Got Tinnitus from Azithromycin (Z-Pack)

[Varda]

At the beginning of the month, I took a single 1000 mg Z-Pack dose of Azithromycin. The original reason I visited the doctor was bladder tension issues. The symptoms were similar to what they call "Urologic chronic pelvic pain syndrome (UCPPS)." The bacteria culture result I received a week later revealed no bacterial infection. I think the doctor was a bit quick and easy to dispense the antibiotics.

Waking up a day later, I had a ringing in my ears that I hadn't had before. Around this time, I was not listening to loud music or using headphones, or caught in any explosions or gunfire. I had no sources of acoustic trauma. I really don't know what to suspect as the source of tinnitus other than the huge dose of antibiotics I had just taken.

I went to an ENT about three days later to consult about the tinnitus, and they gave me Vitamin B-12 and Adenosine Triphosphate.

I had known about the dangers of fluoroquinolones from the "floxxies" stuff, but I had falsely assumed that Azithromycin was a safe antibiotic.

According to the half-life length, the Azithromycin should be out of my system by now, but I still have ringing in my ears sometimes. I guess I'm just unlucky, and this is something I'll just have to learn to cope with from now on, as it seems there are no good treatments to cure it.

 

[Varda]

I have a bottle of Natural Factors NAC that arrived a couple of days ago but I wonder if I should take it.

I've seen reports of it causing permanent spikes and worsening tinnitus. At +21 days since I ingested the Azithromycin, it seems too little too late, with no chance of there being any benefit to taking it.

The tinnitus often changes in volume, sometimes completely disappearing. It also seems to move from ear to ear. On average, it is usually quietest in the mornings and ramps up around 4PM—8PM.

I really think there needs to be some sort of "floxies" type meme around Azithromycin and its ability to cause permanent damage to the inner ear sensory nerve cells. I really thought this was a "safe antibiotic" and only expected maybe getting a couple of days of diarrhea.

 

[SumGuy]

Hello @Varda.

I hope you are doing better. We have similar tinnitus in the way that it's quieter at some hours. Mine completely goes away when I try to sleep and starts up again around 10 am.

Best,
SumGuy

 

[RunningMan]

Hello @Varda.

I hope you are doing better. We have similar tinnitus in the way that its quieter at some hours. Mine completely goes away when I try to sleep and starts up again around 10 am.

Best,
SumGuy

Wow, I wish mine would go away when I sleep. That didn't even happen when I had mild tinnitus a few years ago. I've had bad insomnia from tinnitus for two years and use a semi-masking "thousands of crickets" video so that I can sleep. Mine does vary some in intensity and sound (tone vs. hiss).

Be sure to protect your ears so it doesn't get any worse and you can hopefully maintain those quiet hours.

 

[SumGuy]

Wow, I wish mine would go away when I sleep. That didn't even happen when I had mild tinnitus a few years ago. I've had bad insomnia from tinnitus for two years and use a semi-masking "thousands of crickets" video so that I can sleep. Mine does vary some in intensity and sound (tone vs. hiss).

Be sure to protect your ears so it doesn't get any worse and you can hopefully maintain those quiet hours.

Thank you for responding @RunningMan. It's quiet strange. If I sleep on the ear, that isn't bad; it goes away for a while. I'm not exactly sure why that happens; I'm hoping it's some type of fluid in my ear.

Yes, I have taken many precautions, and the only loud noise I am exposed to is my commute to work. I quit headphones and music for the past few weeks.

 

[Varda]

I hope you are doing better. We have similar tinnitus in the way that it's quieter at some hours. Mine completely goes away when I try to sleep and starts up again around 10 am.

The very high-pitched 13 kHz ringing still seems to be coming and going and moving from ear to ear. It is highly random and doesn't seem to be syncing up with a time of the day or anything.

When the 13 kHz ringing is quiet, though, I've noticed I have a very faint 1500 Hz tone that never seems to go away It kind of always sounds like someone is using the vacuum cleaner in the next-door house.

I'll definitely take those days when the piercing 13 kHz screeching gets quiet. As I can't hear the 1500 Hz tone in a quiet park, I can pretend I'm normal again for just a little while and just listen to the sound of the wind in the trees.

According to Wikipedia:

Macrolide antibiotics, including erythromycin, are associated with reversible ototoxic effects. The underlying mechanism of ototoxicity may be impairment of ion transport in the stria vascularis. Predisposing factors include renal impairment, hepatic impairment, and recent organ transplantation.

Hmmm... I have stage 2 kidney disease. The doctor didn't bother asking me about that when he didn't tell me about the possible tinnitus side effects of the drugs he gave me.

So I guess my stria vascularis is messed up. I hope that is something that can repair itself, as it seems the hair cells inside the cochlea have no ability for recovery.

I'm so full of regret for taking that Azithromycin I didn't even need. I should have researched it before taking them, and I shouldn't have blindly trusted that doctor. If I had known it could cause tinnitus...

I'm not very hopeful as I don't see many stories from people who had ototoxic reactions to Azithromycin having had their tinnitus disappear...

 

[Varda]

Three months have passed since I developed tinnitus from a 1000 mg dose of Azithromycin.

The condition remains largely the same, with the piercing high-frequency tone coming and going, and a constant faint 1450 Hz tone that can only be heard in a dead silent room. I'm losing hope that this will ever go away, as I've found dozens of cases of people experiencing permanent tinnitus from Azithromycin.

I've noticed that my tinnitus gets louder when there's a drop in air pressure, such as when it rains. I wonder if this means Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT) could be a good idea.

I went to the hospital to get a refill of my vitamin B12 pills and expected the standard 0-8 kHz hearing test. However, without warning or explanation, the nurse inserted earplugs and started playing buzzing sounds. It didn't cause pain, so I allowed the test to finish. Later, I found out it was an "Acoustic Reflex Test." That night, I started hearing a new sound: faint crickets chirping. This is really unsettling, as it feels like I'm having auditory hallucinations. It's driving me crazy.

I can't believe I'm only three months in and have already made such a grave mistake. I should have gone to the hospital with the mindset of "These doctors are untrustworthy; what are they going to do to hurt me this time?" I would have been more cautious. I should have screamed "NO!" and run out as soon as I saw the nurse trying to insert earplugs.

I'm now taking 1200 mg of NAC and praying that this new sound will go away.

 

[BB23]

I should have gone to the hospital with the mindset of "These doctors are untrustworthy; what are they going to do to hurt me this time?"

Yeah, I have lots to say, but I can't find the words for it. They are only somewhat good for emergencies, like when you have your arm broken or if you are having a heart attack, etc. All their treatments come with a chance of you acquiring iatrogenic injuries, which they don't let you know about. If you complain, you are labeled a "hypochondriac" and sent to a psychiatrist, who can do more damage to your system by giving you antipsychotic drugs.

 

[Jupiterman]

Do you want some heartfelt truth and advice?

Hospitals make tinnitus worse - period!

Stay away from healthcare workers. They can't help you.

 

[Juliane]

Yeah, I have lots to say, but I can't find the words for it. They are only somewhat good for emergencies, like when you have your arm broken or if you are having a heart attack, etc. All their treatments come with a chance of you acquiring iatrogenic injuries, which they don't let you know about. If you complain, you are labeled a "hypochondriac" and sent to a psychiatrist, who can do more damage to your system by giving you antipsychotic drugs.

Everything you and @Jupiterman say is spot on. I could not have said it better. It is the harsh truth, but it is THE TRUTH. With many illnesses, but ESPECIALLY with tinnitus, doctors can mess you up horribly. Stay away unless your life depends on it. They don't give a shit about your quality of life going to hell because of their medications; they are there to save your life (keeping you alive, not providing you with a great life, that is!) or treat your symptoms. How do you feel, and what quality of life do you have? They could care less about that. Be very careful. Something is seducing, almost hypnotic, in wanting to believe in doctors. Why? Because it momentarily takes away responsibility for your own life and puts it in their hands. But never forget that the only responsible person for your life is YOU. You must live with the consequences if they mess up - or follow their own ignorant rules. There is no help if you are unlucky. So I would like to echo @BB23 and @Jupiterman: stay completely away; they cannot help you with tinnitus. Don't bother going there.

 

[kingsfan]

Oooh, I was a victim of that Acoustic Reflex Test during my 2nd month.

If you're taking NAC, you might as well go to the store and grab Vitamins A, C, and E, along with Magnesium. I usually take 1800 mg of NAC when needed. The glutamate storm from acoustic trauma lasts at least seven days, so keep with the supplements for at least seven to ten days.

 

[GregCA]

Stay away from healthcare workers. They can't help you.

A bit of nuance wouldn't hurt.

Healthcare workers are the reason I got a good chunk of my hearing back, arrested the progression of otosclerosis, and got rid of debilitating hyperacusis.

I wouldn't recommend staying away from healthcare workers, but I'd recommend always being in control, driving the process, and having the last word on decisions. Don't be a "passive patient"!

My outcome would not have happened if I hadn't gotten heavily involved and pushed strongly for certain things, sometimes probably beyond reason (how do you keep a straight face when half a dozen doctors already said the same thing about your CT Scan, and you still pester other doctors with "I need another opinion"?). It's my life, and nobody has a higher incentive than me to look after it.

 

[Varda]

It has been four months since I got tinnitus from a single dose of Azithromycin.

The cricket-like sound, which I noticed immediately after the acoustic reflex test, has gone away.

I still have intermittent, very high-frequency tones.

The constant "faint" ~1500 Hz midrange droning tone has worsened. Before, I could only hear it with my ears plugged in a quiet room, and now it is no longer maskable by air purifiers or fans. Because of this new constant droning sound, I am in a place of extreme despair, and I wonder what pharmaceuticals are safest to try without risking making the tinnitus louder.

Lately, I've been taking Dayvigo/Lemborexant nightly because I have been waking up a lot in the dead of night. I wonder if that's the trigger for my midrange tone getting worse. I was taking half a pill, 2.5 mg of Dayvigo, but that's no longer keeping me down until the morning; I've developed a tolerance. People claim this is a "safe" sleeping aid, but I'm sure that it is prone to the same problems of tolerance, dependence, and withdrawal injury the same as any other psycho-active drug. I'm thinking of tapering off.

 

[Varda]

Here's my 7-month update: I've passed the 6-month mark, and I still have tinnitus.

For about a month now, I've been dealing with some kind of lung infection. It started with a few days of very itchy, irritated lungs, and I've been coughing up sputum ever since. Fortunately, I haven't experienced any lung pain or trouble breathing. Two weeks ago, I had a fever of around 40°C for a couple of days, which was followed by a week of ~38°C fever. I no longer have a fever, but I seem to have a lot of mucus in my sinuses, along with some Eustachian tube issues.

I went to the doctor, had blood drawn, and did a sputum culture, but they haven't been able to identify the microbe causing the infection. Naturally, they want me to start on fluoroquinolones, which I've decided to refuse.

Does anyone have recommendations for herbs, supplements, vitamins, or other remedies to boost the immune system and help clear a lung infection?

 

[kingsfan]

You can't really boost your immune system beyond vaccination and antibiotics - at least there hasn't been any science-based evidence on it as of yet. What you have is what you've got. Vitamin deficiencies can weaken your immune system, though. If you live in a colder climate, there is a good chance you may be vitamin D deficient, so I guess you could try a vitamin D supplement. I think it's better to have a doctor prescribe vitamin D since it's fat-soluble rather than water-soluble and builds up in the body; you can easily over-supplement.

I would say drink fluids, eat a balanced diet, limit stress (physical and mental), and get a lot of rest.