Hyperacusis Cured/Reduced by Clomipramine

[Aaron91]

Where do you get it? I haven't found any good place to buy it personally. Thanks!

I can't speak for America but it's an OTC drug in most of Europe. Try this link:

https://www.apohealth.de/en/products/ambroxol-al-30-mg-tabletten-zur-schleimlosung-100-st-tabletten

 

[Taw]

What was your Amitriptyline dosage?

12.5 mg/day.

 

[Johnny_0620]

I can't speak for America but it's an OTC drug in most of Europe. Try this link:

Thanks! Have you used this site before? I just want to be very careful about getting some.

 

[Aaron91]

Thanks! Have you used this site before? I just want to be very careful about getting some.

I'm not too sure what you mean by careful. As I said, I'm EU based so I can't comment on what US customs may or may not do if you try to order it from Europe. The site I have linked you to though is legit and is where I got my Ambroxol from. If you are based in the EU you can just walk into any pharmacy and ask for it as it is OTC and given out all the time for coughs.

 

[Johnny_0620]

The site I have linked you to though is legit and is where I got my Ambroxol from.

Ah ok, thanks! I'm in the US. Seeing as you use this site and get good results it makes me feel better about its legitimacy.

 

[NewLionel]

12.5 mg/day.

That's a low dose. I'm on 25 mg and I don't notice it really.

 

[Foamearplugssuck]

This is very interesting. does anyone know if it will help people who just have pain hyperacusis/noxacusis?

 

[Trafalgar D]

This is very interesting. does anyone know if it will help people who just have pain hyperacusis/noxacusis?

Isn't the stabbing pain I mentioned pain hyperacusis/noxacusis?

Like for example, the lowest volume of my phone used to cause stabbing pain. 2 weeks ago I noticed that I can use my phone without pain at the lowest volume.

 

[Josh59]

@Josh59, I have been taking Amitriptyline for a couple of months now and have certainly not had it worsen my symptoms. Like you, my hyperacusis comes from headphone usage. I have not noticed an improvement from taking 10 mg and then 20 mg over the first 2 months. Going on to 30 mg and will try that for a few weeks. These are fairly low doses for Amitriptyline so actual improvement may require a higher dose.

Thank you for your reply.

If you wish, please let me know if there is any improvement.

Thank you.

 

[Pitseleh]

This is interesting. Back when I had hyperacusis, I tried Clomipramine too. It had a very bad impact on my tinnitus and didn't help my hyperacusis whatsoever. Also had the usual side effects (dry mouth, fatigue, etc.)

This is so strange that the same molecule can have such a different impact depending on the person.

 

[Trafalgar D]

This is interesting. Back when I had hyperacusis, I tried Clomipramine too. It had a very bad impact on my tinnitus and didn't help my hyperacusis whatsoever.

Interesting indeed. Do you remember how much Clomipramine you took and for how long?

 

[Pitseleh]

Interesting indeed. Do you remember how much Clomipramine you took and for how long?

I took 25 mg for 1 week, then 50 mg for 2 weeks, then stopped.

 

[addot]

I took 25 mg for 1 week, then 50 mg for 2 weeks, then stopped.

Did your tinnitus go down to your baseline after stopping, or has it permanently increased?

 

[Pitseleh]

Did your tinnitus go down to your baseline after stopping, or has it permanently increased?

Permanently, but anything can make me spike permanently, so I wouldn't necessarily blame the meds. I'm really badly wired when it comes to spikes!

 

[Trafalgar D]

I took 25 mg for 1 week, then 50 mg for 2 weeks, then stopped.

It seems like most people had to take Clomipramine for a few months (while very slowly increasing) until they saw improvements.

I also believe that most people took the 50 mg tablets which I could not get because they are no longer made – they produce now only 75 mg sustained-release tablets so I had to start with 37.5 mg.

I told "simba10" (who took Clomipramine for 1 year) about my "early success", and his reply was:

6 weeks isn't much. That's astounding. I increased my dose for 3 months, and then it was fine.

I assume he means that his hyperacusis started to improve then.

He was taking 125 mg after 3 months - I started taking 150 mg after around 3-4 weeks, so that might explain why I saw improvements "early" on.

 

[Travis Henry]

So Clomipramine can make tinnitus worse. Jesus. We can't have anything.

 

[KristianTsokanov]

So Clomipramine can make tinnitus worse. Jesus. We can't have anything.

This stuff can also give you permanent post-SSRI sexual dysfunction from what I've been reading up on. Yikes!

My doctor just prescribed me 50 mg to try for my hyperacusis. I haven't picked it up yet from the pharmacy.

 

[Travis Henry]

This stuff can also give you permanent post-SSRI sexual dysfunction from what I've been reading up on. Yikes!

That's fucked up.

 

[KristianTsokanov]

That's fucked up.

Totally!

 

[SmallRonnie]

It is amazing that this drug can cure hyperacusis but is it really viable to take this drug every day for the rest of one's life?

 

[Trafalgar D]

That's fucked up.

I may be biased but hyperacusis is the most fucked up thing I have ever experienced

 

[Trafalgar D]

It is amazing that this drug can cure hyperacusis but is it really viable to take this drug every day for the rest of one's life?

As I understood it, the people took Clomipramine for 6 months, a year or more, and hyperacusis did not return/increase after tapering off.

If I remember correctly, there was a woman who took Clomipramine for 2 months, and her hyperacusis returned after she abruptly stopped taking the drug.

 

[KristianTsokanov]

I still haven't picked up my prescription yet. Still on the fence with this.

 

[Trafalgar D]

I still haven't picked up my prescription yet. Still on the fence with this

Well, I´m not sure if it is the best idea to take a drug when you don´t feel comfortable with it. I can only share my experience and thoughts.

I couldn't get my hands fast enough on Clomipramine because the way I saw it, it was my last hope. I thought that my hyperacusis would progress like my tinnitus, and would only get worse – which basically meant that my life was over. I felt like I had nothing to lose - I didn't look up all possible side effects (besides those that were mentioned by other hyperacusis sufferers) because I simply did not care since as I wrote earlier, hyperacusis is the most fucked up thing I have ever experienced.

 

[Aaron91]

Congratulations @Trafalgar D and thank you so much for sharing your story, I am happy the side effects are not too bad for you.

The Wikipedia page on clomipramine reads that "like other TCAs, clomipramine weakly blocks voltage-dependent sodium channels... sodium channel blockade is also thought to contribute to the analgesic effects of TCAs, for instance in the treatment of neuropathic pain."

Maybe there are other drugs available which also block sodium channels but do not affect neurotransmitters?

Huh. I was actually doing a bit more reading into this and it turns out that Clomipramine is not only a sodium channel blocker (and therefore has some pain relief properties) but also an Alpha-1 adrenergic receptor antagonist, meaning it relaxes smooth muscle. Do you know what else is an Alpha-1 adrenergic receptor antagonist and relaxes smooth muscle? Flomax

It also seems to have some anticholinergic properties, which is somewhat relevant to the Norena model, because acetylcholine (ACh) maintains muscle contraction, which is undesirable for an inflamed middle ear:

 

[SmallRonnie]

Well, I´m not sure if it is the best idea to take a drug when you don´t feel comfortable with it. I can only share my experience and thoughts.

I couldn't get my hands fast enough on Clomipramine because the way I saw it, it was my last hope. I thought that my hyperacusis would progress like my tinnitus, and would only get worse – which basically meant that my life was over. I felt like I had nothing to lose - I didn't look up all possible side effects (besides those that were mentioned by other hyperacusis sufferers) because I simply did not care since as I wrote earlier, hyperacusis is the most fucked up thing I have ever experienced.

I'm thinking about getting on it now soon too but maybe just for short term.

I don't like the idea of taking this long term though. Especially since so many people do recover from hyperacusis naturally, albeit still have setbacks.

 

[Athens]

I'm thinking about getting on it now soon too but maybe just for short term.

I don't like the idea of taking this long term though. Especially since so many people do recover from hyperacusis naturally, albeit still have setbacks.

I took Clomipramine back in the 90s to see if I would experience any dramatic improvement from my tendency to be obsessive, but the side effects were too strong. I stopped taking it after a few days.

I like your optimistic message that many people recover from hyperacusis. I have read of people experiencing significant improvement after two months and some after four years. What time period is the most common based on your understanding of this condition?

 

[SmallRonnie]

I took Clomipramine back in the 90s to see if I would experience any dramatic improvement from my tendency to be obsessive, but the side effects were too strong. I stopped taking it after a few days.

I like your optimistic message that many people recover from hyperacusis. I have read of people experiencing significant improvement after two months and some after four years. What time period is the most common based on your understanding of this condition?

I was taking Nortriptyline recently too but stopped because I didn't like the side effects and potential long term effects. It didn't get rid of the ear pain anyway but maybe helped a little, don't know for sure.

I guess time for recovery seems to be linked with the severity. I had mild hyperacusis for about 5 years and the pain would usually go away after a few hours or sometimes less. Last year, it got a lot worse, burning pain in silence 24/7. That went away after about two months, completely no pain at all. Then an MRI sent it back to square one. It was definitely improving but got worse again and right now back to square one.

So as the case gets worse, it takes longer to recover from setbacks. There are a good few stories of people recovering very well here, more severe cases saying maybe a couple years to recover.

But then there are always people who just get multiple setbacks over the years.

I think it is not possible to fully recover honestly. I've had this condition for so many years and it's only getting worse, not better. Actually, I do think it will be possible to recover with regenerative medicine in the future, just not right now unless you want to gamble on stem cells/PRP which might help a little.

I don't buy the therapy healing thing. Therapy isn't going to stop me from getting pain in my ear after being exposed to too loud noise. I mean, I understand it works when improving thresholds again but it's not a cure.

 

[Trafalgar D]

relaxes smooth muscle

Talking about muscle "relaxation". My usual workout routine starts with 15 pull-ups, and I have noticed since I´ve started taking Clomipramine that I cannot reach more than 13. On the other hand, my jogging time actually keeps improving.

I started working out a few years ago because I´ve had chronic back pain since around 2016, but a few weeks ago I thought to myself – hey, wait a minute, what happened to my back pain? It's gone. I have no idea when it happened, but I figure it happened because of Clomipramine.

therefore has some pain relief properties

So that makes sense. I also believe I have not experienced pain hyperacusis since around June.

I hope that my TTTS will disappear one day just like that as well. I still cannot fully understand what is going on here. There are days when it is almost completely gone, and there are days when I feel/hear the muscle twitching loud and clear. Am I exposing my ears to too many sounds? Does it happen because of tinnitus spikes? I don't know yet.

Do you know what else is an Alpha-1 adrenergic receptor antagonist and relaxes smooth muscle? Flomax

We might have solved hyperacusis. Great. So what pill do I need to get now for tinnitus? Lol.

 

[Trafalgar D]

I'm thinking about getting on it now soon too

I hope it works for you just as well as it is currently working for me.

Especially since so many people do recover from hyperacusis naturally

Yes, I´d definitely argue that one should first try to heal "naturally". But unfortunately it does not seem to work for all of us. I don't think I would have survived multiple years with a worsening pain hyperacusis.

I think it is not possible to fully recover honestly

I´ve been wondering the same thing.