Worsening of Hyperacusis — Lyrica

Hi everybody,

It's been a long time since I have been on Tinnitus Talk. I didn't want to think about these topics at all.

I was beginning to feel a bit better, I was habituated to tinnitus, it still annoyed me but didn't give me anxiety like before. I could sleep again and could even forget it when talking or doing something. It was a huge step for me.

I have moderate hyperacusis too, but oddly it didn't bother me as much as tinnitus. I could enjoy some happy moments but not as before.

In June I saw a therapist. I thought he could relieve my tinnitus. But he did the opposite. He triggered a TMJ problem and I had 3 weeks of pain, lack of balance, neck and face pains. Thank God, it has subsided.

But 15 days ago, another incident happened. I was with my family enjoying a little birthday celebration for my niece, nothing extraordinary. I had my earmuffs on because of the dishes. but then put them off and a balloon burst. I totally forgot the balloons over there and I'm just pissed off.

My left ear which was the healthy one (I have very mild tinnitus in this ear but it didn't bother me) had a shock. My tinnitus has spiked and my ear is aching and burning. My tinnitus in both ears were spiking for some days and even changed tonalities. Thank God it has decreased.

My hyperacusis has worsened, every little sound hurts my ears and my face is in pain. When sleeping my ear is burning, although this symptom is getting a little bit better.

But I'm hiding in my home, I'm so sad. I hope I will feel better and that this is just temporary. My neck is burning too. I wish I could go back in time and put my earmuffs on my ears. At least I could go outside protected without fear and pain.

The doctor prescribed me Lyrica. I have taken it since yesterday but I'm feeling dizzy and more tired than usual. I read it could be ototoxic and is not very useful for pain. It seems to have lessened my pain a little bit. I don't know what to do, just praying to God. I began to watch TV at a very low volume again, it seems ok for my ears and I hope I could do it like before. I hope I could even talk to people without hurting. Sometimes it's ok and sometimes it hurts.

Even using my earmuffs are painful on my face, and earplugs seems to hurt my auditory canals too, that's why I stay at home. I don't want to believe that my hyperacusis is turning severe, I refuse to admit it.

I still have this heavy feeling in my left ear, and I now have burning pain in my arms and my spine.

I was wondering, is it worth it to take Lyrica?

Sorry for my long post, but I need some comfort as I don't know how to see my life at this point. When I wake up in the morning, I have sometimes a shake wondering if it's all true and I'm thinking about all the people I know going on with their lives. At the same time, I stay strong, stronger than during my first onset but I don't know if I can hang on longer.

Thanks for reading and I will appreciate some support because I really need it right now.

Cheers.

 

The two things I would do right after a new acoustic trauma is to get on Prednisone ASAP and do lots of LLLT - both will help if it's early enough.

That's why I stock a good supply of Prednisone at home just in case, and of course my LLLT and other light devices are ready and used daily.

No idea what Lyrica is or what it is supposed to do.

 

Lyrica can help some with the pain and the anxiety but it was never designed to treat mostly unknown and complex problems such as hyperacusis. Stick with it for a while and see what happens, it's not the ototoxic devil people make it out to be. In my opinion it's not even that dangerous. Take some NAC with it if you're scared of further damage.
Prednisone is nice but not a long term solution.

 

Hi Bobby,

Thank you. That was my first reaction. I already took Prednisolone, for 6 days. As for LLLT, I'm too afraid to use it now, I feel my ears are very sensitive.

 

Hi undecided,

I decided to take Lyrica. I'm not taking it for hyperacusis but for my facial pain, which was triggered by this new incident. I felt some light dizziness and fatigue the first 2 days, but today it's ok. It seems to have lessened my pain which is a good point. And I feel more relaxed too, it's surely the anti-anxiety effect of the drug. Somebody told me that it would be hard to quit, but my doctor prescribed it just for one month and at the lowest dosage... and for the pain, not the anxiety. I'm ready to take it if it could ease my pain. I take vitamins and magnesium too. I do have some NAC but someone told me that it can damage the ears... Weird.

I agree with you that steroids are not really good in the long term but has surely saved my hurt hair cells this time.

 

Anybody had any help at all with Lyrica for noxacusis?

There seem to be only bad stories.

I have it in front of me, but scared to take it now.

I was hoping it would ease the pain and also help with the benzo withdrawal.

 

@100Hz I think you said you took Lyrica?

 

I know of a few people who are part of a hyperacusis Facebook group who have been helped by Lyrica. I think it’s worth a shot.

I did try it, but it didn’t work for me. It made everything besides my ears numb, but that doesn’t mean it won’t work for you.

 

You only read the horror stories because people generally don't go online to rave about a product that worked for them.