Tenacious Tinnitus Club – Ear Pressure, Noise and Hyperacusis

I had ear sx. They felt blocked, I had tinnitus too. Not severe. Im still tapering, but its gone for now. If you didn't have it before wd then im sure its a sx.

I have hissing in my ears and head and also ear pain and inner ear pressure. I also have a morse code that comes and goes. I wish more people said this ears symptoms were getting better and eventually disappearing. This group is so quiet the silence speaks volumes.

That sounds similar to my symptoms, except for the morse code thingy. It showed up three weeks after my effective cold-turkey of diazepam. At the time I ignored it as other symptoms were much worse, and I was also thinking it would go away. Now I would hate to have to reinstate because of that. Some say that anticonvulsants can help with this symptom, but I would rather not try yet another drug.

I have heard all the things you mentioned are sx. My ears were a mess. Lately they are okay.  Always feels blocked, pressure, tinnitus on and off.  Its been gone.  Im sorry you have it. I know its horrible. 

I have heard all the things you mentioned are sx. My ears were a mess. Lately they are okay.  Always feels blocked, pressure, tinnitus on and off.  Its been gone.  Im sorry you have it. I know its horrible.

Do you think your ear symptoms are gone because of gabapentin?

I'm still on 600 gabapentin.  I was on 900. Lowered to 600 in aug. Not sure how im still alive,. I def think its the benzo.  What you are talking about are very common benzo sx. Hang in there.  It will get better. 

I have hissing in my ears and head and also ear pain and inner ear pressure. I also have a morse code that comes and goes. I wish more people said this ears symptoms were getting better and eventually disappearing. This group is so quiet the silence speaks volumes.

That sounds similar to my symptoms, except for the morse code thingy. It showed up three weeks after my effective cold-turkey of diazepam. At the time I ignored it as other symptoms were much worse, and I was also thinking it would go away. Now I would hate to have to reinstate because of that. Some say that anticonvulsants can help with this symptom, but I would rather not try yet another drug.

 

Gabapentin is an anticonvulsant. Like benzos it messes with gaba receptors. This is a neuroleptic drug and not a good idea to take during tolerance or withdrawal. It will cause you to go backwards in your withdrawal. It's more strain on the healing brain. Severe strain for that matter.

 

 

Gabapentin is an anticonvulsant. Like benzos it messes with gaba receptors. This is a neuroleptic drug and not a good idea to take during tolerance or withdrawal. It will cause you to go backwards in your withdrawal. It's more strain on the healing brain. Severe strain for that matter.

In my understanding sodium channel blockers and high-voltage calcium channel blockers work by reducing glutamate release. There's one forum member who claimed that lamotrigine would erase the hissing after taking it. In hindsight it was a mistake to proceed with cold-turkey. However since I'm here now, I really do wish I had something to "take the edge off" so to speak. But I don't know what's safe to take, and I'm kinda afraid to try things out so as not to make it even worse.

Gabapentin is an anticonvulsant. Like benzos it messes with gaba receptors. This is a neuroleptic drug and not a good idea to take during tolerance or withdrawal. It will cause you to go backwards in your withdrawal. It's more strain on the healing brain. Severe strain for that matter.

In my understanding sodium channel blockers and high-voltage calcium channel blockers work by reducing glutamate release. There's one forum member who claimed that lamotrigine would erase the hissing after taking it. In hindsight it was a mistake to proceed with cold-turkey. However since I'm here now, I really do wish I had something to "take the edge off" so to speak. But I don't know what's safe to take, and I'm kinda afraid to try things out so as not to make it even worse.

They do, but if you look at the chemical structure of pregabalin or gabapentin it's very similar to GABA. These drugs act on GABA and can interfere with benzo withdrawal, although they have different mechanisms of action. I'm not sure about Lamictal. I tried it but it made my tinnitus worse while trying to withdraw from Clonazepam, which is counterintuitive as it should reduce glutamate. Another way to reduce glutamate would be taking lithium orotate, but that might increase serotonin which could worsen tinnitus. It's a minefield. In time the ear and nerves/neurons should heal if one eats well and avoids further damage but it is a very slow process unfortunately.

Ok I had posted part of my story in the withdrawal support board, but didn't get much feedback there. I came here because this topic is tinnitus specific and tinnitus is my main problem so perhaps I'll have more luck here?

 

In short, after I got tinnitus and balance problems presumably from a ear infection while I was under pregabalin for different reasons in Sept 2018, I tapered to zero with many difficulties and in February 2020 I was pregabalin free. I don't know to this day whether the pregabalin contributed to the tinnitus or it was simply the ear infection. I had some pre-existing hearing loss in the ear that was most hit by tinnitus but it didn't get worse with the virus. However the tinnitus kept worsening (I had also reinstated at some point but it didn't help, that's why it took long) and the last two weeks of the pregabalin taper I had a traumatic family event and I was put on clonazepam 0.5 to cope with the final part of the one-year taper, the tinnitus and the event. The clonazepam worked in making me more indifferent to tinnitus for two weeks and generally more calm, but then lost all effects. I am not keen on increasing the dose although that was a possible suggestion from doctors. Also, as I held at 0.5 tinnitus started worsening again.

 

In an attempt to try to stay off all GABA drugs and see if I healed, I had been reducing the Clonazepam after two months at 0.5. As I had been on it a relatively short time, I went down from 0.5 to 0.375 then 0.25 and 0.125 very quickly in the space of two weeks, and then I jumped. I had unbearable anxiety and the tinnitus became intolerable. I went back to 0.5 quickly, but the updosing seemed to do very little to help the tinnitus itself, although I felt less anxious. I started a slower taper. I went down to 0.375 and held for a while but the tinnitus kept worsening. I tried other drugs to see if it could calm down and allow me to complete the clonazepam taper but no luck.  I finally resigned myself recently to an Ashton taper starting from 0.375, cutting not more than 10% of current dosage at a time (aiming for one or two weeks but prepared to wait longer) and seeing how it goes, but even this can turn out to be unfeasible, I have months of tapering in front of me and unfortunately the symptom is already unbearable, so I'm not sure I can survive this. Indeed, the problem is the tinnitus is impossible, so invasive and intrusive that I'm debilitated. There is no masking it fully and partial masking often irritates it and worsens it, without returning to baseline. I have children to support and cannot suffer like this but unfortunately I'm stuck. I'm about to lose my job. Either I increase the benzo to much larger doses and perhaps add a gabapentinoid (there is a paper suggesting clonazepam plus gabapentin for tinnitus, based on brain imaging), or I try to come off the clonazepam completely with a very slow taper and hope it is the indeed the clonazepam that has been worsening my tinnitus all this time. I talked to many different specialists in tinnitus and no one has an idea of why I keep worsening. By exclusion, it should be the drug, but it could also be something undiagnosed. I have no other symptoms except visual snow and obviously some anxiety/depression which is however induced by the monster tinnitus.

 

Reading this thread is not too encouraging, some people healed but there are people who got stuck. I would not demand that the tinnitus goes away, it would be enough for me that it reduced to a level that is maskable/tolerable and would allow me to habituate and live a life with some disability but overall liveable. At the moment my life is not much liveable, I'm hanging on for my children but if not for them I don't know.

 

Two questions for buddies who have experience with tinnitus:

 

1. Is it possible that I am in tolerance withdrawal with clonazepam and could that be the reason why the tinnitus keeps worsening even at sable doses?

 

2. It seems rather common that the tinnitus goes up during withdrawal and usually it looks like after 6m-2y one is off it gets better even if it does not disappear. Anyone here experienced this? I desperately need some hope.

 

Most cases I read have fluctuating tinnitus for a few months during the taper and then it goes away. This is not my case. I have had tinnitus for more than 2 years and it has been constant worsening, it does not fluctuate, it's 24/7 piercing and relentless, unmaskable.

 

Thank you in advance.

1. Is it possible that I am in tolerance withdrawal with clonazepam and could that be the reason why the tinnitus keeps worsening even at sable doses?

This is likely, but there is no way to know for sure without updosing. Have you tried hydroxyzine? Some people report that antihistamine helps with their tinnitus.

Chinmoku, I wasn’t on the meds long but two people who helped me said their Tinnitus stopped +1year off all meds. During that time their Tinnitus got worse before it got better. I’d say it’s been a similar case for me, although I still have it 8 months out. It sounds like a lot of damage has been done to your receptors and the different medications have taken a toll. I hope you find the strength to keep going and get through this. I believe once you are off meds that affect your receptors, the Tinnitus will slowly start to get better. I hope other buddies respond to you with more info and reassurance.

Thank you, Trying2BHopeful, I saw a variety of outcomes and I'm rather nervous, which does not help in my constant agony state. I hope it improves more and more for you as you approach one year.

1. Is it possible that I am in tolerance withdrawal with clonazepam and could that be the reason why the tinnitus keeps worsening even at sable doses?

This is likely, but there is no way to know for sure without updosing. Have you tried hydroxyzine? Some people report that antihistamine helps with their tinnitus.

Hi pacenik, I tried some antihistamines but not that one in particular. 

I re-updosed once from 0.125 to 0.5 but the tinnitus did.not improve even though I became less anxious, and this makes me suspect I'm in tolerance but who knows if going to 1 or 2mg would improve the symptoms?  I'm so debilitated.

I just came here to say that I get relief from the pulsatile tinnitus.

It goes away sometimes.

I have days without it.

It’s quieter now

I keep worsening on a weekly basis. It's horrible. I'm in 24/7 agony. Can't go on. I don't see how I can push through with this. If I'm in tolerance or even paradoxical I have no other choice, but slowing down the taper would not work as I'm suffering too much already. I already know that a little updosing will do nothing, as I tried it in the past, updosing from 0.25 to 0.5 Clonazepam only improved things marginally making me slightly more calm but the noise was the same. I would need to updose a lot and hope to stabilize at higher doses and see if the electric extremely high pitched unmaskable noise calms down but it's so risky. On the other hand I have to survive this somehow. Where do I find the strength to push through with this worsening agony?

 

Anyone who has been paradoxical for tinnitus or in strong tolerance, where even holding a dose of 0.5 clonazepam was causing worsening every week?     

Head Pressure in the right side of my head along with the buzzing and cracking sounds of Tinnitus are two

symptoms that have persisted for the last two years, I'm actually keeping this thread going due to my interest.

 

Kind Regards

Terry

Chinmoku, from what I've seen on extreme tinnitus on this forum, 2 mg clonazepam appears to be the dose that helps. However... you would need to basically stay on it indefinitely. My tinnitus/hyperacusis has gotten worse too yesterday, but since I'm off the drugs (never ever cold-turkey, ugh) I'm hoping this is just worse-before-it-gets-better phase.

Chinmoku I hope you are able to hang on and find a way to get yourself out of the predicament you are in. Increasing your dose is risky and you can’t guarantee how it will go, I agree with you. I wasn’t on the meds long and basically CT so I’m not well informed about tapering. Have you tried posting your question in the Tapering Forum? You can do this.. it’s tough so you have to really be strong. I have faith you will get through this.

Thank you, Trying2BHopeful. I cut another 10% today, let's see what happens. I posted in the withdrawal support forum but there is little traction there.

Chinmoku, from what I've seen on extreme tinnitus on this forum, 2 mg clonazepam appears to be the dose that helps. However... you would need to basically stay on it indefinitely. My tinnitus/hyperacusis has gotten worse too yesterday, but since I'm off the drugs (never ever cold-turkey, ugh) I'm hoping this is just worse-before-it-gets-better phase.

Good point, pacenik. This is also confirmed by studies on tinnitus. The Clonazepam vs Gingko paper has a dosage of 1.5. I know people in tinnitustalk who are indeed on 2mg and are stable, as you say, in combination with gabapentin. However, tolerance is always threatening with those 2 drugs.

May I ask you where you got the 2mg figure? Anecdotal reports? I think you are right there.  That's probably my mistake, these 9 months I kept on a low dose. I'll try to kick it.

Has anyone in this group had Covid19 and how did it affect your tinnitus?

I suspect I had it last spring, high fever for 18 days, bone pain, nausea, flu symptoms, however I didn't get shortness of breath. Hard to tell whether it was a common flu or covid, as I have not been tested, but the timing is rather suspicious. My tinnitus has been worsening constantly so it's hard to tell whether this had an impact other than the usual worsening, but after the illness the tinnitus ramped up in terms of intrusiveness so I think it did worsen things also in that department.

Good point, pacenik. This is also confirmed by studies on tinnitus. The Clonazepam vs Gingko paper has a dosage of 1.5. I know people in tinnitustalk who are indeed on 2mg and are stable, as you say, in combination with gabapentin. However, tolerance is always threatening with those 2 drugs.

May I ask you where you got the 2mg figure? Anecdotal reports? I think you are right there.  That's probably my mistake, these 9 months I kept on a low dose. I'll try to kick it.

Yes it is anecdotal reports, but at this point I trust them more than anything. I don't think withdrawing drugs is going to be helpful. Updosing and doing a long hold might help. Then again it might not. But in my personal experience lack of patience is the worst thing possible with these drugs. Wishing to come off these drugs too much, and then withdrawing too fast, is what got me in this mess.

Hi Sylvia,

 

Because I CT'd, everything for me was post benzo.  I'm not surprised you have the tinnitus since it's one of the most common withdrawal symptoms.  All I can tell you is mine is gone, I never had it before benzo's and it left when I healed.

 

For me, to cope with it I had to have things as quiet as possible.  Unlike Beeper, I had to keep things quiet because of the noise sensitivity.  I would have liked to block out the ringing, but the sensitivity was the worse of the two.  I'd come off my chair two feet if there was a loud noise, but at that time everything was loud!

 

Pick your poison I guess, the lesser of the two evils.

Guys

I’ve had moments where my ears feel normal and quiet again.

Took 35 months to get here.

 

I’m getting slammed by other things; but my ears feel great finally

 

My pulsatile tinnitus was awful for 3 straight years

Guys

I’ve had moments where my ears feel normal and quiet again.

Took 35 months to get here.

 

I’m getting slammed by other things; but my ears feel great finally

 

My pulsatile tinnitus was awful for 3 straight years

 

Wow, that's wonderful news!! I can only pray....

 

 

Guys

I’ve had moments where my ears feel normal and quiet again.

Took 35 months to get here.

 

I’m getting slammed by other things; but my ears feel great finally

 

My pulsatile tinnitus was awful for 3 straight years

 

So happy for you. Finally some good news in this gloomy thread

Hi all,

Its been a while since I posted on this thread and am reluctant to post now as I'm five years out and don't want to scare people. The good news is that I've learned to live with my T and H and ear pressure where it doesn't effect my quality of life much. It has improved over time especially the Hyperacusis.  However, I am in distress as I've recently seemed to acquire a new form of T. My T and ear pressure has been spiked for a while probably due to high stress I've been dealing with over the last few months.  But in the last few weeks I've developed a low rumble that vibrates in the back of my ears and head.  It comes and goes but always feels like its waiting in the wings if that makes sense. And as soon as silence hits it slowly starts to rear its ugly head. It is very unnerving and has brought about a new wave of fear of anxiety the likes of which I haven't felt since early on in my recovery. I've had other hums and rumbles that have come and gone over the last five years but are more short lived and transient in nature. This one is starting to feel different.

 

Anyway has anyone dealt with this before? Does this sound familiar to anyone? Did it go away? I see Chinakuk has something similar, pardon my spelling of his handle if its wrong, I did that off of memory. I look forward to hearing any responses or input on the matter. Thanks for listening.

 

Rob