Pulsatile Tinnitus Started, Stopped, Started Again

[Aliceforbes]

I'm getting no help from doctors. Just saw GP doctor and he says there's nothing they can do to help me. I've had a rain MRI and ultrasound on neck all ok. He says there's nothing left they can do. Don't understand why it started in November 2015 with the pulsing,went away for about 6 weeks now it's back. Wakes me up in middle of night and I'm having a hard time falling back to sleep.

 

[Karen]

Hi @Aliceforbes,

I'm sorry you're having problems with getting assistance from your doctor regarding pulsatile tinnitus. I have PT, too, so I can totally sympathize with what you're going through.

A suggestion: You could try going to a neurologist or neurotologist for a second opinion, to see if they would be willing to run additional tests. The neuro could look at your scans to see if he could see anything on them, and if not, possibly order a CT scan or (if warranted) an angiogram.

I've been to several doctors myself, without a diagnosis yet. I've had this condition for almost 6 years now.

Do you have any idea what might have started your PT? Have you experienced any recent changes in your health, or are you taking any new medications?

I wish you success in finding a doctor who will help you. Don't forget to check out Whooshers.com. There, you'll find more information about PT, plus a list of questions that you can print out and take to your doctor for your next appointment.

Best wishes, and I hope you find some answers soon!

Karen

 

[Aliceforbes]

Thanks Karen for your very quick reply. I will look into it. I'm sure there is nothing that can be done. To answer your question no I don't know what might of been the cause of this. My guess is my thyroid. I have hypothyroidism and found out about 2 weeks after that my thyroid was way off its mark. They had to up my dose of meds. Of course the doctor I saw said it wasn't what caused it to start.

 

[Karen]

@Aliceforbes,

That's very interesting! I'm hypothyroid, too, and I've been taking Synthroid for many years. Are you currently on levothyroxine, or are you taking one of the natural thyroid hormone supplements? I have wondered if changing to Armour Thyroid might make any difference in my PT.

Even though your doctor said that wasn't the cause, I'm not so sure that it wasn't.....! I think that a sudden change in meds or perhaps a hormone imbalance could trigger the pulsating. In my case, the pulsating started after I took a blood pressure drug for the first time. I speculated that the combination of the thyroid meds and the blood pressure drug somehow interacted, and may have caused mine.

Maybe, in your case, it happened when your thyroid condition worsened, and/or when the doctor upped your dosage of medicine.