Wellbutrin and Tinnitus?

[inadmin]

Hi all, I'm taking Cymbalta to try and deal with the depression caused by T.

Since the effect was not good enough my doc. suggested I add wellbutrin as well.

I asked him about possible effect on the T but he said that if something happens it will only be temporary.

Any thoughts on the above? Maybe from someone who tried this drug?

 

[Lulubug69]

I was on Welbutrin when I started with tinnitus. I stopped everything I was on because I was scared something I took was the adding to my problem. I want to clarify I had fluid in my ears and sinuses and was on decongestant and Advil at the time too. Doctor felt it was a perfect storm for Tinnitus to begin. I was talking to the Doctor who prescribed Welbutrin, to tell her I was not going to take it anymore. She said she understood and that she could prescribe something less ototoxic, once I see my ENT if I needed. I'm not sure what that would be but I think the choices are limited.

 

[daedalus]

I was prescribed wellbutrin (buproprion) for a month in hope of ALLEVIATING the tinnitus. It had absolutely no effect so i stopped it after the trial period.

 

[Christian78]

I tried Wellbutrin and i got tinnitus. I had like a mild tinnitus before, sometimes sometimes, maybe once a month i could hear it, never during day, only sometimes during a night.

¤ days after wellbutrin I got tinnitus, extreme, high pitched, doctor diagnosed it destroyed my audio nerve and hearing in high frequency field. Now thanks to my stupidness to ask for help from doctors and their experiment i got tinnitus that made me be in pain, sleep with strong medication and surviving day by day thinking how to kill my self.

I am trying to habituate but it is so hard hard hard, and in Sweden all is slow, i waited 2 moths to get to doctor, now I am waiting 3 months to get to hearing department maybe for hearing aid, 12 weeks passed, i called them but they said they are sorry to many people on long term sick leave.

 

[inadmin]

How many days after using wellbutrin? How did the Dr. diagnosed you?

 

[Dr. Ancill]

I very much doubt Wellbutrin caused the tinnitus. It is not ototoxic. FDA data shows 2 cases of tinnitus in 50,000 reports of side-effects that is 0.0004%). Anything less than 2% is not considered an expected side-effect. What is more likely that the Wellbutrin, which can be a stimulant, transiently amplified the tinnitus. This will resolve when the medication is stopped. These long lists of drugs that can cause tinnitus that can be found on the internet are misleading and not in our best interests. Remember, very few drugs are really ototoxic but many sufferers deny themselves relief by refusing treatments.

 

[Dan Reagan]

This is what I was prescribed for pain after my accident....OBJECTIVE: Acetaminophen/hydrocodone, a commonly used analgesic preparation, has been linked to rapidly progressing sensorineural hearing loss in human patients. The cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying the ototoxic effects of this drug combination are currently unknown, but are usually associated with high doses of hydrocodone. This study was aimed at identifying the specific agent responsible for hearing loss from toxic killing of cochlear sensory cells

the article goes on to say....CONCLUSION: Our findings point to acetaminophen, rather than hydrocodone, as the primary cytotoxic agent. Hydrocodone, however, may work synergistically with acetaminophen, increasing the damage to auditory cells. These findings are an important first step toward understanding the mechanism of acetaminophen/hydrocodone ototoxicity and may lead to future treatment strategies for hearing loss from ototoxic medications.

 

[cjb2811]

Everyone is different when it comes to psychiatric drugs. One drug that won't affect one person's tinnitus will help another person's and worse another's.

My experience with Wellbutrin was an awful one. I took it for only 2 weeks in October 2008 and it turned the ever-most mild tinnitus into one that was moderate to very difficult to live with at times. The psychiatrist said it would dissipate after discontinuing but unfortunately it has stuck around at the same level for the past 5 years.

For that reason I have mostly avoided antidepressant type drugs since then. However, I finally caved and went on Lamictal in November 2013 and the tinnitus is now out of control. Will discuss this more in another post.

 

[jewellanne1010]

Well I'm full of questions tonight has any one had any luck with this drug for depression or does it make t worse

 

[mmacabre]

Tinnitus is a possible side effect of Wellbutrin. In the literature from the manufacturer they report a 6% incidence of tinnitus.

 

[Raindance74]

I've been taking Wellbutrin 150mg daily for my ADHD, which is a very small dose. My tinnitus seems ramped up lately. Has anyone had any experience with Wellbutrin affecting their tinnitus? It is listed as being an uncommon side effect on webmd.

 

[Christian78]

I very much doubt Wellbutrin caused the tinnitus. It is not ototoxic. FDA data shows 2 cases of tinnitus in 50,000 reports of side-effects that is 0.0004%). Anything less than 2% is not considered an expected side-effect. What is more likely that the Wellbutrin, which can be a stimulant, transiently amplified the tinnitus. This will resolve when the medication is stopped. These long lists of drugs that can cause tinnitus that can be found on the internet are misleading and not in our best interests. Remember, very few drugs are really ototoxic but many sufferers deny themselves relief by refusing treatments.

In more that 10% it causes temporary tinnitus (unless you want me to scan paper from the box!!!) , it is listed on ATA as otoxic, and well you can say what you want there is people who react on ti. And here you make me angry maybe you noticed some people get overload of dopamine from Wellbumetrin/Woxra, that course breach and you get tinnitus. Anyway you can protect company, but it is well explained woxra couse tinnitus in 10%, common, but some people never lose it.

And remember very FEW 200 medicines are otoxic, you should work for pharmaceutical companies and say blind people when they lose sight it is not this medicine it is your genetic or you invented it or something else. Please if i got it confirmed from my doctors that is woxra then thank you and good buy. Please dont play a pharmacy lawyer to me, and dont adress it to me I dont need it!

 

[Christian78]

How many days after using wellbutrin? How did the Dr. diagnosed you?

Ycu have me on skype christian.davidson

anyway, 3 days 75mf then 2nd day on 150mg

 

[lctx]

I very much doubt Wellbutrin caused the tinnitus. It is not ototoxic. FDA data shows 2 cases of tinnitus in 50,000 reports of side-effects that is 0.0004%). Anything less than 2% is not considered an expected side-effect. What is more likely that the Wellbutrin, which can be a stimulant, transiently amplified the tinnitus. This will resolve when the medication is stopped. These long lists of drugs that can cause tinnitus that can be found on the internet are misleading and not in our best interests. Remember, very few drugs are really ototoxic but many sufferers deny themselves relief by refusing treatments.

Hi. Wellbutrin CAN cause permanent tinnitus. The tinnitus started for me immediately after I started taking it. I looked at the info sheet and saw tinnitus at 7%. I naively assumed the side effect would go away when I stopped, and so I continued for a few months. The tinnitus became just too much, and the relief I was getting was minimal, so I stopped. That was 5 years ago. The tinnitus hasn't subsided at all.

If you google 'wellbutrin permanent tinnitus' you will find plenty of reports like mine. And note, it's been 5 years and today was the first time I've put anything out there. Most people never do.

 

[denise w.]

Hi so I've been taking Wellbutrin for 13 years. My tinnitus came out of nowhere. I'm thinking its Wellbutrin. I tried to come off of it Years ago I fell into deep depression and darkness .... It has definitely altered my brain, I never even had depression before I was prescribed to drug for addiction issues (no drugs or alcohol for 13 years). Most folks here say T started after only a few weeks. Is it possible after years of use ? And what can I switch to that might help? any suggestions ?

 

[undecided]

@denise w. wellbutrin is a quite unique drug, there isn't a direct substitute of some sort that would act in the same way.
I'd say you taper down wellbutrin very slowly and try something more "natural" like 5htp and some lifestyle changes such as more exercise and healthy eating.
Buspirone might be a good substitute but it works quite differently and it only affects depression indirectly.

You really should talk to your doctor about such things as he only knows all your medical history and is better suited than anyone on the Internet to answer your question.

 

[denise w.]

thanks for the input, yes sometimes I wonder if people who've been through this have more knowledge than the freaking doctors. But I won't get started. I'm going to have my doc help me to come off of it - not replace it. it was horrible last time i tried, but If all goes as planned, I'll be making the move off next month. I'll let you know if I get any peace or if this is permanent. I literally banged my head into a wall today - that didn't work. lol.

 

[firealarm]

You all need to ask if your tinnitus increased or your perception of it increased. I rate my level by the fan above my stove which blocks out the left ear and the running faucet which is the level of the louder right ear. Sometimes I feel it's louder, but when I check, it's not. Perception is half the problem so you need an objective sound to rate it by. My tinnitus is at 12kHz, so the phone won't do, I need a broadband sound to compare with.

 

[denise w.]

Update. I came off the wellbutrin and it was freaking horrible. I weaned off over four months. You would not believe the doctors' denial of this medicines link to T. But it is straight up written out in the physicians desk reference. T is listed as one of the top side effects of this drug right there in the Bible of medicine. Any doctor that denies it, tell them to check the book they are supposed to be using when they prescribe medicine.

Wellbutrin can degenerate the hairs in the ears and they are never replaceable. So unfortunately I've been off the wellbutrin completely now for three months and T is still with me. But I am habituating and I saved up some money for ot ear sound generators. Got my white noise app's and I just keep it moving. Hopefully there'll be a cure one day. But I'm not holding my breath. Just learning to live with it.

Best wishes!

 

[Jacquie]

Wellbutrin for a week and now apparently will live with these crickets for the rest of my life.....

 

[lulipop]

Wellbutrin caused my tinnitus 25 years ago and its still going strong. I remember the day. The tinnitus kicked in at the same time it started working. Exactly two weeks. I did not want to give it up but had to. It decreased in intensity but it never went away. I wish there was a way i could sue them but instead of collecting money have them donate it to tinnitus research. I was barely 23. I rarely use pharmaceuticals. Those companies have no idea what they are doing sorting shooting in the dark and preying on desperate people. How can they know what they are messing with. There are so many variables. Always best to stick safe natural remedies. Tried and true and that doesnt cause problems far worse than the ones you started with.

 

[Cesar Franco]

Was on wellbutrin 150 mg after increased to 300 mg I start having a very loud tinnitus until now... I suspended but was too late. My quality of life sucks I am practically dissabled.

https://www.bigclassaction.com/settlement/11-75m-wellbutrin-xl-class-action-settlement.php