Clarithromycin made my tinnitus worse

[angelcat2003]

I was prescribed clarithromycin by my GP for some cysts and after taking it for two days (500mg tablets twice a day) it's made my tinnitus worse. I've had tinnitus since I was a child. Haven't been formally diagnosed with it by a doctor, but as it's never been much of a bother as I've learnt to manage it well and it doesn't affect me that much I didn't think I needed to tell a doctor.

I stopped taking clarithromycin after I noticed that I could hear my tinnitus more, but it seems to have got worse since then. It has made my tinnitus worse that it is now affecting my life. I haven't had any sleep as I can't get to sleep because when I lie down it gets even louder. This has never happened. Music and soundscapes I play to distract me from the tinnitus aren't working anymore as I can still hear it. I didn't have any other side effects from the clarithromycin. I'm worried that the tinnitus won't go back to what it was like before I took the clarithromycin.

Has anyone else had their tinnitus made worse by Clarithromycin or other medicines?

[rabbits65]

How very unfortunate this is for you. I too was prescribed this antibiotic two weeks ago for a chest infection, I had to discontinue the course because I had horrendous tummy ache and diarrhoea , I have tinnitus but it didn’t make any difference at all to my T. .. Maybe when you get over the stress of your infection the T will return back to normal for you.

[angelcat2003 in reply to rabbits65]

I talked to my doctor yesterday and he said that the T should go back down to my normal levels of it in a few days once the antibiotic has fully left my system. I'm still waking up three times a night (another side effect I got on these) so I think it will be a while yet before what's left of the antibiotic completely goes.

[Mille23]

Yes I am there now . I am taking prednisone at the moment as I have an outbreak in my autoimmune disease. My tinnitus has been very, very intrusive and hissing ever since I started on this medication. 3 weeks now. I have tried this a couple of years ago. Tinnitus went back to normal level at that time, still very troublesome . Hope your tinnitus will calm down again.

[angelcat2003]

Update: It's been just over two weeks now since I stopped taking the clarithromycin, and I still have the T, and it doesn't seem like it's getting better. I'm feeling really hopeless now. It seems like my next step is to habituate, but it's impossible as the T is really really loud and actually painful when I listen to it. Any one have any suggestions on how to habituate or any other advice on T caused by antibiotics?

[Hidden]

Hi angelcatIm sorry to hear this, I feel for you. I was on meds for some time and stopped cold turkey, unfortunately, I had severe withdrawal symptoms, like zapping and buzzing ringing in my head and pulsating in my ears. Side effects from the drug, today im still experiencing these issues, its horrible, causing me a lot of tension. Suffered bad from this unwise decision for a year now.

Its difficult trying to sleep as I get wakened in the night from the high pitched noise. Don't want to be here really.

Read many stories sadly from others on here and hoping that will help me cope

[angelcat2003 in reply to Hidden]

Yes, I know how you feel. I wish I never took the clarithromycin. It didn't even get rid of the cysts, just gave me a new problem. It is still affecting me. I was told by my doctor that the T should be only temporary as I only took five tablets, but it's been over a month since I stopped taking it and the T is still here. I really hope that it gets better as I have a family holiday coming up in August and I don't want the T to ruin it.

[Hidden in reply to angelcat2003]

Hi againThanks for replying, wish you well, hope you have a great year and get your August holidays on the way.

[Comatoseotaku]

Do you still have it? I was given this drug to help with bronchitis however I noticed I had an allergic reaction so I stopped taking them. I’m totally I have taken 6 pills they were 500mg each and 2 times a day. Days after I stopped taking them I got tinnitus and at first it was just low and coming and going but now it’s constant and high pitched! I had no idea this antibiotics can cause this and if I had known I never would have taken it. Im mentally not well bc of it and nothing I do to try and distract myself helps. Im worried I’ll have this forever now…

[maui24]

Has it gone away? I took one clairithromycin tablet for a sinus infection. It made me feel funny so I took a nap and when I woke up my ears were ringing? I’m day 25 now and the ringing hasn’t stopped. It’s so distressing. I just want it to go away!!!

[angelcat2003 in reply to maui24]

Well it's 10 months later and yes I still have it. The intensity of the tinnitus has gone down, I can still hear it a bit if a room is quiet for example, so I have to listen to white noise or something if I want to get to sleep, but I don't notice it as much now. I don't know if it's because I've just got used to it or if it actually has gone away a bit.

[maui24]

Thank you for your reply. I’m so sorry you still have tinnitus! How long did it take for the intensity to go down? I’m almost a month in. Sometimes my tinnitus is low but some days it’s louder. When it’s loud it’s harder to sleep and function.

[maui24]

And just like you, when I lie down my tinnitus gets so much louder! It makes sleeping so hard.

[angelcat2003 in reply to maui24]

It took a few months for it to go down a bit. I managed to lie down properly (not having my head propped up on pillows in bed) after a few weeks. Playing white noise or waterfall sounds when I went to bed definitely helped distract me from the tinnitus. That's just my personal experience.