My Tinnitus Is Cured! Here's What Worked in My Case

[GamingT]

Were you able to stop taking the vitamins after the 10 day mark and the tinnitus remained gone, or do you have to take the vitamins every day for the rest of your life to keep the tinnitus at bay?

 

[Isabella 123]

It's amino acids, not vitamins. My holistic integrative medicine doctor said it's good for me to take them every day from now on. This is based on his diagnosis of my "broken" glutamate receptor recycling system, as he puts it.

I can only tell you what works for me, it may not be what your doctor recommends. It's amazing for me!!!

 

[T_Almost_Gone]

FYI I was already taking NAC and I added Acetyl-L-Carnitine as per this post but it spiked my tinnitus for about 40 hours. Sharing in case it helps others. If you want more background on my case then search my username.

I have a thread in Success Stories.

Bupropion Induced Tinnitus — Reduced by 70%!

 

[Uklawyer]

@Isabella 123, any update on this? Have you had further improvement since following this regimen?

Best.

 

[Isabella 123]

@Uklawyer, yes I am still taking the amino acids and being very careful to maintain a low free glutamate diet and my tinnitus is only loud when I first wake up in the morning, since all the stuff is no longer in my system. As soon as I get up I take my "cocktail" and within 30-45 minutes it's gone back down.

I still have tinnitus but the volume is about 3/10 instead of 8/10! I found this great website that I can look up the amt of free glutamic acid and aspartic acid in a food and that is helping me make better food choices. I know everyone's tinnitus is not caused by this malfunction of the glutamine neurotransmitter system, as mine is, but this is the same problem that causes focal epileptic seizures and also Alzheimers, Parkinson's and ALS.

By the way, like the person who posted just above you, the L-Carnitine caused me a big bad spike so I don't take it. My holistic doctor suggested Quercetin so I've added that (500 mg 1x) to the NAC and L-Theanine.

I still have spikes occasionally and I always assume that something I ate had too much glutamate, but the spikes don't last. I have about 75% or more of my waking time at very quiet level of tinnitus. I discovered dairy is a huge glutamate offender, I sure miss ice cream!

Here's the food data website: when you get to the Data page that looks like a spreadsheet, scroll down to "protein and amino acids" and click on More Details, it's in that chart.
https://nutritiondata.self.com

NAC has been taken off the market here in the US, I blame our Big Pharma of course. It's hard to find here now but it's still out there. The FDA caused a big brouhaha about it but it's just an amino acid! When I learned it was happening I snatched up every bottle I could find and have 14 months supply. You can probably find it easily in the UK, I'm assuming from your user name that's where you live. Let me know if this helps you, and good luck!

 

[Isabella 123]

Btw don't confuse a holistic doctor with a naturopath. A holistic doctor is an MD who looks more for the cause of the problem, still uses medical means, but doesn't just prescribe meds to fix the problem. A naturopath is likely to offer herbs and homeopathy (which is mostly distilled water) and not medically or evidenced-based solutions.

 

[Isabella 123]

@Uklawyer, today I don't even hear it at all, actually!

 

[Uklawyer]

@Isabella 123, thank you for your replies and apologies for not getting back to you sooner (for some reason I do not recall receiving a notification that you had replied to me).

Your results were amazing! Have you maintained them? If so, you achieved this by taking NAC, L-Theanine and Quercetin alone? And do you, contrary to the original poster, continue to take these supplements?

I am, indeed, in the UK, so finding NAC is not a problem. It is unfortunate what is happening in the US with this. You are doing some really good stuff out there in the United States to look into tinnitus, and your processes and regulations around development and testing of drugs looks pretty rigorous, but the battle between big pharma and others around supplementation seems to be a bit off. I can always help you locate NAC in the UK if of any help.

As it happens, for me, NAC appeared to have a slightly negative effect when taking it, but I only tried. a single amount on 2 separate occasions. If, however, the combination works for you, I'd certainly be interested in revisiting it.

Do let me know how you're getting on.

Best

 

[Isabella 123]

My results stay positive except when I veer off into dangerous territory by consuming foods that contain a lot of Glutamine or Aspartate. That includes dairy, MSG, Aspartame, and any of the 100 or so names that MSG uses as an alias. I take 2400 mg NAC divided in 4 doses through the day, and 600 mg L-Theanine (200 mg 3x day and 500 mg Quercetin at night. I am also on Gabapentin 2400 mg in 4 doses, because a very bad case of shingles 10 years ago left me with PHN (post hermetic neuralgia). My holistic MD says the Gabapentin helps with the broken NMDA system that is causing my tinnitus. Because I am under his care I am comfortable taking a higher dose of the amino acids that would be normal.

If your tinnitus is not caused by my condition then this may not help you. I recall that the OP said he also takes L-Argatine but that caused me to spike.

Keep me posted. Best! KK

 

[Uklawyer]

Hi @Isabella 123.

That's great news. So you are taking NAC, Quercetin and L-Theanine, but are no longer taking L-Carnitine or Taurine, right?

 

[Isabella 123]

@Uklawyer, yes that's correct.

 

[Isabella 123]

To anyone who is thinking about giving this a try, I want to remind you that it will not work if you are ALSO not consuming any foods or beverages that contain Glutamate or Aspartate. No caffeine, no dairy, no soy, no tomatoes, no grapes. Yes there's Glutamate in almost all foods but you have to seriously minimize your intake. Like today, I ate 2 meatballs. My head has been screaming ever since to the point that if I didn't have a lot to live for I might not want to stick around... Just speaking for myself, you know, this is what works for me.

I've had severe tinnitus 7+ years, so anybody who thinks my tinnitus is just miraculously or coincidentally getting better on its own... As some people like to think... needs to re-think their supposition.

 

[Mike TerMaaten]

I've learned that if I am about to eat something that I'm pretty sure contains some form of Glutamate (there are hundreds of names that can be listed in ingredients that are Glutamates, it's not just MSG)

I have found this to be VERY true.

I took Nutritional Yeast about 2 weeks ago, after watching a Dr. Berg video on YouTube about the stuff.

Evidently, Nutritional Yeast contains Glutamic Acid.

My ears let me know Very Quickly that they DID NOT approve of the Nutritional Yeast.

My ears perceived it as taking MSG.

Took me 3 days plus, Sunday to Wednesday night to get back to where i was before.

MSG contains Glutamate. Nutritional Yeast contains Glutamic acid they say.

 

[Isabella 123]

Yes indeed and there are at least 100 products that contain glutamate in high enough doses to trigger a spike. Peas, grapes, beans, nuts, citric acid, pectin, tomatoes, corn, corn syrup, I could go on and on.

I've also learned that when my blood sugar gets low that can trigger a spike. So I can't skip eating. It's maddening really. I do sometimes take L-Taurine, I've found out that it will sometimes bring down a spike.

There are times I choose to enjoy something (like a pizza) and just to heck with it, there will be a spike that will last six hours but I just want to indulge myself and pay the price!

 

[hears4fears]

Was there a final combo that worked for you?

 

[Isabella 123]

@hears4fears, I'm still taking the same regimen that I outlined a few posts above, it's working great for me. I only take the Taurine if I've eaten something that's on my NO list and am having a spike, and at that point I'll take 1000 mg of Taurine and it often brings down the spike some. At least to a tolerable level. I expect I will need to take this for the rest of my life.

 

[bigfoot]

@hears4fears, I'm still taking the same regimen that I outlined a few posts above, it's working great for me. I only take the Taurine if I've eaten something that's on my NO list and am having a spike, and at that point I'll take 1000 mg of Taurine and it often brings down the spike some. At least to a tolerable level. I expect I will need to take this for the rest of my life.

So happy for your much improved life! Can you share a link to good and bad food lists? There are some contradictions on the internet that are confusing. I am afraid to eat.

How are you now?

Thanks!

 

[blamingeverything]

So happy for your much improved life! Can you share a link to good and bad food lists? There are some contradictions on the internet that are confusing. I am afraid to eat.

How are you now?

Thanks!

It's going to vary for everyone. Me, no food in particular spikes that I've noted yet.