Reaction to Diazapam

[Spinach123]

Hello...I'm asking on behalf of my husband who has severe tinnitus/hyperacusis ...the ENT consultant he saw recently gave him 2mg twice daily of Diazapam as he said in his experience it can help calm tinnitus. After 10 days of taking it he started to feel dizzy/unsteady and then had a very bad vertigo attack. He can only think it must have been the Diazapam which is a shame as it was actually helping him. He's stopped taking it now Has anyone experienced this ?

[Happyrosie]

you can get vertigo regardless of any medication. Look up what the NHS says about it

[Spinach123 in reply to Happyrosie]

His last vertigo attack was last December and was given all clear with that which was due to an infection, this one was out of the blue but had built up to it with the Diazapam.

[perlcoder]

First, I really feel for your husband, most of us who have persistent bothersome T (let alone those for whom it is combined with hyperacusis), worry about every change in circumstances, particularly medication, that might be responsible for some episode of worsening.

I have the T, but not the hyperacusis and over a period of years I have been prescribed, for one reason or another, many of the medications that cause dizzyness / vertigo / T spikes - including Diazepam. For what little it is worth, in my case, I don't think that any of them made my T better or worse, or induced any other symptom.

[Spinach123 in reply to perlcoder]

Thank you. I guess like any other condition what works for one person does not for another. My husband hasn't been out the house for 5 mths due to severity of his tinnitus/hyperacusis. ENT surgeon talking about exploratory operation in his left ear where the problem us. He has been given Cinnarizine during day which is supposed help with tinnitus but no help yet.

[Marlayna67 in reply to Spinach123]

I am so sorry to hear of his suffering. I was able to get help with hyperacusis from a very experienced Chinese doctor. She did some special needling around my ears which helped some backed up fluid to drain. And a years’ suffering was gone almost instantly.

[perlcoder in reply to Spinach123]

You are welcome.

May I just add that he is fortunate to have your support. Appearing without warning, often quite literally overnight, severe T can change lives - even personalities - with inevitable consequences for those around us. It must take, at the least, a great deal of patience to cope with that.

[Beesmac]

Hello - I take Diazepam (2mg) but not on a regular basis. I am allowed to take up to 3 a day for anxiety and panic attacks which I get occasionally due to tinnitus - I sometimes take half a tablet but have never taken more than 1 in a day. This definitely helps me and I have never felt dizzy taking them. I would add that the Diazepam doesn’t help the tinnitus but enables me to cope better and certainly the day after taking it my tinnitus doesn’t appear to be so loud.

I am sad to read that your husband hasn’t been out of the house for 5 months. I too cannot stand noisy environments but have to go out for a change of scenery and distraction which takes my mind off the tinnitus. Has he tried ear plugs? Also you say he has a problem with his left ear - has he ever had an MRI? I do hope for both your sakes he gets some relief soon x

[Spinach123 in reply to Beesmac]

Thank you everyone for support. Yes he has wear ear buds and headphones on rare occasion he goes to appts but can have them in long as his hyperacusis worsens. He's had tinnitus since 2016 been controlled by hearing aid (loss hearing left ear) and maskers. Then last year August after new aids the bud off aid got stuck in ear canal was removed then episodes of vertigo followed then 2 x ear infections, his tinnitus then exacerbated with severe hyperacusis starting. After referral NHS ENT had mri negative but his audiologist suggested ct scan which I battled for. That showed thinning of middle ear bones and scar tissue. Was referred ENT hosp appt end July. Out desperation saw private ENT consultant who is looking at exploratory operation. New maskers tried with low red noise but not helped as a further noise in ear adds amplification. Although my husband has condition I'm basically his carer have run bath get food he can't sit outside even birds tweeting too loud, can't work It's heartbreaking and my heart goes out to everyone here that struggles with this awful condition. I live in hope

[Beesmac in reply to Spinach123]

Bless you, you are obviously doing everything you can to help him in this dreadful situation. We all live in hope that one day a cure will be found. Hopefully if your ENT specialist carries out the exploratory op he will find something. An earbud off hearing aids got stuck in my ear one time but was retrieved in A and E by a doctor with some very long tweezers and a very steady hand. Fortunately no harm was done.

I don’t try masking my tinnitus anymore as my tinnitus always wants to rise above external sounds. My best time is when I go to bed with hearing aids out, totally quiet room and a good book that I can get absorbed in.

I hope your husband can find some relief soon so that you can both enjoy some quality of life x

[Ray200]

There is clear evidence of depression bringing on vertigo. Astonishingly, you won't find the word depression in Wikipedia's article on Vertigo.

A retired pal, who coincidentally has tinnitus, has had low level depression for the last few months. Not from the tinnitus as has had it for decades, and now has vertigo. He suspects the poor UK weather which has given him a feeling of entrapment in his house for the one then the other. I know where he's coming from as retired also. Almost continuous lengthy rain has much to answer for.

[Doxiemom1]

no. But thinking he should have halted it and seen what happened

[Doxiemom1 in reply to Doxiemom1]

Sorry took half of dose

[Higgsy45]

Sorry to read. Unusual for diazepam to reduce tinnitus only anxiety. Clonazepam is the most effective. It could be inner ear damage causing vertigo or meniere's.

[Dazza2024]

Sorry to hear this. Vertigo could come on from the lack of exercise, High Blood Pressure & Circulation, I can sometimes have really bad dizzy spells and vertigo, if I don't get enough exercise & my blood pressure is often very high. I want to try Diazapam myself, but, my doctors are not so keen on prescribing it, I often have really bad Tinnitus. When your Husband was taking it, what did it do to the tinnitus, was it much lower in volume or brain more calmer to it, easier & Deeper Sleep ?, it seems to work well for many people, but, everyone is different and often many Doctors don't like to prescribe it, although I am not sure for what reasons this is. I think it is because it can be addictive and is for short term use recommendations.