I had mild tinnitus for a number of years while taking methotrexate. Not sure if there was a link between the two but after I stopped taking methotrexate, approx 3 years ago, my tinnitus gradually decreased and has been almost non existent for the last couple of years. Up until last sunday morning that is, when I woke up with a constant high frequency whine in both ears. I have it now as I'm typing this post. 
It does occasionally subside for several hours but is present the majority of the time. It just so happens that I had my flu jab last friday, which was followed by a bit of a sore throat when I awoke the next morning. Of course there are a number of things that can cause tinnitus, but it does seem like a bit of a coincidence how mine has started up just two days after the flu jab. Anyone else have suspicions that the flu jab may have caused tinnitus for them?
Tinnitus/flu jab possible link: I had mild tinnitus for... - NRAS
Tinnitus/flu jab possible link
I’ve no idea about flu jab wish bone but sorry you ve got it, so annoying. I ve had it on & off, worse when on MTX & Hydroxychloroquine, stress doesn’t help either. I used to put one of my son’s ear plugs from work (he’s marine engineer) new obvs 😀 in ear to sleep at night. This may sound silly as I know it’s internal noise but maybe the pressure reduced noise: it helped. Hope you get some respite soon
Thanks Kerena,
It's quite loud and really annoying, and just when things were starting to look up after starting a new med...typical innit! To top it off, I love my music and have recently spent a substantial amount upgrading my hi-fi system. All ruined by this bl**dy whine that intrudes on the music! No problem sleeping so far...something to be thankful for I suppose. I did read a that although uncommon, there are reports of flu jab being linked with tinnitus though no proof as such. One person said that it should subside within a few weeks. Not sure how accurate that is but hope whoever stated it is correct. Don't know if there's much point but will probably make an appointment to see my GP.
I phoned rheumy and asked if my new med, baricitinib, could be the cause, but the nurse just read off the publicised possible side effects. No mention of tinnitus.
It is bloody annoying if interfering with music, love mine too! Mine is worst when quiet bizarrely. Is it down as side effect for MTX or Hydroxychloroquine then? I was pretty sure it was second one as gave me anxiety too. Dear god I feel like i’m turning into ageing hypochondriac sometimes 😟 Flu jab’s a funny one (not ha ha obvs); I went down with this after extended bout of bad flu and breathing issues last year and yet someone else on here recently said they went into remission for years after bad flu?! Does make you wonder if it’s implicated in some way. Hope it eases soon & baricitinib works too.
Not sure about mtx, but ringing in the ears is mentioned in the hydroxy leaflet. I've recently come off hydroxy after taking it for the last 2 years with next to no tinnitus to talk of. If any med has caused it then my money's on the flu jab. And yep, it's easily heard when playing music. The only sound that helps is when I'm running the cold water tap or having a shower...a fat lot of good that is! 
Been on the baricitinib for 3 months and am the best I've been for over 3 years. That's why it's extra disappointing to have this happen!
Hopefully it will fade if it’s flu jab 🤞for you. I didn’t like either drug but just been told they may have to add MTX back in as it makes benepali 15% more efficient which pleased me no end (yes, I’m lying 😬) holding off on that at mo’ & enjoying lack of side effects for a while. Hope tinnitus subsides soon, baricitinib sounds good in other ways.
Pressume that benapali's not very effective on it's own for you? I hate taking any of these drugs, but unfortunately for us sickly souls it's a case of a human's got to do what a human's got to do! A combination of mtx and enbrel put me into remission, which didn't last for long because of side effects. Recently stopped hydroxy because of acid reflux, plus baricitinib became available, and by chance it (hydroxy) also seems to have reduced a nasty skin problem I've had for a couple of years.
So far so good with the baricitinib. One of its attributes is it leaves the body pretty sharpish (within a couple of days apparently) which can only be a good thing if someone gets a serious infection - something I'm prone to. Fingers XXXX as usual.
Thanks for your replies Kerena
Tinnitus rampant this morning!...is there no end to this madness!...arghhhhhh 
I’m not sure wishbone, early days, 7 weeks in; lots of people say Enbrel worked well. Fed up with all the drugs too, who isn’t? But alternative’s not great either. 🤞baricitinib’s one for you and awful tinnitus fades too. All the best.
I have a white noise generator on at night which seems to help and an app on my phone which I have used to make a personalised "masking" sound. An earbud, worn in just one ear, produces just enough distraction to let me hear speech. Silence is the worst as there is nothing to take your mind off it and so it sounds louder. I hope you find a way forward
That sounds dreadful, and must be so difficult to put up with, not sure I could, my full respect for doing so. Think my near manic ranting shall mellow a little after reading about your tinnitus issues...can't help feeling angry though! I'm getting occasional noise in my right ear as well but my left is worse. Just hope it doesn't get any worse. Hope you have some luck with one of those hearing aids.
Other people's suffering does not diminish yours and I'm truly sorry you have similar problems. I can sympathise with your (very gentle) rant and we all need a safety valve after all. I suspect my issues are down to cuddling too many screaming babies for too long. It did soothe them, so worth it.
I developed tinnitus when on Hydroxychloroquine, together with nightmares and daytime anxiety type attacks.All the symptoms stopped , except the tinnitus, which is quieter, although still whistling away a lot of the time. But I'm still on M/X so now you've got me wondering.......It seems more noticeable when I've got a cold of a bit of a flare, but that may be because I'm not doing so much then and have time and sleepless nights to think about it!
A mixture of tinnitus, nightmares and anxiety attacks! That sounds like a bundle of fun!...no wonder you came off the stuff! How long have you had tinnitus and when did you stop hydroxy??
I started taking mtx approx 15 years ago before coming off it permanently about 3 years ago. I can't remember when the tinnitus started, but it was definitely some time after I'd started mtx and it continued for many years after. As I recall I used to have spells when it would occur fairly regularly but was quite mild and never really bothered me, and certainly nothing like I'm experiencing now. As previously mentioned, when I stopped taking mtx and started hydroxy, which was the only RA med I was taking, the tinnitus gradually decreased both in volume and occurrence, eventually very close to stopping entirely, which does seem a bit odd if hydroxy is known to cause tinnitus? Come to think of it I'm sure I can recall a few other members having suspicions that their tinnitus might have been related to mtx.
Although I suspect the flu jab as the cause of my tinnitus, though probably much less likely, I can't entirely rule out baricitinib, which I started taking 3 months ago. I'm overdue an appointment with my rheumy and will be asking his/her thoughts about it. That's when they find a replacement for my old rheumy who retired in august.
I guess all these drugs affect us all differently, and sometimes its easy to blame the drugs when things might have happened anyway. I've been on M/X for about 7years now - was reluctant to start it or anything else at first - was just on hydroxy when my symptoms started - and I've never had the nightmares or the anxiety feeling before or since - am usually cheerful calm and phlegmatic to the point of being boring. So i do blame the stuff for that. I am prepared to doubt the tinnitus - I know aspirin/NSAIDs/flu/flying and other stuff can cause that. Also just getting older can be a cause, though I'm not even prepared to consider that - what? me?
I know tinnitus can happen for reasons other than taking meds as mentioned in my initial post. Of course I can't be 100% sure how mine has started up again, but after having practically no tinnitus to speak of for a couple of years then having it kick off just two days after having my flu jab, I can't help thinking that's very probably the cause. Hopefully the tinnitus is just temporary and will subside in time, but even if that does happen and as foolhardy as it may appear, I'll take my chances with the flu from now on as it's no more vaccinations for me.
Good luck to you janmary.
I wish. I've had tinnitus for years which has slowly but surely got louder and louder. I'm currently agitating for referral to audiology, again, to get hearing aids which have a tinnitus masking function. Like you, it's a very high-pitched almost electronic sqeal in my left ear but a low rumble in the right. It could drive you nuts if you let it. I hope your diminishes soon. Hugs
J
hi I’ve had tinnitus for at least 25+ years. I’ve had RA for nearly 40yrs. My tinnitus started as a side effect of taking volterol retard twice daily for years alongside coproxamol to try and control inflammation and pain. There weren’t the drugs of today back then , gold injections, sulfasalizine,then methotrexate came with hydroxychloroquine, volterol (which worked so well along with coproxamol) went because of risks? and put on naproxen( not good on my stomach or my inflammation). Drugs then went to tramadol(not as good as coproxamol for me) and finally to Etoricoxib Which works quite well, fentanyl patches and Cimzia, with two rituximab infusions along the way. I was told about 20 yrs ago by consultant my tinnitus was due to high doses of voterol and it would likely resolve, but since that methotrexate is found to cause it along with many other drugs I’ve taken over the years. I’ve never seen an audiologists and my hearing seems to be ok for my age, however my tinnitus is in both ears and high pitched like whining radio interference. I think I’m so used to it I have learned to block it out it’s just normal for me. Mind you it can get so loud that I can hear it above the TV, then it’s annoying. Weirdly it doesn’t stop me sleeping or getting off to sleep. I do wonder sometimes what it would be like to hear silence. My friend has it, her methotrexate caused it, it drives her crazy sometimes, she was able to lower her dose which has helped. Compared to everything else I’ve got it’s on the minor list, so I’ll just continue to ignore it.
No Flu Jab!
Flu jab? Flare
Flu Jab
Flu jab
