So it's been just over a month since I've had T caused by clarithromycin. Since I last posted I've seen a high street audiologist for a hearing test and to discuss the T. No hearing loss, which is good right? Hearing loss can make T caused by antibiotics permanent, I've read. The audiologist sent a referral to my GP to refer me to a tinnitus clinic at a hospital. The audiologist said that the wait times were long for the clinic (as someone who has been on NHS wait lists many times before I know how long it can be) but I wasn't expecting the appointment to be in Summer 2024!
So... my family has started planning a holiday for about August time to visit my relatives who we haven't seen since before covid. We are planning for August next year (2023) and I really want the T to be gone by then. I don't want my holiday ruined by T. We started talking about visiting my relatives since August of this year, before the T started. I need it gone by August so A) I can use headphones again, as right now using headphones makes the T appear louder and B) I don't want to have white noise on 24/7 as my relatives probably won't appreciate having it on all the time.
Also would the pressure on a plane trigger tinnitus? We're travelling on a plane and I'm worried that the pressure changes on the plane would trigger the tinnitus making me go back to square one with the T. I'm planning to bring my Otovent device prescribed to me by my GP as I had pressure in my ears caused by the clarithromycin. According to the instructions you can use it on a plane to help with the pressure. I mean, I've travelled on planes many times before and had no problem, but I feel like the clarithromycin has changed my ears and that even if I do something I've done before will set the T off.
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angelcat2003
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Hi Angel. It's very good news you have no hearing loss. I'm sorry you have a long wait for the clinic. I waited a long time too. By the time they rang in October this year the audiologist didn't tell me anything new. You may find that by 2024 you don't need any help either . A holiday with your family is something nice to look forward to in 2023. It might even take your mind off T - if you've still got it. If you have the chances are it won't trouble you as much as it does now. Try not to worry in advance.
Everyone’s T is personal and different and we all have different ways of coping ,I have had T following an inner ear infection over 24 years ago and have had MRI and various consultations with doctors and Audiologists over the years , mine does come and go in intensity and pitches up when I tense my jaw muscles but I am not sure how that is connected but I do get neck pain issues but I had that before the T. Like youI was interned about T as I was taking a 1 month long haul holiday to Australia with a 16 hour flight and 7 internal flights but to my surprise my T remained stable and pretty low level for almost all the holiday but has returned since coming home, I also believe from experience that the COVID jabs appear to make it worse for several months after having one 🤔🤪 best of luck anyway
I’m wondering how you knew that clarithromycin, which I think can be to treats chest infections and pneumonia, caused your T.
I’m not a medical person but was told by my audiologist back in 2015 that my T was caused by the infection that I had at the time. Looking at clarithromycin, I’m not seeing this listed as a possible worst side effects.
Honestly I’m only wondering how you know the actual cause. Apart from that to this day I really want my T to be gone and I’ve had to accept that it’s not happened in the last 7-8 years and most likely never will, for me. Trying to come to terms with it and the acceptance is easier for some. I struggle daily with mine and this concept of habituation.
Tiredness and stress that mess me up the most so my advice would be to not focus too much on your T going away by August because if it doesn’t that will stress you and make it seem worse.
Again just my thoughts and opinions so please dismiss I mean no angst.
Fingers crossed for you that you can enjoy your holiday and be easy with yourself, it’s a thing for sure.
I was given clarithromycin by my GP for painful cysts on my skin that were not going away with the Doxycycline I was on at the time. Two days after I started the clarithromycin, the T started. I was not aware of the T being a potential side effect of the clarithromycin but after looking at the leaflet, it listed hearing loss and T as a side effect with an unknown frequency. After doing some research online, T being caused by clarithromycin and other antibiotics in people who had never had T before or minor T made worse by the antibiotics does happen. So I know for a fact that it was the clarithromycin as cysts don't cause T and it started as soon as I started taking the clarithromycin. I stopped taking the clarithromycin as soon as I noticed the T. I was told by my GP that because I only took five tablets it's more than likely the T will be temporary. But at the moment it doesn't feel like it.
Then that is really good news for your case. If it’s going to fade away them I’m very pleased for you. Thanks for replying and fingers crossed for a brilliant holiday in August, very best to you.
tinnitus can have many causes and indeed none. The fact that you were taking this medication could be co-incidental.
Regardless, no-one knows if the flying will affect it or not (it certainly does not affect mine) and the fact that you will have a holiday to look forward to will, I’m convinced, help you to take your mind off the T.
Several posters on this site have said that seeing audiologist was helpful, many others have said it wasn’t, So don’t, please, pin your hopes on this.
You're going through the natural response to Tinnitus, like many of us, which is a cycle of stress and anxiety. You mentioned, you "don't want to have white noise on 24/7". Sound enrichment is all very well, but 24/7 may increase your dependency on it and for you to increase the volume, or create a further struggle when sound enrichment isn't practical.
"Habituation is probably best achieved if you use sound enrichment at a level that is a little quieter than your tinnitus most of the time.
Some people have used masking (loud noise which drowns out the tinnitus) to give themselves a bit of relief, but this approach does nothing to encourage long-term habituation, and sometimes the tinnitus appears louder when the masking is switched off."
I found this very difficult to comprehend at first - after a few years, at least since I could hear my T over everything, I've now habituated. In fact, on good days (when I wasn't in a bad mood), I found sitting quietly and listening to my tinnitus was beneficial. I'd try to think rationally about what harm is it doing.
Your desperation to eliminate noise is very likely making it worse.
Take positive steps towards living with it, however temporary it is. Focus on the positive that it will go away sometime soon. Your worse case-scenario is that you'll habituate. There's no saying how long that will be I'm afraid, but otherwise, dwelling on it, will mean not coming to terms with it.
Consider what else is going on in your life and environment that may be aggravating it, though not necessarily causing it. Stress is the #1 factor. Looking at calming techniques (but try not to buy *too much* into holistic therapies and certainly don't believe the snake oil salesmen about a cure. If you are becoming anxious, speak to your doctor about anything he can prescribe (these often come with side-effects of possible tinnitus, it more likely possible that it won't despite your previous experience).
All best and what ever happens in August is what it is, and fear and avoidance will do nothing other than missing out on time with loved ones.
All the very best and make 2023, and the rest of 2022, about looking forward to visiting family and enjoy it. DO NOT let Tinnitus ruin it. Anyway what rational reason do you have that could possibly "ruin" seeing your relatives you havent seen for years?
I think your tinnitus is going to run its own course regardless of who you see and when - although an eighteen month wait is unbelievable. One option if you can afford it would be to see an audiologist privately, but I truly suspect it won't make any difference to any final outcome.
Flying has never affected my tinnitus which I have had for over two decades, but it has affected my hearing on more than one occasion. I was given instructions by my doctor (hearing specialist) here in the States which involves sniffing a lot of Afrin (a nasal spray; I am sure someone can tell you the UK equivalent) The active ingredient is Oxymetazoline Hydrochloride (0.05 %). The second part is wearing special earplugs, here called airplanes, in the UK sold in Boots as Flight earplugs, I believe. They look like normal spiral earplugs but have a small hole all the way through which helps equalise pressure. I've been using these for several years now and doing the whole Afrin routine, and I've had no problems. And I might not have done anyway - I've forgotten them a couple of times and it's been fine. The only troublesome times of flying are take off and landing. I can't attach the sheet I was given, but let me know if you want the instructions and I will copy them out into this thread. They're not too long. While I don't know for sure that they help, there is nothing that could harm you or your hearing or tinnitus.
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