Yeah, benzos are the devil...Are low doses ok though? Will they damage the cochlea that much?
I'm not aware of much research showing that benzos are
directly ototoxic -- eg, damage hair cells directly. It's definitely possible, they are known to cause a wide variety of vestibular effects, but I would be pretty shocked if this was the principle mechanism by which they cause tinnitus. (And, anecdotally, I took a moderate dose of Klonopin for many years, and it did not in any way impact hearing test results).
The mechanism I suspect as more reliably problematic, is by altering the way GABA-mediated inhibition works in the entire nervous system. Benzos very, very clearly have this effect -- it is their primary mode of action. And, as we know, lack of GABA-mediated inhibition, is a necessary element to the propagation and sustenance of the tinnitus perceptual signal.
When people say "low doses" of benzos, they generally mean stuff like "I only take a half milligram of Xanax a day". I do not think that's a "low dose"; it's roughly equivalent to 30 ounces of 4.5% ABV beer.
@Danny Boy i have tried Keppra years ago off label form migraines and I was a walking dopey zombie. You are saying it stops tinnitus?
Two people on here have reported improvements in hyperacusis from Keppra. That is not nearly enough data to make any sweeping conclusions at all. I can easily find you ten other anecdotal reports of people who say Keppra caused them to develop tinnitus. The plural of anecdote is not data.
I just stared with the t (screechy) last week. I think that's when I cut my ativan in half and also took cats
Claw at the same time.
I, personally, would suspect the ativan dose cut much more than the cat's claw. Cutting it by half is a huge cut. I have read many accounts of people developing tinnitus during lorazepam dose reduction.
@linearb thank you for the shot of hope. Did you have benzo t? i can't remember now-I am struggling to even write this. I am so so lost. I never heard such a loud non stop ring. How can there be hope. Even taking the regular dose of ativan doesn't bring it down.
I think that benzos are a factor in my T; I was on them for a long time. I also had some noise trauma, and severe anxiety that I did not address properly for a period of years. So, there are many factors. My read on most people's experiences is that tinnitus which is purely from benzos
usually reduces gradually over a period of years, out to about 5 years off. I am 2 years off now. If I see a significant improvement in my tinnitus over the next 3 years, then I will assume it was benzo related. It is too soon to say.
Guys thanks for trying to talk me down. I don't know how this happened so fast. I can't sleep at all and feel like I am going to get into a psychotic episode soon.
I've had this feeling
many times. Whatever else happens for you, at some point, you
will start sleeping better, and once that happens, lots of things will probably get better.
Member
