Tinnitus for Decades — It Has Recently Gotten Louder, Maybe from Strattera?

[John in VA]

Hello. I have had tinnitus for decades, and I'm grateful that to this point I seem to be able to ignore it. However, it seems to have gotten louder the past few months. I'm in my 60s, and many childhood ear infections, unprotected construction work, and other insults have had a cumulative effect. I happened to read that Strattera can be associated with aggravating tinnitus, and that got my attention, because it has gotten quite a bit louder since I began taking it in October. Strattera also interferes with my sleep, so any mental benefit it might have is likely negated.

I play and sing in our church band, and we use these earbuds with click and other instruments, which may also aggravate my ears.

I have another diagnosis as well. Hyperacusis due to recruitment. I became a father eight years ago, and I noticed the baby's screams had me running out of the room. High pitched shrieks are three times louder to me, because the low pitch fibers are being "recruited" to transmit high pitch in addition to their normal job. The ENT made me some musician ear plugs that seemed to help some. I haven't worn those in years, though.

Getting older is not for the faint of heart, it seems.

I'm glad to find this forum of supportive people.