Tinnitus Caused by 4 Weeks on Wellbutrin

[kaymath]

Hi everyone,

I'm typing this while holding back tears. I'm a 32-year-old preschool teacher (or at least I was) and a mother of two children, ages 4 and 6. My life has been pretty great, but since having kids, I've struggled with anxiety. To manage it, I decided to try my first antidepressant, Wellbutrin, around Halloween in October. Four weeks later, I started feeling dizzy during Pilates. Then, one day, I woke up with what felt like a fire alarm blaring in my head.

That fire alarm sound lasted a week. I was throwing up, overwhelmed with stress, and being horrible to my family. I felt utterly alone because no one understood what I was going through. I immediately stopped taking the Wellbutrin, as I had already planned to discontinue it. It made me restless and even more anxious.

After the fire alarm sound subsided, the tinnitus changed to a lower volume. It sounded like jingle bells, screeching bus brakes, or sporadic dog whistles, only in my right ear. I was starting to cope better, eating again, distracting myself at the gym, and taking all the vitamins I could think of. I even quit my job, as being around screaming kids all day wasn't working with the tinnitus, which was reactive at first. I was also terrified of causing more damage. Thankfully, I am fortunate to be able to stay home and focus on healing.

I saw an audiologist who found some hearing loss in the high pitch range. An ENT prescribed prednisone: 60 mg for three days, 40 mg for three days, and 20 mg for three days.

After five days of treatment, my left ear started randomly hissing. Occasionally, it would do the classic "eeeeee" sound for a few minutes a few times a day. I decided to stop the prednisone, fearing it was making things worse. Meanwhile, the dog whistles in my right ear continued.

This is now week 3 or 4, and the tinnitus is still there but quieter. I'm hoping that's a good sign. I can sometimes hear it over the TV, in the car, or outside. It changes and fluctuates so much that I can't seem to adjust or ignore it. I'm constantly reminded of it or actively searching for it. It's consuming me, even though I try to stay busy with my kids during the day. As soon as I have downtime, I'm scouring for answers, stories, or anything helpful and relatable. It's ruling my life.

I'm not entirely sure what I'm trying to get out of sharing this. I just feel so alone. I hope this isn't forever. For now, all I have is hope.

 

[kaymath]

Yesterday was a good day. So quiet. Today it has been swapping ears, changing sounds and both ears have had a minute or two of the loudest T yet. Like a flash bang went off. Had to leave the room to get away from my kids so I could break down until it stopped. So scary. I hate this.

Plus my kids sick so yay for managing stress levels.

Plus I've had a Headache non stop for days and am terrified to take anything.

 

[Thomas_83]

Four weeks in? You are still in the acute stage. I know it is hard right now, but things will get better, much better.

I strongly advise you to stop reading negative information about tinnitus on the internet. It does not help and often makes things worse.

I have had tinnitus since 2021, and the first time, it went away after six months. Recently, it came back like a bomb after a period of stress. I suffered through it for two months, but now I have moved past the anxiety stage. I am sharing this because I want to tell you what helped me.

Julian Cowan Hill's videos on YouTube, along with an app he created, were incredibly helpful. The app has videos that eased my catastrophic thoughts and anxiety significantly. I highly recommend watching his content. It will help you feel better and calm your nervous system.

Be cautious with supplements and vitamins. If you choose to take NAC (N-Acetyl Cysteine), it may help with depression and hearing. I have read about its benefits, but always do your research or consult a professional first.

Most importantly, remember that this will pass. Your life is not over. Take it one day at a time, and things will improve.

 

[kaymath]

@Thomas_83 thank you so much for responding. My ent said he has high hopes it will fade away. Not sure if he was just trying to make me feel better. It's just hard when I have good days and then the next day it's so loud again! Or it changes! I think it's all the changing that is making me struggle.

I will check those videos out!
I hope for healing for all of us, I have read so many stories on here and it hurts my heart because this is so challenging!

Thanks again, it's definitely a lonely thing, when only you can hear the sounds.

 

[artlite]

Hi there,

I'm so sorry to hear what you're going through. Your story resonated deeply with me because I've been on a similar journey. I, too, developed tinnitus after taking Wellbutrin. For me, it happened after just two doses of 150 mg XR back in October. The sudden onset, the fear, the frustration—it all feels so familiar. Please know that you're not alone in this. There are others, like me, who truly understand what you're going through.

When it first hit me, it felt like my entire world had been upended. The sound was relentless, and I couldn't imagine how I'd ever cope. Nights were the worst—lying there in the quiet, overwhelmed by the high-pitched ringing and feeling utterly trapped in my own head. Like you, I turned to the internet, desperately seeking answers and stories of hope from people who had made it through. That search became my lifeline.

Here's what I want you to know: you're doing everything right. Taking vitamins, staying active, focusing on your kids, and seeking medical guidance—these are all signs of your resilience and strength. Even when it feels like this is consuming you, you're showing up and fighting. That's no small thing.

I also want to reassure you that tinnitus often improves over time. It's still early days for both of us, and while nobody can predict exactly what will happen, many people report that the volume decreases, the fluctuations settle, or the sound resolves completely within weeks or months. Even if it doesn't fully go away, the brain has an incredible ability to adapt through a process called habituation, making the sound less noticeable and much less distressing.

I know it's hard to believe that right now. The constant awareness of it, the feeling of being unable to escape—it's all so exhausting. But that intensity you're feeling? It's temporary. Over time, your body and mind will adjust, and the emotional grip it has on you will loosen. I promise, this unbearable phase won't last forever.

I also want to acknowledge how brave you are for sharing your story. Tinnitus can feel so isolating because it's invisible to others, but opening up about it is a huge step toward healing. It bridges the gap between what you're feeling inside and the support you can receive from the outside world.

If there's one thing I've learned, it's the importance of self-kindness. On tough days, I take it moment by moment—just getting through the next minute, then the next hour. On better days, I try to focus on things that bring me joy, even if the sound is still there. And when I feel overwhelmed, I remind myself that it's okay to rest and feel whatever I'm feeling. None of this is your fault, and you're doing the best you can.

Please hold onto hope. The fact that your tinnitus is already quieter is such a good sign. Many people experience continued improvement as time goes on, even if it feels slow. Your body and mind are working behind the scenes to adapt and heal. You are stronger than this sound, and it won't define your life forever.

 

[kaymath]

@artlite wow. Thank you so much for this response. I need it as this week out of nowhere I've been experiencing insomnia that has me at my wits end! Christmas has been so difficult. I was doing so well before this insomnia, it's like my brain just won't let me sleep. Now, my T seems louder from exhaustion. I really hope you are right and we are both on the mend.

 

[LV92]

I completely understand how consuming and overwhelming this is — I'm also 32 and developed tinnitus in November after just over three weeks on Bupropion (Wellbutrin). Stopped taking it immediately, but I still have multiple tones in both ears that fluctuate throughout the day.

It's been very isolating for me and I'm grateful this forum lets us connect with others who understand what we're going through.

You're not alone in this and I hope things continue to improve for you.

 

[kaymath]

Wow, we literally have the same symptoms, age, and timeline. This is insane! There are far too many of us experiencing this recently for it to just be dismissed. There has to be something we can do.

 

[LV92]

Wow, we literally have the same symptoms, age, and timeline. This is insane! There are far too many of us experiencing this recently for it to just be dismissed. There has to be something we can do.

Agreed! At the very least, I wish someone was tracking this and taking it more seriously since it's significantly impacting people's lives. The four-page warning that came with my prescription didn't even mention tinnitus or ear ringing. I reported it to the FDA, but I'm not sure if anything will come of it.