Tinnitus Made Worse by Atorvastatin and Ezetimibe — What Anti-Cholesterol Drug Can Work for Me?

[SimonP]

Hello, and thank you for letting me join.

I wonder if anyone has any ideas for me. My tinnitus is the result of someone causing an explosion in my right ear, which did considerable damage. After 12 years, I had mostly learned to cope with it. However, last month, I had a minor stroke, and they prescribed Atorvastatin, which caused my tinnitus to skyrocket within a matter of hours. I stopped taking it, and after a month, things had calmed down somewhat.

But then I was asked to take Ezetimibe. I took just half a tablet (5 mg) at 1:30 p.m. today, and by 5:00 p.m., the tinnitus became awful again. A steroid injection I had three or four years ago had the same bad effect. So, I have two questions:

Does anyone have any idea which ingredient(s) in these drugs could be causing the problem? And does anyone know of an anti-cholesterol medication that won't make my tinnitus worse?

Thanks for reading!

 

[delta784]

Hello, and thank you for letting me join.

I wonder if anyone has any ideas for me. My tinnitus is the result of someone causing an explosion in my right ear, which did considerable damage. After 12 years, I had mostly learned to cope with it. However, last month, I had a minor stroke, and they prescribed Atorvastatin, which caused my tinnitus to skyrocket within a matter of hours. I stopped taking it, and after a month, things had calmed down somewhat.

But then I was asked to take Ezetimibe. I took just half a tablet (5 mg) at 1:30 p.m. today, and by 5:00 p.m., the tinnitus became awful again. A steroid injection I had three or four years ago had the same bad effect. So, I have two questions:

Does anyone have any idea which ingredient(s) in these drugs could be causing the problem? And does anyone know of an anti-cholesterol medication that won't make my tinnitus worse?

Thanks for reading!

I also had steroid injections, which caused my tinnitus. It started 25 days ago, and I'm hoping it gets better.

 

[Michael Leigh]

Does anyone have any idea which ingredient(s) in these drugs could be causing the problem? And does anyone know of an anti-cholesterol medication that won't make my tinnitus worse?

Hi @SimonP,

I had raised cholesterol, so my GP advised me to take medication to help keep it under control. I took three types, including the two that you have mentioned. Unfortunately, they all increased my tinnitus. I had other unpleasant side effects with Ezetimbe and the third medication, which I can't remember the name of.

My GP was very understanding when I said I could no longer continue taking cholesterol-lowering medication simply because of the massive increase in my tinnitus. A family member advised me to try a cholesterol-lowering drink called Benecol. Many supermarkets supply their own brand which do the same thing at a much cheaper price. I take one drink a day which is supplied in a small bottle. My cholesterol has decreased with the help of adjusting my diet; I do not eat too much fried food, cakes, etc., and I walk at least 30 minutes a day.

Please remember this is just my experience. We are all different, so you may find a cholesterol medication that works for you. Please keep in mind that most cholesterol medication can increase a person's blood glucose levels, which can make them prone to developing diabetes. This is well documented on the internet.

Best of luck,
Michael