Will You Get Vaccinated for Coronavirus (COVID-19)? Can It Make Tinnitus or Hyperacusis Worse?

[Darktale]

I will have soon no alternative to go for the booster since restrictions are rising up in France with the Omnicron variant spreading in Europe and the health pass is now deactivated 7 months after the 2nd shot unless you get the booster...

Question is: which booster should I get to minimize the risks of spiking my tinnitus again?

The 1st shot of Pfizer had no impact on me, but I had a tinnitus spike after the 2nd Pfizer shot.

I could go for Moderna but apparently even more people got spikes after the 2nd Moderna.

Apparently for the 2 first shots, Moderna has a much higher dosage of mRNA (3x) versus Pfizer...

100 microgram of mRNA for Moderna shot versus 30 microgram for Pfizer.

So we can imagine that if the tinnitus spike comes from the mRNA then the risk is higher with Moderna...

However in France, for the booster, they use half dose for the Moderna which brings it back closer to the Pfizer dosage even if still a bit higher: 50 micrograms vs 30 micrograms.

I don't know if other countries in the orld are also using half dose for the Moderna booster...

I would really like to know which booster should be the safest to go...

 

[Chris S.]

I will have soon no alternative to go for the booster since restrictions are rising up in France with the Omnicron variant spreading in Europe and the health pass is now deactivated 7 months after the 2nd shot unless you get the booster...

Question is: which booster should I get to minimize the risks of spiking my tinnitus again?

The 1st shot of Pfizer had no impact on me, but I had a tinnitus spike after the 2nd Pfizer shot.

I could go for Moderna but apparently even more people got spikes after the 2nd Moderna.

Apparently for the 2 first shots, Moderna has a much higher dosage of mRNA (3x) versus Pfizer...

100 microgram of mRNA for Moderna shot versus 30 microgram for Pfizer.

So we can imagine that if the tinnitus spike comes from the mRNA then the risk is higher with Moderna...

However in France, for the booster, they use half dose for the Moderna which brings it back closer to the Pfizer dosage even if still a bit higher: 50 micrograms vs 30 micrograms.

I don't know if other countries in the orld are also using half dose for the Moderna booster...

I would really like to know which booster should be the safest to go...

I had the Pfizer booster today. There is a slight elevation in my tinnitus level, which was something I expected to happen due to, perhaps, the inflammation. I was quite anxious before the shot and this may have also contributed. Like you, I was wondering if I should be getting a different booster, but given that my tinnitus was made worse by the first Pfizer jab only and not by the second jab, I chose to remain with Pfizer.

I will report back in a couple of weeks if there is any lasting change in my tinnitus.

 

[Baker]

I think I'm going to wait for the Novavax vaccine as it's supposed to be a more traditional vaccine. I believe they are applying for approval to the FDA by the end of the year. So I don't know how long that will take, but I think they'll ask for an emergency use authorization and they said they had like 100M dosages ready to ship.

 

[Robster]

I think I'm going to wait for the Novavax vaccine as it's supposed to be a more traditional vaccine. I believe they are applying for approval to the FDA by the end of the year. So I don't know how long that will take, but I think they'll ask for an emergency use authorization and they said they had like 100M dosages ready to ship.

That's what I plan on doing after my tinnitus reacted to my first Pfizer shot. Here in the UK it was put forward for approval in October, so hopefully it won't be too much longer before it gets approved.

 

[Brian P]

I had the Pfizer booster today. There is a slight elevation in my tinnitus level, which was something I expected to happen due to, perhaps, the inflammation. I was quite anxious before the shot and this may have also contributed. Like you, I was wondering if I should be getting a different booster, but given that my tinnitus was made worse by the first Pfizer jab only and not by the second jab, I chose to remain with Pfizer.

I will report back in a couple of weeks if there is any lasting change in my tinnitus.

How come the booster and second shot didn't do additional damage. I don't understand this?

 

[dan]

I think I'm going to wait for the Novavax vaccine as it's supposed to be a more traditional vaccine. I believe they are applying for approval to the FDA by the end of the year. So I don't know how long that will take, but I think they'll ask for an emergency use authorization and they said they had like 100M dosages ready to ship.

It's not a traditional vaccine. They inject you with the actual spike protein, not the weakened virus.

 

[Baker]

It's not a traditional vaccine. They inject you with the actual spike protein, not the weakened virus.

Some articles I read described it as a more traditional vaccine compared to Pfizer and Moderna. Though I read more, and I guess it isn't exactly like say a Flu vaccine. Though I also read that it looks like the Novavax vaccine has fewer side effects compared to Pfizer and Moderna. So I say that's a good sign. So I'll probably just wait and get the Novavax vaccine and hope for the best. I believe there are other newer vaccines as well we should keep an eye on. Hopefully it will get emergency authorization and come to the US quicker as it's already available in the EU and maybe other areas.

 

[UKBloke]

Albert Bourla on the Lex Fridman podcast? Now I know I've entered the twilight zone. Anyhow, enjoy. The comment section is a treat.

 

[Jtin]

National Public Radio (USA) aired a story today about a musician who believes her tinnitus was a side effect of the vaccine. Pretty unusual to be receiving air time on such a big platform.

For a musician in New York City, not being fully vaccinated comes at a cost

 

[Brian P]

National Public Radio (USA) aired a story today about a musician who believes her tinnitus was a side effect of the vaccine. Pretty unusual to be receiving air time on such a big platform.

For a musician in New York City, not being fully vaccinated comes at a cost

NPR is very far left. I'm surprised.

 

[Chris S.]

How come the booster and second shot didn't do additional damage. I don't understand this?

My tinnitus was spiked by the first jab. Made it from a moderate issue (5/10) into a bad issue (8/10). The second jab gave me a crazy spike (12/10) that lasted, thankfully, only for about 24 hours and then subsided. So far, the booster has given me a mild-to-moderate spike. No other side effects.

If the second jab/booster did any additional damage, it is difficult for me to tell because I have reactive tinnitus that goes from moderate to severe fairly often (spiked chiefly by noises around me). Perhaps the second jab made it a bit more "reactive" and prone to extremes. Again - this is a bit hard to tell. Pre-vaccine, I had a moderate, somewhat reactive tinnitus.

 

[Baker]

I never get colds. But I had a cold recently. No fever, just some sinus pressure and that awful tasting mucus, and a slight cough for like a week. And I think that caused my tinnitus to spike.

I don't know if there already is this. But I wonder if it may be a good idea to have separate threads going for each vaccine? So people can comment in the thread for the specific vaccine they took and can relay what effects it had on their tinnitus? Maybe that would be easier to keep track of where say you could go into the "Pfizer vaccine" thread to see what if any reactions people had. And then go into the "Moderna vaccine" thread to see what reactions people have had for that? I'm thinking that may be easier for people to keep track of, and to help see which vaccines have a greater chance of causing a spike and the duration?

 

[Brian P]

My tinnitus was spiked by the first jab. Made it from a moderate issue (5/10) into a bad issue (8/10). The second jab gave me a crazy spike (12/10) that lasted, thankfully, only for about 24 hours and then subsided. So far, the booster has given me a mild-to-moderate spike. No other side effects.

If the second jab/booster did any additional damage, it is difficult for me to tell because I have reactive tinnitus that goes from moderate to severe fairly often (spiked chiefly by noises around me). Perhaps the second jab made it a bit more "reactive" and prone to extremes. Again - this is a bit hard to tell. Pre-vaccine, I had a moderate, somewhat reactive tinnitus.

Interesting... Mine was 1-10 before the vaccine. After vaccine it became 9-10.

I also developed hyperacusis from the 2 Pfizer vaccines. People keep getting sick from this shit. I wish I could scream this from the rooftop!

 

[volsung37]

Could the reason many people are experiencing onset or spikes of tinnitus be the inflammatory nature of LNPs used in the mRNA vaccines?

Research looks at inflammatory nature of lipid nanoparticle component in mRNA vaccines

 

[Brian P]

Could the reason many people are experiencing onset or spikes of tinnitus be the inflammatory nature of LNPs used in the mRNA vaccines?

Not sure but AstraZeneca and J&J are causing same thing.

 

[volsung37]

I suppose the scary thing is they are still finding out some of the effects of all these vaccines. I wish I had been informed of the known side effects of Pfizer on tinnitus. There is no way I would have touched it.

 

[Vicki14]

I got tinnitus after my 1st Pfizer vaccine in July. Waited until last week to get my 2nd jab as I was very hesitant because I was worried it would make my tinnitus worse. I was right as my tinnitus has doubled in sound. Wish I never had got it and 100% won't be getting anymore...

So very sorry to hear this, seems to be quite a common thing for lots of folk. I hope you managing it ok x

 

[Juan]

A couple I know have both gotten COVID-19 recently. She is vaccinated and he is not vaccinated. Her symptoms are worse than his.

Spanish TV recently has started given a few more details about who gets to the ICU, etc... well, it turns out that 2 in 5 people who end up in the ICU are vaccinated, and 3 out of 5 people are not vaccinated. It does not seem a great difference to me.

 

[Vicki14]

My pain hyperacusis has taken quite a drastic turn for the worse after the first shot of Pfizer on August 12. I can't say 100% that it was the vaccine, but I felt ill, unwell and tired some days after the vaccine and then worsening of hyperacusis crept in over the course of 3-4 days. It's never been this bad before. I don't think I will be taking the second shot. It's already awful. If it gets worse, I really don't think I can bear it. I can't take the risk.

Sending hugs. How are you now? X

 

[GregCA]

A couple I know have both gotten COVID-19 recently. She is vaccinated and he is not vaccinated. Her symptoms are worse than his.

The issue with anecdotal evidence like this is that you could also find a car crash where the seat belt was the cause of death for the driver, and therefore hint that seat belts are dangerous for drivers.

Check out Statistical Significance.

Spanish TV recently has started given a few more details about who gets to the ICU, etc... well, it turns out that 2 in 5 people who end up in the ICU are vaccinated, and 3 out of 5 people are not vaccinated. It does not seem a great difference to me.

It depends on what you measure. You experiencing something called the Simpson's Paradox.
See the diagram below: what you describe is the left side. The big picture is the right side. They're both correct statements, but if you only look at the left side, you will think that...

It does not seem a great difference to me.

...but if you look at the right side, the big picture, you'll see what the great difference is. And more importantly, the right side is the one that answers the question that you really want to ask: "If I am <vaccinated or unvaccinated> what are the chances that I'll end up in the ICU?" (or dying, or whatever)

Your question isn't "if I end up in the ICU, how many people will be like me? <vaccinated or unvaccinated>" - because that doesn't really help you decide whether you want to get the vaccine or not: you're already in the ICU in that scenario.

Credit for the picture and explanation:
https://flowingdata.com/2021/11/22/euler-diagram-to-illustrate-base-rate-fallacy/

 

[TheDanishGirl]

Sending hugs. How are you now? X

Hyperacusis got better, but it is up and down. My tinnitus keeps increasing and I really don't want to go on much longer. I am sat here crying and crying and crying. I can't deal anymore. I feel my sanity slipping totally. There is no hope any longer.

 

[Vicki14]

Hyperacusis got better, but it is up and down. My tinnitus keeps increasing and I really don't want to go on much longer. I am sat here crying and crying and crying. I can't deal anymore. I feel my sanity slipping totally. There is no hope any longer.

I'm so sorry to hear this and sending you lots of healing. Are you able to do anything that masks it for you? x

 

[Juan]

The issue with anecdotal evidence like this is that you could also find a car crash where the seat belt was the cause of death for the driver, and therefore hint that seat belts are dangerous for drivers.

Check out Statistical Significance.

It depends on what you measure. You experiencing something called the Simpson's Paradox.
See the diagram below: what you describe is the left side. The big picture is the right side. They're both correct statements, but if you only look at the left side, you will think that...

...but if you look at the right side, the big picture, you'll see what the great difference is. And more importantly, the right side is the one that answers the question that you really want to ask: "If I am <vaccinated or unvaccinated> what are the chances that I'll end up in the ICU?" (or dying, or whatever)

Your question isn't "if I end up in the ICU, how many people will be like me? <vaccinated or unvaccinated>" - because that doesn't really help you decide whether you want to get the vaccine or not: you're already in the ICU in that scenario.

View attachment 48349

Credit for the picture and explanation:
https://flowingdata.com/2021/11/22/euler-diagram-to-illustrate-base-rate-fallacy/

It's an interesting post, thanks!

I was just missing the data that in Spain is just starting to be shared now, a year and a half into the pandemic, this is, at least some information about how COVID-19 impacts on each age group, how many people end up in the ICU etc etc.

I think the Spanish government could have done a lot better sharing relevant data from day one. We do not even know the death toll, how many people died from COVID-19. There is just a ballpark figure and foreign press reports more deaths than our government.

Our politicians do not show the slightest interest in investigating what happened in hospitals during the pandemic. They do not want to get into what happened in nursing homes for the elderly, private residences that in theory "care" for elderly people, places where deaths rocketed.

Basically politicians want to hide the whole thing and move on without any accountability.

 

[GlennS]

BTW, understand the risks of what COVID-19 will do if you leave yourself vulnerable:

To Learn How Covid Affects the Ear, Scientists Turn to Cadavers

 

[Steph1710]

I come here to read the entertaining arguments on my lunch break. Keep it going folks.

 

[Ear Drummer]

Saw this thread for the first time last night and it made me think about how my tinnitus (specifically in the ear of the same side as the arm that received the shot) became a bit worse immediately after my second dose and how I wondered if it was connected and after receiving my booster shot today the same thing happened immediately after receiving it. Hard to say with 100% certainty but I'm fairly certain receiving the vaccine has messed with my tinnitus a bit. It's not so much worse but it is noticeable and a bit more bothersome than usual, feel as though it returned to normal eventually (or I just accepted the new damage ah ha... :/ ) after the second dose. Don't recall the first dose affecting me but hard to say with how my tinnitus fluctuates day to day, may not have connected it then if it did. Hyperacusis didn't seem to change either time though. The brand I received for all three shots was Moderna.

 

[Darktale]

BTW, understand the risks of what COVID will do if you leave yourself vulnerable:

To Learn How Covid Affects the Ear, Scientists Turn to Cadavers

Key question is also how the Omicron can variant can affects your tinnitus.

It has now been proven in various studies that previous variant like Delta could affect hearing and tinnitus up to 10/15%... but what about Omicron?

Omicron is clearly less serious than Delta (50/70% less according to the latest data) and it doesn't seem to do neuro-sensorial damages (no loss of taste and smell for example) so it may also be less risky for tinnitus...

Omicron is now representing >80% of the cases in most of the regions in France for example.

 

[Chris S.]

2.5 weeks after my booster. The situation is pretty bad currently, but I attribute this not only to the booster. 1) Had an ongoing pre-booster spike; 2) experienced several quite loud noises at home since the booster; 3) took NAC for 48 hours after the last loud noise (which was the worst of them) that led to a crazy spike (my post-trauma spikes are usually gradual, while this one was sudden and followed taking 1200 mg. NAC). After reading many posts here, I wasn't under the impression that NAC was a risk. But, apparently it is for me. The spike is nearly a 10/10 and has kept me mostly awake at night. Hoping that the side effects of NAC will go away soon.

 

[Robster]

I suppose the scary thing is they are still finding out some of the effects of all these vaccines. I wish I had been informed of the known side effects of Pfizer on tinnitus. There is no way I would have touched it.

I remember you saying you were in the UK. Unfortunately all three vaccines available here have had reports of causing tinnitus issues. In fact on Yellow Card (the UK reporting system for any adverse reactions), there are far more tinnitus reports for AstraZeneca than there are for Pfizer. So you shouldn't beat yourself up for choosing the Pfizer vaccine.

 

[Vicki14]

BTW, understand the risks of what COVID-19 will do if you leave yourself vulnerable:

To Learn How Covid Affects the Ear, Scientists Turn to Cadavers

@GlennS, I think making the choice to be vaccinated when your tinnitus is severe is a difficult one, in fear of worsening your current symptoms. I made the choice not to through that fear. I caught COVID-19 in July and would say my tinnitus has definitely ramped up. Who knows whether being vaccinated would have prevented this? It's a dammed if you do and dammed if you don't decision I think.