Melatonin stirs up Tinnitus: All the literature... - Tinnitus UK

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Melatonin stirs up Tinnitus

DR650SE profile image
52 Replies

All the literature nearly universally says that melatonin is good for tinnitus based on clinical trials and personal experiences

Tinnitus UK is not particularly supportive of melatonin

I must be an outlier as melatonin really stirs my tinnitus up

Just wondering if anyone else considers melatonin to be a tinnitus trigger?

Thanks

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DR650SE profile image
DR650SE
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52 Replies
Suz_2 profile image
Suz_2

all sorts of meds can aggravate the T - it could easily be the additives which all medications have or the active ingredient or both - who knows!! and the GP's, most definitely , do not know either

then there are also side effects and withdrawal effects - but, yes, some people have no choice but to take certain meds - so best to avoid the ones u dont really need. There are some natural supplement alternatives.

Some people on this forum think that anti - depressents ( and some other meds) have caused or worsened their T.

I have some melatonin which i was prescribed , but havent taken it as i am very reluctant to take any meds because my T is already quite severe ( I hear it all the time, quite loud) and i couldnt bear it to be any louder. I have pushed through the extreme daytime fatigue and chronic lack of sleep without meds and now my brain can sleep through it , but i have to feel tired as well, so i have walk every day for about 40 mins

Did the Melatonin help you to sleep?

DR650SE profile image
DR650SE in reply toSuz_2

I am like you Suz26.

Extremely loud T which is pretty well always in my consciousness unless I am very engaged in an activity .(climbing down rocks where care is needed) The T is very wearing.

Are you saying now that you don't take meds anymore and are reasonably happy with your sleep patterns even although they may not be fantastic?

I got off mirtazapine about 2 months ago and don't want to go back on it .I tried melatonin from Iherb last night .It definitely put me to sleep .( 6 hour slow release not the instantaneous brew)

However I was masking with the "Rain" app & Ocean Pier sound .I must have had it too loud as the waves slapping against the pier pylons entered my consciousness and woke me up after an hour .:-((

I had 4 awakenings in the night overall .I set my Audiobook to 30mins.I listened to Capt Cook by Geoffrey Blainey ( book recommended) for 4 lots of 30mins

So ultimately I probably slept for 5-5.5 hours

This type of sleep with 4 awakenings doesn't leave me feeling refreshed.

I have bought a Dodow which is pretty good at helping you relax when you turn the lights off.

it pulses a faint blue light onto the ceiling .You breath in as the light brightens and exhale when it dims

it takes a while to get used to its cadence

It starts off with 11 breaths per minute then slows down to 6 breathes per minute

You can set it for 8 or 20 minutes

There are 3 brightness settings

Suz_2 profile image
Suz_2 in reply toDR650SE

my sleep is about the same as yours , 5 - 6 hours - and wth about 2 awakenings . Just i am bit scared of the prescribed medications, like anti-deps, sleeping pills, etc - although i will try supplements at times ( additive free brands)

DR650SE profile image
DR650SE in reply toSuz_2

I have been using local melatonin which stirred the T up chronically

However last night I took melatonin from Iherb from the US and it seems to have toned it down .

Need to give it a few more goes to be confident that this is the case

If it working I can send you photos of the bottles

I seem to be sensitive to everything other than water :-((

The T is still here and not pleasant but not to the extent that it makes me edgy if you know what I mean

Suz_2 profile image
Suz_2 in reply toDR650SE

did it tone down the volume of the tinnitus? coz if thats the case i will buy some!

Have u ever tried GABA supplements at all?

DR650SE profile image
DR650SE in reply toSuz_2

I shall give the Iherb melatonin a go for a couple of nights and let you know how I go No point wasting your money if it doesn't continue to tone down

I haven't tried Gaba but have ordered L tryptophan as I am not game to try 5 HTP

Suz_2 profile image
Suz_2 in reply toDR650SE

good idea

i didnt realise u could get Melatonin as a supplement as i thought it was just on prescription - but if it works for u then thats great and thanks for sharing this

DR650SE profile image
DR650SE in reply toSuz_2

You may be correct about the additives

Suz_2 profile image
Suz_2 in reply toDR650SE

some brands have fewer additives ,maybe thats what u have found

DR650SE profile image
DR650SE in reply toSuz_2

Now that you mention it ,you may be on the money

Guineapiggy profile image
Guineapiggy in reply toSuz_2

You can get melatonin as a supplement but not legally in the UK. It is legal to order it online and import it. Even so, I found that IHerb still would not send melatonin to the UK. I get mine from Piping Rock or Biovea biovea.com/uk/

DR650SE profile image
DR650SE in reply toGuineapiggy

I wonder why they wouldn't send it

Guineapiggy profile image
Guineapiggy in reply toDR650SE

I couldn't find out. Maybe they decided that as it was prescription only in the UK they would be guided by that.

DR650SE profile image
DR650SE in reply toGuineapiggy

Bit weird Did they say outright that they won't send it?

Guineapiggy profile image
Guineapiggy in reply toDR650SE

I tried to order on the American site iherb.com and when I tried to go to the checkout I had the message that they wouldn't ship melatonin to the UK. If you go to uk.iherb.com they don't even list the different brands of melatonin, however when I just looked today, there is one by Thorne that wasn't there previously. It's a bit odd but maybe they have made an error. There is no problem with Biovea or Piping Rock.

Kellythecat-74 profile image
Kellythecat-74 in reply toGuineapiggy

i tried ordering a nasal spray from Australia they wouldnt send it because one of the ingredients was banned in UK . So thats why certain meds etc cant be sent to other countries.

Guineapiggy profile image
Guineapiggy in reply toKellythecat-74

Melatonin isn't banned but is prescription only.

DR650SE profile image
DR650SE in reply toGuineapiggy

In Australia you can buy 2mg only without a prescription

DR650SE profile image
DR650SE in reply toKellythecat-74

What was the spray called out of interest

Kellythecat-74 profile image
Kellythecat-74 in reply toDR650SE

Spraytish for sinisitus. Nothing to do with tinnitus . Just an explanation why some countries wont send certain drugs to the uk .

Kellythecat-74 profile image
Kellythecat-74 in reply toSuz_2

I'm in the same boat . Too scared to take anything.

DR650SE profile image
DR650SE in reply toKellythecat-74

Everything affects my T even although medical clinical tests advocate some medications being helpful

Chedders profile image
Chedders in reply toSuz_2

Suz26 also people on here have said that antidepressants have helped there tinnitus especially with there anxiety and depression that makes tinnitus worse . I just wanted to put out there a positive for antidepressants I'm on sertraline nearly 3 and half weeks my tinnitus is the same not louder not lower but my anxiety is getting better which is helping me with the tinnitus. To be honest suz26 have you tried them or just listened to forums which most of the time are very negative there are millions of people on antidepressants all over the world and alot with tinnitus that it works for . We are all different when it comes to tinnitus what works for one doesn't work for another.

DR650SE profile image
DR650SE in reply toChedders

Thanks for your replyEveryone is different and they respond differently to medication

I am very sensitive to medication

I was on Mirazapine for a year

I had a couple of tries to get on it

For me it increased the noise but I needed it for sleep

So overall I was better off sleeping albeit with more noise

Suz_2 profile image
Suz_2 in reply toChedders

yes ,if it helps people then thats positive. I havent tried any anti-deprssnts, as i find my T reacts to all sorts of stuff like additives in supplements , certain additives in foods, salt etc etc as well as being very reactive to noise. Some people on the forum still seem depressed even though taking anti-dep meds , but like you say, these meds help many , many people.

Chedders profile image
Chedders in reply toSuz_2

Yeh suz26 you're absolutely right . I will stay on them aslong as my Tinnitus doesn't go up but 5 years ago the antidepressants actually got me to forget Tinnitus so I'm hoping it does the same this time. I will use for 6 months that's atleast time to have for anxiety to get better I'm hoping it gives me the tools to fight it I can't remember who it was on here but he's been on sertraline for 25 years he came off for 1 year and he couldn't handle and went back on it . It helps with the anxiety and depression part because most of Tinnitus spikes comes from anxiety and depression becouse it does something to the blood stream .

Suz_2 profile image
Suz_2 in reply toChedders

can i ask you Chedders - what does yr T sound like - is it high pitched, as i find when my T goes to higher pitch it causes me much more anxiety. My T is mostly a mid tone buzzing , which is generally tolerable except when it gets too loud. I think the most common T is the high pitch type

DR650SE profile image
DR650SE in reply toSuz_2

My T is like a whine

DR650SE profile image
DR650SE in reply toChedders

Is Seraltine sedative like mirtazapine to help you sleep from the onset?

Chedders profile image
Chedders in reply toDR650SE

No sertraline doesn’t make you sleep at the beginning you find it hard to sleep it can cause insomnia I have been on it nearly 3 and half weeks and just getting some sleep now .

DR650SE profile image
DR650SE in reply toChedders

Thanks I understand now

DR650SE profile image
DR650SE in reply toSuz_2

My stupid T reacts to everything even when clinical tests claim that it shouldn't

Kellythecat-74 profile image
Kellythecat-74 in reply toChedders

I feel That I need antidepressants but am so scared that they might make it worse

MrChips13 profile image
MrChips13 in reply toSuz_2

Melatonin only gets you to sleep. It does not keep you asleep. So, less is more. Take 1/2 mg. To sleep longer, take GABA + L-theanine + Magnesium L-threonate. No caffeine, no blue light at night, go to bed early. Do this a few weeks. It will work.

waterfalls123456 profile image
waterfalls123456

It can cause issues in some . I know of someone who had hallucinatory nightmares due to it ( it had been prescribed) these were visual. So I bet in some auditory effects can occur. Might be worth considering other methods instead .. eg weighted blanket ( under supervision of an OT) to create calmness and music via a sound pillow.

DR650SE profile image
DR650SE in reply towaterfalls123456

Thanks for the suggestionsI don't quite understand the science behind a weighted blanket ?

waterfalls123456 profile image
waterfalls123456 in reply toDR650SE

Weighted blankets help to calm the autonomic nervous system. I've noticed when I get stressed and can't sleep the tinnitus gets louder so trying to relax?my mind and body helps. Weighted blankets have been used in mental health and developmental services to Foster sleep... although you can buy from sensory stores it is always best to follow therapeutic advice . I'm not sure if they have been used with tinnitus. A simpler way us to trial laying a heavy coat and or blankets over your normal bedding. Listen to music eg on the insight timer app ( I set it for 8 hrs) or Spotify etc see if these help

DR650SE profile image
DR650SE in reply towaterfalls123456

I think that it might be too hot in Australia for regular useNotwithstanding I shall do some research

Thanks for the advice

Mille23 profile image
Mille23

I have taken melatonin for the last 4 years and my tinnitus has gotten worse and worse. I have not combined it to taking melatonin , as my tinnitus got worse after the covid vaccinations and the covid infection

. And as you write , literature says that melatonin can help lowering your tinnitus. But now and again I have consider that my worsening could be due to taking melatonin. 🧐

I take 4-5 mg every night , the last nights I have tried melatonin with extended release. They help me to fall asleep, but I wake up 3-5 times as my tinnitus is very loud. I fall asleep again with my audio book. Before using melatonin , I took zoplicone , which is a bad choice , as it is a sort of a benzodiazepine.

Have any of you suggestions or personal recommendations what else to take ? .

DR650SE profile image
DR650SE in reply toMille23

I thought that the melatonin from the Chemist was stirring up my T as I have been taking it for 2 weeks now However last night I tried time release melatonin from Iherb in the US

It seemed to tone it down today

I am going to see what happens tonight

Hopefully it does the same again and sldo tone it down again .

I got my T about 20 months ago after my first Covid jag

It has become more intrusive over time but on the other hand I am better at dealing with it now

I am going to try L- tryptophan next as I don't think that it stirs up the T

Sleep is my major challenge

DR650SE profile image
DR650SE in reply toMille23

Should have mentioned that you try the Dodow blue light I have explained to Suz26 about how it works in a post from yesterday

I won't affect your T but will help you sleep a bit better

MrChips13 profile image
MrChips13 in reply toMille23

See my post above.

Cool-human profile image
Cool-human

Yes. I get the side effects off melatonin.

Brain fog & all the other side effects off melatonin…. Pulsates my head on the Left side, where my Tinnitus is….

Everyone is an individual.

Good luck..

DR650SE profile image
DR650SE in reply toCool-human

ThanksI do however think that melatonin is preferable to being on antidepressants,the latter purely for sleep and not anxiety

Cool-human profile image
Cool-human in reply toDR650SE

Agreed.

I’m already on diazepam for Anxiety.

If you look on my profile, you will see My diagnosis & protocols.

Daniel 🤙

surviveT profile image
surviveT in reply toCool-human

hi Daniel - i read yr profile and it seems you have had a very very difficult times.

how long can u take the daizepam for ??

Cool-human profile image
Cool-human in reply tosurviveT

Tricky one….. I will be transparent, I was already diagnosed with chronic anxiety disorder after coming off Nitrazepam…. So I got addicted ( hard to reduce)

But on a positive note, depending on your personality? You would get addicted in 2 weeks if taken every day,

I know people that havnt had the same Trauma induced as me & they use Occasionally adhock to turn the brain off.! If that makes sense…

Regards Daniel..

Depends on the ROOT CAUSE..? Of the dreaded Tinnitus (

Daniel 🤙

DR650SE profile image
DR650SE in reply toCool-human

Hello Cool humanMay I ask how often you that the med please?

Cool-human profile image
Cool-human

without getting addicted.? I would recommend when you’ve had enough of the ringing & need some respite.

DR650SE profile image
DR650SE in reply toCool-human

That is interesting I didn't realise that it affected the ringing

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Tottla1

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DR650SE profile image
DR650SE

I solved my sleep issue within a short period of time with EMDR

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