better. I got a spike from Buspar that never went away. I thought ototoxicity-induced tinnitus rarely goes away. But you give me hope.

 

[DoesItStop]

Thanks for posting all this time, it is encouraging for sure.

I had very very mild tinnitus for 5 months after waking up with visual snow syndrome.

Then, my doctor prescribed Elavil and after 10 days, the tinnitus was just absolutely screaming in my ears. That was early February 2022, it has been constant ever since.

I can't imagine it ever changing or reducing, the only thing that changes is my brain's attenuation to it. For this reason, I've moved my wife and kids to Hawaii for the time being so I can be outside all the time, and just living in savings. My career has been completely derailed, but like many of us I think the goal at this point is to keep hope and stay positive. My tinnitus seems to originate from my brainstem also, and I hear it very very loud bilaterally all the time.

Before taking Elavil, my tinnitus was a 1/10. Now I'd say a 9 or 10/10. But there are things I will absolutely not ever entertain - number 1 being thoughts of suicide. I do have hope that one day they will cure this problem, in its many forms, and we will hear silence. Also - I believe our lives are not our own, and the wake of pain that something like suicide leaves behind can impact generations. I am suffering like all of you, but I encourage all of you to live life from the heart rather than the head. It's a challenge for me everyday, but when I focus on matters of the heart then my tinnitus is put in its right place. Also, we can't lose hope that the body wants to heal itself. It may operate out of dysfunction for a long time, but over a 10 year course if you are healthy and exercise then the body will move toward health and healing.

Please keep hope, and know that there will be a breakthrough one of these days if natural healing doesn't happen first.

 

[PeanutButter]

My tinnitus seems to originate from my brainstem also, and I hear it very very loud bilaterally all the time.

Yeah I am almost certain that certain synaptic processes in the major cells in the brainstem were damaged. The structure of the cells do not understand how to process naturally anymore after being overwhelmed and attacked by the antagonistic function of the chemicals in the antidepressants. These antidepressants worked exactly how they are supposed to, they stop the re-absorption of serotonin (& norepinephrine in my case). The synapse is now permanently altered. The lesions made to the neurotransmitters to kill the reabsorption IS BRAIN DAMAGED, except we are the unlucky ones who had a massive amount of the drug antagonists destroy too many synapses. Now these brain cells are like dying flies buzzing around not knowing how to fly straight because of the damage/learning how to handle extreme amounts of these chemicals.

I wish I could resist the idea of suicide, but luckily I have been preparing to end my life for over a decade, cutting off connections with friends, making sure I have a place to keep the valuable stuff of my family so they can get it without headaches. That's why I gave into trying an antidepressant, and in just 24 days of taking Pristiq 50 mg, it gave me permanent severe tinnitus. I know that this will never go away, since I would have never had it if I didn't take the drug, And, since I took the drug for a short amount of time I know it's not withdrawal, it is 100% dysfunction in my brainstem's cells. It's almost like pop rocks sitting on the surface of my brainstem where the auditory cortex is just firing sporadically and without any sign of stopping.

This condition is a really heavy hit when I had already struggled with my thoughts and negative emotions. Tinnitus was like the last thing I could have expected and if I knew what tinnitus was before I took the antidepressant, I would have stopped hopefully sooner, but my doctor never told me anything, and the propaganda is that it "takes a month to start working."

Basically I'm just waiting to see if it does go away before I end it for good. But again, it would have gone away if it wasn't permanent damage.

EDIT:

I'm actually changing my theory again back to the original thought of ototoxicity, specifically cochleotoxicity. In my case my ears were poisoned quickly. My doctor prescribed me Pristiq 50 mg, the standard dose, after I told her that I was sensitive, and didn't want an SSRI. I've read numerous reviews from years ago about how others have had this doctor not listen to them. This is again all so unfortunate because it could have been avoided. Every day I get more sick with depression because I can't find the right help, and when I tried to help my depression with an antidepressant, it made things significantly worse. How ironic; antidepressant added tinnitus to my depression.

Here is a link on the effects of ototoxicity, something I had suspected happened, but was denied by my doctor, as expected because she is very incompetent.

Ototoxic Adverse Drug Reactions: A Disproportionality Analysis Using the Italian Spontaneous Reporting Database

The damage is the exact same as loud noise damage, cochleotoxicity cause the cells in the ear to bend and cells holding those hairs are damaged. That's why I had pain and pressure in my ears for months, and would pop them 40 times a day for over a year. Now my tinnitus has reduced from excruciating exercises, mainly long distance running, and eating well as I have always done. But the damage to my inner ear hair cells is permanent, until they find a cure, but they won't. My doctor ruined my life by prescribing me the medication, and I ruined my life by taking it. I am so helpless and hopeless because I SHOULD NEVER HAVE TAKEN IT.

 

[DoesItStop]

Yeah I am almost certain that certain synaptic processes in the major cells in the brainstem were damaged. The structure of the cells do not understand how to process naturally anymore after being overwhelmed and attacked by the antagonistic function of the chemicals in the antidepressants. These antidepressants worked exactly how they are supposed to, they stop the re-absorption of serotonin (& norepinephrine in my case). The synapse is now permanently altered. The lesions made to the neurotransmitters to kill the reabsorption IS BRAIN DAMAGED, except we are the unlucky ones who had a massive amount of the drug antagonists destroy too many synapses. Now these brain cells are like dying flies buzzing around not knowing how to fly straight because of the damage/learning how to handle extreme amounts of these chemicals.

I wish I could resist the idea of suicide, but luckily I have been preparing to end my life for over a decade, cutting off connections with friends, making sure I have a place to keep the valuable stuff of my family so they can get it without headaches. That's why I gave into trying an antidepressant, and in just 24 days of taking Pristiq 50 mg, it gave me permanent severe tinnitus. I know that this will never go away, since I would have never had it if I didn't take the drug, And, since I took the drug for a short amount of time I know it's not withdrawal, it is 100% dysfunction in my brainstem's cells. It's almost like pop rocks sitting on the surface of my brainstem where the auditory cortex is just firing sporadically and without any sign of stopping.

This condition is a really heavy hit when I had already struggled with my thoughts and negative emotions. Tinnitus was like the last thing I could have expected and if I knew what tinnitus was before I took the antidepressant, I would have stopped hopefully sooner, but my doctor never told me anything, and the propaganda is that it "takes a month to start working."

Basically I'm just waiting to see if it does go away before I end it for good. But again, it would have gone away if it wasn't permanent damage.

EDIT:

I'm actually changing my theory again back to the original thought of ototoxicity, specifically cochleotoxicity. In my case my ears were poisoned quickly. My doctor prescribed me Pristiq 50 mg, the standard dose, after I told her that I was sensitive, and didn't want an SSRI. I've read numerous reviews from years ago about how others have had this doctor not listen to them. This is again all so unfortunate because it could have been avoided. Every day I get more sick with depression because I can't find the right help, and when I tried to help my depression with an antidepressant, it made things significantly worse. How ironic; antidepressant added tinnitus to my depression.

Here is a link on the effects of ototoxicity, something I had suspected happened, but was denied by my doctor, as expected because she is very incompetent.

Ototoxic Adverse Drug Reactions: A Disproportionality Analysis Using the Italian Spontaneous Reporting Database

The damage is the exact same as loud noise damage, cochleotoxicity cause the cells in the ear to bend and cells holding those hairs are damaged. That's why I had pain and pressure in my ears for months, and would pop them 40 times a day for over a year. Now my tinnitus has reduced from excruciating exercises, mainly long distance running, and eating well as I have always done. But the damage to my inner ear hair cells is permanent, until they find a cure, but they won't. My doctor ruined my life by prescribing me the medication, and I ruined my life by taking it. I am so helpless and hopeless because I SHOULD NEVER HAVE TAKEN IT.

While I don't doubt there is some cellular dysfunction and also a devastating effect on the cochlear hair cells, my point is we now have an opportunity to help others by keeping a resolve to figure this out. Throwing in the towel on life in not an option, and I certainly don't think it's an escape from misery or pain. The people that overcome huge odds when it comes to health issues or pretty much any issue in life are the ones that are resolved to do so, and I believe so much of what life is about is learned in that fight. You and I and many others on this site have an uphill battle to fight, but what a monumental event it would be if we are part of the solution to this nasty disorder... that would be quite a story and a life well-lived in my opinion. We are not entitled to comfort and happiness, and for now that doesn't appear to be our fate but it can be one day and we need to keep hope of that.

I can tell that I plan to try all sorts of different things in an effort to decrease this disorder or eradicate it - and I will be reporting back on the efficacy of each of them. If we all take that approach, rather than throw in the towel, we will figure out how to make this better and will have a lot more character and empathy for those that suffer. If that is my outcome, I welcome the tinnitus and hope it produces that end-result in me. Is that something you can hope for?

 

[PeanutButter]

Is that something you can hope for?

Can you name one mental/neurological condition that was cured or eradicated?

Hereditary blindness with gene therapy have solutions but let me tell you something: society is a hell hole, the structure of the capitalistic hierarchy is criminal. People can't get out of poverty, and the idiots that play politics make me want to commit suicide alone. Living in this world is hell. I was lucky to be healthy, now that's ruined.

If tinnitus was a constant sound in buildings and public places, there would be a cure. If it made anyone's life who mattered worse, it would be cured. The Texas RoadHouse CEO is a savior who drew attention to tinnitus, but COVID-19 idiots were again playing politics, and these idiots vote for idiots. It's hell, tha'ts why there will never be a cure. Dr. Susan Shore can't even get funded; she has maybe had a few million for 20 years of study, and it's made a device that doesn't work, maybe give certain people some reduction in volume. I hate being alive.

 

[T_Almost_Gone]

Month 29 Update - KEY WARNING SHARED

For the first time since I got tinnitus, I went to a bar and there was a row of high grade speakers blasting music. I didn't wear earplugs because I got my tinnitus from medication and my audiogram was fine so loud noise doesn't affect me, right? WRONG! At the end of the night when I got in my car, the tinnitus was much louder - I estimate that spike lasted 3 weeks. But the tinnitus was only in my right ear, the one that still has tinnitus. So that means my left ear is... cured? Or at least not as weak as the right one.

So now I keep earplugs everywhere, I'm fearful of loud music. Scared if an Uber driver or car driving past randomly decides to turn up the music. I've had some really embarrassing situations when I'm out with people who don't know about tinnitus. We planned to go to a (quiet) dinner but ended up at bar - I'm not ashamed to say that I said I had an upset tummy and left with no explanation & texted from outside the venue. Even the few minutes that it can take to explain why I can't stay could cause irreparable damage - f*ck no, I'm not risking it. Now I tell close friends upfront, yes we can got out together but if it gets too loud, I have to go wait outside immediately - you don't have to go out with me, I understand if you want to go with someone else. And yes I've spent some nights on the pavement waiting for friends to be done.

I wear the a foam earplug in the right ear. I mostly don't put one in the left ear - unless it seems quite loud. I don't use musician's earplugs. So sadly it feels like a lot of fun is off limits for me, I don't know how safe a well inserted earplug actually is. Sound is still conducted through the earbones, right?

SO IF YOU HAVE ANTI-DPRESSANT INDUCED TINNITUS - LOUD NOISE CAN HARM YOU.

Aside from that, since my last post, the tinnitus has reduced in volume. More of a hiss, less of the ring. Resting with the tinnitus ear on a pillow is much more bearable. It's still improving. Mostly OK to work in silence. Once I leave home and am out & about, I can forget about it for a little while and feel normal.

I had to take Metronidazole 400 mg x 5 days (for something unrelated) - and some steroid injections into my torso - so far no change to tinnitus, it's possible it's made it a little quieter but can't say for sure.

I promise to keep posting.

 

[kingsfan]

Month 29 Update - KEY WARNING SHARED

For the first time since I got tinnitus, I went to a bar and there was a row of high grade speakers blasting music. I didn't wear earplugs because I got my tinnitus from medication and my audiogram was fine so loud noise doesn't affect me, right? WRONG! At the end of the night when I got in my car, the tinnitus was much louder - I estimate that spike lasted 3 weeks. But the tinnitus was only in my right ear, the one that still has tinnitus. So that means my left ear is... cured? Or at least not as weak as the right one.

So now I keep earplugs everywhere, I'm fearful of loud music. Scared if an Uber driver or car driving past randomly decides to turn up the music. I've had some really embarrassing situations when I'm out with people who don't know about tinnitus. We planned to go to a (quiet) dinner but ended up at bar - I'm not ashamed to say that I said I had an upset tummy and left with no explanation & texted from outside the venue. Even the few minutes that it can take to explain why I can't stay could cause irreparable damage - f*ck no, I'm not risking it. Now I tell close friends upfront, yes we can got out together but if it gets too loud, I have to go wait outside immediately - you don't have to go out with me, I understand if you want to go with someone else. And yes I've spent some nights on the pavement waiting for friends to be done.

I wear the a foam earplug in the right ear. I mostly don't put one in the left ear - unless it seems quite loud. I don't use musician's earplugs. So sadly it feels like a lot of fun is off limits for me, I don't know how safe a well inserted earplug actually is. Sound is still conducted through the earbones, right?

SO IF YOU HAVE ANTI-DPRESSANT INDUCED TINNITUS - LOUD NOISE CAN HARM YOU.

Aside from that, since my last post, the tinnitus has reduced in volume. More of a hiss, less of the ring. Resting with the tinnitus ear on a pillow is much more bearable. It's still improving. Mostly OK to work in silence. Once I leave home and am out & about, I can forget about it for a little while and feel normal.

I had to take Metronidazole 400 mg x 5 days (for something unrelated) - and some steroid injections into my torso - so far no change to tinnitus, it's possible it's made it a little quieter but can't say for sure.

I promise to keep posting.

Even though your other ear seems okay, take care of it the same as your bad ear. My good ear has gotten progressively worse from, I think, not always protecting it thinking it wasn't as compromised.

 

[T_Almost_Gone]

Even though your other ear seems okay, take care of it the same as your bad ear. My good ear has gotten progressively worse from, I think, not always protecting it thinking it wasn't as compromised.

Your good ear - did you keep exposing it to loud noise? And what got worse, the tinnitus or your hearing? I'll check your threads too to see if the answer is there.

 

[kingsfan]

Your good ear - did you keep exposing it to loud noise? And what got worse, the tinnitus or your hearing? I'll check your threads too to see if the answer is there.

The tinnitus has gotten worse.

Depending on the situation I would put a lower-rated earplug or none at all in my better ear so that I could have conversation while keeping a high-rated earplug in my bad ear.

 

[Blackbird1016]

I have an opportunity to travel for work but that destination requires a vaccine to enter the country. Genuinely in a dilemma. My life has improved so much I cannot go back to that hell of loud electronic eeeeeeeee piercing both ears - with no data as to if it will stop. For the whole pandemic I have masked, sanitised & lived like a hermit, no public transport, no public venues. I would choose this life over louder tinnitus any day. It's been suggested that I take one jab of the Pfizer. And then wait 3 months before the next one. It seems a sensible application. But only a proportion of people who got tinnitus from the vaccine have bothered to report it centrally, the odds are much higher of getting tinnitus.

I would not get the vaccine. Check out Dr. John Campbell's videos on it. He was previously pro vaccine and now he is appalled at what's been released concerning it. He's on YouTube and luckily has not been censored because he was pro vaccine for so long and is very smart about how he delivers the information and studies so that they cannot ban/censor him.

And when I say vaccine, I just mean this COVID-19 vaccine, he isn't anti-vaccine across the board.

You can also check out the EU meeting - Pfizer would not even show to it and blacked out the contract pages they have.

Plus all the drama in Canada with the truckers...

Something very bad is going on. What exactly I can't say but it's definitely off.

And there are a lot of adverse events, not just tinnitus, but tinnitus is hell and I wouldn't risk making it worse personally.

Florida Surgeon General just advised no men receive the vaccine under 45ish due to the risk of myocarditis.

 

[CRGC]

If it's available in your country, you could opt for the Novavax vaccine. It's a protein + adjuvant vaccine, so a more tried and true technology than Moderna and Pfizer's mRNA. I had a shot of it three days ago as a booster and it has not affected my tinnitus.

 

[T_Almost_Gone]

Depending on the situation I would put a lower-rated earplug or none at all in my better ear so that I could have conversation while keeping a high-rated earplug in my bad ear.

Yup, that's what I've been doing. I will stop. Thank you for the advice!

 

[notin4u]

Yup, that's what I've been doing. I will stop. Thank you for the advice!

I'm a little late to this thread but my tinnitus started December 3rd 2022 after only being on Wellbutrin since around thanksgiving. In the beginning, it was an absolutely screeching noise that made me consider whether or not this was a life I could live, and I broke down nearly every night. My psych had no idea that tinnitus was a side effect of Wellbutrin (which pisses me off because I deserved to know) and my ENT doesn't believe me when I say it's ototoxic.

What has helped me so far, or at least I'm tricking myself into believing has helped me, has actually been stopping caffeine. I used to be an avid Dr Pepper drinker (still missing it) but I have had an extreme improvement in how loud my tinnitus is without caffeine. Now, it sounds like someone's breaks are bad about 20-30 feet away from me. A soft eeeeeee that I can cover up with minecraft music. This thread has given me a real genuine hope that it improves and that life gets better. I have an audiogram scheduled but my guess is nothing will come of it because my hearing is great, just my tinnitus is not. I'm very young, only 18, and this has been one of the worst things I've ever had to go through. I don't know what I'll do in life if I have to have tinnitus for another 50 years. I haven't had time to be normal, to have fun experiences without worrying about my tinnitus getting worse.

I'm terrified of new meds, of loud sounds, of anything that could make this worse. But thank you for documenting your journey step by step, as it's given me a real reason to look forward to the future. I know I'm late, but thank you.

 

[Lane]

I used to be an avid Dr Pepper drinker (still missing it) but I have had an extreme improvement in how loud my tinnitus is without caffeine.

Hi @notin4u -- I'm sorry to hear you're going through this tinnitus experience at such a young age. But I do believe there's potential for it to improve over time, even though you'll likely have to be quite vigilant about not aggravating it in future years.

One thing to mention about your Dr Pepper experience is that the sugar in it could also be a factor in your improvement. You may want to monitor how your tinnitus reacts (or not) to consuming sugar in various foods and drinks going forward. -- Take care!