Sleep is a ongoing battle,resorting to sleeping pills help but not for long 3 hours maybe before the devil returns with a vengance. i am a elderly and poor user of such sites when it comes to working them, so any help or advice would be nice. yes i know used to smoke and drink stopped when tinnitus started.
Ron,
Because you are elderly, you should discuss whatever supplements you want to take with your doctor or healthcare provider. You want to make sure you're healthy enough for supplements, some of which may strain your body if you're frail or have other health conditions.
This board offers advice, but is not a substitute for a physician. We only write about our own experiences or recent clinical findings regarding specific drugs, supplements, and other treatments.
There are many supplements that people try for tinnitus with varying degrees of success. Many people use several supplements for help. Magnesium is one useful supplement that helps to reduce tinnitus sounds in many people. The supplement needs to be taken for a month or more; and it needs to be taken at higher doses to help with tinnitus. If you have any problems with your kidneys, however, you should not take high doses of magnesium. I would consult with your doctor, who can test your kidney function. Melatonin--for sleeping--is other useful drug. This drug has been shown to help reduce tinnitus and improve sleep when taken nightly. The dosage is 3 mg. Make sure you get the time-released version. (Or else you'll take it and be up in a few hours.) It's generally a very safe supplement.
However, you cannot take melatonin with sleeping pills. You take either one or the other. And you cannot take melatonin with many other drugs. If you take antidepressants or another drug that acts on your central nervous system (for example, Klonopin or another benzodiazepines), you probably should not take melatonin. Again, you need to talk with your doctor or pharmacist and give them a list of all your drugs, vitamins, and other supplements.
Regarding coenzyme Q 10, it did have a positive clinical study that suggests the supplement will significantly reduce tinnitus. The supplement was used daily for 4 months. I don't know the dosage. But the supplement only worked for people who were deficient in the enzyme. This is probably easily tested by your doctor; but you probably don't need the test. The supplement is probably safe, but check with your pharmacist.
You may also ask you doctor about taking antidepressants. They help with sleep. And they should help you with depression and anxiety. Many people with tinnitus take antidepressants.
Good luck and please take advantage of the good information offered the board. Please know that any drug or supplement will take time to work--even a few months.
Please know that if you are not happy with your family doctor or ENT, you might try a neurologist or psychiatrist. These doctors also know about tinnitus and may offer you drugs that will help you.
Here's a link for the Coenzyme Q10 study. Just click on it to get to the abstract:
Here's a link for a melatonin study:
Here's a link to magnesium on Tinnitus Talk:
Note: Do you have a family member who could help you gather information from this site or others? I know it can be overwhelming.
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