General Anaesthetic

Thanks Markoana and karen! I think I'm pretty strong that I'm still alive and sane tolerating this loud screeching, ringing and hissing. But my T has gone out of control for almost 5 years. Not only has it intensified but fluctuates hourly. It's been keeping me jobless because I can't be sure that I can keep my composure at work ,if any I can get, as my T sometimes makes my face crumple as if I'm in a horrible pain. Before my strength drains away and I go totally insane, I need to do something soon.
Thanks again.
 
Mahdi,

I'm so sorry! It sounds like you have a very bad case of tinnitus indeed. Are you currently taking any kinds of drugs (anti-anxiety or benzo) for your condition? Are you able to sleep? What kinds of remedies have you tried so far?

After I get over the effects of my surgery, I'm going to try taking the over-the-counter pills that some of the other members have been talking about (Postafen, or Bonine, or Dramamine, or whatever the name may be in your location). It is a motion sickness remedy that some people say helps tinnitus. Maybe at least worth a try.

Take care!!
 
Yes Karen. I'm sorry too. My T is horrible. Suffices it to say that horribly loud noise of gunshots extremely close to my unprotected left ear caused this long lasting torture just in a fraction of a second. First 3 years I didn't go for any remedies as everybody who I talked about it with told me it would go away itself. But it didn't.... Then I underwent a treatment using different types of drugs: anti-anxiety, anti-depressant, vitamins for a year but to no avail. When in my sixth year of suffering, I participated in a study doctors of which claimed it would suppress T. In fact, I and too many sufferers got fooled into it. After 2 years of commuting to the hospital where we, lab rats, underwent different tests and filled out many questionnaires, Finally they took out their promised magic device which was called Electric Suppressor. For ten days they stuck electrodes into my ears and other rats, claiming T would be suppressed by sending electric signal to our crashed brains to let go of T, the fatal error. Again, no use. Instead of treating our T they added to our grave feeling of helplessness. After all these I didn't ever trust any ENTs or neurologist for any treatments ,and came to understand that nothing would serve me as a treatment let alone cure. Then, I went on Xanax and I've been on it for 5 years before bedtime. Now, it's after 2 a.m. and I've taken 1 mg and instead of sleeping I'm composing my nonsense. I'll take another 1 or 2 mgs to force my body to ignore T and fall asleep. Unfortunately as I am addicted to Xanax, during daytime too I crave it to get some relief but as I know low doses won't help, I don't do that and just grin and bear it, swearing and cursing............ Moreover, I have food allergies and allergic rhinitis which help the devil to aggravate T better.
MGSOS
 
Oh i
@Mahdi,
As promised, I'm updating this thread on my experience with general anesthesia and tinnitus. I had dental surgery this morning, and was administered general anesthesia, in the form of "twilight sleep", where you are still in a somewhat conscious state, but calm, relaxed, and almost dozing.

I recovered fairly quickly from the anesthesia today. How did it affect my tinnitus? Well, the good news is it didn't make it any worse. The bad news is, it didn't make it any better, either.

So, for those considering general anesthesia for a procedure, I would say "go for it". However, it didn't improve my tinnitus!
I'm glad to hear that, I have to be sedated to have a tooth removed and I have cancelled twice, because it was dental work tha t started my tinnitus in the first place, but there were lots of needles and lots of drilling.
 
Hi, Paint Girl,

Best of luck on your dental work. During my recent dental surgery, I had two teeth removed, bone grafts, and three metal posts implanted. It's been 12 days now since my surgery, and my tinnitus is no worse. Actually, it may be a little better now! The general anesthesia was gentle (twilight sleep), and it certainly did not make my tinnitus any worse.

I can see how all those shots and all that drilling could have stirred up your tinnitus. Hopefully, the procedure you need to have done this time will go better for you. For me, knowing that I was getting general anesthesia actually helped me to relax about the procedure. I wish the same for you!!
 
Anyone else had a general anaesthetic and perhaps it didn't affect their tinnitus? All replies welcomed!
 
I have been putting off dental work because of T, these posts will be the courage to do it.
Will not have general anesthesia but am worried about the drill and mouth being opened for so long.
Big one too, antibiotics and pain meds after. They are on the list of meds to avoid.:(
 
Leah,
Please be sure to tell the dentist about your tinnitus when you see him/her. I told my dentist all about it, and she was very caring and understanding. Also, depending on the procedure, it might be a good idea to take some ear plugs along with you to use during the drilling.

Good luck, and let us know the outcome! My dental implant surgery (with general anesthesia) went well, and I'm really glad I had it done.

Best of luck,
Karen
 
Hi all, what I'm posting below isn't a personal experience of course, but I read it and thought I'd pass it along. It was from a tinnitus newsletter Q&A. It seems like it's a person by person basis. I've had general anesthesia many times prior to having tinnitus and never had a problem. I feel like it's more likely to not have a bad reaction than to have it, but it seems like it could still be a risk (though even in the case below it went back to normal). Maybe take a lot of ear-protecting anti-oxidants in the days before the surgery.



Hi Mr. Barry,

I hope your well. Recently I went under a minor surgery for a muscle biopsy and was put under general anesthesia for about an hour or so. It's been more than two weeks now and my tinnitus has become progressively louder. I'm not sure whether anesthesia has the effect to do this and I am very concerned as living with tinnitus in this volume is unbearable I tried to tell my doctor about this he said there's no connection between the two. I'm very frightened if you have any experience about this matter please help me out.

Thank you,
Mohsin A.



Dear Mohsin,

Yes, anesthesia can cause an increase in tinnitus. You didn't mention which drug you were given but many of them can cause an increase. I had an endoscopy last year and the doctor used propofol, which is very popular. My tinnitus increased for a few months and it was very scary. However it eventually returned to its lower level after I used N-acetyl cysteine (NAC) and Arches Tinnitus Formula. Other anesthetics will not cause this.

I recommend you take NAC at the dosage of 2,000 mg per day, 1,000 in the morning and 1,000 in the evening. NAC is a very inexpensive supplement and can be found in most health food stores. It helps protect the ear from ototoxic medications.

I also recommend taking Arches Tinnitus Formula, 2 capsules in the morning and 2 in the evening. You must continue both of these for several months. They are both very healthy and can be continued indefinitely if you like. Arches Tinnitus Formula should lower your tinnitus levels.

Wishing you quiet times,

Barry Keate
 
Anyone else had a general anaesthetic and perhaps it didn't affect their tinnitus? All replies welcomed!

I have had surgery twice but no increase in the T. as a result..I remember worrying more about the Tinnitus becoming worse than dying on the operating table.
 
Thanks Relic - I can understand worrying more about an increase in T.... I will be too!
 
YES !! I had a small op last month under general anaesthetic and was completely T-free for about 40 hours !! Hope that helps.

Thank you! It's really reassuring to hear that others have had an anaesthetic with no T increase :)
 
I have had surgery twice but no increase in the T. as a result..I remember worrying more about the Tinnitus becoming worse than dying on the operating table.

Tinnitus is the reason many of us do not fear death. I don't fear death really, as I have already known what hell is like.
 
Hello:) Raising an old topic again. For the ones who are afraid of dental work, Ill say that I had a wisdom tooth pulled out with local anaesthetic and took Amoxycillin for a week after. No increases:)
However, in March or so I have to undergo an orthopedic operation. Apart from the horror story above I couldn't really find proof to the fact that general anaesthesia can have an effect on hearing (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15034637). Also, I had two similar operations done in February 2013, prior to tinnitus, and had no serious side effects. Im a little worried, because I will be prescribed morphin in small doses an probably some antiobiotics as well. Any thoughts?
 
Hello:) Raising an old topic again. For the ones who are afraid of dental work, Ill say that I had a wisdom tooth pulled out with local anaesthetic and took Amoxycillin for a week after. No increases:)
However, in March or so I have to undergo an orthopedic operation. Apart from the horror story above I couldn't really find proof to the fact that general anaesthesia can have an effect on hearing (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15034637). Also, I had two similar operations done in February 2013, prior to tinnitus, and had no serious side effects. Im a little worried, because I will be prescribed morphin in small doses an probably some antiobiotics as well. Any thoughts?

I never had general anesthesia with tinnitus but usually you should be fine. Let us know how it went afterwards!For the morphin I would think that you would probably not hear much of your tinnitus while on it and for the antibiotics they usually are only ototoxic if taken over a long period of time or in high doses. Also some are more ototoxic than others,so you might want to check with your doctor.
 
Last April I had rotator cuff surgery and was under full deep unconscious anesthesia. Before the surgery, I had T, but it was only in one ear and it was bearably low. After the surgery, my T got incredibly worse. Now it is in both ears, and it's very very loud. I swear the anesthesia did something bad to my brain to cause this. I wish I was one of the people who made my much softer T go away. Now I have this loud screeching in my head 27/7. Life sucks.
 
I know someone who was T free ,went in for op ,woke up to T ,been like it ever since .people who take an aspirin a day for medical reasons now have T ,they were T free prior .
I had a tumor removed couple yrs ago ,can't say it affected my T ,luck of the draw I suppose . Can't not have ops or as some take the aspirin for med reasons .Did ask my Maxi surgeon ,if he could get rid of my T while having the op ,his words. I wish I could And he meant it ,Bless him .
 
Thanks Dolly & Karen. I'm really surprised that so few people have had a general since getting T.

Hopefully I won't be in the forum very much in future. I cancelled my teeth op because I didn't want to upset the status quo... my T is really not much of a problem anymore unless I eat something that I shouldn't so I'm moving on and trying to forget about it. It's been just a year and it's had my attention for too long ;)

I'll be back if it gets worse though! This forum is a life saver - thank you Markku x


why suprised while on internet many people got t after general anesthesia. my father got it after surgery.
 
Leah,
Please be sure to tell the dentist about your tinnitus when you see him/her. I told my dentist all about it, and she was very caring and understanding. Also, depending on the procedure, it might be a good idea to take some ear plugs along with you to use during the drilling.

Good luck, and let us know the outcome! My dental implant surgery (with general anesthesia) went well, and I'm really glad I had it done.

Best of luck,
Karen
drilling into jaw transducers sound into ear so plugs dont really help
 
I had T occasionally but since general anaesthetic it has been constant(high pitched whine). Most of the time it doesn't worry me but I'd prefer not to have it. I should contact my anesthetist and see what he thinks.
 
@holmanp

How long ago did you have the anaesthetic holman? Also - what type of op was it... could it have been the op rather than the anaesthetic that caused your T to become continuous?
 
I only had the prostatectomy op./general anaesthetic 6 weeks ago, and have felt a little dizzy with T constantly since then. I was under for about 2 hours. I had a general for a biopsy before this and had no ill effect, but would have been under for a far shorter time. I don't know if the anaesthetic or the length of time was a factor.
 

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