Lisinopril Induced Tinnitus

[Laura K]

Hi all,

I am 38 and 3 months into tinnitus in both ears from a 5 day usage of 5 mg of lisinopril...I stopped it once I realized it was instant with the med and the noises continue, to say the last 3 months have been hell would be an understatement...down 35 lbs and still not coping well...who else has tinnitus from lisinopril? I am sure it will not go away. I had no idea meds could damage your ears and I worked in the pharmacy for 9 years...wish the pharmaceutical companies and pharmacies would put warnings on the prescription bottles so people would know it's a possibility and to stop immediately if this occurs.

Has anyone done TRT? I have been really depressed/stressed/suicidal thoughts over this whole thing and have tried some antidepressants and now looking for therapy. Any other coping ideas that work for you would be appreciated as well. ENT's are not much help and seem surprised when I tell them I'm struggling so much, I am very surprised at the lack of help there is for tinnitus sufferers, just a learn to live with it....easier said than done.

 

[obutterfly]

Hi Laura K,
In October, I developed tinnitus almost instantly when the doctor raised my Wellbutrin 150mg to 300mg. I stopped it immediately as well, and the doctor said he never heard of that reaction. I have found in my research that it is quite a well known side effect of bupropion or Wellbutrin. My reaction is very similar to yours. If I had a million dollars, I wouldn't hesitate to pay it for relief. I'm on this website right now not to find a cure but to find tips to help me habituate. I bought a $4,000 pair of hearing aids, and I can't say they help. I tried lipoflavinoids with no success. I can't exercise because it ramps it up. I'm not so sure it is my ears that have been damaged. I feel more like it is my brain. I have had several days where it wasn't as bad, and this gives me hope that I can learn to habituate. I try to look only at success stories, but I just happened upon your post by accident. My ENT said "yes, it is tinnitus. It's not possible to say exactly what causes it. There is no known cure. Sometimes it goes away, but sometimes not. Some people say lipoflavinoids help; some say not. You might try a hearing aid and work with an audiologist. Good luck. I hope you feel better." Laura, I have read that it sometimes goes away or you can learn to habituate, that it is important not to react emotionally. I am hoping for the best for the both of us.

 

[Dan RVA]

Any other coping ideas that work for you would be appreciated as well.

You should do what you can to get your stress under control. Lord knows that is easier said than done, but that stress makes a terrible feedback loop for the T (at least it does for me). I find that exercise helps too. It gets my mind off the buzz in my head.

You are not alone, we are all on the same path. You are stronger than you think or feel right now.

Best wishes,
Dan

 

[Karen]

Hi, @Laura K and @obutterfly,

I'm glad to finally hear from others whose tinnitus started after taking lisinopril or another similar drug. I had very mild tinnitus in my right ear before taking lisinopril. A few days after I began taking it, my very mild tinnitus became severe, and a few weeks later, I noticed a "heartbeat" sound in the same ear (pulsatile tinnitus). I got myself off the drug, but my tinnitus remained.

This was over seven years ago, and I still have both the tinnitus and the pulsatile tinnitus. Since then, I have learned to cope with the tinnitus as best I can, and I've found that there are ways to live with it. I have acclimated to it as much as I can, so that at times I can tune it out. Distraction and staying busy work best for me, and having sound in the background (such as a fan running, etc). helps, too. I also am a great believer in exercise; it takes your mind off the tinnitus and helps you stay calm and relaxed.

I learned that it's important to not let the anxiety get to you, and to live your life as normally as possible. If you do that, you'll begin to enjoy life again, and to feel more like your old self.

For some people, getting off the drug has resulted in reduced tinnitus. You may be one of those people, but even if you're not, you'll find as time goes on that it will be easier to manage.

I wish you the best, and hope that you have a calm evening!

Best wishes,
Karen