Tinnitus getting worse

I am 67, have had tinnitis for decades and have been able to ignore it. Recently it is getting louder and more distracting. The only change in my life recently is that Im weaning off sertraline( zoloft) and started taking bupropion ( wellbutrin), both antidepressants. I fear bupropion might be the guilty party. I go see my doc 6/3. No one has ever looked in to why I have tinnitus and I havent pushed it. Any thoughts or advice on anything I can do to improve it. Ive pretty much decided the bupropion needs to go.

Thanks

[TinnitusUKPat Partner]

Hi Hoski. Thank you for your post. I'm sorry to read that you're experiencing recent difficulties with your tinnitus, which it seems you've previously been able to manage quite well.

From our point of view, we think it would be worth discussing the options for tinnitus investigation with your doctor. In the UK, this would be the normal point at which we'd begin a treatment journey - with onward referral to a specialist at hospital to investigate any issues with the ear itself, be that physical injury, infection or hearing loss.

Relaxation and activities which reduce stress can help to lower the degree of attention which you give your tinnitus - it's possible that what you are experiencing currently is a spike or temporary increase rather than an overall change in your tinnitus.

We're all dealing with challenging times at the moment, and that is having an impact on people living with tinnitus. Are you noticing your tinnitus most at any particular time or in any specific environment? Is it responding to noise or to quiet settings, for example?

Best wishes

[Hidden in reply to TinnitusUKPat]

I mostly am bothered by it on the rare occaisions of silence. We sleep with a fan going and during the day I am distracted. I guess Im just more conscious of it as its louder now but cant say the tinnitis itself is too bothersome. Im more worried about is it affecting my hearing.

Thanks for your helpful response.

[TinnitusUKPat Partner in reply to Hidden]

Hi Hoski

I don't feel that you need to be worried about the tinnitus affecting your hearing - if anything, ringing in the ear can be a symptom that a hearing issue may have developed. It isn't the cause, more of an indicator which might allow a doctor or audiologist to make their diagnosis of an underlying condition.

[Hidden in reply to TinnitusUKPat]

Thats reassuring. Thanks!

[1Dar]

Hi Hoski sorry to hear you have had a spike in your tinnitus . I’m not an expert but it sounds like the change in drugs could be the contributing factor. I take anti depressants and some do make my tinnitus spike. I ve tried many and I’m now trying CBD drops but through a Dr , they have no THS in them . It’s good to get off Zoloft though .... hope you feel better in a few days .

Jenny 😊

[Hidden in reply to 1Dar]

Thankyou so much💜

[Woodentop99]

Same age , similar story, had T for decades, then a major spike in T for no apparent reason, following ent and audiologists input I had a degree of hearing loss, could it be related to something similar??? Just a thought.

[Hidden in reply to Woodentop99]

Thanks I have an appointment with my family doc soon, I decided I am going to see if I can see an ent and/ or audiologist.

[forest3]

Hi Hoski, I really hope you don't have this but after decades of regular tinnitus mine got louder and more constant while my hearing on one side got worse. Turned out to be an acoustic neuroma which was even worse. Best of luck that this is a smaller problem and resolves ok for you.

[Hidden in reply to forest3]

I do feel like my hearing might be affected but feels like both ears. I will post if anything creepy shows up. Hearing loss would be hard enough. I guess you had to have surgery?

[forest3 in reply to Hidden]

It's been a ridiculous ordeal.. surgery, the whole 9 yards including of course louder tinnitus, and side affects that the chief of neurology did not even warn me about.. This sounds stupid, and don't kill me, but only tinnitus is not that bad..

[Hidden in reply to forest3]

I get it. Im 67, retired RN, seen the simplest procedures go bad. Sorry you have had to suffer this. I put off knee replacement for probably too long, finally gave in and did it only to find out at 6 wk checkup that the implant moved and was at a diagonal, not straight so whole thing had to b redone. Not a happy camper. I went to best knee guy in our area... poop happens as they say.

[Bupropion_Caused_It]

hi buprobion gave me T for 5 months & it,s still ongoing i had no hearing issues prior.