by Neil Bauman, Ph.D.
A concerned mother wrote:
Our daughter, aged 25, has been on Wellbutrin for about 3 years now. There were problems with getting the right dosage so the psychiatrist added Desipramine 10 mg about 2 years ago and this was upped to 25 and then 50 mg about 1 year ago. She has also been on Zopiclone 7.5 mg for 3 years or so.
Suddenly over the past year she has had progressively worse hearing problems. She has been seen by hearing specialists who are now trying to determine the cause by trial and error. The concern is that this is not a normal type of hearing loss, but rather “reverse slope hearing loss”. She has seen an immunologist and neurologist, received a CT scan and her blood work and all appears OK. She is now awaiting an MRI as the next step.
She had no hearing problems prior to the last year. It seems odd that this coincides somewhat with the increase in the dosage of the Desipramine. Neither her psychiatrist nor the other specialists feel that the drugs should create any hearing problems. We have our suspicions that they may be missing something. What are your thoughts.
Most drug-induced hearing loss typically begins in the very high frequencies and works down the frequency spectrum to the lower ones (below 8,000 Hz) where it is finally detected.
Thus I can see why her doctors are at a loss to explain her reverse-slope hearing loss as being drug-induced. However, a few drugs are known to initially cause hearing loss in the lower frequencies. As far as I know, the drugs your daughter is on have not been reported to have this side effect.
Bupropion (Wellbutrin) can cause auditory disorders including hearing loss and tinnitus as well as balance problems such as ataxia, dizziness and vertigo.
In addition, I have an anecdotal report of a lady on Bupropion that noticed the longer she took it, the more hearing she lost. This may now be happening in your daughter’s case as well.
Desipramine can cause tinnitus and hyperacusis (and balance problems such as ataxia and dizziness), but it is not listed as causing hearing loss. Therefore, on the face of it, upping the dose of Desipramine shouldn’t have affected her hearing.
However, sometimes low doses don’t cause a specific side effect such as hearing loss, but higher doses do. Many times, this kind of information never makes it into the literature if it is only noticed after the drug studies have been completed. I’ve seen this a number of times. Thus, this could be a possibility.
Zopiclone is not known to affect hearing, but it can affect balance (ataxia and dizziness).
Another possibility, is that the combination of Bupropion and the higher dose of Desipramine together may have caused the hearing loss. Unfortunately, little is really known about the ototoxicity of these drugs individually. Dramatically less is known about how they affect ears when taken together.
My guess is that if her hearing loss is drug-related, it is likely from both the long term effects of the Bupropion and the increased dose of Desipramine.
One way to test this would be for her doctor to put her back on her original dose of Desipramine and see if her hearing returns (or stops getting worse). If that is the case, this would prove that Desipramine was the culprit (even though the literature doesn’t list hearing loss as a side effect).
Getting off Bupropion wouldn’t be a bad idea either (from her ears point of view). Perhaps her doctor could prescribe a different drug that doesn’t have the harmful ototoxic side effects of Bupropion.
To learn which drugs and herbs are (or can be) ototoxic, see “Ototoxic Drugs Exposed“. This book contains information on the ototoxicity of 877 drugs, 35 herbs and 148 chemicals.
Thank you! I have developed an abrupt onset of severe ataxia and tinnitis upon beginning Welbutrin-using generic- I am a Speech Pathologist specializ in neuro based disorders. The gait disturbance has been debilitating. Important FYI. Also re: tinnitis….no other contaminating variables. Feel free to write. I see questions @ Buproprion and h loss here. Buproprion alone caused tinnitis in me. Use-off lable for ANS problem. Thanks
I think I am experiencing the same! Is it reversible if one stops the medication?
Hi Jeremy:
When you take Bupropion, the ototoxic side effects you experience may or may not be permanent. For example, tinnitus may go away, reduce in volume or remain the same permanently. Hearing loss tends to be permanent.
Cordially,
Neil
I have been on Wellbutrin for 2 years and all of a sudden I woke up with tinnitis and hearing loss in one ear. Now the other is experiencing hearing loss. The dr’s tell me this is something I have to live with and there is nothing that can be done except eventually hearing aids. If this is from the Wellbutrin can it be reversed?
Did your hearing ever improve? I am facing this exact issue and it’s 2021.
I was on 150 mg of Wellbutrin, within days of increasing the dose to 300mg I had pressure, hearing loss, severe tinnitus as well as episodes of vertigo and nausea. I have been off the medication for a couple years now and all the side effects are still present. Beyond frustrating.
I was on wellbutrin and after a few months, I woke up one day completely unable to hear in one ear. I also have some tinnuitis and vertigo. My hearing was perfect before. After many doctor visits, I’m told mine is irreversible as well as uncorrectable with hearing aids as the nerve itself is damaged. I wish I’d known of the danger before. I had absolutely no clue of any hearing difficulties until I woke up one morning with no hearing in my one ear. It was overnight & suddenly & devastating. I wish I’d had some clue there might have been some problems before I just woke up with it gone. Good luck. I hope they figure things out and there was more information available about these situations.
I have been off Wellbutrin for over 12 years and my ears have never recovered.
I also have the same problem. I started taking welbutrin and woke up one morning unable to hear out of my left ear. I was diagnosed with SNHL irreversible. Could this possibly be a class action lawsuit for us. Seems odd it has happened to so many people.
been taking bupropion 3 weeks major tinnitis. glad I read this
Did the hearing problems go away after stopping the drug?
no. my hearing loss from Wellbutrin began in 2011. Hearing has never returned. Tinnitus continues
Omg I may have just discovered my hearing loss issue. I, like others have seen all kinds of doctors who say it is just loss of hearing due to age (I am barely 43 and a very young 43). It.is. not! My experience sounds similar to many comments. I wish more people would answer what happens after you stop taking it…I am contacting my doctor tomorrow to discuss a med a switch. I need more resources! Can anyone point me somewhere?
I have experienced hearing loss in both ears after being on Wellbutrin for several months. It was sudden onset and my ENT has been trying to figure it out. I do believe this is the answer! I am disheartened to hear that most have found it is irreversible.
I have been taking bupropion for over 5 years and two years ago I woke up on a December morning unable to hear anything out of my right ear. After going to an audiologist I was told that I have 85% hearing loss and it is irreversible due to nerve damage and I am not eligible for hearing aids as they would not help in my situation. I am so glad I found this, I am stopping this medication and will look for alternatives. I too am interested in a class action law suit. I am 38 years old and my life is forever changed because of this.
I have similar issues, but I do have a hearing aid and it does help
Has anyone experienced an improvement in hearing after getting off Wellbutrin or Bupropion?
Hi DP:
I haven’t heard of anyone getting their hearing back after stopping Bupropion (Wellbutrin). So I can’t help you there. From what I can gather, the hearing loss appears to be permanent, at least in some cases.
Regards
Neil
I am an audiologist and a 12 year old was referred to me for hearing aids for a bilateral sensori-neural hearing loss. I noticed he was on Wellbutrin and discussed with the doctor, that not extremely common, wellbutrin can cause hearing loss in some people. The physician switched medications and three months later the young man’s hearing was within normal limits in both ears. I have had many patients on wellbutrin that did not have a loss, or going off the medication did not improve hearing, but because of this case, I always discuss the possibility with patients and their physicians.
Connie – I was in remission from Menieres Disesae and came out of remission 2 weeks after starting to take Wellbutrin (generic form). Now after severe attack am in the constant state of dizzies. Do you think after stopping the wellbutrin I will be in remission again?
Thanks!
Hi Candy:
Who says you came out of Meniere’s remission? Since the side effects of taking Wellbutrin can be similar to the symptoms of Meniere’s disease, how do you know that you don’t simply have ototoxic side effects and not another Meniere’s attack?
Both Wellbutrin and Meniere’s can cause hearing loss, tinnitus, dizziness and vertigo. So you could have these symptoms in spite of your Meniere’s, rather than because of it.
Regards
Neil
Ever since taking bupropion sr I have been experiencing humming in my left ear constantly all day long. The doctor said it’s meiners disease. Do you think the medication brought this on. They say I have to live with it and there is no cure.
I started taking Wellbutrin about 5 years ago and about 3 and a half years ago I woke up with complete loss of hearing in one ear (the left). After numerous tests and going to an Ear Clinic in Los Angeles, was told that it was Sudden Sensonueral Hearing Loss and that was idiopathic (no explanation for the loss). It is irreversible and untreatable but I was told it almost never occurs in the other ear. I only just yesterday heard of the possible connection to Wellbutrin! I’m kind of freaking out now because almost 4 years later, I’m still taking the Wellbutrin and wonder if I should stop???
Are you still on the wellbutrin? I’ve been on it almost 3 years. My left ear is now clicking every night. I’ve had tinnitus since starting it.
Get off Wellbutrin now!
I’m weaning off of it! It seems the more I reduce my dose the louder my tinnitus gets.
Same exact diagnosis. I started taking welbutrin buproprion. Lost hearing completely In my left ear. Snhl with vertigo and tinnitus . Please contact me. I’m interested in starting a class action lawsuit.
This happened to me as well. Had perfect hearing and was on Wellbutrin for years. All of a sudden lost hearing in both my ears. I now have to see about hearing aids. I just said to my husband I wondered if the Wellbutrin had anything to do with it. Very scary. I’m so sad, very self conscious now and very bad anxiety.
I have been on Wellbutrin for a number of years and now suffer from hearing loss. I am weaning myself off the drug in the hope that my impaired hearing will improve
Did it improve? I’m desperate.
I started taking Wellbutrin on a Wednesday (150mg doses). By Saturday I noticed my right ear feeling like it was plugged up as in a change in altitude. I could still hear. 3 days later on Tuesday morning I woke up and was completely deaf in the right ear. The next day I was supposed to go up to 300mg. The 150mg was just to start out for the 1st week. I took the 1st one but told my doctor that I can’t hear anything in my right ear since Tuesday morning. It is now Friday, only 3 days after losing hearing and I never took another Wellbutrin after Wednesday. Is this permament? Will my ear unplug? I’ve had excellent hearing prior to this.
Hi Joshua:
Hearing loss from taking Wellbutrin (Bupropion) is typically permanent. But in one case (see No. 6 above) the lost hearing came back over a 3 month span.
Since you only took if for a few days, I hope that your hearing will come back, but the odds seem stacked against you. If your hearing does come back, let us know.
Thanks
Neil
I took Wellbutrin for a couple of months, and the tinnitus started virtually immediately. After stopping the med over 6 months ago, the tinnitus has not subsided at all.
This article, along with these helpful posts, is the first thing I’ve found that points to *permanent” hearing issues from Wellbutrin. Specifically, the posts from Neil mention permanent hearing *loss*. Besides my case, is the tinnitus side-effect known to be permanent as well? Thanks.
My father (79YO) was on generic Wellbutrin for about three weeks when he began having hand tremors and ataxia. No hearing loss, but the ER and Nuro docs could find no cause despite CT and MRI scans. They had never heard of Wellbutrin causing ataxia, but have taken him off it. This happened 12/21/12, so there is no evidence either way of whether it will work, but it is a cautionary tale.
Three years ago, After taking Bupropian for 6 months, I woke up with tinnitus and a few days later with vertigo. I was told by drs. it wasn’t the drugs, but stopped anyway because I broke out in a rash. I have had tinnitus ever since. A few weeks ago I started taking it again, believing it wasn’t related and it is now louder. Of course, I will never take it again, but I wish I could go back in time and never take it because now I have to listen to this terrible sound forever. It is so loud and unpleasant. I would never have chosen this over depression if I had even the slightest idea this could be a side effect. I should have been warned!
I ve been on generic Wellbutrin for 20 years! I ve always thought my hearing was my exactly right and recently I ve noticed some hearing loss akin with really bad pressure in both ears! I m not hearing well. I m going to talk to my dr bec this is scarey for me!!!
Hi Stephanie:
What makes you think the Bupropion (Wellbutrin) is causing your hearing loss after taking it for 20 years? There could be many other causes of hearing loss that would be more likely than Bupropion.
Regards
Neil
Hello,
I am so glad to have found this site. For a time i thought i was crazy!! i have been taking wellbutrin SR 150mg for 3 months now and last weeek all of a sudden with no heads up i woke up with an intense humming, clicking and later ringing soung in my right ear..it was awful to say the least..i cried and cried, i could not sleep. Doctor said it was nor the pill..but i started to research on the internet and found this was most likely the cause and took action. went off it for three days and the ringing has really subsided alot and i can now hear..i pray it will go away completely. i loved the way the medication made me feel and the weight loss and i am scared to death of the depression and the lack of energy that will return..but what can i do? what other antidepressant can make me feel so energetic? i think i am in trouble but i guess ill be able to hear 🙂 if i get the ringing gone, i will let you guys know.
Hi Idalisa:
Numbers of people have found that after being on Bupropion (Wellbutrin) for a few months, they suddenly have either tinnitus or hearing loss or both.
Doctor’s who say it is not the pill are either ignorant, or lying to protect themselves. I’ve heard from numbers of people with these side effects from taking Bupropion.
Have you tried the herbal St. John’s Wort? It helps many people with depression and the good news is that it is not ototoxic at all.
Regards
Neil
Hello,
Yust an aditional note: i was taking the genetic forms of Wellbutrin, will the efect on my ears stop if i take the original pill? Does anyone know??
thanks
Hi Idalisa:
Both the generic and brand name of Wellbutrin have the same effect on people’s ears.
Regards
Neil
Hi All,
I’ve been on various antidepressants for about 25 years. Recently the very best combination was 40 mg of Prozac/fluoxetine along with Welbutrin/bupropion. I felt calm, had highly improved self-image and lost 20 pounds; best I’ve felt in decades!
BUT…
One night I experienced a Beethoven pitch-hiss concert in my right ear, and within 4 hours I was deaf…SSNHL. I went to the doc right away, was put on steroids for two weeks and had an MRI, which came out normal. I have not responded to steroid treatments. I see an ENT in a few days, but according to web posts, the prognosis is very poor.
PLEASE, ALL OF YOU, IF YOU EXPERIENCE ANY AURAL DISCOMFORT, VERTIGO, TINNITUS, OR HEARING LOSS, PLEASE STOP THE WELLBUTRIN!!!!! I chose to try Wellbutrin with Prozac without discussing the possible side effects, so I only have myself to blame, but if you folks have ANY pressure or other ear symptoms, please get off the poison YESTERDAY, and go to an ENR asap. There’s a 2 – 4 week time frame for possible cure, and then very little hope.
Half Deaf and Sorry,
AZ
Back in August of 2013 I noticed that I had ringing in my ears as if I had just taken out the ear buds from my iphone after listening to music whilst working out at the gym. I happened to have an appointment with my GP and I mentioned this problem to his assistant and I noticed that she wrote it down in my chart. At that appointment the doctor never addressed the issue I was having with my ears. Now it’s January 2014 and I happened to look up side effects of medications. So this morning I typed in “side effects of Wellbutrin” since I have now been on this medication for at least 5 years now..I was shocked to see that one major side effect is tinnitus or ringing in the ear! I am completely freaked out right now and never want to touch this drug ever again. The thing is I was using the Wellbutrin for depression and I told the doctor several times that it wasn’t stopping the depression at all. He only suggested adding Abilify which my insurance didn’t cover. He gave me three months of samples until I was hooked on that drug. Anyway, because of the expense of the Abilify I quit over a couple of months with that medication. There was some discomfort but I just told myself it will get better and I’m back to square one but with this terrible ringing. I have decided that I’m not picking up my refill for Wellbutrin as I think I would rather be a bit depressed than have this. Does anyone out there no if this ringing will eventually stop? What do I do?
Hi Paula:
Wellbutrin (Bupropion) can certainly cause tinnitus and hearing loss. The good news is that quite often when you go off the Wellbutrin (or greatly reduce the dose) the level of your tinnitus will drop significantly and if you also had a resulting hearing loss, your hearing may come back to some extent. The bad news is that this is not the case with everyone. Some people experience permanent tinnitus from taking Wellbutrin.
Since you don’t know which group you are in, getting off the Wellbutrin seems to be a step in the right direction.
You can treat depression in non-ototoxic ways. For example, studies have shown that exercise positively affects depression. So too, does having healthy gut flora (taking live probiotics for example). And studies have shown that taking St. John’s Wort works as well as or better than prescription drugs for cases of mild to moderate depression–and it is not ototoxic either.
Regards
Neil
Has Wellbutrin been found to cause tinnitus and hearing loss? I took one dose of extended release 150 mg and developed tinnitus and hearing loss the following day. It is going on two months now, and my doctor treated me with antibiotics and nasal spray. I also cannot taste food properly anymore. Is it possible that one dose of well Wellbutrin caused this?
Hi Carol:
Yes, Bupropion (Wellbutrin) is listed as causing both hearing loss and tinnitus. The funny thing about Bupropion is that in some people they get hearing loss and/or tinnitus right from the first dose, and in others it takes 3 months or more. This just goes to show that we are all different in our sensitivities to drugs and always need to be careful.
Also, interestingly enough, some people find their hearing returns some time after they stop Bupropion and in others it proves to be permanent. Tinnitus is much the same. For some people, it can go away or at least greatly reduce in volume within a week or so after you stop this drug, and for others it never goes away.
Antibiotics can also cause hearing loss and tinnitus.
Regards
Neil
The first time I took wellbutrin I got tinnitus and vertigo. At that point the tinnitus was a “static” sound. Not fun, but bearable. I was told by drs. there was no connection and they thought maybe it was caused by sinuses. I went back on the Wellbutrin and now the noise is shrieking. I had never heard of any drug being Ototoxic. I read It causes tinnitus in 6%. Now I have to live with this terrible noise, for the rest of my life, with attacks of vertigo. That I took this drug for depression is so ironic.
Dr Neil, I hope you can help me. I think Wellbutrin was the cause of my tinnitus – I was on it for about 8 years during which time the tinnitus came on and got increasingly worse. I went off the Wellbutrin 6 months ago, there has been no improvement in the tinnitus, I’m depressed and gained 30 pounds. Can I assume that I’m stuck with the tinnitus and go back on the Wellbutrin or could it cause the tinnitus to get worse? The tinnitus may have been caused by a high does of naproxen I was put on for a few months 8 years ago but I’m not sure since the tinnitus got worse after I went off it. My doctor wants to put me back on Wellbutrin but I’m wondering if I should switch to Prozac and hope it doesn’t cause weight gain.
Hi Jodi:
Bupropion (Wellbutrin) can indeed cause tinnitus and hearing loss in numbers of people. You are in a tough spot. Deciding whether to go back on the Wellbutrin are not. If you assume that you’ve got the loud tinnitus, and going back on the Wellbutrin won’t make it any worse, then you could do that. However, one person that did that found when they went back on the Wellbutrin, their tinnitus got even worse. So apparently it can work either way.
If I were depressed, I would certainly not take prescription drugs because of all their side effects. What I would do, and what numerous people with depression have done successfully, is to take St. John’s wort instead. You can get St. John’s wort at pretty much any drugstore or health food store. You do not need a prescription for it. A good number of studies have shown St. John’s wort to be just as effective for depression as prescription drugs, and as a plus, it has very few side effects, none of which are ototoxic.
If you do choose to take St. John’s wort, just be sure that on the bottle it uses the word “standardized” and gives the percentage of Hypericin that it is standardized to. For example, it may say standardized to 0.3% hypericin or standardized to 0.7% hypericin. These are common percentages.
This is what I would do if I were in your shoes.
Regards
Neil
Thank you so much Dr Neil, I will try that for sure. I’m not sure why I give less credit to non-prescription remedies, especially after Omega-3 (MegaRed 3mg) has been such a great help to me during the 4 months of withdrawal.
Hi Jodi:
I think its because you’re subtly brainwashed by all the slick advertising done by the drug companies that if they don’t produce it, it doesn’t work. Also, by the fact that few doctors will prescribe anything that is not a prescription drug–so the inference is that other remedies don’t work (or else they prescribe them, wouldn’t they?)
The truth is, there are MANY other (natural) remedies that work very well (and don’t have all the harmful side effects that prescription drugs do).
Regards
Neil
My doctor prescribed Wellbutrin to help with depression and anxiety. On the tenth day or so, I started to get a loud ringing in my head, and two days later I stopped the Wellbutrin. i was taking one pill (150 mg) for 12 days.
It’s now been about 10 days since I stopped and the tinnitus hasn’t diminished, so naturally I’m quite concerned. I saw a study in done in England that said that of the people with Wellbutrin induced tinnitus, almost none of them ever recover. But i’ve seen postings from people who say that they do, and sometimes it just takes weeks or months.
You had recommended to wait about 3 months before worrying whether or not it is permanent. Are there any real statistics as to what percentage of people recover? I find it hard to believe that because i took one pill for 12 days my hearing will be affected the rest of my life.
Victor
Hi Victor:
Some people indeed do get permanent tinnitus from taking Wellbutrin and others find their tinnitus goes away, or at least reduces in intensity, once they get off the Wellbutrin.
I’m not aware of any statistics showing recovery or permanence for Wellbutrin side effects (or for any other drugs for that matter). Such things are not studied apparently. All research money goes into developing new drugs, not “badmouthing” existing drugs. There’s no money to be made in that.
You wrote, ” I find it hard to believe that because i took one pill for 12 days my hearing will be affected the rest of my life.” Unfortunately, that is how it works sometimes. With some drugs, some people get permanent tinnitus from the very first pill they take. Not fair–but it happens. That is why I suggest people only take drugs as a last resort–not as the first line of attack. There are many natural things you can do to get depression and anxiety under control without resorting to drugs.
Regards
Neil
Hi Dr. Neil:
You can check out this link: http://www.ehealthme.com/ds/wellbutrin/tinnitus
It has some statistics that suggest that the tinnitus is permanent. But as I said, there are many posts elsewhere that contradict that.
However, right now, 12 days or so after stopping the medication, my tinnitus seems to be moderating somewhat. I thought it was almost gone on Sunday but it came back the next day, albeit somewhat reduced as to where it was before. I don’t feel the big pressure in my ears like I did. I’m hoping its an indicator of good things to come.
Thank you very much for responding.
Victor
Hi Victor:
I didn’t see any actual statistics regarding permanence of tinnitus from taking Bupropion. As I said before, sometimes the tinnitus is permanent and sometimes it is temporary.
In your case, it looks like your tinnitus and other side effects are going away after 12 days. This is a very good sign.
Regards
Neil
In trying to learn about the likelihood that tinnitus caused by anti-depressants (wellbutrin) is transient vs. permanent, I found very little peer reviewed literature.
I was only able to find one published article with a few case reports in a table: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3357564/table/tbl4/
There are < 10 tinnitus cases reported in the table. The majority of cases reported in it were transient, but not all.
Are there other reports or publications on this topic? Thank you.
Hi Aaron:
There is VERY little peer reviewed literature about ototoxicity in drugs in general and none for many drugs. But that doesn’t mean a drug doesn’t cause tinnitus (or any other side effect).
Bupropion (Wellbutrin) does indeed cause tinnitus in numbers of people. I’ve received reports from some people and the FDA has received 536 reports of people getting tinnitus from taking Wellbutrin.
There is VERY little information about the permanence of the resulting tinnitus. Whether tinnitus is temporary or permanent depends on a number of factors.
For example, if hearing loss resulted from taking Bupropion, you could expect the tinnitus that accompanies hearing loss to last as long as the hearing loss. I’ve heard from numbers of people who had hearing loss from taking Wellbutrin. The FDA has had 150 people reporting hearing loss from taking Wellbutrin.
The size of the dose and the length of time you take it can affect it’s permanence and its volume. For some people, the loudness of their tinnitus is related to the dose. Cutting the dose reduces the volume of the tinnitus, even though it may never go away.
For some people, stopping taking Bupropion results in their tinnitus dropping in volume but not going away, while for others stopping the Bupropion makes no difference to their tinnitus. It remains loud.
In any case, your emotional attitude towards your tinnitus in a large part determines whether you will suffer from your tinnitus or allow it to fade into the background. People that are “high strung” and anxious and worry about their tinnitus find that their tinnitus tends to be louder and more permanent than those that are relaxed and basically ignore their tinnitus.
Regards
Neil
Have any of the people who have commented noticed an improvement in hearing? Updates would be great!
It’s unclear if wellbutrin directly causes tinnitus, could it be the hyrdochloride salt vs. hydrobromide?
The problem with identifying it as the cause is that the person in question could have been taking other medications with it or before it. It’s kinda like a chain reaction, if you mess up or alter neurotransmitters like with the SSRIS and add bupropion even if you stop the SSRI it could result if the hearing lost.
Folks will then play the Wellbutrin but what if the SSRI made the body much more sensitive to dopamine and then then wellbutrin simply keep in intact?
Typical anti-psychotics can cause irreversible damage after years off making the body too sensitive to dopamine much like a car continuing to drive its tire out of potholes on the road while.
Again, I am not saying it doesn’t cause hearing loss however its not really classified as the obvious nsaids, aspirin,etc.
so glad I found this website. I am 33, already diagnosed with Meniere’s but have been in remission for 3.5 years. I’m relapsing now, and I’m tracing back my symptoms of nausea, ringing in ear and vertigo, and it leads back to 2 months ago when I started Wellbutrin. I noticed if I take the pill a few hours later, i feel relatively good in the morning… after I take it I feel my head full, nauseous, and a little dizzy, muscle weakness. As another poster mentioned, it helped me lose some weight and for the first time in a long time i am not depressed. I am scared to go on st. johns wort to lose this happy momentum. although i am miserable in my health. ugh. Meniere’s is the worst.
Hi Leah:
Bupropion (Wellbutrin) is quite ototoxic to our ears. It can cause all the symptoms of Meniere’s disease so you’d think you were having a relapse, when it can be just this drug causing it.
Why don’t you just get rid of your Meniere’s? If you are interested in doing so, read my article that explains what you need to do to get rid of it. You can read it at http://hearinglosshelp.com/blog/atlas-adjustments-alleviate-menieres-disease/. Numbers of people have read this article, acted on it, and waved good-bye to their Meniere’s. What blessed relief.
Cordially,
Neil
I am speechless stumbling on this information, I don’t know whether to be happy to find a possible explanation to my problem or pissed off cause I was never properly informed of the potential side effects of taking (Wellbutrin) I have been on Wellbutrin for six years now at first never experienced any side effects but about 4 years ago experience extreme pressure sensation in my left ear and hearing loss 40% to be exact according to my hearing test done by an Audiologist done at that time that was ordered my the ENT I was seeing the tinitis was excruciating the ENT percribed a regiment of antihistamine, antibiotics and steroids witch had no effect at all then even attempted putting a tube in my ear to possibly allow any fluid to drain witch also had no effect at all, then removed the tube. I eventually just got frustrated and accepted the condition and stopped going to the ENT about 6 months later all the symptoms of tinitis , hearing loss and dizzyness went away on there own. Approximately 4 years later currently all the symptoms have returned I decided to see a different ENT this time to get a second opinion he checked me out and ordered another hearing examination by an Audiologist this time it revealed a 100% hearing loss in my left ear and then after examination ordered an MRI and again put me on a regment or steroids my MRI results came back normal. I finished the steroids, antibiotics again with no positive results. I’m at a loss of what to do next to try to get some relief or explanation of what caused this. Then today by dumb luck I run across this article about Wellbutrin being a cause of these issues. I had no idea all this time and not once has any doctor of all I’ve seen once mention that my medication could possibly be the cause. So where to go from here? I’m thinking my first step is to STOP taking Wellbutrin!
I just started generic Welbutrin 150mg BID 18 days ago and am experiencing ataxia. Does this side effect go away after you are on it awhile or should I ask Dr about dc’ing it?
Hi Lora:
Ataxia is the second most commonly reported ototoxic side effect of taking Bupropion. Dizziness is in first place. Tinnitus is in third place.
I don’t have any information to indicate whether ataxia is temporary or permanent. One lady reported, “I developed an abrupt onset of severe ataxia and tinnitus upon beginning Bupropion. The gait disturbance [ataxia] has been debilitating.”
If the ataxia doesn’t go away or lessen pretty soon, I’d think I’d quit taking this drug. It is quite ototoxic and you don’t want the other side effects such as tinnitus and hearing loss.
Cordially,
Neil
I have right side deafness from taking Wellbutrin. I thought it wS due to Menieres disease, but when I was feeling more depressed and took an extra dose of Wellbutrin, I began to have hearing loss in my other ear. I stopped all Wellbutrin immediately. I am appalled that there are no public outcries about this affect. It seems there has to be more people coming forward with this related loss. I feel we are expendable at the greed of pharmaceutical companies. Too bad that Wellbutrin is such an effective drug for depression.
Did your hearing come back after you stopped taking Wellbutrin?
I started taking Wellbutrin SR tablets about ten months ago for moderate depression. Approx. one month after i began taking it I woke up unable to hear out of my left ear. I was diagnosed with SNHL. I am currently in the middle of trying to file a lawsuit due to this. It is not listed on the side effects. I am only 29 years old and now will never be able to hear again out of my left side. This is devastating and has caused more depression than I had before I started taking wellbutrin.
I was never told that wellbutrin may cause me to go deaf for the rest of my life. This should definitely be on the side effects. Oh hey you might go blind….like hearing, sight and touch are the most important senses we have. If we cant hear or see we cannot communicate. Any medication that has these as possible side effects should definitely have to warn people. I think there should be a lawsuit filed. Contact me Buddy Nalls from Painter, Virginia on facebook if you are interested in pursuing a lawsuit for tinnitus or SNHL or hearing loss as a result of taking wellbutrin. We should be compensated for our lifelong injuries. This will affect us for the rest of our lives. That is not OKAY.
I have been on Wellbutrin for over 10 years at least. I’m experiencing a painful sensation in my ears, particularly my left ear. I got off Wellbutrin when I was pregnant with both daughters. I did start again but was breastfeeding my youngest. We have recently learned she has bilateral hearing loss. She has been fitted for hearing aids. This is devastating if I contributed to her hearing loss.
Hi Stephanie:
One of the more common side effects of Wellbutrin is ear pain–so that may be the cause.
It’s possible that you passed on the Wellbutrin in your breast milk and it caused your daughter’s hearing loss–although I’ve never specifically run across this so far.
However, don’t beat yourself up now. What’s done is done–and you certainly didn’t do it deliberately. You need to forgive yourself and move on (assuming her hearing loss is from your taking the Wellbutrin and not from something else.)
In my case, I “deliberately” gave one of my daughters hearing loss since I carry a dominant gene for hearing loss and knew that before I got married. The law of averages says that every second child will have hearing loss–and that is exactly what happened. Interestingly enough, my younger daughter didn’t pass the gene along to her two sons. They both have normal hearing so they don’t carry that gene and it should not appear in future generations. The law of averages didn’t work here. But the truth is that its like flipping a coin–heads you’re hard of hearing, tails you have normal hearing. You can flip a coin and get two heads in a row, or two tails in a row, or one of each. But on the average you get one of each–which is more or less what happened to by grandfather, my mother, me and my brother–but not with my daughter–she got two “tails” in a row.
Cordially,
Neil
I started taking 150mg of Wellbutrin about two years ago, as soon as the doctor increased the dose to 300mg, I got pressure in my right ear as well as tinnitus and an episode of vertigo and nausea which I still get every 4-6 months. I’m in the military so the hearing loss and tinnitus could be related to that. My hearing and tinnitus is getting worst. I will be fitted for a hearing aid shortly. There are too many similarities between all of us for this to be a coincidence. I would like to know if there will be some kind of class action lawsuit or something.
I have since weaned off Wellbutrin, after reading all these comments I’m pretty confident I will never get the hearing back or the tinnitus to go away. Wish I never took the meds. Good luck everyone.
Hi Neil, I’ve noticed many people have some sort of noise sound from their ears when in complete silence.
Did a quick internet search and some say that everyone has some form of tinnitus and that no one hears absolute silence.
Is there any validity to this?
I understand those that suffer from Tinnitus are dealing with a louder than comfortable sound but do we all hear some noise?
Hi Mariam:
That is partly true. No one hears complete silence for very long. That’s an oxymoronic way of putting it as you can’t “hear” silence. You just don’t hear anything–but you get the idea.
Here is a quote from my upcoming 8th edition of my book “Take Control of Your Tinnitus”
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Did you know that almost everyone can hear tinnitus if they are in a totally quiet room. Back in 1953 two researchers by the names of Heller and Bergman performed a simple, yet classic, experiment. They took 80 university students with normal hearing, and who did not have any tinnitus, and one by one placed them in a sound-proof room for 5 minutes.
These students where under the impression they were taking a hearing test. They were instructed to press a button whenever they heard any sounds played through their headphones. However, this was a trick. No sounds were played at all. They actually experienced 5 minutes of total silence.
Guess what? Incredibly, 93% of the students pressed the button. When questioned afterwards, the students reported hearing a wide range of sounds, including buzzing, pulsing, and whistling sounds in their heads or ears. These sounds are identical to those reported by most tinnitus sufferers.
__________________
Tinnitus basically occurs when the random sounds in our auditory systems become synchronized and amplified. So, theoretically, anyone and everyone can hear tinnitus if the conditions are right. But for most people the sounds are so faint they are not aware of them, until something bad happens to their auditory system such as hearing loss. Then the neurons in our brains that don’t have anything to do “get into mischief” which we hear as tinnitus.
Roughly one out of every 7 people experience tinnitus at some point.
Cordially,
Neil
I recently traveled from 500′ elevation to nearly 8000′ in a single day on a road trip. I started feeling pressure in both ears as we ascended and they continued to “pop” all the way up, with extremely painful pressure around 4000′. After descending the other side of the mountain my hearing is nearly gone in left ear. The right seems as if there is a plastic cup over the ear when I, or others are speaking. Unfortunately we had to drive back over the summit to get home and it happened all over again, making it even worse.
Eight months ago I began feeling pressure and pain in the eustachian tubes and thought I had a small head cold. I saw an ENT, He scoped the para-pharyngeal area found light mucous at the front of tubes, otherwise it was without interest. I have had two audiology test since I began taking the BUPROPION HCL almost a year ago. Today, I asked my doctor to schedule me again. There are clear signs of rapid hearing loss. I am still taking the medication, and intend to begin the process of tapering off immediately. None of the printed literature that came with my BUPROPION HCL showed hearing loss as a side effect. This is the document provided by the FDA. https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/drugsatfda_docs/label/2019/020358s061lbl.pdf#page=34 (See 6.2 Postmarketing Experience,)
I am looking for others that have medical verification of hearing loss while taking BUPROPION. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.
I too have hearing loss that I attibute to buproprion. I’m very upset. My audiograms show it.
I started taking 150mg Wellbutrin (as combined therapy with sertraline), and first few days it did what it was supposed to do. It was easier to get out of bed, I had more energy etc. On the 5th day I woke up at 6am to take it, as prescribed, and went back to sleep for two more hours. At 8am I woke up with “stuffy” ear (right one), but it was very specific feeling, I never had it before. I thought of Wellbutrin straight away and started searching and found this thread.
By afternoon I started hearing a high pitched sound (tinnitus, never had it before), not loud, 2 out of 10, but it disturbed me a lot. I also started feeling a bit of pain deep in my both ears.
By evening it started getting better.
I decided to stop with Wellbutrin IMMEDIATELY, and my doctor also told me to stop for a few days and see what happens. This morning I woke up with no tinnitus, I was very lucky. I will never take Wellbutrin again
Hi Goran:
The Wellbutrin could certainly have been the culprit, I’m not doubting that, but why did you think of the Wellbutrin and not the Sertraline? Both of them can cause tinnitus and ear pain, etc.?
Cordially,
Neil
Hi Neil,
To be honest, only because I just had my Wellbutrin dose 2 hours before that, no other reason. I didn’t take it today and I don’t intend to continue, and my ears have been fine today, although I took Seratline as supposed. It makes me confirm my suspicion that it was Wellbutrin.
What is your opinion on this please?
Regards!
Hi Goran:
I agree with you that it is likely the Wellbutrin. I just wanted to know if you had a good reason for picking the Wellbutrin over the Sertraline.
Cordially,
Neil
What can you substitute for the bupropion? I’ve been on this for years. Hearing loss and tinnitus.
Hi John:
Before I can suggest something else, I need to know why you are taking the Bupropion? And also, why you’ve been on it for years. Why do you still need it?
Cordially,
Neil
I am so thankful I found this thread!
I started generic Wellbutrin approx 3 months ago.
I am 57 and have always had excellent hearing. I haven’t had an earache since I was a kid.
Since starting the medication, I have been experiencing tinnitus in both ears muffled hearing and “stuffiness” in my left ear.
I just sent a note to my doctor to reduce my Rx in order to stop it completely.
I am praying this is not permanent. It’s miserable.
I was on Wellbutrin 150XL for 4 months and I’ve had vertigo for over a year since I’ve been off of it they still can’t find a solution I want to start a class action lawsuit. If there’s one going on or a group of people starting one please email me Evergreenexteriorcleaning@gmail.com
Hi Sam:
Did you get the vertigo while you were taking the Bupropion, or did the vertigo begin when you got off this drug? Did you taper off the Bupropion or essentially quit “cold turkey”?
Cordially,
Neil
I have try like 15medications already, and only bupropion works so far TT but im too scared too take it may i know around how many % risk of hearing loss or did anyone got your hearing back?
Thank you very much
Hi Si:
You don’t say why you need to take the Bupropion. There are probably other good alternatives that your doctor may not know about since it seems he is bent on prescribing drugs.
I can’t tell you the exact percentage, but I rate it as a high risk based on the information I have accumulated and the numerous reports I receive from people taking it.
For some people, their hearing loss and tinnitus are temporary, but for others both can be permanent. There is no way to tell ahead of time which group you’ll be in.
If you do choose to take Bupropion, be aware that the lower the dose, the less the risk of ototoxic side effects. Numbers of people find that going from 150 mg a day to 300 mg is what caused their side effects.
Below 100 mg per day seems to have much less risk of getting ototoxic side effects, so if you can stay at that rate or lower, you decrease the risk considerably.
Cordially,
Neil