Promethazine sleeping tablets following insomnia and increased episodes amnesia

[daverussell]

So my T journey continues. I would say insomnia has been the biggest problem through out but I thought I'd learned to live with it. However, it certainly seems it may be catching up with me

(I posted about this last month ago - but I'll recap briefly).

I had what appeared to be an isolated episode of amnesia; I lost my sense of direction on my way to work and struggled with recognition of what should be familiar places.

healthunlocked.com/tinnitus...

So, I've been having more episode of amnesia over the last few weeks or so, which I have flagged up with my GP. I've gone around the houses and the hospital had eliminated anything serious - but I need to wait until January for another appointment with a neurologist.

I've just started on a month supply of Promethazine sleeping tablets. I've not experienced medication increasing my Tinnitus but this appears to be doing so but is a small mercy for finally getting more than 4 hours sleep a night.

Has anyone experienced anything similar? I've worn a headband speaker at night for sometime, but has anyone had any luck with Promethazine or other sleeping aids?

[1966366]

Good evening. I had insomnia for approximately 9 months after going cold turkey from Clonazepam 'dependency' (ENT labelled me dependent and refused future treatment) I suffered no other side effects of withdrawal and functioned quite normally during the day, but the nights were hell! The first months I was not sleeping at all and I mean zilch! Not even nodding off for the occasional hour or so. I have never tossed and turned much, but I was relentless with movement. Like T, you have to experience it to understand. And my T "rebounded" as they say, going ballistic! X10 worse than the original condition that I had the benzos prescribed for. I had 3 courses of Zopiclone ( the first two did nothing to help me sleep), Lorazepam, Amtrips and other sleeping and anxiety pills combined with daily saunas and massage. However, after about 3 months, sleep gradually returned; 2/3 hours a night at first. Although still broken, it was a godsend and better than nothing. The T then improved to a bearable level - and 9 months later I was back to square one. I have not had Promethazine so can't comment. Fingers x your on the road to recovery.

[Sonnybee]

Hi there DaveR. Your a regular contributor on here which is very honourable. I have had T now going on 2 years. Most of the time I can ignore it, but the spikes can be tricky. My doc put me on sertraline straight away, plus some zopiclone for sleeping. Then she prescribed another 2 tablets to offset the side effects of the first 2!!! I didn't have amnesia, but my brain was mush, I felt terrible, and I still wasn't sleeping! Cut a long story short, I've scrapped all that medication. I now take cbd oil and a gaba supplement, which calms the mind. Before bedtime I have a small glass of milk followed by 2 spoonfuls of natural honey. All natural sleeping aids. I use a bluetooth headband like yourself and also spray a lavender sleep spray on the pillow. Most of the time this does the trick. I'm reading a CBT book at the moment which advises at some stage ditching the sound therapy, but I'm not quite at that stage yet. Besides, I quite like the sleepband. I hope there's something here that might help. Apologies if you have tried it all. Hope the big zzzzzzs come soon.

[daverussell in reply to Sonnybee]

There is certainly a lot to say about overcomplicating things with meds.

I've experienced situations of being too over-reliant on sound therapy. I fully agree with your CBT book from my experience. I find listening my tinnitus helps with acceptance - I've shared this before. However, it can be very difficult unless we're in the right frame of mind, which is more than half the problem in my experience, and unfortunately part of the journey.

Thank you for sharing.

[Sassyjax1]

Hi Dave, I had promethazine whilst in hospital after an op. The side effects were listed as tinnitus and disorientation, amnesia, etc. I felt like I was looking from the outside of the world inwards. Very weird. There’s no way I would take them again.

[daverussell in reply to Sassyjax1]

LOL, I read all that. They're also on the side-effects of Sertraline that I've been on for several months now. I raised this with my GP. They said it was unlike. So yep Im starting to think it's a conspiracy 😁.

Thanks for sharing.

[Sassyjax1 in reply to daverussell]

I was on Sertraline for 9 years without getting tinnitus. I have an op. Get tinnitus. Makes no sense!

[Newbie71]

Dave

I am not on any medication but my tinnitus spiked 3 weeks ago. I kinda have the same thing. It’s like a disassociation with reality at times. I’m walking or driving and for a couple of seconds I’m not with it and I forget where I am. I think it may be the constant awareness of the intrusive sound and stress, as it’s on my mind relentlessly.

[daverussell]

During my first episode I put it down to stress - work load and poor or sleepless nights.However my insomnia has continued and I started taking over the counter sleeping tablets. This didn't resolve it.

Im am not under any pressure at work at present and my hyperacusis has been resolved, When I started having episodes on amnesia again a few weeks I thought (convinced myself) it must be some else. The doctors have run diagnosis and can't see anything serious.

I guess I do just have to ride it through and eliminate insomnia

[MrChips13]

I developed T from the ototoxicity of two medications, primarily Omeprazole, a proven cause of T, but also Sonata, a sleep med, for insomnia. I was on them simultaneously. Bad! Weaned off both of them in September (and have become leery of all pharmaceuticals) and since then have been tackling the dual problem of Sleep and Tinnitus, which are not entirely unrelated. Sleep does help.

Here is what I did: (1) improved my sleep habits, same bedtime, no blue light, herbal tea, etc., (2) took the following supplements: 1/2 mg (only) of Melatonin (it gets you to sleep but does not keep you there); 500 mg of GABA, the brain's calming neurotransmitter (Pharma-Garba is best); 250 mg of L-theanine; and (drum roll) 144 mg of Magnesium L-Threonate. The latter two truly deepen and extend your sleep. After 3-4 weeks, I am sleeping like a baby.

For Tinnitus I am taking hefty amounts of Taurine, and moderate amounts of Folate, Red Korean Ginseng, and NR (Nicotinomide Riboside) with Resveratrol . . . all based on research studies that have been done, especially of Taurine and NR. Will they help? Maybe, after several weeks or months. Hope springs eternal. MY ENT (who cured his own T), wants me to go through a Sound Therapy program that has had a 50% total cure success rate , and I will. In the meantime, I figure the more I can nourish the brain and its auditory complex, the better.

[daverussell in reply to MrChips13]

Thank you for your reply. I will look further into this. I see a neurologist tomorrow, but it appears to all point to lack of sleep is controversial effects.

[sds111 in reply to MrChips13]

Was that Vic Veer?

[daverussell in reply to sds111]

Pending a EEG my neurologist suggested I have FND (Functional Neurological Disorder). It's where the brain has no physical injury - Software rather than the Hardware. I seem to tick all the boxes and several causes, including a recent head injury, stress and childhood trauma.

[Bret1 in reply to MrChips13]

hi… thanks for your post … can you share the name of your ENT please?