Ramipril Has Massively Increased My Tinnitus :(

[JoeBattams]

Hi all,


I've had Tinnitus for half my life now (I'm 32 and I've had it since I was 16)- It took me the first 5 years to come to terms with the fact that I'd never hear silence again, and then it just became part of me and I didn't think about it very much (aside from taking hearing protection precautions)- until last week that is when my world has fallen apart.


My GP put me on Ramipril about a month ago to try and bring my BP down, and didn't mention any of the side effects- I tolerated it well, but about a week ago I noticed that my tinnitus had been a lot louder than usual and I was hearing things I never heard before-it used to be that I'd only hear my T when it was quiet, now I can hear it ALL the time and it's a horrible shrieking noise. At first I'd just thought, "Oh that's odd, am sure it will settle down"- but when it didn't, I thought- "I wonder if it's anything to do with the Ramipril?"- I looked online and was absolutely horrified by all the stories and testimonies by people saying Ramipril had ruined their hearing. I don't know what to do, I cant concentrate at work, I cant enjoy my own time, I feel so so miserable L


I've a lot of anxiety/ depression issues already, and this has just exponentially increased all the misery I feel- and has brought T to the forefront of my worry again. I phoned the doctor yesterday and said I wanted to come off the tablets because I'd read all the horror stories online, and he just said "yes, do that then, yes, they can cause tinnitus"- I thought why the **** didn't you tell me that in the first place??!!??- you know my case history!!!!


I haven't taken the tablets for the last 2 days now, but notice no difference with hugely elevated T- am really hoping that someone out there has had a similar experience, but that their Tinnitus settled down again eventually when they came off the Ramipril?- Do you think I have any hope that it will return to previous levels? L


Sorry for the massive long ramble,


Joe

 

[Karen]

Hi, @JoeBattams,

I have had an experience very similar to yours with a blood pressure drug; the drug in my case was Lisinopril, which is also an ACE inhibitor. I had very mild tinnitus in my right ear for about 20 years, and hardly noticed it -- until I took the Lisinopril for the first time. My doctor did not tell me about any of the side effects, either, one of which seems to be ototoxicity. I had other side effects from the drug, too, which were quite scary, so I tried to get myself off the drug. When I did that, I had several episodes of erratic blood pressure and pounding, and I ended up with pulsatile tinnitus as well. Then, my doctor put me on another drug, a beta blocker, which I stayed on for about 2 months. I finally got myself off all the blood pressure drugs by weaning myself off gradually. However, the tinnitus and pulsatile tinnitus remained.

Now, it is six years later. I still have tinnitus and pulsatile tinnitus, but the tinnitus has settled down to a more livable level, and I am coping with the pulsatile tinnitus. I am not taking any blood pressure drugs, and instead am controlling my blood pressure with diet, exercise, and a natural supplement called Carditone.

Please do give it some time. I believe that your tinnitus will eventually settle down to a more livable level, but it may take many months. In the meantime, please do try some of the coping methods we have suggested here on Tinnitus Talk. You might try background sounds (especially when trying to sleep), calming supplements or meds (I use magnesium glycinate and N-acetylcistene), distraction, and other techniques.

I did some research, too, and found that there were other people out there who had elevated tinnitus from ACE inhibitors. I don't know why doctors don't tell their patients BEFORE they take these drugs that they can affect hearing and tinnitus.

Please don't be discouraged; things will improve!

Best wishes,
Karen

 

[JoeBattams]

Hi @Karen , thank you so much for taking the time to write to me! It's strange- up until this last week, I'd never seeked support with Tinnitus- i'd had it for so long that it was almost like a companion to me- especially as I only heard it when it was quiet! But this is just crazy- I consume a huge amount of Audio books and they're one of my main hobbies, and now I cant face putting the earphones on because of the racket my ears are making. I'm glad you're coping ok now! I'll try my very best to be patient and not freak out too much,

Best wishes,

Joe

 

[Robert44]

@Karen Sorry to hear your story. Terrible how dr's don't warn about the side effects. Really distressing hearing this

 

[Karen]

Hi, @JoeBattams,

I'm an avid reader, too, and when my tinnitus and pulsatile tinnitus started, I was devastated because I could not stand to read even a short article, due to the noises in my head. Now, however, I'm back to reading normally again. I guess you could say I've habituated; I can still hear the noise (and it is louder than it was before the blood pressure drug), but I've gotten to where my mind can tune it out when I'm absorbed in something. I am very hopeful that you'll get there, too. Just be patient with yourself, take it slowly, and try various masking-sound techniques and ways to distract yourself. In time, things will begin to look better.

I hope you'll keep me posted on how you're progressing. I certainly understand the anxiety and frustration you're experiencing right now!!

Very best wishes,
Karen

 

[Karen]

Hi, @Robert44

Yes, it is too bad that doctors don't forewarn their patients about the risks and side effects of the drugs they're prescribing. I think they feel that the benefits of the drug outweigh the risks of any side effects on their patients --- which in some cases may not be true! I wish I could go back in time, and choose NOT to take that first blood pressure pill, but it's too late for that now. So, the best thing to do is try to go forward, and live with this condition as best we can.

I hope you are doing well, and finding ways to cope with your tinnitus. Noise trauma can really take its toll on our ears!

Best wishes,
Karen

 

[Robert44]

@Karen
Thanks...I'm doing fine. I habituated pretty quickly. I always have that fear that it will get worse. When I hear stories like yours it upsets me. Like you said we have to move on. We also need to be careful in the future about what medications we take. I worry bout my son, he suffers from depression. Just started taking Lexapro. Low dose. That's all he needs is to get T. Well have a good night. Robert

 

[JoeBattams]

Thanks @Karen , I'm hopeful it will start to settle down a bit fairly soon- the most distracting part is that now it's a high pitched screech that cuts through normal day-to-day sounds. I've looked out my old maskers that I had when I was 16 (wow, has it been so long!?!) and am wearing them now- helps a bit! It's weird though- since I've had my T from such a young age, i'd gotten so used to the normal quiet hiss that I heard at bed-time, and as weird as it sounds it was the one thing that remained constant in my life through all the low points. It was always there like a little familiar voice in my head, and I think if someone had said "we've invented a cure to take away T completely!" I'd have said "I'll have to think about it!" Now though, I wish I could go back in time a few weeks and stay completely away from BP meds! I'll have to do the same as you I think- focus on lifestyle changes,

Best wishes and take care,

Joe

 

[Karen]

Yes, @JoeBattams,

I wish I knew of something else that would make it easier for you, but I agree that lifestyle changes might be your best bet right now. Please do keep in touch with me, and let me know how you're progressing.

If you'd like a recommendation for a natural supplement that helps control blood pressure, here are a couple of suggestions: Magnesium is supposed to help with blood pressure. Also, beet root extract; I took beet root extract capsules for awhile, and I think it moderately controlled my blood pressure. But what I'm currently taking seems to work best, for both my husband and me: Carditone. It's a natural supplement that you can buy online. You could try various supplements, to see if any of them will work for you.

Best wishes,
Karen

 

[linearb]

really sorry to hear this, OP. i hope it settles down for you soon.

the more threads like this i see, the more determined i am to just not go to doctors, not take pills.... why are you being put on ACE inhibitors when you're 32?