Zoloft for ear buzzing has anyone taken?

[Brucergoldberg]

I'm breaking down and thinking of trying a very small dose of zoloft.   I have horrible terrible ear buzzing.  It usually starts in the afternoon and goes forward,  I'm thinking of starting zoloft.  I don't care anymore...  I've got to do something.  Has anyone tried this?

[Barb135]

Do you have thyroid issues?  If so, your weight gain could be due to medication not being adjusted properly.

[cirmos]

Dear Bruce,

I am taking Zoloft and i still have the ear buzzing. Zoloft helped me a lot, i like it and i dont want to quit taking it.  Its not a solution for that though.  In the beginning bothered me a lot, now after a year or so i try not to pay attention to much to it. Did you gain weight, do you have thyroid problems? Look after those things. Due to antidepressants i gained over 50 pounds in the past 2 years although man does not react the same way as woman to it. Before you decide about any medicine, talk to your doctor. Good luck

[kl42]

bump

[Brucergoldberg]

thanks yalll.   its a long shot but im going to have a lyme work up tomorrow.  Why not, right?  Ive got all the symptoms.  Im in range on my thyroid side yet i feel miserable every waking minute.  So im going to just make sure.

[JackieCalifornia]

Bruce

Hi I've seen your posts over at the Lyme page.  As I recall your last comment was ... 'This *****.'   I agreed.

I've had Lyme and a couple of coinfections for about 4 years now, and have just finally been put on thyroid supps ... Lyme affects the endocrine system, more in some people and less in others.  Like all things Lyme, there is no 'one size fits all'.

I think my thyroid started to fail even before I got Lyme, won't bore you with the details, but hypothyroid also runs in my family.  So maybe I was destined to get it no matter what, and the Lyme just piled on.  The thyroid supps I'm now on (T3 and T4) are very helpful.

Sorry to bring you down over on the Lyme site.  Hope you're feeling better soon.

[kl42]

good luck at doc. !

[Brucergoldberg]

I would go see dr. aram.  i bet hes booked forever....

im going to see a shrink tomorrow...  cant take it anymore

[Jackie1923]

I hope not permanently. The ringing in my ears is now keeping me awake again and bothering me right now, and I know my meds were off because the bloodtests said so. My blood pressure was 130/68 2 weeks ago in doctor's office...she says it's ok. Normal for me was about 116/70 before I had thyroid trouble, and when I ended up in the hospital and had edema and they wouldn't let me take my T4 prescription (why?) which didn't work anyway until they added T3....it went up to 196/98. I'm lucky I didn't have a stroke. Never happened to me before. My 1st Endo recomended psych treatment...The shrink thought I was coping remarkably well under the circumstances. Stress from dealing w/ these retarded doctors is enough to make you crazy.

Since you're in Dallas, would it be possible for you to go to Houston to see Dr. Aram or someone in his clinic ? I know it's kind of far, but it might be worth it. I'm assuming you've read his book "The Thyroid Solution" ....everybody should. If you don't know, he's a teaching professor at Baylor and has a clinic specializing in thyroid issues. He's one MD who's up to date. I tend to agree that we might have better luck w/ new med school grads, but don't forget that it's the old dogs who're teaching them. No guarantees.

[Brucergoldberg]

We are screwed!

[jenpisces74]

I was just diagnosed hypothyroidism 6 weeks ago and have had constant ringing in my ears for 4 weeks, along with elevated blood pressure.  My doc blamed it on the blood pressure.  It's funny to me that you say yours has been low and you have the ringing in your ears.  You're not crazy, just so you know...it is frustrating though.  I have seen others in Thyroid discussion groups talk about the ringing in the ears and it frightens me that it might become a lifelong condition!!  I'm not crazy, but it might drive me there!

Hang in there!

[Brucergoldberg]

That's funny as he'll but true.....  

[izatu]

i have found a direct correlation between how long the "expert endo" has been practicing and the level of BS ineptitude. the longer they have practiced, the less they know or want to know about advances, changes, research, new treatments, etc. With endos, i want new med school grads, personally.

[Brucergoldberg]

I saw a new endo today.  Told the guy what was going on.  This guy is suppose to be top notch.  Been practicing for 33 years.  Very well trusted in Dallas.  He says to me that there is NO WAY that the ringing in my ears or buzzing could be from the low thyroid OR taking the levo.  He wants me to see a psychiatrist....  I told him that there are others online that report the same issue as me.  He didnt say anything to that at all..

[ShelleyN720]

I agree with smiledeb. My bp was 100/72 just the other day when I was at a pain mgmt clinic (I have a herniated disk L1/L2) and I was told it was normal. I'd never remembered it being THAT low. Mine is usually "pretty low" (112/68) but when I was taking Levoxyl it was 128/80. It frightened me even though I was told it was okay. That was when I had trouble with pressure in my ears (pulsating pressure) and the parethesia (pins & needles)
I am really becoming upset with my doctors. My Vitamin D level was 30 in a range of 20-80. (I have had osetoporosis for about 4 years but will NOT take biphosphonates) Yet not one of them suggested supplementation or even going outside in the sun! 30 may be in range, but it is LOW range and needs to be brought up to at least 50 IMO. I am taking about 4,000 IU a day of D3 yet still my levels stay on the low side. I have read that people w/ autoimmune diseases have problems with maintaining Vitamin D at optimum levels.
I think you should consider supplementation of D3, B12 (sublingual) Selenium, Zinc and Vitamin C.
Plus, have you had recent labs for your thryoid hormone levels? I ask because I know my anxiety & stress levels were awful before I started thyroid medication. (I had undaignosed hashis for at least 10 years) I do have a prescription for Xanax, but rarely take it.
I can tell when I am leaning hypo. When this happens I take another 1/2 grain of armour mid day.
Right now my main problem is back pain and I am taking Lortab once sometimes 2x a day. As a result I have elevated liver enzymes and have to see a gastro ent this week.
I would be afraid to go off my thyroid meds because I'd be concerned my nodules would go haywire w/o them. They are probably going haywire anyway - have a FNA again in 2 weeks...
whoops, got off track.
try the supplements Bruce!

[Smilerdeb]

My blood pressure is 110/70 and thats normal Bruce.
I still say the ringing in the ears is from being Hypo and think you should be on meds and stay on them at least for 4 weeks to get those levels back up.
Whenever I have gone Hypo.....I get a feeling in the ears that theres water runnin (when there isnt).
Low blood pressure is a side effect of Hypo.
Low Vit. D and B12 also caused problems with your body so I suggest a D3 and B12 supplement taken before bedtime.

[Brucergoldberg]

My B's and D's are low, but they are not at the bottom.  I did notice one thing tonight, my blood pressure was low.  i ran up to walk mart and took my pressure and each time it was 110/something.  IM wondering if the low blood pressure is making the ears ring.  WHo knows!@

[ShelleyN720]

Bruce, I've been reading a lot about Vitamin D and B12 deficiency and the effects it has on the body. Have you had any blood work done to check your levels of Vitamin D and B12?
Here are a couiple links:
http://www.mothernature.com/Library/Bookshelf/Books/10/111.cfm
"Tinnitus occurs when nerve cells in the cochlea, the tiny, snail shell-shaped inner ear, are damaged, explains Michael Seidman, M.D., director of the Tinnitus Center at the Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit. These nerves project hairlike endings into the cochlea, which is filled with fluid that moves in waves in response to sounds traveling through the ear. When a sound sends waves through the cochlea, the hairlike endings send a signal to the brain that gets interpreted as sound. When the sounds are too loud and the waves through the cochlea are too intense, the tiny nerve endings become damaged and may send abnormal signals that can cause hissing or buzzing."
also:
http://www.vitamin-d-deficiency-symptoms.com/tinnitus-vitamin-diet-for-pulsatile-tinnitus.html

[Jackie1923]

You might want to check the PDR online for side effects or ask your pharmacist for the insert that comes in the box with the brand  and then speak to your doctor. Take as little as possible. It has a long half-life in the body, so doses piggyback pretty quickly, creating a buildup in the system, and can be quite addictive. It's best to gradually reduce the dose rather than to  just abruptly change it if you've been on it for a while.

[Brucergoldberg]

", but I found Xanax worked better. I took it at night so I cold get to sleep with the ringing and it made it less during the day.You have to be caerful with Xanax though. It's addictive,and paradoxical response has been noted as a side effect which means it can GIVE you anxiety"

You know.....  I was thinking that as well.  The more i take the worse I feel.  I feel like im more shaky ON IT than off it.  

[Jackie1923]

Bruce, I seem to recall you have Hashi's, is that right? I also have had a recurrence of tinnitus since the ratio of my meds was changed and labs destabilized. I had been through a lot of neuro-ENT tests before going on thyroid meds...they said I had neuro-ENT reasons for having the ringing, including a balance disorder, yet when my thyroid meds were working it stopped bothering me, and I could always balance on one leg ?? Go figure. Now I am destabilized and it's baaaaaack. Makes it hard to sleep. What is your blood pressure ? Sometimes doctors will put you on Inderal for tinnitus. It didn't work for me, but works for others. Valium is the preferred choice of ENTs if Inderol doesn't work, but I found Xanax worked better. I took it at night so I cold get to sleep with the ringing and it made it less during the day.You have to be caerful with Xanax though. It's addictive,and paradoxical response has been noted as a side effect which means it can GIVE you anxiety. This happens especially with long term use and with higher dosage . If it's an inner ear problem you will react to changes in barometric pressure, which rises and falls during the day. They told me that was happening to me, yet it went away when T3 was added to my T4 and my labs normalized. It's all so individaul. Zoloft was awful for me, made me even worse. Depression went away with the addition of T3 also.

Have you Googled this symptom ? Type in "tinnitus and Hashimoto's" or "tinnitus and hypothyroidism" and see what you come up with. I know I read a scientific paper tying tinnitus to incorrectly medicated hypothyroidism. I don't know about hyper. You really shouldn't not take your meds like that. It takes 4-6 weeks for changes to show up, you won't notice any difference in tinnitus in one day if it's T4/T3 related, in my opinion. Good luck Bruce. Stress is NOT your friend, and it makes tinnitus worse. Deep breathing, buddy.

[HessyKat]

Red is right about the antidepressants. Unfortunantly, I got convinced to try them because of my depression and anxiety. The ringing in my ears became 100% worse with the ones i tried. I tried to get off them and would get so sick. Now im finally only taking Lexapro 5mg at bedtime which i plan on trying to get off of. I can say that when my thyroid was so outta whack though that the ringing in my ears was so bad. The only thing that helped me was the xanax which i realize alot of people are against but it helped me so much. I looked up the side effects of antidepressants and ringing in the ears is one of the side effects of most of them too. I suppose that is why mine had gotten so much worse. I dont know if it was the increase in the levo i started on 12weeks ago or what but thank God the ringing is almost completely gone now. I understand how you feel. It just about drove me crazy. I would wake up every morning with it so loud and it would last almost all day until around 5pm and then it would get quiet.

[blsdnsvd]

What is the ENT doc saying...being that it's the ear?????

[Brucergoldberg]

Ps....   I thought it wad the levo doing this but it's not.  I'm sure of it now.

[Brucergoldberg]

Yes....  I've seen everyone.   I've even got completely off my thyroid and the weird buzzing  that comes on every single day in the afternoon.  I can't really explain it except by saying that it reminds me of a flourecent bulb in my head.  I am on such a low dose of thyroid that I skipped yesterday and the onset still came on.   I'm not sure what else to do at this point.  I'm suffering, can't work.  It's not the thyroid, something else is happening.