Just out of curiosity and for my own sanity. Does anyone else suffer with tinnitus. I am absolutely convinced it's a side effect to the levothyroxin that I take as when I don't take my medication it subsides. Its driving me crazy. I take Teva brand due to baby being dairy free and I'm breastfeeding this brand has always suited me I've only noticed this since I've had my dosage increase.
Tinnitus : Just out of curiosity and for my own... - Thyroid UK
Tinnitus
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jodes86baldwin
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RedAppleAdministrator
Yes jodes86baldwin, I and many others. It gets brought up for discussion here from time to time. Some people say theirs resolves with appropriate dose and/or type of replacement hormone. Some of us are stuck with it regardless 
It's literally doing my head in! It affects my sleep too.
The way that tinnitus is treated is :
1) Use a "sound relaxer" or a smart phone to play neutral sounds at a level which is just a little bit quieter than the tinnitus volume. You have to try and listen to the neutral noise rather than the tinnitus.
rnidconnevans.co.uk/catalog...
2) Over time your brain learns to ignore the tinnitus and listen to the more neutral sound.
3) There are many types of sound you can listen to, depending on the gadget you use.
4) The types of sound used by many are often water-based - a babbling stream, waves at the beach, rain, rain + thunder, or varieties of white noise, pink noise, brown noise, others are trains, wind, wind chimes, birds.
Some useful links :
rnidconnevans.co.uk/catalog...
rnidconnevans.co.uk/catalog...
The white Sound Oasis SP-101 pillow speakers are fairly poor quality. I know from experience - they lasted a while, but not long enough. The yellow triangular ones are also useless. I bought some for my husband and they have never worked. There are others on the the last two rnidconnevans links that I know nothing about - I've never bought an actual pillow with speakers embedded, for example.
Ideally any pillow speakers would have a volume control on each speaker, but I've never looked for one.
If you want to try this out at home without paying anything first, you can try a "proof of concept" and make your own sounds or listen to sounds from youtube videos that can be played via a smart phone or an old ipod or a tablet etc.
You can search Youtube for :
relaxing sounds for sleeping
nature sounds for sleeping
white/brown/pink noise for sleeping (Personally I don't like these)
Other sites :
There used to be websites that allowed you to create your own sounds in combination, at different volumes, but sadly I can't find them any more. They were quite fun to play around with.
Hope all this helps. I created my own sounds on the web, saved them as sound files then transferred them to an old ipod. I had a small speaker which worked well enough.
Eventually I bought my own pillow speakers and a Sound Oasis sound relaxer. I used it for a few weeks before I realised that I was no longer fixated on the sound of my tinnitus. Now I never even think about it most of the time, and I no longer use the kit I bought. One thing that made it more difficult was that my hearing continued to deteriorate at a rapid rate of knots in just one ear, and I'm now completely deaf in one ear but can still hear in the other. But the issue of my tinnitus has never been an issue since I did all this.
General info on Tinnitus :
rnid.org.uk/information-and...
I went through the spectrum of sounds - using a phone or tablet or the like. (Silly to buy anything without checking if the sounds are helpful.)
It ends up that white or pink noise, seashore, birds, music and pretty much everything that is suggested drives me potty!
Good old human voice is what works for me. Radio 4 Extra has quite a few programs that work for me. The biggest problem is that I end up listening to half of so many programs! BBC Sounds makes it easier to select what suits.
We're all different. Hearing people talking when I'm trying to sleep is what makes me go potty. I think I have misophonia.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Misop...
In my teens and 20s I used to actually cry when I heard people speaking as I woke up, I found it so stressful. I still find it hard to cope with speech when I wake up, but at least I'm not violent any more. My husband did learn very quickly when we moved in together that waking me up was dangerous, so he always stayed out of arm's reach because I would lash out while I was still 95% asleep.
(Silly to buy anything without checking if the sounds are helpful.)
I agree. I found my simple set up quite effective but in the end I invested in a proper sound relaxer and pillow speakers because it had more options available than anything I could jury-rig for myself.
I used to hate hearing other people chatting, especially laughing, when trying to get to sleep. But the gentle drone of a voice works! Recently listened to something read by Bill Nighy - lovely cadence and gentle voice.
Colin Morgan reading Autumn Journey on YouTube is another one that is so good. His voice is quite mesmerising and relaxing. There are 3x 45minute parts and I can thoroughly recommend it.
That is what worked for me !
SlowDragonAdministrator
What vitamin supplements are you currently
When were folate, B12 and ferritin last tested
Low B vitamins often linked to tinnitus
As dose levothyroxine is increased levels of vitamins take a while to catch up
Thyroid levels should be retested 6-8 weeks after any dose change or brand change in levothyroxine
How much levothyroxine are you now taking?
What were thyroid results that caused dose to be involved
Always test thyroid levels early morning, ideally before 9am and last dose levothyroxine 24 hours before test
I had a baby and thyroid went out of whack. I'm on 150 thyroxine. Vit d3. Bloods done every 6 weeks. Previous posts have results on
Well I looked though last half dozen posts ….couldn’t see any B12, folate or ferritin results
Vitamin D was too low 2 months ago
How much vitamin D are you currently taking
healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...
Need to retest vitamin D twice year when supplementing
Yes the nurse said she wouldn't do foliate and b12 because my other bloods were OK 🤷♀️
I think the problem with Vit needs lie in "assumptions" heath care makes . My theory I reached in nursing school was we are like giant test tubes and when we are in balance we are well and functioning. When you have sx and don't feel right something is out of balance. The problem in healthcare is too much depends on $$$$ that is why these grps. are so helpful to us all in trouble shooting problems. I appreciate the sharing.
Agreed!! Tinnitus can onset from various medications which rob the body of B12, though I've not seen levothyroxine on that list. Check out Sally Pacholok's YouTube videos. She's the author of "Could It Be B12?" and well worth checking into.
Just a quick Thanks re' the possible connection between Tinnitus & B12 - my Tinnitus got worse whilst reading this post (of course - I was paying attention to it!), but I then remembered my B12 injection, and the T was much diminished!! 😀
Hi. I have tinnitus but it was brought on after catching Covid! I've got it in both ears and it changes from a two tone siren sound to a low hum. Very annoying! I've also got hearing loss as well.
Any sinus issues ? Upper respiratory and sinus issues can lead to fluid in E. Tubes in your ears and affect hearing.
Yes, me. But I've still got tinnitus on T3-only, so it doesn't look like it's just linked to levothyroxine. Maybe hypothyroidism in general? Or my favourite candidate, lack of cellular B12 due to MTHFR genetic mutation - for which I'm homozygous.
Hi,
My tinnitus started before I was diagnosed as being hypothyroid, I was referred to ENT because it was one sided, this can indicate a tumour apparently. I had to have an MRI to rule this out. I was then referred on to a tinnitus specialist, he fitted me with a heading aid and gave me a disc of water noise to put onto an iPod for nighttime use.
The hearing aid helps me during the day and the iPod noise helps to get m to sleep.
That was a number of years ago and as of yet I haven’t found anything else to help or make a difference, hopefully yours is just short live due to your recent delivery.
I have tinnitus. It only started after I had RAI and went on levo. First of all it was only when I took vitamin d supplements. Then I realised it was anything with fortified vitamin d and being in the sun. So anything that rasies my vitamin D level affects my tinnitus. I have no idea why. Currently trying to investigate it myself. Sometimes I go to bed and I can't hear it but I will wake in the night with it, it seems laying down triggers it more. If it's really loud and I can't ignore it I put an ear phone in my left ear (only suffer with it in my left ear) and listen to waves on the Beltone calming tinnitus app. I do wonder if it's a reaction with the levo. I am also on lactose free, Aristo and I'm sure it got worse being on that. Might be a filler ?? Who knows.
I wonder if tinnitus happens in the sun or with vitamin D tablets because you're low on the vitamin D cofactors of magnesium and K2?
What are vitamin d cofactor of magnesium and K2? Last blood test I had for magnesium I was high
I believe the type of tinnitus common in Hashimoto's is called pulsatile tinnitus.I was on thyroxine for 17 years from the age of 37.I do not recall any tinnitus until I started adding T3 & it seemed to be worse when my T3 levels were too high.I also started to notice it increased when stressed & I started looking into the adrenals.After 2 years on T3-only using Paul Robinson's adrenal healing protocol,I began taking NDT,replacing T3-only.
My tinnitus is very loud at the moment.Also,I did not lose hair with Hashimoto's until I added in T3.Now,at 72,my hair is still becoming thinner(of course female hormone loss is a factor,too)
My theory at present is that Barbara Lougheed of "Tired Thyroid"blog may be right.That is,I need less T3 & more T4 .I aim to buy some T4 & see if that helps.NDT is much higher in T3 than human thyroid.
I also have fatigue & exercise resistance,which Barbara Lougheed found improved when she added more T4 & lowered her T3,having followed a similar path to mine over the years.
What I'm suggesting,is that T4-only was problematic for me ,but I don't think T3 has proved to be a magic bullet
Interesting I will look up that blog. My situation is I had no sx until after I was put on Levo. , but sadly picked up many sx including hair loss and hearing issues after. Weaned myself off of Levo ( did tell the Doc.) after 5 years and now on an OTC Adrenal Supplement and my eye brows are just growing back !
Yes I suffer with Tinnitus and also low thyroid . I have never connected the two but you could be right.
I have Tinnitus and had it before I had Levo. I use my iPod with Audible books that I know, so I'm not paying attention to the storey, just have very quiet words in my ear. I tried pillow speakers but my husband could hear it, so just use one ear phone.
I feel for you - I suffer too.
I've had very small bouts of tinnitus since being a child, but ive now had full blown tinnitus since last September. My dosage had been cut back drastically by a GP as I was slightly over medicated, and at the same time had a reaction to my 3rd booster, which gave me horrendous vertigo. So one of the two (or possibly both) contributed.
For me I seem to have a background high pitched noise over a lower tone similar to central heating running! Like a low drone almost - it does seem worse when I'm concentrating on it, like now when writing this! 🙂 I'm lucky in that most of the time I managed to push it into the background🤞
It has got slightly better as I've increased my Levo dose and ive found that keeping up with Vit D and B12 supplements helps enormously too, I've been low on vitamin D for a while even though I'm out in the sun quite a lot.
Hope you find something that makes it subside or disappear altogether- but I'd also speak with your GP in the mean time too 👍
I’m pretty sure my tinnitus isn’t related to my medication. I’ve had it for years, sudden onset and I know you’ve had lots of posts but I just wanted to say I’ve got used to it and it doesn’t bother me any more. It was awful at first!
I have it and believe it’s part of having Hashimoto's, I have good days and bad days and tend to just ignore it as much as possible. Mine seems to be worse when my cortisol is off.
Well I've had tinnitus for years before I started taking levo. I was probably hypo and hashimotos already but wasn't on medication. I have had it for at least 15 years and have been on levo for about 8 years and it hasn't made any difference to it.
I've suffered from Tinnitus for years but I've noticed it gets louder when my dose too high and too low. It never really goes away but noticeably changes in volume. Competes with the TV when my dose is way off. I sleep with a fan because it's more noticeable at night when the house is quiet.
I have tinnitus now but I don’t think it has anything to do with the Thyroid as I have been pretty well established on a stable treatment of T4/T3 combination for a few years now.
I do believe mine has much more to do with my youthful habit of playing hard rock music turned up to 11 through a pair of ear enclosing headphones for several hours per day! That, and standing close to the amplifiers at discos etc. My ears stood no chance!
These days I still listen to rock music but it’s been tempered with much classical music too. It’s being played through a sound bar now in my workshop and no longer at 11! But the damage, I’m afraid, has been done and I’ve had to learn to live with it…
I have Tinnitus now and only started with it after been diagnosed with Hahimoto Thyroid 18 months ago so I'm convinced it's related. Seems to be worse especially this time of year so possibly allergy related ie pollen or poor air quality as since diagnosis I also suffer with inflamed and painful nostril lining. Very bad now.This is made worse if I wear a mask since pandemic (not had Covid) I just wondered if anyone else on here has similar and if they can prescribe anything.
Ive had tinnitus for over 30 years, I was only diagnosed as having Hashimotos about 5 years ago but I think I've had undiagnosed thyroid problems most of my adult life. the tinnitus has got worse in the last 10 years. maybe if the doctors had listened to me and treated it sooner it wouldn't have got this bad. Maybe someone could do a study on it
Having a similar problem, albeit lighter, this is what seems to help my nostril lining when it gets sore (happened the last few years in winter with the dry heating air) - am mixing aloe vera gel with a small quantity of pure neem oil (a few drops on a good quantity aloe vera). Applying that regularly in the nose throughout the day seems to keep any inflammation or whatever it is down and moisturises it.
I have the nostril thing!! As well as ‘ear whooshing’. But the nostril thing is horrid. You can buy what can only be described as ‘nostril lube’ online. It does really help ease the soreness. Recently took up swimming again and for some reason that seems to have pretty much cleared it (sinus wash??!)
I struggle eith my nose
I have had severe tinnitus for thirty years . It came when I was first ill with M. E. after what seemed to be thyroiditis. Thyroid disease was diagnosed later. It is there night and day improved by hearing aids and worsened by some medications . At present I am trying NAC as others with tinnitus recommend it, I hope it helps! I'm sure tiredness and general health are associated with the noise level. I do hope it quietens down for you.
I suffered with tinnitus for year's before I was diagnosed UAT, but it has got worse since I have been UA. It takes a while but you somehow train your brain to ignore it.
You may want to look to see if theres a connection with low oestrogen (I think but don’t quote me) that oestrogen declines when breastfeeding…so it may be a temporary thing.I’m aware this happens to many in pre, peri and menopause and why made this connection.
Thank you for that x
15% of the world population lives with tinnitus. You just learn how to live with it over time.
Did you have the dose increase when you were pregnant?Now you hqve had the baby your thyroid should be checked again, it might be that you need a reduction.
Some people cant get on with Teva due to fillers so it might be worth looking into that also in case the fillers have been changed.
NHS also advises to stick to the same brand.
Best wishes
JaneCxxx😎❤
Thyroid was perfect until after baby all checks have been done since having him and are done every 6 weeks
Very simple remedy to cure it. I have had it before but I am ok now. What you have to do to put any finger on each ear which goes inside .(sometimes some fingers become bigger due to inflammation)Hold them for a few minutes then take them out. Do it 15 times in one go and repeat it minimum 4 times in a day and also get your vitamin B and D checked . Hopefully irritated sound would go away.Please let us know if it works.
I get it as well. I use to only get it when tired and hitting the pillow in the evening but now it's on all the time. I usually ignore and then forget about it but as soon as I remember I can hear it all the time. It's in both ears and quit loud. It got wide when my Levo (Accord) was put up from 575 alternate days to 75 6x a week and 100 on Sunday which was way too much to increase. I felt instantly terrible and the house was unbearable. I'm back on 50/75 alternate days but the noise is this there though not as high pitch.I also have been diagnosed with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome which also can give you tinnitus. Another thing i Hope to have check is my terrible neck. My spine is so messed up in the neck section that I wonder how am i still walking 🙈
I doubt it would be acknowledged. I was in my early 60's when I was a dx and it was attributed to "age". My issue was I was a certified hearing Conservationist I knew hearing issues like than and age was a falsehood!
For me this was a low b12 symptom. My low b12 symptoms would rage every time i'd try to increase my thyroid dose. Finally got better once I got on shots.
I see your gp won't give you a b12 blood test. Low b12 won't always show up in the blood as macrocytosis (large RBCs). I really encourage you to get b12, folate, vit D, and all the other tests the gp won't run, done privately. These are not "just" vitamins, they are crucial to many processes within the body. Being hypo, we often have low levels of vitamins and minerals, and as a result can't feel better until we address them, and in some cases can lead to permanent damage.
Do you have other low b12 symptoms like tingling, skin crawling, numbness, knocking into walls, swaying, etc?
I've not really noticed any of those other things. I do often feel like I'm on a ship that's the only I can describe it to my husband. Like I'm not moving but I am if thay makes sense.
Yes that's a common symptom as well. But of course many deficiencies overlap in symptoms so it's good to get a blood test. Here is a good site for more info b12deficiency.info/signs-an...
Yes Jodie I suffer with it alot and it's feels like my ear is filling up with water .I know how you feel
Since my TT in 2012, I have experienced tinnitus. I have read and heard that the issue is stemming from neurological auditory system of the brain, not the ears. It does not matter which THR I use, nor my levels, as they are optimal. Here are a few links to explanation of tinnitus: factsvideos.com/can-tinnitu...
Thank you to everyone who has commented. I can't keep up with reading and replying to you all. It's reassuring to know I'm not the only one that suffers with it.I'll have a good read this evening when I finish work.
Hi I know, it’s horrid when you tune into Ito got it firstly at menopause so this helps me see its further reaching and I was undiagnosed hypo my intuition says it’s all about metabolism Do you ever get like a change of level almost like an old radio changing stations!lol. This tooGood luck I think when you feel wellness you don’t notice it and so it can be about doses, supplements etc wherever you are up to. Thinking outwards definitely not inwards 
Or maybe about damage to sensitive ear channel 🤷♀️ I regret playing loud music with ear to speaker way back when 🤦♀️😊
Ps. Definitely when stressed it seems louder like Niagra Falls and at other times much softer
Hi I have it all the time and I am unmedicated undiagnosed. Don't know if it's related to hypothyroidism or not. Hope you can get sorted out,
I am one of the people whose onset of tinnitus coincided with a drastic reduction of Levo. While the hypo symptoms disappeared mostly after the dose was increased again, the tinnitus has stayed. Everything has pretty well been said already so I just want to add that at night I have an air filter running as white noise and thus achieve two goals with one action. I clean the air in my bedroom and my brain is distracted by a more soothing sound (at least the sound is soothing to me; you might need a different sound). Like everything with thyroid issues, experimenting is key. Good luck.
I find when my tinnitus really starts to act up and I start taking my B-complex again the ringing will subside.
I do Jodes86 and I was told recently that it is Tylenol - ( Acetaminophen) what it is causing. - J found a massage on Utube what is helping temporarily..
Ibuprofen use can cause tinnitus apparently. I have it & I’m suspicious that big doses of ibuprofen caused mine, but it could be hypothyroidism! No solution for mine yet unfortunately.
I dont take ibuprofen
Yes I had before I was diagnosed but if on right amount of medication it subsides.
LDN had a huge impact on my tinnitus
Hi jodes86baldwin
I got Tinnitus last year & think mine's a symptom of COVID-19/Long Covid.
I've been on Thyroid hormones for 15 years, & haven't noticed any connection personally.....but I am now going to start taking note if the Tinnitus increases or decreases close to my Thyroid meds!
Part of the discussion below mentions a possible link between B12 & B Vits, which I experimented with earlier today, & I do think that B12 helps!
😄
Hi, yes have tinnitus myself too, also take Levothyroxine (75mg). I first noticed what I hear as a high pitched sound in both ears after my GP stopped injections of B12, though unsure if that’s just coincidental. I have to tell myself to ignore it, otherwise would drive me insane … hope you manage okay.
For anyone suffering from tinnitus look at the quiten app by Julian Cowan Hill. He explains how and why tinnitus occurs and what you can do to rid yourself of it. It is to do with the body going into high alert and the auditory system going into overdrive, all stressful situations which thyroid problems contribute to. So you need to find a way to calm the nervous system down. You can listen to parts of the app without subscribing but it is not expensive if you decide to and there is interesting and helful info on it without having to pay. Try it, it may help. I am suffering with tinnitus and just listening to Julian's positive slant helps me
It's rather old (2016) but this link :
hearinglosshelp.com/wp-cont...
entitled
Prescription Medications, Over-the-Counter Drugs, Herbs & Chemicals Associated with Tinnitus
is a list of various pills and potions that can cause tinnitus or make it worse. The list uses US names, so you may have to do some translation. Look up your own medicines, OTC drugs, herbs and chemicals on Wikipedia and see if they mention a UK name before looking up both US names and UK names on the list.
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