Starting to Have Pulsating Tinnitus Occasionally

[sonicboom2000]

I've been on this forum for years as I have bad tinnitus in both ears. It's been 4 years with tinnitus induced by an antidepressant cymbalta. The last few months I've started to finally habituate slightly to it but now this past week I've been hearing pulsating tinnitus while laying in bed in my left ear.

The pulsating tinnitus has happened about 5 times now while I'm laying in bed. It's been as brief as 3 beats to as long as 15 seconds, but it always goes away. I am so so scared that it's going to start up again and be permanent. Why is this happening to me just when I've started to feel better? Is this going to become permanent?

Did permanent pulsating tinnitus start for any of you like this? Just hearing it briefly occasionally and then bam its constant? Can you guys pray for me my name is Ryan. I really can't deal with getting pulsating tinnitus. This is a big blow finally feeling a little better and now I may get pulsating tinnitus?

A little more info, I do have high blood pressure and am obese but have been eating healthier and I've lost 35 pounds in the last few months.

Thanks for any advice and help.

 

[Karen]

Hi, @sonicboom2000,

I have pulsatile tinnitus, too, and mine started suddenly after taking, then trying to get off, a blood pressure drug. I have heard of other people whose pulsating started intermittently, and then became constant.

We don't really know a lot about the mechanism that causes pulsating tinnitus to begin, but in your case, it sounds like you could benefit from continuing to follow a healthy diet and getting your blood pressure under control. It's great that you've lost 35 pounds!! Keep up the good work, and stay on that healthy regimen. As your weight goes down, it's possible that your intermittent PT will improve, as well.

Are you on any sort of medication for your high blood pressure? If so, what type? ARB, ACE inhibitor, beta blocker? The drug dosage could play a role in your PT, too. For some people, taking a low-dose blood pressure drug helps control their PT. In my case, that didn't work, and I am no longer on blood pressure medication, as I have gotten mine under control with diet, exercise, and a natural supplement called Carditone.

If your pulsating continues, or gets worse, you then might want to see a doctor to get checked out, just to be sure all is well. Have you heard of benign intracranial hypertension? If it doesn't go away, you might want to read the symptoms for that condition to see if they are similar to yours.

Good luck, and please keep us posted on your weight loss progress!

Best wishes,
Karen

 

[sonicboom2000]

I really pray it doesn't become permanent. That would be so bad. Even though I only hear it for a few seconds at a time it seems louder than my normal T and way worse because it makes me aware of my heart beat.

I'm on a alpha-adrenergic blocker called Cadura. I've been on it for 3 years. It's the only blood pressure pill I found that doesn't list tinnitus as a possible side effect. If you know of any others then I'd take a suggestion. Thank you.

 

[Karen]

Hi, @sonicboom2000,

No, I'm afraid I don't know of any other blood pressure drugs that we can be sure don't cause tinnitus.
However, in your case, since yours is intermittent it may not get any worse. That's something only time will tell.

In the meantime, it sounds like you've made some good lifestyle changes, and those may work in your favor. Take care, and please keep us posted on how you're doing.

 

[sonicboom2000]

No no no no. I heard it again today while I was waking up. 1 beat in my ear every 15 seconds or so for a few minutes. Is this how it starts? This can't be happening to me, not now after all I've been through. I wasn't able to work for 2 years because of tinnitus and just started feeling better I've been doing ACRN for 5 months. And now I may get an even worse version of tinnitus? When I didn't think anything could get any worse.

I won't live with this, if it becomes permanent I'm checking out. I had an attempt that failed in June 2015 and worked so hard to get back on track and now this. Well not this time. I feel like I'm in some cruel experiment someone is pulling the strings testing me, slowly making my health worse and worse seeing how far they can push me before I finally end it all. Well this is the limit, okay - leave me alone already you sick bastards. I just want to be left alone. I can't stop crying.

 

[volsung37]

Sounds like you may have middle ear myoclonus. This is where either the tensor tympani or stapedius taps against the eardrum. I had it for 3 months last year. Counted 6000 taps in one day. It went away. Now I have it in my left ear and sporadically in my right. Just have to live with it. Take meds to sleep and hope somehow sometime it will go away.

 

[Karen]

@sonicboom2000,

I think I have to agree with @volsung37. My pulsatile tinnitus DID NOT start that way, and has not been like that at all. So, he may be correct that yours is the myoclonus. That seems more likely, and it may go away on its own, since it is intermittent.

All my sympathies go out to you, and I totally understand how you feel. When my pulsating first started, it was so bad I was crying all the time. But now, things have gotten better for me, and I'm truly, truly hoping the same for you.

 

[sonicboom2000]

It's taken me 4 years to finally accept and somewhat habituate to my normal tinnitus. That included multiple stays in psychiatric hospitals for weeks and being drugged out of my mind. I think acrn has helped a lot. In the process I lost so much, my job, apartment, independence ect. I'm just starting to get on track and this would be a huge setback. I really really can't start over and go through this hell again. Please everyone who sees this say a prayer for me. I need prayers.

 

[Karen]

@sonicboom2000
Sending prayers your way, and lots of hugs.

 

[volsung37]

My thoughts and prayers are with you sonicboom2000. If it is myoclonus you have it can go away on its own.If not botox injections can help for a few months and people have had these muscles cut as a last resort. This can lead to hearing your voice a bit louder or being conscious of hearing yourself eat. But compared to constant thumping this might not be too bad. Others have said flexeril or cyclopramazine has helped. This is a muscle relaxant with sedative properties. In short it is a form of tinnitus that can be dealt with.

 

[sonicboom2000]

Thanks everyone for your prayers. I really really need them.

 

[sonicboom2000]

I've been having the pulsating tinnitus when I wake up every morning since my last post. It is always only 1-4 beats and then it stops. If I lay in bed for 20 minutes after waking up I'll have it maybe 5-10 times. When I get up they are gone. I hear them 1-2 times during the day when I'm awake. Why do I hear them always upon waking up? Is this Pulsating tinnitus or myoclonus ? I really hope it goes away and doesn't get worse. I've been monitoring my blood pressure and it's never above 130/90. Please help