British Tinnitus Association

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Tinnitus and lowered estrogen

Just wondering if anyone had experienced worsening tinnitus with perimenopause and lowered estrogen levels? My tinnitus has got worse recently and struggling to get off to sleep with new sounds. It’s making me very depressed.

Georgia

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Oestrogen

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It could be, GeorgiaJackson, that your menopausal symptoms are making you feel a little down, and so the tinnitus becomes more obvious. Just a thought.

I guess so. Do you think that would account for hearing new sounds though?

I doubt if that’s possible to judge. All of us T sufferers experience the delights of T in different ways.Personally, my T probably started when I was in my teens ... and I thought it was normal, just like having arms and legs. In retrospect, it probably got more intrusive at peri-menopause.

Hi Georgia , I’m sorry your feeling so down with all the different noises. I have my days too when this tinnitus gets me down . I feel comforted by this site and the support. I do hope your ok and find a way soon to getting things easier and better. I find this tinnitus a real nuisance and it’s making me feel a bit withdrawn into myself. I try to keep busy if I can and tell myself there are people worse off than me. Take care x

Thanks for the reply. I struggle to cope if my sleep is wrecked. I have other health problems and sleep is the only way I manage to deal with them all. Keeping busy has become harder too because I’m a prisoner in my own home due to shielding but I try and be as positive as I can. Just some days it all goes out the window. This site does help though.

Hi. I find it helps to sleep with some soothing back ground noise. I have a sound box and listen to waves breaking or mostly the sounds of the rain. I also use some sleep ear phones which are smaller than normal ones and more comfortable. Hope this helps. 🤞

Thanks Doris. I always have sound in the background but recently I can’t find anything to mask my new sound so my sleep has gone downhill.

Hi. On a peri/menopause site that I belong to, there are lots of ladies who say they have developed tinnitus during perimenopause so yours could possibly have worsened during this time. I developed pulsatile tinnitus nearly 4 yrs ago which also fits with my falling oestrogen levels and is well known to be a symptom of this time. Mine causes me great anxiety and I hope you get some comfort from knowing you certainly aren't alone.

I did wonder. I’ve also read though that some HRT can cause tinnitus which would put me off taking it. I totally understand about the anxiety. The anxiety I’ve experienced from the beginning of developing tinnitus has been the cause of some of my other health issues. It’s all had a devastating impact on my body. It does help chatting to other sufferers. Hope it helps you too

That’s really interesting. I’m just trying to get the the bottom of what’s causing my pulsatile tinnitus which is getting worse. Can they test for falling oestrogen levels? Would HRT be a way to improve it I wonder?

I can basically date the start of my continuous tinnitus to within two weeks of the end of my periods.However I was given HRT for a while and found that in the year or so I was taking it there was no significant improvement in my tinnitus.

My tinnitus improved when my attitude to it improved.

Yes. I agree with this statement. I didn't have tinnitus but since going through the menopause, it's appeared and gotten gradually worse 😩😰

Hi did you have HRT? I keep reading how some people get tinnitus as a result of taking it. Or did it just start as the menopause started?

I took HRT for about 18 months after being confirmed as perimenopausal. I stopped in March 2016. The tinnitus has deteriorated in this last year 🙄

Hi my tinnitus started after i came off hrt i tried it for around 2weeks i was feeling off balance and bloated so came off hrt and tinnitus came along within 2 days off stopping that was 2yrs ago still going through perimenopause and i feel when my estrogen levels are low in general we can feel like poo 😪 was really put off going back on hrt as gp said to stay off it, but in my heart i always wonder if i went back onit would it diminish maybe😏 i manage my T pretty well but it can be more intrusive when i feel low or not sleeping well, i would love to here some positive stories regarding taking hrt and there tinnitus, suppose everybody is different and what works for one person may not be right for someone else, you takecare🥰

Hi, this is what puts me off taking HRT. It’s weird though isn’t it, you’d think if HRT had been the cause you would have got tinnitus straightaway. I can’t figure any of it out. As you say we’re all very different so what works for one person doesn’t for another. I just wish my tinnitus would settle down, its so frustrating. I’d got into a routine and slept ok and now it’s all gone out the window.

Awww i know how you feeling im currently not sleeping brilliant hot sweats in the night nightmare i have a fan beside bed which helps with both T and night sweats lol, we just have to keep postive it will pass, i try to find something positive in each day and put my attention on the things that bring me joy 🥰