Tinnitus After Helicobacter Pylori Treatments

[UrbanBubblegum]

Hi there!

So, after having to different treatments to eradicate Helicobacter Pylori I now have tinnitus in my left ear.

As long as I stay away from medications, I am lucky to keep the tinnitus at a minimum. But I still have my tinnitus days.

The latest HP treatment made my tinnitus super-sensitive, and it spikes from all kinds of medicine.

As you all know, living a life without meds are impossible, and now I am facing the need to use Valtrex (2 x 250 mg per days).

In June, just after competing my latest HP treatment, I was told to continue Nexium, which I did. At the time my tinnitus was noticeable.

About a week later, I added Valtrex. After two pills (night time day 1 and daytime day 2) my tinnitus went through the roof and I crashed hard-time.

I have since stopped Nexium and my tinnitus is quite low now, but it took about two months to get there.

About ten days ago I was put on Voltaren for Tendonitis, and after two pills my tinnitus spiked, so I stopped immediately.

I am told to try Valtrex again, and have searched this forum, and Googled the S... out of google. As far as I can tell Valtrex is NOT ototoxic, is this true?

If anyone has some knowledge and/or experience with this medicine PLEASE share. Thank you!

 

[eagerUser]

I'm not sure about valtrex as I've never tried it but nexuim did nothing to me, that time I didn't have T though.

I was on it for several months maybe 1-2 or 3 I don't remember. I also tried lots of perazoles like pantoprazole, esomeprazole(nexuim), ome-prazole. Famotidin and ranitidin also had no effects and side effects.

Also I took lots of amoxicillin, metronidazole and another pill for HP with positive results.

 

[UrbanBubblegum]

Thanks! I got T as a side effect from Nexium first time when I did the «standard» for HP including Metronidazole and Clarithromycin.

Second try was Amoxicillin, Pepto Bismol and Levofloxacin along with Nexium. After this treatment my T is super-sensitive.

Hope to get some info on Valtrex.

Thanks for sharing, @eagerUser

 

[eagerUser]

Sorry to see you here @UrbanBubblegum
It may eventually go away after you stop Nexium.
I hope HP mproves for you and T goes away.

Now that you have drug induced T take a good care of your ears and Don't play with fire by exposing yourself to loud noises as that may worsen your T even though it's not noise-induced.

Good luck

 

[UrbanBubblegum]

Thank you for your support

I stopped Nexium 2 months ago, and my T greatly reduced about one month ago.

Before I got T in february I could take most drugs without getting T. But that has all changed now.

I tried Voltaren about two weeks ago, and my T spiked through the roof. Before I got T taking NSAIDs was never a problem.

Oh, and my latest breath test was negative, so at least some good came out of this.

How is your T @eagerUser ?

 

[eagerUser]

Mine has nothing to do with Nexium or other drugs IMO.

 

[tiniturtle]

The clarithromycin in the HP protocol is the drug that will commonly cause tinnitus. It is known to be ototoxic.

 

[foam]

Valtrex isn't known to cause tinnitus is it? I've been trying to get back on it but for some reason it's giving me really big headaches these days, in the past I always felt much better on it than not. It's known to give headaches but I get them worse now that I did in the past. But yeah those big antibiotics for Helicobacter can give you tinnitus. I've done the helicobacter treatment and all the other super bad antibiotics when I first got sick about 10 yeas ago and never had a problem with them at the time other than getting a white tongue... for a year. Like you say there's nothing at all on google saying valtrex is bad and imho it's damm lot better than having herpes zoster eating you form the inside out. When you have tinnitus your central nerv
ous system can easily turn vibration and pain into sound and if you are getting headaches form the valtrex that might be what is happening. I've actually been wonder if I have helicobacter now because I've been getting crazy reflux if I eat carbs. If I do I'll have to do the safe mode treatment

 

[UrbanBubblegum]

@foam Thank you for your long and informative post. I might give Valtrex a try again. I am just freaking out of the propect of a spike in my T cause I get depression and anxiety from the increase, and Get very emotional and cry all the time

Once it goes back to a lower baseline I'm mentally better as well.

Undortunately, I got floxed by Levofloxacin and have severe tendonitis and all kinds of side-effects now 3 months afterwards. So please stay away from the floxies if you can.

I recommend a Urea breath test if you are concerned about being infected with HP.
HP can never be resistant to Amoxicillin, but you have to find out which second abx it is sensitive to.

thanks again!

 

[foam]

@foam Thank you for your long and informative post. I might give Valtrex a try again. I am just freaking out of the propect of a spike in my T cause I get depression and anxiety from the increase, and Get very emotional and cry all the time

Once it goes back to a lower baseline I'm mentally better as well.

Undortunately, I got floxed by Levofloxacin and have severe tendonitis and all kinds of side-effects now 3 months afterwards. So please stay away from the floxies if you can.

I recommend a Urea breath test if you are concerned about being infected with HP.
HP can never be resistant to Amoxicillin, but you have to find out which second abx it is sensitive to.

thanks again!

I have an inflammatory immune system disease and am pretty well read on how the herpes virus gets inside sites of inflammation and has a big party and compounds the problem. My specialists knows/suspects virus are behind most disease, he's a big fan of just taking valtrex every day forever.. He thinks the benefits in the long term for avoiding health problems by keeping it suppressed are worth it. I hadn't been taking it for a while when I got tinnitus.. My mistake I guess.

 

[Kelvin]

I have bouts of acid reflux ( related to bread and carbonated drinks - beer ) and usually take a H2 blocker - Ranitidine. I have noticed that whenever I take Ranitidine my T becomes much more reactive. The next day is often very bad. It happens consistently and so it must be the Ranitidine. Looking for an acid reflux medication that wont have this effect - any ideas gratefully received ?
The gut has more influence on our overall functioning than science has even begun to understand.
Hope all you hissers are having the best day you can !
X

 

[foam]

You really have to stop eating grains to have any chance of fixing a dodgy gut, I assume you are off the gluten already?. I had pretty intense reflux in the early days of gluten ruining my life. I tried a lot of things in those days but looking back. I'd just go completely grain free and I'd get onto making some good kefir if you tolerate milk or goat milk. The gut seems to play a pretty big role in somatic/reactive tinnitus.

 

[UrbanBubblegum]

@foam so, if I get you right - Valtrex is not ototoxic and does not cause hearing loss or Tinnitus?

@Kelvin if you suspect you are infected with HP you can get your GP to refer you to s Urea 13- breath test or a Gastroscopy.

if you are not infected and at times struggle with gastritis or chronic gastritis, your best bet is staying of any H2 or PPI, and manage your symptoms through diet.
I rarely drink soft drinks.
Peppermint tea will help relief stomach aches, cramps and bloating. As will reducing gluten, onions and garlic.
Also, try Novaluzid instead of H2 Blockers and PPIs

But honestly, make sure it is not HP. Once mine was eliminated it really made such a difference!

 

[foam]

@foam so, if I get you right - Valtrex is not ototoxic and does not cause hearing loss or Tinnitus?

I've not read or heard anything about Valtrex being ototoxic at all... Google doesn't seem to have any stories either. But like I say I bet it can cause an temporary increase in Somatic tinnitus if it's giving you a slight headache. But is somatic tinnitus even tinnitus... ? A lot of people take Valtrex every day for their entire life and in the Meniere's forums it's one of the main things they use to get remission and stop tinnitus.. So it's worth a try. Those guys are the boss's of tinnitus... for them it's a side effect of a side effect.. So they don't get all crazy and say it's not fixable like on the tinnitus groups. Those guys just find the issue and fix it. Neck, Jaw, posture, infection, virus etc.

 

[Kelvin]

@foam so, if I get you right - Valtrex is not ototoxic and does not cause hearing loss or Tinnitus?

@Kelvin if you suspect you are infected with HP you can get your GP to refer you to s Urea 13- breath test or a Gastroscopy.

if you are not infected and at times struggle with gastritis or chronic gastritis, your best bet is staying of any H2 or PPI, and manage your symptoms through diet.
I rarely drink soft drinks.
Peppermint tea will help relief stomach aches, cramps and bloating. As will reducing gluten, onions and garlic.
Also, try Novaluzid instead of H2 Blockers and PPIs

But honestly, make sure it is not HP. Once mine was eliminated it really made such a difference!

@UrbanBubblegum



Thanks so much for that. I appreciate your help.
Just found out my grandfather suffered with HP until treated in his 60's !
Will get that checked out for sure.
The Ranitidine reaction is very real and annoying as it does help with its intended purpose...but the ramping-up in my reactive T hiss is just awful.
Will also look into Navaluzid.
Cheers !

 

[UrbanBubblegum]

@Kelvin my pleasure. I struggled with HP for at least 15 years. In the last 6-8 of those my symptoms went from bad to worse. And it was so bad that I missed a lot of work (sick leave) and my social life became non-exsisting.

if you, or anyone on this forum struggle with HP then this forum is a gem: https://www.helico.com/forums/

@foam I am relatively new to Tinnitus so trying to find out what I have and what works for me. Thus far I have found PPIs, NSAIDs, Vitamin D , to Spike me T through the roof. If I refrain from there it is much lower - though constant - and I manage OK.

I have a sleeping pillow with built in Speaker for masking and hearing aid if I have to use drugs that will spike my T.

I, as you, need to use Valtrex for a long time. And I need to start up soon.

do you have any suggestions or users you know of that might shed some light what do to next?

I do use supplementer which might have improved my condition!

 

[foam]

@UrbanBubblegum



Thanks so much for that. I appreciate your help.
Just found out my grandfather suffered with HP until treated in his 60's !
Will get that checked out for sure.
The Ranitidine reaction is very real and annoying as it does help with its intended purpose...but the ramping-up in my reactive T hiss is just awful.
Will also look into Navaluzid.
Cheers !

My grandfather died from HP.. He had Ulcers and was operated on to cut them out (back in the day before Antibiotics to cure it was known). He died from complications of the surgery. he was still young this was before I was even born

 

[Kelvin]

My grandfather died from HP.. He had Ulcers and was operated on to cut them out (back in the day before Antibiotics to cure it was known). He died from complications of the surgery. he was still young this was before I was even born

Sorry to hear that @foam My grandfather had years of stomach problems until he was diagnosed late in life. As some scientists say "we are a reflection of our gut" I guess it makes sense as it all starts with nutrients from food. I am now looking into some healthy gut ideas and cookery.

 

[UrbanBubblegum]

So, D-Vitamin definately seems to spike my T. Any idea why?

 

[Skity]

The triple h. pylori had no effect on my tinnitus but my tinnitus did start after severe digestion problems, which I suffer from to this day.

 

[UrbanBubblegum]

@Skity did you manage to eradicate HP?

 

[Skity]

@Skity did you manage to eradicate HP?

According to the breath test it is gone, despite accidentally taking half the daily dose of antibiotics, I do have a feeling its back tho, but gotta re-test.

 

[UrbanBubblegum]

According to the breath test it is gone, despite accidentally taking half the daily dose of antibiotics, I do have a feeling its back tho, but gotta re-test.

How long after treatment did you do the Urea test, and did you quit the PPIs or H2 Blockers 2 weeks prior to testing?

HP is a maste bug so eradicating it when troubled is essential.

As you can read above I was troubled for MAN years. After confirmed eradication it can take months for gastris to subside.

 

[Skity]

How long after treatment did you do the Urea test, and did you quit the PPIs or H2 Blockers 2 weeks prior to testing?

HP is a maste bug so eradicating it when troubled is essential.

As you can read above I was troubled for MAN years. After confirmed eradication it can take months for gastris to subside.

I did the test a month after treatment, and yes, I quit the PPI's a month before re-checking.

I had no pain tho so idk if I had gastritis, I had an episode of vomiting and a constant nausea, which I suffer from immensely to this day.

 

[UrbanBubblegum]

@Skity Took about 6-7 weeks for me post treatment before symptoms subsided. Sometimes it takes longer.

But as you know PPI might spike T. I quit because of T.