posted
I have had lyme and coinfections (Bart, Elichia) for 8 months. I was on doxy for three months. but symptons came back after I got off. My LD said that I had bart. He put me on Rifampin and Bactrim DS and Diflucan along with supplyments Monolaurin, Codycepts and bee propolis. The next day my ears were like on the airplane (pressure like feeling, aches, popping and tinnitus). I was on it for one month and finally had to get off the med due to ear problems.
It has been a month since I stopped ABX and difulcan, I still have tinnitus and the other ear problems seem to have lessoned. I am continuing with the supplyments.
what is causing the tinnitus, could it be rifampin/Bactrim, or lyme or bart?
I am looking for ideas as to what might be causing my tinnitus.
I have been to regular ENT who cound't help. I also went to lyme literate ENT who couldn't really say what is causing the tinnitus.
As far as Bart symptons, it lessoned significantly but I think I still have it and my immune system is trying to fight it back. As far as lyme is concerned, I don't know if I still have it. I can't tell the lyme symptons from Bart.
I just added tao-free cat's claw and Dr. Zhang HH capsule. No significant difference, no herx either...
Any ideas for the tinnitus? Thanks!
Posts: 99 | From NJ | Registered: Mar 2010
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posted
welcome to the world of tinnitus, one morning i woke up with a cold, and my ear was ringing like a door bell, and that was april of last year, and i still have it.
ENT dr, couldnt find anything, he gave me some sample of pills from his office, which I introduce to the the nearest garbage on my way out.
posted
I was able to experience 6 hours of quiet after treatment with a PEMF machine, a magnetic pulse machine that boosts the body's electromagnetic energy.
We simply hold a white loop that's attached to the little machine that's clicking away.
The machine I tried, in a health practitioner's office, was 500-700 gauss in strength. It was called a magnapulse.
One doctor said it might be calming down the irritated nerves that go to the ear.
Posts: 13171 | From San Francisco | Registered: May 2006
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Keebler
Honored Contributor (25K+ posts)
Member # 12673
posted
------------------ All about EARS: ------------------
For those who are sensitive or pained by even normal or soft sounds (sounds not even at noise level):
map1131
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 2022
posted
Keebler, I've tried bringing up your url on pediatic tinnitus and can't or my computer won't open?
Do you have a working url on this?
Thanks, Pam
-------------------- "Never, never, never, never, never give up" Winston Churchill Posts: 6495 | From Louisville, Ky | Registered: Jan 2002
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Keebler
Honored Contributor (25K+ posts)
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posted
- I don't recall posting a link specifically about pediatric tinnitus - but I just may not remember.
What thread was that in and is there a title or organization listed? Usually when I post an URL, there is some name below it. You can google the name or the name of an article anytime a URL does not work.
If you can direct me to it (post the details right under the link), I can check and try to correct but I don't know where you found it. thanks. -
Posts: 48021 | From Tree House | Registered: Jul 2007
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You're the Tinnitus Queen and I assumed it was one of yours. lol
Pam
-------------------- "Never, never, never, never, never give up" Winston Churchill Posts: 6495 | From Louisville, Ky | Registered: Jan 2002
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In my case, I started taking abx and herbs on the same day to treat bart about 2.5 months ago. the next day my ears started acting up adn tinnitus had been with me since. I gave up abx a month ago, the ears problems continued. 24 hours ago, I decided that I am going to stop all herbs/suppliments and see what happens, and magically the tinnitus stopped. I am pretty sure that the herbs/suppliments caused my tinnitus (and maybe the abx also contributed to it).
As a matter of fact, I did some research. I might be allergic to some of them. the EOS count of my blood test was high after I started taking them. the following articles show that allergies can cause tinnitus.
cheers!
Posts: 99 | From NJ | Registered: Mar 2010
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Keebler
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posted
- Glad you found some relief.
My guess is the bee propolis could have zoomed up tinnitus. If not in a particular formula, it can do that. The TOA-free cat's claw could also have contributed.
That is why naturopathic doctors always have herbs in formulas, to balance out actions when one is too strong of a "yang" herb, a "yin" herb is added - and you would be seen in person to have your own individual formula prescribed. When we go for what we think should help, there is so much about that herb that we may not know.
What other supplements were you taking? Was allicin one of those? That can often cause tinnitus. Magnesium should help decrease it.
Also, some supplements have all sorts of additives. Always best to avoid those and get the very purest sources. And, just one as size does not fit all - one product does not always, either.
Also, some supplements that are not recommended for lyme patients but which some try anyway - ones that offer a "boost" of energy will often cause tinnitus due to their stimulating action (not good for lyme patients' weak adrenals, though).
Although you found relief for day, for it to remain, If you are not yet free of these common dietary allergens, you might give them a boot from your diet: gluten (in wheat, rye, barley, spelt), corn, dairy, soy and potato (especially those commercially grown).
Also see the Allergy-Immune thread, probably somewhere here on page one in the medical forum.
Good luck with continued success. Know that it may fluctuate, especially with spring weather changes, but it's great to be on the right path. -
Posts: 48021 | From Tree House | Registered: Jul 2007
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posted
Thank you Keebler for your kind words. You are absolutely right about the herbs/supplements and additives... I am going to watch my diet and monitor tinnis carefully. I did not take allicin.
Posts: 99 | From NJ | Registered: Mar 2010
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posted
I thought Tinnitus was a common symptom of Lyme. I have had constant tinnitus for many years. Never goes away...only fluctuates in severity with other symptoms.
Posts: 16 | From Arcata Ca. | Registered: Mar 2010
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Haley
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posted
I know that the Abx that cause ringing in the ears are Macrolides. I increased my Zithro and had problems immediately, I then backed down to regular dose and the problem went aaway.
Biaxin was the worst.
Posts: 2232 | From USA | Registered: Aug 2009
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Keebler
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posted
- Sick Tick, yes, lyme can damage auditory and sensory nerves and especially cranial nerves that have to do with hearing, too. Lyme also eats away at the outer lining of the nerve, the myelin sheath.
Jed, yes, tinnitus can be from lyme or other infections &/or from liver inflammation and it being overwhelmed. Toxins go right to the ears. So, that is why liver support is so essential. We must keep the liver as healthy as possible to save our ears. But, we also MUST address the infection adequately.
Haley, yes, the macrolides are the most troublesome class and some people just have to avoid those and use others. Some drugs are ototoxic, that is toxic to the ears. As you mention, Biaxin can be very hard, as can Zithromax (and minocycline).
And, even tylenol can damage ears. Best to avoid that altogether. Aspirin, as well, can be toxic to the ears.
Specific for LYME patients - lots of details about ears and what can help:
Topic: TINNITUS: Ringing Between The Ears; Vestibular, Balance, Hearing with compiled links - including HYPERACUSIS -
Posts: 48021 | From Tree House | Registered: Jul 2007
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posted
My llmd does not think I have an active lyme infection, I am not sure about that... I just don't know if I have lyme or not or whether my tinnitus was due to lyme. it rings in both ears, and it came on suddenly after I started taking abx and suppliments....
Posts: 99 | From NJ | Registered: Mar 2010
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canefan17
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 22149
posted
Liver, hormone disruption, bart
These are things I associate tinnitus with.
Posts: 5394 | From Houston, Tx | Registered: Aug 2009
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posted
I have had the ringing since 2/28/10 and it is really driving me CRAZY, I cannot sleep, doctor gave me valium. I hate to take it but after days on end I must sleep. I have RA, just looking into Lyme, I am on some big gun drugs for RA and have stopped taking the one that may be a culprit, methotrexate. Rheumy says it's a very low change but I need to know if it is contributing. I am getting pretty stiff and sore but now I can't even sit still because of the incessant ringing. I stopped all supplements too and am afraid to eat. This is terrible, I have nothing to offer except you are not alone.
Posts: 2 | From Akron, Ohio | Registered: Feb 2010
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Keebler
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posted
- New posters, please be sure to go back up to the set of links. So many comments are addressed in the main Tinnitus thread.
- At post # 4. -
Posts: 48021 | From Tree House | Registered: Jul 2007
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posted
a benzo should calm it down... if u want to go down that road
Posts: 217 | From Everywhere | Registered: Nov 2006
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Keebler
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posted
- While some find temporary relief with a benzo, benzos can make tinnitus worse for some patients as it can be hard on the liver and anything hard on the liver can be hard on the ears, too.
Liver support can make a difference in whether benzos might help or not but - over time - their use can affect the liver. Those who have any kind of porphyria should avoid all benzos as they can increase the porphyrin levels - and that will definitely make tinnitus worse.
Diflucan can also make tinnitus worse - and Diflucan also pushes the porphyria pathway (Cytochrome P-450). With that, liver support is vital to calm this effect. Or a different Rx may be needed. If for candida, rather than Diflucan, OLE (Olive Leaf Extract) works exceedingly well for me.
Magnesium is the number one thing to first use to settle tinnitus. Milk Oat Seed glycerite tincture can help, too. More up in the tinnitus thread which details porphyria and liver support measures. -
Posts: 48021 | From Tree House | Registered: Jul 2007
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posted
canefan17, did you have bart not lyme? did your tinnitus go away in the end?
sue r/a, what is RA? I sympathize with you about ringing in the ear. This seems to be the main problem for me now after 9 months of lyme, bart... My tinnitus comes with some discomfort in the ears like pressure like feeling...Tinnitus also fluctuates, worse in the evening, better when waking up...
I wish I knew what is causing it and if I have an active infection or not.
Posts: 99 | From NJ | Registered: Mar 2010
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Keebler
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- " . . .worse in the evening, better when waking up . . . "
Adrenal fatigue can be a huge contributor. Be sure your adrenal support is in good shape. More about that in the Tinnitus thread. -
Posts: 48021 | From Tree House | Registered: Jul 2007
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posted
Keebler, thanks for the suggestion. I was going to get the adrenal function tested, I will get to it now...
Posts: 99 | From NJ | Registered: Mar 2010
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posted
Question for everyone, does your tinnitus accompy any ear discomfort? like ear pressure, ear aches, ear popping... Mine does.
Posts: 99 | From NJ | Registered: Mar 2010
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Keebler
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posted
- rainbowriver
You said: "I wish I knew what is causing it and if I have an active infection or not."
Well, are you being treated for lyme? Isn't that why you are here? Lyme causes tremendous trouble for the ears. So do other tick infections. As for you if have another acute infection, have an ear doctor take a look to see if your ear drum is pushed out at all or red.
"Discomfort" often puts it mildly regarding the ear pain that most lyme patients endure. Magnesium helps. TMJ exercises and other posture stuff helps but, ultimately, addressing the infection is key.
Other methods to address pain are outlined in the "Tinnitus" thread, linked above.
===========
I actually don't have much respect for the basic adrenal tests. I think they miss a lot. Every lyme patient has weak adrenals. Adrenal support is one of the "required" supplements on Dr. B's list.
Actually, it's not just the adrenals as they are just a "slave" organ - doing what the hypothalamus and pituitary instruct, so to speak. The whole HPA axis, that triangle system, needs to be considered. HPA axis is the hypothalamus & pituitary (in the brain) and the adrenals (one sites on top of each kidney).
Support and then see how you do. Cordyceps is the basic start - then Eleuthero, Ashwagandha, Rhodiola . . . . all detailed in Wilson's book.
If you need more, then you might test but, personally, I think the tests are big waste of money and can't tell us the whole picture. If you do go for test, first see what the experts say so that you get the best ones. Lyme patients often need some very precise tests to really get a good look at what is going on with adrenals.
But, mostly, start with the basic support methods and that may be all you need. I'd not do any tests until after reading Wilson's book.
Many threads from the past with "ADRENAL" in the title outline support. Here are just a couple links:
Cordyceps is recommend here:
This is included in Burrascano's Guidelines, but you may want to be able to refer to it separately, too:
Nutritional Supplements in Disseminated Lyme Disease
J.J. Burrascano, Jr., MD (2008)
========================
This book, by an ILADS member LLMD, holds great information about treatments options and support measures, including those to help adrenal/endocrine function:
A recently published study investigated the effects of curcumin, a constituent of the botanical turmeric, on changes in cognition and memory caused by stress. . . .
. . . In this new study, researchers investigated the effect of curcumin supplementation on stress-induced learning defects in mice. . . .
. . . In addition, curcumin reversed the stress-induced increase in the levels of serum corticosterone, the primary hormone secreted during the stress response. . . .
. . . The researchers concluded, ``Thus, curcumin may be an effective therapeutic for learning and memory disturbances as was seen within these stress models, and
its neuroprotective effect was mediated in part by normalizing the corticosterone response, resulting in down-regulating of the phosphorylated calcium/calmodulin kinase II and glutamate receptor levels.''
The Potbelly Syndrome: How Common Germs Cause Obesity, Diabetes, And Heart Disease (Paperback) - 2005
by Russell Farris (Author), Per Marin (Author)
Much about stress reactions here. - you can read customer reviews at the link. Attention is given to lyme and other chronic stealth infections however, it does not go into details about solutions.
===========================
This is not a lyme book.
This book has only one reference to lyme (in the historical use of sarsarparilla for another spirochetal infection). However, it is a vital first book to read - or a reference - for anyone interested in understanding nutritional methods.
Search for Ashwagandha; Cordyceps; Siberian Ginseng in this book:
Graciously, much of this book is on line. It can also be purchased from this site or through Amazon where you can look inside the book and see many customer reviews.
Afternoon naps are often absolutely required, as per Dr. B's self-care guidelines.
Being GLUTEN-FREE can make a huge different with endurance and mood related to adrenal exhaustion. Many LLMD require their patients to be gluten-free, for good reason. -
Posts: 48021 | From Tree House | Registered: Jul 2007
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Keebler
Honored Contributor (25K+ posts)
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posted
- and from canefan17
Adaptocrine K2
Adrenal Stim & Adrenal Calm creams Vit C with bioflavanoids (2000mg/day) Pantothenic acid B5 (1000mg/day)
split up all throughout the day.
the creams I do....
Adrenal Stim 9am-12-3pm Adrenal Calm 9am-12-6pm
For thyroid I just started Med Caps T3 (helps with conversion of T4 to T3) (Kelp)
posted
Keebler, I don't know how you find the time and energy to share your knowledge about lyme with everyone. I really appreaciate it. Perspective from someone like you is what I am looking for here.
I am more and more convinced that I still have lyme ( I think I got rid of bart). The severity of the ear discomfort and ringing seems to flunctuate roughly in a monthly cycle. Also it seems there is something active going on in my ears. it does not seem to be the type of tinnitus from side effects of abx. I stopped the abx two months, my ears still hurt after this long.
At this point, I'd rather think that it is due to lyme because it can be treated. Some lyme patients seem to be able to get rid of the ear problems after they are treated for lyme.
My lyme doctor is not convinced that I still have lyme, that is why he is not treating me for lyme. I am going to talk with him about my instinct and discuss treatment plan if he agrees with me.
Posts: 99 | From NJ | Registered: Mar 2010
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Cass A
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 11134
posted
Dear Friends,
I'm just working my way through Dr. J's book, "Beating Lyme Disease."
In this he brings up some areas that I feel are neglected.
Tinnitus is one of them.
Also, the toxin that Bb produces that wrecks our brains and nerves!!
I've been taking his Neuro-Antitox II for about a week or so now, and notice my tinnitus (which turned on in 2004 when I was taking high-dose Vit. D and has never completely gone away since then)has lessened. Sometimes now, I hardly notice it.
(NOTE: I also have been doing the Allergie-Immun drops for almost a year. I'm currently on Round 11 of them. Right now, I'm in DETOX MODE big-time!!!!)
At any rate, it seems to me that Dr. J's book is another place to look for promising answers and solutions to this situation.
Hope this helps!
Love,
Cass A
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