Sleep disorders

[snook75]

I have taken 10 mg Zolpidem (Ambien)  for  years as it really helps me sleep.    But I think it may be causing my tinnitus.   The only way to be sure of this is to stop taking it for a time and see if tinnitus goes away.       So far, I have not taken any for 11 nights and tinnitus is still the same. - A pretty much constant low-pitched noise.
How long would I have to stay off Zolpidem before knowing whether or not it is the culprit?

[snook75]

Dr. Kaur -
  I had been taking Ambien almost every night for 4 years before the tinnitus started.   So wondered if I was taking it too long and it built up to cause the tinnitus.    I am now going without it for a month to see if tinnitus improves - so far it has not.   But am not sleeping well at all without it.  Trying trazodone for sleep, but not helping very much.   I have consulted 2 different ENT's who checked hearing  - one says hearing aid would help tinnitus, the other says it would not.  (I can hear people quite well.)   Tried masking hearing aids, but didn't seem to help.  ENTs gave no further help.   When tinnitus started 2 years ago I had bad vertigo twice, but no longer have that - just low pitched sound in head and sometimes kind of disoriented feeling.  Loud, high-pitched sounds really bother me.   No one has mentioned Labyrinthitis to me, but after reading about that I wonder if that could be a cause.  Next week I see my regular doctor to try to get better sleeping pill and will ask him about Labyrinthitis.   I have wondered whether certain head exercises might help.  
Thank you for your help and advice.

[Bhupinder Kaur, MD]

Hello,
Tinnitus is known adverse effect due to ambien. 60 % of tinnitus due zolpidem is seen within a month of its use. Around 50 % patients can have severe tinnitus. Other associated symptoms are Labyrinthitis and vertigo.

You need to get an examination done from an ENT specialist and get other causes of tinnitus ruled out.
It is very difficult to precisely confirm a diagnosis without examination and investigations and the answer is based on the medical information provided. For exact diagnosis, you are requested to consult your doctor. I sincerely hope that helps. Take care and please do keep me posted on how you are doing.