Tinnitus from Doxycycline: I'm an Emotional Wreck

[alysia226]

Hello everyone,

I am new to this page and wanted to share my experience.

I have never had tinnitus before, but recently I was prescribed Doxycycline (100 mg twice a day for two weeks) to treat a bacterial infection. About nine days into the treatment, I started experiencing loud ringing and a feeling of fullness in my right ear. I decided not to take my nighttime dose and called my doctor.

Unfortunately, my doctor was on vacation, and a colleague of theirs told me that tinnitus is not a side effect of Doxycycline and advised me to continue taking it. So I followed their advice and kept taking the medication until day 13, when my doctor returned. My doctor immediately advised me to stop the medication. That was two days ago.

Since then, the ringing has not stopped, and I am an emotional wreck. I have extremely bad anxiety and have been doing everything I can to drown out the noise.

I went to an ENT who examined me and said they doubt the Doxycycline caused the tinnitus. They also confirmed that my ear has no damage, fluid buildup, or wax. The ENT told me that the ringing should go away eventually, but they could not give me a clear timeline, saying it might take days, weeks, or months.

I am really struggling and am desperate for some good news. Has anyone else experienced something similar? Did it get better, and if so, how long did it take?

I would truly appreciate any advice or information. Thank you so much for taking the time to read this.

 

[phariseo]

Don't get me wrong, but two days is a very short time in the world of tinnitus. I'm four months in and only started noticing improvements after three months.

According to a 2021 article, around 40% of people with mild tinnitus and 20% of those with severe tinnitus reported that their tinnitus resolved after five years.

So, stay calm, lean on the support of your family, and simply observe your progress.

 

[Supersix]

Drink Chamomile tea to help calm your nerves and reduce anxiety. Remember, the ringing itself won't hurt you—it's important to focus on relaxing. To distract yourself, try listening to rain sounds through AirPods or tuning into a podcast until the ringing diminishes or you adjust to it.

If the ringing gets louder, don't panic; it will quiet down over time. Remind yourself that you're doing everything you can for now. Be patient and give it time to see what happens.

Additionally, consider taking 400 mg of Magnesium Oxide twice a day, along with Vitamin B12.

 

[alysia226]

Don't get me wrong, but two days is a very short time in the world of tinnitus. I'm four months in and only started noticing improvements after three months.

According to a 2021 article, around 40% of people with mild tinnitus and 20% of those with severe tinnitus reported that their tinnitus resolved after five years.

So, stay calm, lean on the support of your family, and simply observe your progress.

Thank you for the response & I will keep in touch with my progress

Drink Chamomile tea to help calm your nerves and reduce anxiety. Remember, the ringing itself won't hurt you—it's important to focus on relaxing. To distract yourself, try listening to rain sounds through AirPods or tuning into a podcast until the ringing diminishes or you adjust to it.

If the ringing gets louder, don't panic; it will quiet down over time. Remind yourself that you're doing everything you can for now. Be patient and give it time to see what happens.

Additionally, consider taking 400 mg of Magnesium Oxide twice a day, along with Vitamin B12.

Thank you so much for your response! I've been using teas with melatonin, and today was much better than yesterday. I'll keep you updated on my progress.

 

[GregCA]

I have never had tinnitus before, but recently I was prescribed Doxycycline (100 mg twice a day for two weeks) to treat a bacterial infection.

Where was the bacterial infection?

 

[alysia226]

My boyfriend gave me an STD, which developed into PID.