I have been treating Babesia for almost 6 weeks now. I initially started with Mepron and Zithromax. My LLMD gave me a lower dosage (250mg) of Zithromax this time due to getting tinnitus from it before.
Well, the tinnitus came back along with pressure and pain in the ears and lots of sound sensitivity.
So he made me stop the Zithromax and started me on 250 mg Biaxin twice a day to see if things improved.
Well the ear stuff did not improve at all, and so he has now dropped the Biaxin to just 250mg a day to see if I can tolerate that.
I am just miserable and don't know what to do. The mepron is definitely helping me, but if the ear pain, fullness and ringing does not improve I am going to have to come off it very soon.
My doctor looked in my ears, but could not see evidence of any problem, including fluid in the ears. I have had fluid in my ears before, which has caused similar problems for me, but he does not think this is the problem now.
This only started with the start of Mepron and Zithromax, and I do not believe its a herx - I think it is completely drug related.
So my question is two fold - do I go and see an ENT about my ears and see if they can find any other problem?
Secondly, what do I do if I cannot tolerate any meds for Babesia? This is making me very depressed just thinking about it, as Babesia is a big problem for me and I have only just started to treat it.
I can't touch artemisinin because that can also cause ringing in the ears, and I am allergic to sulfa drugs so cannot take Bactrim.
I looked up all my drugs and all of them are ototoxic. Is it possible that Mepron could also be causing ear problems?
I am the kind of person who can tough things out for a long time, but I do not want to ruin my hearing, so some thoughts would be appreciated. I am feeling very miserable!
Thank you!
Posts: 187 | From Connecticut | Registered: Jun 2013
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Tincup
Honored Contributor (10K+ posts)
Member # 5829
posted
So sorry you are feeling so poorly and are having those nasty ear ringing problems.
First, the zithromax can stay in your system for several weeks after taking it. Don't know how long it was from stopping it till now.
Second, the ringing sometimes takes a while to stop too. It isn't overnight, could be weeks in fact.
Third, you can take the Mepron alone if need be.
Fourth, I've never heard of the ear ringing from zithromax to continue forever.
Fifth, I've never heard of Mepron alone causing the ear ringing.
Hope that gives you some ideas, or at least some comfort knowing.
bcb1200
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 25745
posted
I could be a herx as well. I know when I flare my ears go nuts.
-------------------- Bite date ? 2/10 symptoms began 5/10 dx'd, after 3 months numerous test and doctors
IgM Igenex +/CDC + + 23/25, 30, 31, 34, 41, 83/93
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Currently at around 95% +/- most days. Posts: 3134 | From Massachusetts | Registered: May 2010
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dbpei
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 33574
posted
When I was on mepron, zithromax and omnicef, I had to stop the zithro and switch to biaxin. I did lose hearing but my ears were exposed to loud music at my daughter's wedding when this happened. I later learned that the combination of loud sounds and ototoxic meds were a deadly combination.
So one word of caution I can give you is to protect your ears from loud noises. Another thing that may help is increasing your magnesium intake. It can help to heal damage done to your ears. I have since learned that taurine is also very good for the ears. L-lysine also helps.
It is so difficult with this disease, because the antibiotics that help us can also be ototoxic. As bcb said, it could be a herx. And it may take a little while for your ears to adjust after going off the zith and biaxin.
I am sorry you have to experience this. I have been there (still am!). I am now taking CSM from Woodland Essence, which treats both babesia and bart - but doesn't seem to worsen my tinnitus. It is defnitely not as effective as the ABX you are taking, though.
Something that may help is cordyceps, an herb that Buhner recommends to modulate your immune system. It has helped to reduce tinnitus in many (has helped me) while also helping your immune system to help get you better. You could take this along with the antibiotics.
I don't think you want to take Mepron alone for long - as you need the other class of ABX to kill the various forms of the bacteria. I am sorry, I wish I could be of more help to you.
I know that my symptoms were just horrible when I was taking the zithromax and I lost my hearing. My tinnitus was almost unbearable and I had huge sensitivity to sound. That has all gradually improved.
I have lost the sound sensitivity and the tinnitus is better than it was!(still there though) Unfortunately, my hearing never came back in that ear though. But I am sure it was because of the noise exposure.
Posts: 2386 | From New England | Registered: Aug 2011
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posted
Thank you everyone for all your replies - they are encouraging!
Its only been a week since I stopped the zithromax, so I guess it will take some time still. I will definitely make sure I protect my ears and I will also increase my magnesium.
Thanks for the other supplement suggestions, dbpei. I will look into those as well.
Its so frustrating that the drugs we need to make us well can cause us so much harm. You just cannot travel this road without getting some scars along the way!!
Posts: 187 | From Connecticut | Registered: Jun 2013
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posted
When my son was on Zithromax, he had near-constant tinnitus and his hearing was incredibly sensitive. Any semi-loud noise caused him extreme pain.
Once we stopped the Zithromax, the tinnitus went away first. After a couple of weeks, his hearing returned to normal, thank goodness.
-------------------- Take care -kelly --------------- Posts: 330 | From TX | Registered: Mar 2009
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posted
Same here for me, Kelly. I had a kind of low level tinnitus while I was on Zith... and I used it a long time. It went away when I was done using it.
Now, if I take Zith for a short time... like for a sinus infection... I don't get the tinnitus.
-------------------- Son, 26, Dx Lyme 4/10, Babs 8/10 Had serious arthritis, all gone. Currently on Valtrex Daughter, 26,bullseye 7/11 arthritis in knees, cured and off all meds. . Self:Lyme, bart, sxs gone, no longer treating. Posts: 496 | From Washington, DC | Registered: Jul 2010
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GretaM
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posted
Sorry you are going through this oceangirl Posts: 4358 | From British Columbia, Canada | Registered: Jun 2013
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Marypart, I am so glad to hear that you no longer get tinnitus with zith, even after having had tinnitus with it before.
I struggle with many meds so its likely that I experience toxicity easily.
I had to use my asthma pump yesterday and the inhaler caused my tinnitus to increase. I looked it up and lo and behold, it is also an ototoxic drug.
Can't not breathe, so I am having to take it but now my ear issues are worsening.
I think I am going to have to see an ENT about this, because I don't want to lose my hearing.
Posts: 187 | From Connecticut | Registered: Jun 2013
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posted
My very first symptom of Lyme, Bart, and Babs were that awful pressure, hearing loss, tinnitus. ear pain, and extreme sound sensitivity. Came on overnight with the ring rash but both of two ENTs I saw believed nothing but the hearing loss, as that was proven by a hearing test. One told me I must have been hearing impaired my whole life (wrong!) and the other said it must be late stage Ménière's disease. But it came on overnight! Neither ENT believed me, so I consider them useless, also because they recommended nothing for relief.
What gives ME the worst ear Herxing is not Zithromax but Levaquin. Doc wants me to stay on it because its working! Know it is because I'm herxing so terribly. Pain everywhere and all the ear symptoms worse than ever. Put me on Lortab for the pain and Klonopin to boost my tolerance of the ear symptoms. The only thing I've found to ease the ear symptoms is to stop abx treatment or take oral LYPOSOMAL glutithione. Ordered mine from Amazon and is a life saver. So maybe it's not just ototoxoc abx making you worse but a Herx reaction as well? If so, try investing $45 for a months supply of lyposomal glutithione. Hope this helps!
-------------------- Ellen _ _ ___________ _ _ lyme disease dysautonomia Chiari malformation anxiety Posts: 72 | From Birmingham, AL | Registered: Dec 2013
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