posted
I am reaching out to those LD patients who have had hearing loss and tinnitus in their histories. How did you go about ruling out the potential causes (i.e. from the Lyme infection, encephalitis, high blood pressure, ototoxicty from all the meds, etc.) Also, how did you go about treating it and what worked well, what didn't help or or what even made matters worse).It is so hard to know which direction to take - do I treat the Lyme and high blood pressure with meds that are ototoxic, or do I stay away from most meds in case it is the meds that is causing my hearing loss and tinnitus? Do I at least go on Bicillin and predisone to stop of the ear pain? Any experiences you can share would be appreciated. Thanks.
Posts: 30 | From MN | Registered: Nov 2002
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lymednva
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 9098
posted
I haven't really tried to figure out the cause or done anything to treat it.
I know the cause wasn't from meds because I've had it long before I was being treated for anything. I was still in the eye rolling by the ducks stage.
Do NOT take steroids if you have Lyme! They just make matters worse!
-------------------- Lymednva Posts: 2407 | From over the river and through the woods | Registered: Apr 2006
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posted
See my post under "tinnitus, hearing loss & lyme". Accidentally posted it as new post instead of reply to this one.
Posts: 193 | From Virginia | Registered: Oct 2002
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I believe Lyme causes tinnitus/hearing loss but I do not know how--cannot explain the mechanisms--there may be several. For example, are Bb on the brain stem? On the cranial nerves? On the cochlea? In fluid in the inner ear?
I avoided any med even possibly ototoxic except Flagyl and that ruined the "good" ear. What a mistake that was! I read later that for anyone with hearing problems, the use of Flagyl is risky.
The only time the tinnitus (in that once-good ear) ever left was for a couple days on vinpocetine, a bit on first trying heparin, and once for a bit with essential oils. Nothing lasted and I could never replicate the success with continued treatment or upping the doses.
The bad ear has had no improvement. Hearing loss continuing to go downhill.
I think a lot of tinnitus/hearing loss has to do with blood flow but I haven't read anything that pinpoints where or how. The ears are so complicated!
I wonder, too, if there aren't other infections sprouting up in the inner ear because of Lyme and if vitamin deficiencies play a part in this too.
What we really need is an EMT/LLMD. Thanks for the post.
Posts: 422 | From Luck home | Registered: Sep 2005
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posted
I think the ear fluid feeling and ringing is a fungal infection resulting from a depressed immune system and intensified by ABX. The only test that showed anything was an abnormal Brain Stem response in both ears, Also known as (BSEP)(Brain evoked potential) or (BSER)(Brain stem evoked response). This is a problem with the ear or brainstem. They don't know which! Maybe both?
The Mayo Clinic stated, "Fungus allergy was thought to be involved in less than ten percent of cases," says Dr. Sherris. "Our studies indicate that, in fact, fungus is likely the cause of nearly all of these problems. And it is not an allergic reaction, but an immune reaction." The researchers studied 210 patients with chronic sinusitis. Using new methods of collecting and testing mucus from the nose, they discovered fungus in 96 percent of the patients' mucus. They identified a total of 40 different kinds of fungi in these patients, with an average of 2.7 kinds per patient. My hearing and ringing will go away if I stay off ABX but return with just 1-2 days on ABX. I do have a chronic Thrush problem also.
I hope this information is helpfull in some way. I don't ave the answers but I do have the problem.
Posts: 789 | From CT, | Registered: Jun 2006
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Dawn in VA
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 9693
posted
I would STRONGLY recommend that you see a neurotologist. They usually run or are a part of balance centers. Way better than an ENT or regular neuro.
-------------------- (The ole disclaimer: I'm not a doctor.) Posts: 1349 | From VA | Registered: Jul 2006
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adamm
Unregistered
posted
The standard babesia meds don't cause like quinine does, do they?
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david1097
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 3662
posted
My hearing was fried by this disease complex some time ago. I use 2 hearing aids.
So here is what I found.
Hearing loss was the first problem I encountered. The loss is central in origin and is worse when the symptoms flare up. The use of ototoxic drugs does make the tinitis and hearing loss worse. The ear painn, in my case went away with abx treatment but sometimes returns on relapse.
Vertigo was occuring periodically on flareup but no longer occurs, unless I relapse.
If the drug you are taking is ototoxic, you will notice it pretty quick since the hearing will diminsh (and tinitis might increase). Just stop the drug and things should improve. If they don't improve after a few drug half lives then its not the drug. I know this from experience with IV zithromax.
In regards to treatment of the hearing loss. Some improvement with lyme treatment (also babesia treatment) but the loss is permanent (over 8 years now).
The above is what I have seen from direct experience, results may obviously vary but what I found mirrors what a few LLMD's have told me.
Depressing as the my report might be I hope that answers your question....
Posts: 1184 | From north america | Registered: Feb 2003
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Cass A
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 11134
posted
My tinnitus has gotten better with the Buhner herbs.
On this forum it has been stated that Dr. K recommends PC Noni with eyebright tincture if the person has tinnitus. I've been taking these two for a couple of weeks, and no real change to report yet.
Cass A
Posts: 1245 | From Thousand Oaks, CA | Registered: Feb 2007
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CaliforniaLyme
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 7136
posted
MY tinnitus which I had for 2 years constantly plus- and had from Lyme- pre abx- went away completely with IV Rocephin!!!!
My only residual damage from Lyme is a slight hearing loss which is the kind that makes it harder for me to hear when there are competing loud sounds- it becomes difficult for me to separate a voice of someone in front of me from all the sounds- it is a slight difference but one I do notice- BUT when I was sick my hearing got REALLY bad and I did have ear pain a lot- but it was relaly bad- WHAT? WHAT? WHAT????? Almost back to normal...
-------------------- There is no wealth but life. -John Ruskin
All truth goes through 3 stages: first it is ridiculed: then it is violently opposed: finally it is accepted as self evident. - Schopenhauer Posts: 5639 | From Aptos CA USA | Registered: Apr 2005
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