New Onset 13kHz Tinnitus: Could Flarex (Fluorometholone) Be the Cause?

Mattly

Member
Author
Benefactor
Aug 18, 2020
6
Tinnitus Since
07/20
Cause of Tinnitus
Unknown
Hi all

Just developed this four weeks ago, no idea why. Just had dinner at a restaurant, was feed four or so tequilas by the owner - I almost never drink spirits. Few people at my house with some music playing that night, not too loud. Had quiet a late one after everyone went home however just chatting on the computer in the quiet.

I had been tapering off Flarex (fluorometholone - ototoxic) which I had been on for a year for keratitis but I was down to a drop a week, which I took the day before the onset. I was only doing 1 drop a week for about four months before the onset so I struggle to see how this could have pushed it over the edge.

Woke up to a 13 kHz or so tone central-right. First three weeks it was pretty loud. Lately in the mornings when I wake up it is about a 1/10 or 0.5/10 and replace by a fire alarm sound in my right ear which is maybe 3/10. As soon as I get up the fire alarm noise goes away for the entire rest of the day and the 13 kHz tone kicks in slowly, gets louder during the day to maybe a 6/10. Really annoying.

Went and saw two disinterested ENTs that pretty much made up their minds immediately that it was "hearing loss" and I need to habituate. The ENT tonight pretty much made up my audiogram and said it was high frequency hearing loss. I went home and tested my audiogram online and my hearing is pretty good- in the normal range for a 30 year old and I am 47. She gave me three musical pieces to listen to 2 hours a day until I habituate.

Unimpressed I think some sort of neuroinflammatory thing is going on. That is also what the University of Arizona research seems to indicate.

Seems to be aggravated if I get worked up or eat certain foods (yet to zero it down but I suspect is sugar). Hangovers aggravate it.

Using a neck brace twice I have got it down to about 0.5/10 after an hour in the evenings - almost inaudible. Need to keep trying this as I read about the paper with the lady who had it for 20 years before curing it over 4 weeks with a neck brace. Went to a chiro who said I had four pea sized knots in my jaw that he worked out.

Today was about a 2/10 all day but this evening it hit about at 6/10 after dinner - took some NAC and it seemed to quieten to about a 4/10. Seemed to give me a few palpitations.

Then I listened to this high frequency audio test and it went away almost completely for a period of time:

https://www.audiocheck.net/audiotests_frequencycheckhigh.php
A -9 dbFS sweeping sine tone, from 22 kHz (supposedly inaudible) down to 8 kHz

Matt
 
I think a bit mistake listening to that sound last night.. it has been unbearable for the last 24 hours. I think I really stirred something up. Didn't think it was that loud.
 
@Mattly I found early on that I could play a sound that matched my T and make it disappear for a bit. So I used sound frequency generator sites, and then also would use General Fuzz'a ACRN either to blip the sound or to use the ACRN pattern around the sound. I also used an iphone app that can generator a constant tone. These all have been very helpful.

Good luck.
 

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