by Neil Bauman, Ph.D.
A lady wrote,
I have been on Lyrica for about 4 years now. I started at 25 mg a day and now I’m up to 1200 mg a day. This drug has done some terrible things to me. I want to come off Lyrica. I have tried and failed due to the withdrawal being so hard. I have just given up.
It is so sad that you have given up trying to get off this drug. Things are going to continue to go from bad to worse the longer you are on it as you also know. Thus, you need to get off it before it is too late.
Pregabalin (Lyrica) is quite an ototoxic drug. It can cause hearing loss, hyperacusis, tinnitus, ataxia, dizziness, equilibrium disorders, nystagmus, vertigo and ear infections.
Here are five stories of real people and what happened to their hearing when they took Pregabalin.
A man wrote, “My mother-in-law has been on Lyrica for over 2 years for neuropathy pain. Each time the dosage has been increased her hearing is noticeably worse within days of the increase. Her hearing has gone from 55-60% loss to over 80% loss in less than 2 years.”
A lady explained, “I took Lyrica for about two years and noticed increasing occasional hearing loss, severe tinnitus and occasional pain in my left ear. I continued to take Lyrica and then reading more about it decided to taper off and quit this drug. I have been off it for a month and a half. My hearing has dramatically improved. I still have some tinnitus, but is great to hear normal sounds again!”
A lady lamented, “I have been taking Lyrica for the past 4 years. My hearing has gotten so bad I feel like at this rate, I’m going to be deaf before 2 more years go by.”
A lady explained, “I was on Lyrica and started noticing that I was losing my hearing, more in my left ear than right, so I stopped taking the Lyrica. My hearing has continued to deteriorate to the point that I have been told that I need hearing aids. I still have terrible ringing in my ears and I have been off of the medication for 2 months now.”
A man reported, “After taking Lyrica for 6 months for pain relief I have gone suddenly deaf in my right ear and now have to have a hearing aid, but it doesn’t help. ’I’ve been off the Lyrica for 3 months now, but my hearing hasn’t come back.”
As the above stories so eloquently show, Pregabalin does indeed harm our ears. It is definitely not my choice of a drug to take—and this is just the ear effects of this drug. It causes many other serious side effects to your body as you now know.
Getting off Pregabalin will not be easy. The secret is to taper off very slowly over the course of a year or so. That would be a taper of 1/3 of 1% per day. This will give your body a chance to adjust as you slowly wean yourself off this drug.
Unfortunately, there are a number of drugs like Pregabalin that “hook” you so it is most difficult to get off them. That is why I suggest not taking drugs longer than about 2 weeks. You need to find the underlying cause of your problem and then treat it, not treat the symptoms like doctors so often do. That never gets rid of the problem so you are stuck on drugs for life and have to deal with all the consequent side effects.
If you want to look up the ototoxic side effects of Pregabalin or any other ototoxic drugs, see my book Ototoxic Drugs Exposed 3rd edition. This book contains information on the ototoxicity of 877 drugs, 35 herbs and 148 chemicals.
I’ve been on 600 mg per day for four years for nerve damage caused by not getting back sergery in time. just this morning I got up from bed and noticed my ears ringing badly,after checking I realized my right ear had lost half it’s hearing. I’m wondering if the drug caused this. I’m going to the clinic first thing tomorrow. is their any proof that this drug causes hearing loss? I know it causes memory loss and anxiety along with eye irritation.My pain is severe and can’t function without this drug. I don’t know what to do.
I have been taking this drug (pregabalin) for couple of years. January 2013 I woke to find out I had lost all hearing in left ear. My doctor sent me to hospital where I had hearing test, steroids. For 5 weeks I could not even sit up without feeling /being sick. Now yr and half later I am still deafin left ear and nowmy hearing is fading in right. I believe it is all down to the meds but my doctor has refused to change it.
So today I have decided not to take them anymore. I think I would rather have the terrible side effects than stay on these any longer.
Get your hearing checked and get of the tabs today.
I have been taking pregabalin for just over a year, 200mg in total each day. Although I had some minor tinnitus prior to starting the medication, the tinnitus I now have is very, very loud, is there seemingly all day, and both my ears are hurting. I’m thinking that these side effects, if that’s what the problems are, are worse than the symptoms I started it to counteract are.
I went cold turkey from pregabalin about 4 weeks ago as I forgot to take my medication on holiday abroad with me. Three days in I was in an awful state, agitated, not sleeping well, very low mood, nausea and pretty verbally hostile to my loved ones that I was with. Fortunately I managed to arrange to get some capsules. I would really like to stop the medication now but know I have to do so slowly.
I have very blocked ears and I am on pregabalin and I have ringing sounds in my ears . and tinnitus and feel much worse over. month and two months . and feel dizzy and distressed .I am very anxious and drained with tiredness . and frightened .
Hi Rosie:
It would seem you need to get of Pregabalin. It looks like it is only doing bad things to your body and nothing good. So why are you continuing to take it? I’d tell your doctor you want off it.
Cordially,
Neil
The problem is with me and I’m sure a lot of people is that it is pushed on us by our Drs, first it was gabapentin for 4 years and Lyrica for 2 years, I quit taking Lyrica 3 months ago and still have ringing in my ears, I hope it’s not permanent,thx for reading
Hi James:
You have to do your own research (due diligence) and then push back. Ultimately it is your choice which drugs you put in your mouth. Typically, I refuse my doctor’s prescriptions unless it is a matter of life and death. Instead, I seek out alternative medicine treatments that don’t use drugs.
Since your tinnitus has persisted for the past 3 months, it is highly unlikely that your tinnitus will go away. However, that doesn’t have to be a problem. You can learn how to “Take Control of Your Tinnitus”–see chapter 16 in my book by that name at https://hearinglosshelp.com/shop/take-control-of-your-tinnitus-heres-how/ .
I’ve lived with tinnitus for nigh onto 70 years now. I do not let it bother me although it is there all the time, but many times I’m not even aware I have tinnitus. You can learn how to do the same.
Cordially,
Neil
I have been on 150mg of pregabalin for a year &a half now, I’ve told my consultant I have noticed hearing loss in my left ear (the side of the pain I am using drugs to control) but he insists that the drugs aren’t the cause… I had an op to “help” the neuralgia but it didn’t work and I needed to up my dose of pregabalin by another 75mg a day .. My dr says this is still a pretty low dose but since upping it I have had awful memory problems and the pain is slowly coming back … I’m at a loss I feel I need to come off them but I cannot cope with the pain if i do 🙁
I have been on Lyrica for probably 8 years. It was prescribed as a blocker for migraines that had me down for up to 7 days at a time. I now have slight hearing loss, tinnitus which comes and goes, dizziness and balance problems and some vision issues. I have gotten myself down to 50 mg once a day but really want to get off of it totally especially now that I am reading that it is an ototoxic drug. I am now retired and I think my migraines were caused by the very stressful job I had. I have set up a calendar starting with every other day for 3 months then to every 3 days for 3 months and so on until I am free from this drug. If I do get a migraine I have other medication to take that I only have to take once and the migraine is gone. I just hope that at least some of my side effects lessen over time.
Hi Sandy:
I hope so too. Just looking at hearing loss, I have heard from a number of people that quit and never got any lost hearing bock. That’s the bad news. However, I heard from one lady, that like you, tapered off, didn’t quite cold turkey and here is what she wrote. “I took Lyrica for about two years and noticed increasing occasional hearing loss, severe tinnitus and occasional pain in my left ear. I continued to take Lyrica and then reading more about it decided to taper off and quit this drug. I have been off it for a month and a half. My hearing has dramatically improved. I still have some tinnitus, but is great to hear normal sounds again.”
So we can hope you have a similar experience with all your side effects, but the odds are stacked against you, so don’t be too upset if it doesn’t happen. There are lots of people in the same boat after taking this quite ototoxic drug. I rate it a 4 out of 5 so it is pretty bad.
Cordially,
Neil
Hi! I’ve only been on Lyrica for 5 days (75mg/day) but plan to taper starting today due to ringing in my ears that began three days ago. Any suggestions on how to taper properly after taking for such a short time?
Hi Katherine:
I really don’t know whether you have to taper or not. I suspect you can just quit cold turkey since it’s only been 3 days and your body hasn’t built up a dependence on it yet. It would be a good idea to run this by your pharmacist and see what he says.
Cordially,
Neil
Hi Dr Neil.
I’ve been taking lyrica for about 2 months @300mg at a time… But I only take it about once or twice a week.
I was prescribed it for help coming off a huge cannabis habit as well as fibromyalgia and neuropathic pain. I have bad tinnitus from cholesteatoma issues but noticed it gets worse when I do take it.. Raging torrent type of worse with more than one type of sound bellowing. I thought it was just in my head (pun not intended) but reading these comments helps me realise I’m not just imagining it!
Do you think I can stop totally and just throw the whole box and repeat scripts out, without a taper?
Thank you in advance,
Kymahlia.
Hi Kymahlia:
I really can’t tell you the answer. If the Pregabalin hasn’t affected your brain because you take it only once a week or so, perhaps you can stop it cold turkey. Why not ask your pharmacist or doctor? But if it were me, I’d get off it as soon as possible.
Cordially,
Neil
Is nystagmus normal when coming off a drug? Or maybe not normal, but will it go away? I’ve never had it before, but have had this nystagmus for about 14 days in my withdrawal.
Hi Darren:
I’ve not heard of people getting nystagmus from coming off a drug–although I suppose it’s possible.
Nystagmus is caused by your balance system (vestibular system) being damaged on one side and not the other, or damaged MORE on one side than the other.
I suspect that your vestibular system was damaged while you were on the drug and the damage is bad enough now that it is showing up. Sometimes damaged from drugs is ongoing even after you get off the drug. So I think it is the drug and not the taper that is causing your nystagmus.
I don’t have much information about how long nystagmus lasts, but I can tell you this. If the damage in the balance system in your bad or worse ear improves, then your nystagmus should disappear as both of your ears become the “same”.
Cordially,
Neil
Hi All
very similar problems with Hearing and Balance loss Headaches , have been on Pregabalin for about 12 months now on 150mg twice a day for limb pain migraine and anxiety, now having severs tinnitus drumming in head head pressure balance problems swaying vision at times left ear pain , consultant said up pregabalin to 600 a day tried several times to up even by 25 mg a day but get head pressure drumming in ears and headache so i am keeping to 150 mg twice a day and will try to come off the drug after holiday but will take at least 6 months.
have lost 60% Hearing in this time had Head scans and now need Hearing aids to see if they help.
Left ear seems worse with Loud Tinnitus and Pain at times , Driving me Mad + it has not helped with any issues it was prescribed for .
This drug may work for many but for me has caused more problems .
So come June 1st will start reducing by 25mg a day for 2 months then 50mg a day and so on until off the drug , wish me luck .
will help ( Just a Suffer not Professional )
Hi All
very similar problems with Hearing and Balance loss Headaches , have been on Pregabalin for about 12 months now on 150mg twice a day for limb pain migraine and anxiety, now having severs tinnitus drumming in head head pressure balance problems swaying vision at times left ear pain , consultant said up pregabalin to 600 a day tried several times to up even by 25 mg a day but get head pressure drumming in ears and headache so i am keeping to 150 mg twice a day and will try to come off the drug after holiday but will take at least 6 months.
have lost 60% Hearing in this time had Head scans and now need Hearing aids to see if they help.
Left ear seems worse with Loud Tinnitus and Pain at times , Driving me Mad + it has not helped with any issues it was prescribed for .
This drug may work for many but for me has caused more problems .
So come June 1st will start reducing by 25mg a day for 2 months then 50mg a day and so on until off the drug , wish me luck .
will help ( Just a Suffer not Professional )
Dear Dr Neil
Hi, Two months ago after consuming only 3 No 50 mg sertraline tablets I have been affected with anxiety attacks with Tinnitus (first experience)
My psychologist started Lyrica , Clonazpam and Depakin to treat anxiety. I still using drugs but the tinnitus is still present with no differences. However anxiety attacks almost treated.
What do you think about my Tinnitus? Will I struggle with it all the time?
Thanks
Hi Reza:
I’m not clear whether you got tinnitus from taking Sertraline and that caused your anxiety attacks, or whether you had anxiety attacks and thus took Sertraline and the result was tinnitus.
Sertraline (Loloft) certainly causes tinnitus and hearing loss in numbers of people. So does Pregabalin (Lyrica). Clonazepam (Klonopin) can cause tinnitus in numbers of people. Valproate (Depakin) also can cause hearing loss and tinnitus in numbers of people.
As you can imagine, taking all these drugs that are known to cause tinnitus or make it worse, are not going to make your tinnitus go away.
Cordially,
Neil
Hi, I have been using lyrica M for about 2 weeks and a half , I would take it every other day . The first week I took 450 mg every other day. The next week i took 750 mg a day. Then for one day i took 1200 mg . Then i abruptly stopped 10 days ago I felt some strong withdrawals that I didnot even notice were associated with lyrica when i took the lyrica back again I felt better. I have taken the lyrica again 3 times over 1 week now a total of around 300 mg a day. I want to stop it what is the right taper period. I was thinking 50 mg for 3 days and then 25 mg for 3 days then stop completely
Hi Al:
I don’t have any information on the “right” taper for getting off Lyrica. If you had side effects when you stopped, and you were up to 1200 mg a day and are now on 300 mg a day, I’d think your proposed taper is too fast. I’d be more inclined to go from 300 to 200 to 100, then to the 50 and 25 and off–with 3 days at each level.
If you see side effects at that speed you know you are going too fast and can need to stop the taper at that point until the side effects go away, then continue on the taper again.
Cordially,
Neil
I have been on Lyrica since 8/29z I had spinal cord surgery last summer and I am still experiencing numbness in my legs and feet. I did find that my balance was worse when I was taking the Lyrica but the numbness is better on it. I stopped two nights ago cause I figured balance is more important.. do you think I gave it a fair try?
Hi Gina:
One suggestion I have is to try to get the best of both worlds–reduce the numbness, but not wreck the balance. You could try reducing the dose. At some point, you should fly under the balance radar, yet hopefully still have a beneficial effect on your numbness. It’s worth a try.
Cordially,
Neil
I took ONE Lyrica after getting samples from my Psychiatrist. I had to leave work because it made me so dizzy that I couldn’t function. I went home and got in bed thinking this nightmare is almost over. I was wrong. Even though the extremely drunk feeling went away. I woke up in severe pain. I had back pain for the first time in my life, and my hands hurt so bad I couldn’t turn a door knob, or squeeze a bottle. I KNOW this was the Lyrica because the pain came immediately upon waking. Here is whats worse.. This was 3 years ago. Everyday I wake up in pain, almost to the point that I want to end my life. I am only 23 years old.. WHY And HOW?! Please don’t try this drug. I wished someone would have warned me 3 years ago. I wished I could enjoy a Thanksgiving or any holiday again. I feel like I have ruined my life.. All I Can say is DON’T DO IT you have your future to think about, regardless of your age. Does anyone have suggestions for this on going pain? I have tried almost everything.
I am also suffering form these symptoms. Please go to a group on Facebook called: Lyrica Survivors. they can support you.
Hi
read my post march 2018.
have you tried an anti depressant it works for me for limb pain and migraine + it does help me to be calmer and i get some sleep
Hi all
was given Pregabalin for restless leg and limb pain +migraine pain.
seemed to be very calming at first then tinnitus ,headache ,drumming in head balance problems started , never had these before have lost 35% hearing in left ear and now have permanent tinnitus.
Came off the drug very slowly down to 25mg a day but still had a week of withdrawal cold sweats ,headache, pressure head not nice.
I am glad i came off this drug before any more damage has been done,if it works for you fine but if suffer with the problems i had think about stopping it very slowly and be prepared for withdrawal symptoms but it should only last up to a week ,i would not swop my pains for this drug the side affects are far worse, I am now on a mild anti depressant and pain med far better with minimal side affects .
I would never recommend Pregabalin it is as far as i am concerned a Ear and balance destroyer throwing Tinnitus and headaches into the bargain.
people should be told at the start to contact their Doctor if any of the side affects start or get worse
hya neil ive been on pregabs for about four for nerve damage 600 mg im exsperinceing some mad side effects anziaty dizzyness its stoped working so im takeing more ive just come of loads of drugs ie methode morpine and fentanal im clean of all oppiates and i want to stop the pregabs there doing my head is it addvice able to ust stop and use a bezzo to do a qwiuk turkey any addvice would be greatfully recevied
Hi Neil:
I’m glad you are trying to become drug-free. You are doing well to be off all opiates now.
I would never come off a psychotropic drug cold turkey. That is just asking for even more trouble. I’d taper down slowly. If withdrawal symptoms appear, you know you are going too fast. It could take as long as a year to taper off. A slow taper would be 1/3 of 1% per day.
You don’t want to get hooked on Benzo’s either. They are also very hard to get off of once you form a dependence on them so better never to start.
Cordially,
Neil
hi …i have been on 225mg of lyrica (75mg three times a day) for pudendal neuropathy. After 8 years this medication has affected my eye sight and now my hearing with tinnitus. I went to an ENT dr that tested my hearing and my hearing is perfect but there is a sound like wind or a motor in the distance that is 24-7. I now have a chronic illness (PN) and the med for it has caused a second chronic illness (Tinnitus).
Hi First:
You are not alone. Hundreds and hundreds of people have reported getting tinnitus from taking Pregabalin (Lyrica). You are lucky in that many more hundreds and hundreds of people have also experienced hearing loss from this drug, and multiplied thousands have experienced balance problems. This is one drug I’d never want to take unless there was no other alternative.
Cordially,
Neil
Pregabalin is the worst drug ever…I took 3 tablets over two days 25mg, and my Tinitus was 5 times worse. Beware this is awful to the ears…AWFUL
I’m experiencing aural fullness (clogged ears/hearing loss) from Lyrica, worse in left ear. Never experienced any hearing problems before starting Lyrica in past month. First learned from the website that Lyrica can be ototoxic. I’m going to taper myself off Lyrica or take very small dose because my hearing is too important.
Hi Nate:
Good idea. I think you are being wise. Hundreds upon hundreds of people taking Pregabalin have reported resulting hearing loss not to mention tinnitus, and thousands upon thousands of people have reported various balance issues.
Cordially,
Neil
Do you have any feedback about Gabapentin as an alternative to Lyrica?
Hi Bill:
I rate them both roughly about the same as regarding their ototoxicity. But it seems that Gabapentin is probably less ototoxic than Pregabalin. But you have to be cautious about taking either one of them.
More people taking Gabapentin report tinnitus than hearing loss by a large margin. The exact reverse is true for those taking Pregabalin. So, very generally, if you want to avoid hearing loss take Gabapentin and if you want to avoid tinnitus take Pregabalin–tough choice for sure.
Cordially,
Neil
Just to throw in a positive review: Lyrica has given my life back. I have narcolepsy and Ehlers-Danlos Hypermobile. Not only has it done wonders for my sleep duration and quality (I could only sleep in 45 minute intervals before I started), but it has drastically reduced my joint pain and peripheral neuropathy. I take 450mg once every evening and, while I do get balance/memory issues at night, they resolve fully almost during the day. The only constant side effect that really bothers me is when I lose a word mid-sentence. This didn’t happen to me before and it’s frustrating to not be able to think of the word for “computer” when it’s right in front of me.
My only real complaint is that the withdrawals are super ugly. Maybe the ugliest, if I’m being honest. I’ve kicked both benzos and opiates (panic attacks/back surgery) and I find Lyrica withdrawal completely intractable. The physical symptoms suck (nausea/GI problems/flu like symptoms), but the soul crushing depression that comes with it is unreal. The worst part is that, in my case, I get an extreme reduction in my executive functioning. I can know that I’ll feel better if I get off the couch, but my brain can’t even figure out the steps to do such a thing.
Hi Chaz:
I have problems accepting that your Lyrica review is positive when you say trying to get off this drug is “super ugly” and “Lyrica withdrawal is completely intractable”. To me this is the strongest recommendation to NEVER take this drug whether it helps you in the short term or not as your long-term life is going to be real hell when it no longer helps you and begins to hurt you–and then you can’t get off it because that attempt is even worse.
Cordially,
Neil
I was put on Pregabaline 9 months ago for anxiety – Psychiatrist wouldn’t take me off them so I got advice from my GP who said Icould go from 50mg tablets twice a day to 25mg tablets and gradually taper off. I now have 22 tablets left – how best to stop these?
Hi Billiejean:
Personally, I think trying to taper off Pregabalin after taking it for nine months with only 22 tablets is tapering too fast. I’d ask your GP for another prescription or two so that you can do a much slower taper. you want to taper slow enough so that no withdrawal side effects appear.
Cordially,
Neil
“That is why I suggest not taking drugs longer than about 2 weeks. You need to find the underlying cause of your problem and then treat it, not treat the symptoms like doctors so often do.”
If you know of a different drug that I can take for only two weeks for prophylaxis of my chronic migraine, or have discovered how to treat the underlying genetic disorder that causes them, I’d be very interested to hear it. As would every headache specialist neurologist on the planet.
Hi Michal:
You are looking in the wrong places–thinking that only drugs are the answer. If doctors were open to looking into ALL possibilities including alternative medicine, chiropractic, herbals, nutrition, the whole person instead of treating each ailment as a separate condition, then they’d be able to help a LOT more people than they do now what with their tunnel vision focused just on drugs.
Cordially,
Neil
I was prescribed Lyrica 50mg 1x day for cervical stenosis. I noticed that I started having ear pain 2-3 days after taking it. I continued to take it for a total of 10 days and had severe ear pain, fluid draining sensation in my ear and ringing. I stopped taking it and am going to the ENT as I think I have an ear infection. Be careful of Pain Mgmt docs as it looks to me that they are more concerned about giving you injections and drugs than taking care of your problems correctly.
Hi Maryann:
Hundreds upon hundreds of people have reported getting tinnitus and ear pain from taking Pregabalin (Lyrica), so you are certainly not alone.
The obvious thing to do is stop taking this drug and find one that does not cause ear pain and hopefully not tinnitus either (although that can be harder to find).
Cordially,
Neil
If Lyrica can cause tinnitus how come that side effect is NOT included in the Patient Information Leaflet?
I have taken Lyrica for more than 14 years with no side effects whatsoever. Now I have an awful kind of tinnitus.
Hi Mrs Bech:
The reason tinnitus is not listed is that not all the side effects are listed by any means–just a few of the main ones. If they listed all the side effects the list would likely be 150 to 300 lines long.
So they leave out the “minor” side effects and that typically includes things like hearing loss, tinnitus and balance problems.
Cordially,
Neil
Hello sir. I’ve been on pregabalin 150mg, nortriptyline 20 mg for 20 months for neuropathic pain in the groin region. A couple of weeks ago, I tried to reduce the dose to half. Since about a week ago, I’ve been having tinnitus at night, which is in the morning too now. My doctor has told me to stop the drug altogether.
I wanted to ask if tinnitus is a side effect of the drug, or a withdrawal side effect.
And what are the odds of tinnitus improving, given that it is my only symptom.
Hi Arjit:
Dropping the dose by 50% seems much too fast a taper to me, given the fact that you were on it for 20 months.
Yes, tinnitus is a common side effect of taking Pregabalin, not so much with Nortriptyline. As near as I can tell, tinnitus is a side effect of Pregabalin. I don’t have any specific information that it is a withdrawal side effect.
The good news is that tinnitus from Pregabalin can go away once you are off the drug and your body has adjusted to that. You should notice a significant drop in your tinnitus, even if it doesn’t go completely away.
Cordially,
Neil
I was prescribed 150mg Pregabalin a day in September 2019. At Christmas I started tapering down, as didn’t feel like I wanted to be on this drug long term. I had no withdrawal affects. I have had tinnitus since teens. However when I stopped Pregabalin about late May all seemed ok, I then noticed that my Tinnitus was much louder with a different noise. I am now wondering if the Pregabalin has damaged my hearing further? I am just hoping it will calm down and this is just a spike. How long does it take for the brain to adjust after stopping Pregabalin?
Hi Sven:
How long did the taper take–from Christmas to the end of May? If so, and you had a constant taper, your tinnitus shouldn’t have flared up.
I don’t know how long it takes your brain to adjust after stopping. That is why you taper slowly so it is adjusting all the time and by the time you have tapered down to almost nothing, it should already be mostly adjusted.
Possibly you didn’t taper down to a low enough dose before you “jumped off”–so your brain still had too much adjusting to still do. Everyone is different so it is hard to say how long it takes brains to adjust.
You can help your tinnitus to calm down by focusing on the loves of your life and letting you tinnitus fade into the background. The more you focus on it, the louder it typically becomes.
Cordially,
Neil
Hi Neil
Apologies for the late reply and many thanks for the reply. I tapered down constantly over the months. It’s strange, as I didn’t notice the Tinnitus, until after I came off. I have suffered from Tinnitus for 25 years and wondering if it could be my hearing deteriorating. I am thinking of going back to hearing services for another hearing test, it might be the time for hearing aids, as I was advised that could be a a future thing for me.
Hi Sven:
Tinnitus certainly accompanies hearing loss, so if you have an increasing loss, you could be getting more tinnitus. That is one possibility, but if your hearing loss is gradual, you could habituate to your tinnitus as fast as you lose hearing so it doesn’t appear to be any louder than before. That is the way mine is working.
If you need hearing aids and get and wear them, you may find your tinnitus goes down or away while you are wearing them as your brain then has enough real sounds to keep it happy. So that is worth investigating.
But there is still the chance that your increasing tinnitus was due to getting off the Pregabalin too rapidly, especially at the end. The last step could have been too big. For some people, they have to go even more gradually as they reach the jumping off point.
Cordially,
Neil
Hi Neil
Many thanks for the reply. Is it possible then raised Tinnitus can be from your brain not getting the appropriate frequency’s then? The the only thing I can put it down to is either the Pregabalin, more hearing loss or stress, as haven’t been subjected to loud noises. I am waiting Audiology, so think hearing aids could be the way forward. I’ll let you know many thanks for the advice.
Hi Sven:
The frequency of your tinnitus often is close to the frequency of your greatest hearing loss, so if your greatest hearing loss is say at 6 kHz, then, as a general rule, you could expect your tinnitus to be around say 5 kHz.
Stress can certainly exacerbate tinnitus, and as you know tinnitus often accompanies hearing loss, but Pregabalin can certainly cause tinnitus as well. It’s hard to know which is the real culprit, or whether it is a combination of several factors combined–which is think is the most likely cause.
See if wearing hearing aids cuts down your tinnitus, at least while wearing them. You may find your tinnitus comes back when you take them off at night and goes down again when you put them on in the morning. If so, that would indicate your tinnitus is mostly due to your hearing loss.
Cordially,
Neil
Hi my name is frank I have been on endep for 12years on a low dose (25-75mg a day)have had neuropathy for past 4yrs have been on Lyrica for 1year and also last 3 months I to have tinnitus I want to taper off but fear more pain
Hi Frank:
I’ve heard from numbers of people that have developed hearing loss and tinnitus from taking Lyrica, so I agree that it would be good to get off it. You should see a pain doctor that does not just prescribe drugs, but teaches you how to deal with the pain.
My wife’s cousin is such a doctor. He told me that taking pain medication only works to a certain degree and things never get better. After two years, a person on pain medication feels just as much pain as a person who doesn’t take drugs but deals with the pain in other ways. This just shows that pain medications are not the real answer.
Cordially,
Neil
Im taking Lyrica 2x 300mg a day for like 2 months. started with 2x 75mg a day and upgraded it with 1x75mg more after each month.
Since 2 weeks ago i have a ringing sound constantly, its not loud but its continue.
Im going to quit lyrica and hope the ringing sound quits, really getting crazy about it
If i can start over i didnt take Lyrica, it can change your life in a bad way 🙁
Is there a big chance the sound goes away after you stop with Lyrica? it will take 6 months to quit, they recommended me to quit slowley
Hi Bjorn:
Pregabalin (Lyrica) is quite ototoxic. Two of the most common side effects people complain about are hearing loss and tinnitus. I wouldn’t say there is a big chance your tinnitus will go away when you get off of it, but in some cases it can happen. Hope it works in your case.
Cordially,
Neil
I am on pregabalin due neuropathic pain, 75mg a day since one month, since last 10 days having some headaches and and ringing ears today, what should I do?
Hi Alpen:
Pregabalin can certainly cause your ears to ring (tinnitus). If you can’t stand the tinnitus, then ask your doctor to prescribe a different drug.
Cordially,
Neil
Dear Neil,
I have been taking Pregabalin (25mg twice a day) for nerve pain and abnormal sensations for nearly 2 weeks. Unfortunately it seems to make my tinnitus a lot worse. Do you know an alternative medication which is not so damaging for the ears? Is Gabapentin any better?
thanks a lot
Uli
Hi Uli:
There are a few things you could try. First, cut the dose down and perhaps the ototoxic side effects will go away.
You could switch to Gabapentin (assuming it works for you) as the risk of tinnitus is only 1/3 the risk of tinnitus taking Pregabalin.
Look into natural painkillers–see a herbalist or naturopathic doctor (ND).
Cordially,
Neil
Dear Neil,
I want to discontinue with Pregabalin because it causes Tinnitus. I have only been taking it for 2 weeks (25mg twice a day). How long would it take me to safely taper off the drug?
thanks a lot
Uli
Hi Uli:
Typically, the shorter a time you are on a drug, the faster you can taper off it, and for some drugs even quit “cold turkey”. Since you have only been on it for 2 weeks, you should be able to taper of it fairly quickly.
Ask your doctor what he thinks. I’d probably double his estimate just to be safe, but I’m thinking that tapering off over 2 months would be a safe rate if you don’t have any dependence on this drug–but this is just my gut feeling–not based on actual experience. One way is to watch for side effects developing due to taper off. If side effects develop, you can assume you are tapering too quickly. If no side effects show up, you may be able to speed up the taper.
Cordially,
Neil
Hi Neil,
I stopped taking Pregabalin 10 days ago. I am very worried because I keep getting constant and very loud humming noises, oral fullness, pressure and some pain.
I took Pregabalin (50mg) for only 2.5 weeks. My doctor said, I could simply stop taking the medication.
I have followed the advice of Boots chemist and took 1/2 dose for 3 days, then every other day for 3 days and then stopped. I wonder, if I tapered off too quickly. Unfortunately the constant humming noises are extremely severe, scary and disturbing. Do you know, if this is normal after stopping Pregabalin 10 days ago?
thanks a lot
Uli
Hi Uli:
The symptoms you mention all can be side effects of taking Pregabalin. I don’t know whether your symptoms are a result of taking Pregabalin in the first place, or the result of stopping taking it. Both are possibilities.
Cordially,
Neil
Do gabapentin have same side effects? My tinnitus started with a painkiller(Most probably ibuprofen) I took for ear pain. My life has been hell since then. Currently I am taking tinnex(Caroverine) 20 mg twice daily since 15 days. I will let you know the results.
Hi Krishna:
Yes, Gabapentin and Pregabalin both have much the same ototoxic side effects, so replacing one with the other probably won’t make any difference in the side effects and their severity that you experience from taking them.
Ibuprofen is noted for causing tinnitus in lots of people. Unfortunately, now you are one of them.
I’ll be interested in knowing your results with taking Caroverine. Over here it is not used for tinnitus.
Cordially,
Neil
Hi Neil,
happy to have found your website and this discussion. Nearly no one can believe my story. Yesterday evening I took my first 25mg Pregabalin due to Crampi syndrom. After going to bed I recognized to have a tinnitus in my left ear. Never had such problems before. The night was horrible and I was even not able to sleep. Not only because of the tinnitus but also because I didn´t feel tired anymore. This was my first and last Pregabalin pill. Do I have a chance to get rid of this tinnitus when stopping immediately? Still have it and my concern is that it wont go away. 🙁
Hi Christian:
Tinnitus doesn’t typically go away as soon as you stop taking a given drug. It is only the second day for you. I’d give it a couple of weeks before I’d worry that the tinnitus might be permanent, but I think you’ll find it goes away, or at least drops quite a bit in volume in the next few days.
Cordially,
Neil
Dear Neil!
Thank you for your fast response and your helpful words. I am still horrified that 1 single pill could have such an effect. Did you ever hear something similar like that?
Hi Christian:
One medical doctor had a similar experience. He took just one pill of a certain drug, and now has permanent ear problems. I can’t remember the exact details of what he told me, but I know it is in my book “Ototoxic Drugs Exposed” somewhere.
The truth is, there are not completely safe drugs. You’ve been sold a bill of goods if you believe that drugs are safe. They aren’t. The best you can hope for is that the benefits of taking a given drug are not outweighed by their negative side effects. Sometimes they are, and sometimes they aren’t. And it’s nigh impossible to predict what will happen in the case of any given person.
Cordially,
Neil
Neil, your estimate seems high. Reporting to the FDA for side effects data currently reveal the following:
243,378 people reported to have side effects when taking Lyrica.
Among them, 951 people (0.39%) have Tinnitus.
This is real world reporting data. I’m curious about your data source and how it can be reconciled with the formal FDA reoporting process.
Hi Jeff:
Which estimate are you referring to? Where did you see it and what exactly did I say?
Cordially,
Neil
Neil, here is the link to the data I provided:
https://www.ehealthme.com/ds/lyrica/tinnitus/
Their information is collected from the FDA regarding the the FDA’s phase IV results (post marketing period reports of adverse effects). As I read this information it seems to indicate that of all the adverse affects of Lyrica reported from nearly a quarter million people, tinnitus was only mentioned in .39% of this very large population. To me that implies Lyrica is a very safe drug as regards tinnitus. Would you agree? If not, is there other data that persuasively refutes the FDA phase IV results?
I much value your opinion, I’m considering taking Lyrica but I’m evaluating the tinnitus risk before I start.
Best,
John
Hi John:
The way ehealthme compiles the statistics, you’d logically think tinnitus isn’t a problem and the risk is very low. For example, those 951 reports were gathered over a period of 18 years giving an average of only 53 people per year getting tinnitus from taking Pregabalin. And since there were 11,152,692 Pregabalin prescriptions filled in 2017, 53 people out of more than 11 million prescriptions seems a very low number and thus a safe or low risk.
But remember, the percentage reported works out to 0.39%. Taking 0.0039 x 11.152 million comes out to 43,495 people per year in the USA getting tinnitus. And over the 18 years that would work out to 782,918 people getting tinnitus from this drug. That’s a lot of people and doesn’t look as safe now does it.
Furthermore, in the original studies on Pregabalin before it was released, the figure noted for tinnitus was not .39% but 2.9%, 7.4 times greater. So now the figure, instead of 43,495 per year is 321,863, and over 18 years would be 5,763.534 and that’s a LOT of people with tinnitus from just this one drug.
In addition, the number of ototoxic side effects reported to the FDAs database is grossly low–only about one hundredths of 1% are actually reported according to my calculations. So if only 53 reports of tinnitus are reported per year on the average, the true figure is 530,000 per year. And if you take that over 18 years instead of the 951 people getting tinnitus, it works out to 9,540,000 people! That’s a far cry from 951 people.
And in addition to all of the above, I have personally received a lot of reports of people having tinnitus (and other ototoxic side effects) from taking drugs.
I look at the number of reports I receive per drug as an indication of how ototoxic it is in real life situations. This corroborates the above statistics.
This was a long way to say that I do not believe the risk of getting tinnitus from taking Pregabalin is low. In fact, I think it is just the opposite.
Feel free to disagree with my conclusions on the correct multiplier for the percentage reported to the FDAs database, but whatever the exact figure, it is still enormous. Thus, I stand by my statement that the risk is considerable. Personally, I would NEVER take this drug, based on my 25+ years looking into the side effects of such drugs.
Cordially,
Neil
Neil, I’m not a scientist, I’m a lawyer and routinely assess evidence on a daily basis for its probative value and validity. I’m always cautious to explore other relevant evidence that might conflict or has a stronger validity than the conclusions I’ve drawn from the evidence I’ve already assessed. In my opinion the evidence I put forward is extremely compelling – over the course of 18 years the FDA has received side-effect complaints from a quarter-million people. A huge data set of real world events. Of those complaints approximately 1 in 300 people complained of tinnitus.
People want to know what the risk/benefit is to them. I’ve been prescribed Lyrica/Pregabalin from my doctor. I’ve had tinnitus for 25 years. I’m looking at what I believe is strong evidence that my risk is better than 300 to 1 that it won’t exacerbate my tinnitus. The source of the evidence, in my view is strong and compelling from the FDA and their quarter-million collection of adverse complaints.
Pregabalin has been studied to treat tinnitus:
https://www.anausa.org/smf/index.php?topic=12258.0
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4761664/
You mentioned that the trial, a much smaller number of people in a very limited amount of time, showed a tinnitus side-effect of 2.9%. Could you provide the source evidence of this claim please? Without the source information I can only view this as an unsupported assertion. It would be very helpful to me, and I think others, if you could provide the source of this claim.
You mentioned that the number of adverse events reported to the FDA is low. I think that’s likely true, however, it’s irrelevant to a person assessing their chance of getting tinnitus. A quarter-million people did submit complaints over the course of 18 years. That’s a huge sample size demonstrating that of those quarter-million people who did have side-effects only 1 in 300 complained of tinnitus. I consider a quarter-million people as sufficiently representative of all users of Pregabalin. The fact you received many complaints is anecdotal, in my view, it has no relevance to assess the overall population risk, and importantly, the overall risk to an individual considering use of this drug.
I think we can all agree that assessing tinnitus risk should be fact based. I’ve submitted evidence from a reliable source with collected data over a long period of time from a quarter-million people. I think assertions of risk without providing the data to support it can mislead and frighten people from using a drug which may benefit them. The best evidence available simply doesn’t support that Pregabalin represents a high risk to a person who might use it.
For me this isn’t just an academic exercise. I don’t want to increase my tinnitus but I do want to treat an illness. I’ve gathered what I believe is very compelling evidence that the risk to me is low, only 1 in 300. Neil, I respect your knowledge on this subject. I would very much appreciate if you could provide data or other scientific evidence that shows my reliance on the FDA and its quarter-million people sample size is misplaced.
Respectfully,
John
Hi John:
You want to find and act on the most accurate information available, and I want the same too. The problem is finding accurate information. This is almost impossible in the case of drugs and ototoxicity as no one specifically studies drug ototoxicity except in a few cases–typically platinum drugs, aminoglycosides and loop diuretics. Apart from that, data on ototoxicity is “incidental”, not the primary purpose of a study. In other words, the participants have to volunteer that they now have tinnitus as a result of taking the drug.
Since few people connect the dots, they don’t realize the two are connected. Therefore, they don’t report this information. Thus, at the very best, the data available show the minimum results, not the real level.
Therefore when the FDAs database shows 951 people report tinnitus out of 320,000 or so reports to the FDAs database, that is the absolute minimum which as you note is 0.39%. The true figure is much higher–but just how much higher no one knows for sure.
Since a former FDA commissioner estimated that less than 1% of serious side effects are ever reported to the FDAs database, and since ototoxic side effects are not considered “serious” since they are not life threatening, you know that this figure will be much less. My research leads me to believe it is approximately 1/100th of 1%.
This means that of the 320,000 reports to the FDAs database, most of them were related to more serious side effects and the vast majority of tinnitus side effects were not reported by these people as they were focused on other side effects and thus did not bother to report that they also had tinnitus from a given drug.
You say, “I think we can all agree that assessing tinnitus risk should be fact based.” and I agree. The problem is we don’t have any proof. Thus, we use circumstantial evidence which is the best we have. That is what I am using as best I can.
You are free to interpret the available evidence and draw your own conclusions. They certainly don’t have to agree with mine. After all, it is your body and you want to protect it so you choose the level of risk that you are comfortable with. I do the same with my body.
Cordially,
Neil
Neil, following up on my previous post, I downloaded your book “Otoxic Drugs Exposed”. Regarding Pregabalin, you listed the tinnitus side effect at 2.9%. Next to that number you referenced the Physician’s Desk Reference (PDR) as a source, however, in checking the PDR I found the Pregabalin tinnitus side effect is listed at 1%. The number you state in your book is three times higher than the PDR and 7.25 times higher than the FDA’s post marketing side effects reports. If the true incidence rate is 2.9% I will likely not take this drug but I’d like to determine the source, or process, you used to arrive at the 2.9% rate as I’ve not been able to find it through my research. Again, I respect your knowledge and research on this subject. Your source that revealed the true incidence rate of 2.9% is valuable to me and others who wish to know the actual incidence rate.
Best regards,
John
Hi John:
I think the reason you have a different figure than I quote (2.9% vs 1%) is because you are looking in a different edition of the PDR. If you look in chapter 1 and Table 1-1, you can see the specific years of the PDR and CPS that I consulted in compiling this edition of Ototoxic Drugs Exposed. In one of those you’ll find that same information I found.
Unfortunately, I had to downsize when we moved a few years ago, and in the process I threw out two filing cabinets crammed with ototoxic data and sources, as well as these old PDRs, etc. Thus, I cannot go back and give you a photocopy showing my source of information for each statement I made in that book. (I you had asked me 6 or so years ago, I would have gladly attached a photocopy of anything you wanted to know. Just can’t do it now. Sorry.)
Cordially,
Neil
Thank you for your replies Neil. I respect that you allow the posting of views that could appear contrary to your views. I think there’s one thing on which we can all agree, teasing out accurate data on tinnitus rates is difficult. For anyone who might be interested at this site: https://www.ehealthme.com/drug/lyrica/ you can see all the side effects reported to the FDA. A bit surprised that people would report flatulence (683 reports)! Best, John.
Neil, at the risk of beating a dead horse, when using placebo controlled trials which involved 2,688 subjects, Lyrica does not present even a 1% greater risk than placebo. https://www.rxlist.com/lyrica-drug.htm#side_effects
I’ve also contacted the British Tinnitus Association who reported their “Yellow Card” adverse events post-marketing drug data, similar to our FDA database, they provided the following: “There are 11 reports of tinnitus made against Lyrica on the Yellow Card database – – from a total of 13248 reported side effects across all health conditions, from 2004 to the present date.” That’s less than 1 out of 1,000 of reported adverse events.
I’ve previously referenced the 938 reports from the FDA which represent .38% of reported adverse events. There were over 9 million scripts written for Lyrica in 2020. In that context the reported rate becomes miniscule. I have more studies with similar results.
In the event you decide to publish a 4th edition you may wish to update the Lyrica information with the study and government reporting data. Again, I don’t think it’s good science to alarm people about a drug which may prove beneficial to them when the evidence doesn’t support it.
Hi John:
In that link you refer to, it says that tinnitus (which we are specifically talking about) is “frequent” Frequent is defined as adverse reactions occurring in at least 1/100 patients. So you KNOW that it is a minimum of 1% and is obviously typically higher. How much higher they don’t say, but since they list occurrences greater than 2% separately, it is obviously between 1% and 2%.
With more than 11,000,000 prescriptions per year in the US, that would mean between 110,000 and 220,000 people getting tinnitus per year. That’s a lot of people.
We can’t use the yellow card data because it only shows the number of side effects, not the number of people affected as most people will report multiple side effects.
So, coming back to your 938 reports to the FDA representing 0.38%, while that figure is supposedly true for the number that WERE reported, that is a far cry from the number that actually got tinnitus from this drug. This is borne out by the above study you quoted which reveals that AT A VERY MINIMUM 1% of the study participants reported getting tinnitus, and 1% of 9,000,000 is 90,000 people as a minimum.
Since we know that fewer than 1% ever report serious side effects to the FDA database as reported by former FDA commissioner David Kessler, we know that the figure must be many times higher.
This I stand by my originl statements that the risk of getting tinnitus from taking Pregabalin is far, far higher than the 0.39% you seem fixated on.
However, as I said before, feel free to come to your own conclusions and act on them. Far be it for me to tell you how to treat your own body. You asked me my opinion and I gave it to you based on my 25 plus years of research into ototoxic drugs.
Cordially,
Neil
Neil, I concede that tinnitus was listed in the aggregate list of all adverse events, however, that included non-placebo trials. Seemingly every possible adverse effect was listed. I’m a lawyer, not a scientist, but my understanding is that double-blind placebo controlled trials are the “gold standard” of drug testing. I’ve little doubt that some placebo participants experience tinnitus in any large drug trial, but of the placebo controlled trials which I’ve presented present data involving 2,688 participants wherein tinnitus would have been reported had it occurred in at least 1% or more than the placebo participants – it was not listed in the Pregabalin group. The other placebo trials you referenced also did not mention tinnitus but the discrimination factor from placebo was 2%, therefore, I didn’t directly reference them as the 1% difference trials represented a stricter metric and, accordingly, a more stringent test.
Total numbers of people who may experience side effects are, in my view, meaningless. If a drug is sold in very large numbers, as is Lyrica; and the rate were only 1/1000 it would represent a large number as well as a large number of anecdotal reports. I think most people, like myself, want to know what the chances are of it occurring to them. I’ve demonstrated with reliable data from a number of reputable sources that the chance is < 1%.
Again Neil, I respect your knowledge on the subject and your lengthy study of ototoxic drugs but your book’s statement of 2.9% alarmed me to the point where I’m very reluctant to take the drug. You mentioned that you no longer have the source of that claim but can you please point me to ANY data source that would be supportive which approximates that rate? Perhaps I’ve missed something. I ask this because in no instance has my deep-dive into the data from numerous reputable sources revealed a similar percentage, but rather, the placebo controlled studies and two different government post marketing reports indicate the rate of tinnitus from Pregabalin to any particular person is de minimis.
With respect,
John
Hi John:
Double-blind, placebo controlled studies may be the gold standard, but they don’t have be reputable at all because drug companies have a number of tricks up their sleeves to manipulate into their favor anyway.
For example, if they don’t specifically ask about a given side effect (such as tinnitus) few people will volunteer that information as they don’t think of it as being relevant. So in order to be reputable for tinnitus you’d have to know that one of the questions the researchers specifically asked each participant is whether they now have tinnitus and explain what it is and give 20 or so examples of tinnitus sounds. Another sneaky trick is to use another drug as the “placebo” rather than a truly inert substance. That way they raise the floor before they count tinnitus as a side effect. For example, if the “placebo drug” had 50 people reporting tinnitus and the study drug had 60, they’d only report that tinnitus was 10 above placebo, rather than that 60 people had tinnitus.
Thus, in order to be reputable in my opinion, you have to know what the placebo was and whether the condition you are interested in was specifically questioned. That’s just two of the ways to “cook the books” and yet still be a “gold standard” study. I’ve seen too much of this.
Here’s another trick they just tried. In order to show that menstrual problems weren’t very high for a new drug, they used the total number of participants in the study (around 50% men and women), yet men don’t have menstrual periods so by including the men in that category of side effects, the figures expressed as a percentage were instantly cut in half. Makes the drug seem far safer than it really is.
You say “seemingly every possible adverse effect was listed.” Unless the list is between 150 and 300 side effects (which the average drug has), the list is not complete.You never see that many listed in the PDR for example–yet that is what doctors are supposedly using to check for side effects.
Anyway, let’s assume the true figure is 1% for the sake of argument. Now it’s up to you decide the degree of risk you are willing to accept. Some may think of 1 in 100 is rare and thus acceptable. On the other hand, I may think that 1 in 10,000 would be rare and an acceptable risk.
And that is just for this one side effect (tinnitus). At the same time you have to consider the risk of each of the 150 to 300 side effects the drug has and whether you are prepared to accept them. And what about all the missed side effects in the studies. In the past few years less than 50% of the side effects of new drugs have been found and listed at the time they are released to the public. Thus, many of these side effects only show up later as anecdotal reports.
That is why I say go easy on drugs. Exhaust all other avenues of treatment before using drugs. In my opinion, drugs should be your last resort, not your first line of attack. But that’s me. You may have a different opinion and that’s fine too. We each have to live with our decisions.
Cordially,
Neil
Hi dr Bauman, you seem to have a very good understanding of ototoxic drugs I was wondering what you recommend for severe noxacusis. I developed severe noxacusis 2 years ago from a car accident and get excruciating pain from sound that lingers for hours sometimes days. My tolerance has gotten so bad I cannot tolerate most sounds at any frequency and have been living in a sound proof room for over a year. If I’m exposed to ever a door squeak though earplugs I’ll be throwing up in pain for hours. I’ve seen many doctors , tried sound therapy made me so much worse, acupuncture and low dose naltrexone helps a little. Do you have any recommendations on nerve pain medication that would be safe taking. Every time I take drugs I usually get a new tinnitus tone to add on top of the 7 that I already have. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
Hi Brian:
I don’t recommend drugs for such conditions. Rather I recommend effective treatment, which obviously you have not been receiving.
I’ve going to answer you via private email as I need much more information regarding your noxacusis, if indeed you have it and not another condition and were misdiagnosed and thus not treated appropriately.
Cordially,
Neil
Dear Doctor,
Ive been in 50mg PREGABALIN for about 1 month then i suddenly stop after 3-4 days. After i stop suddenly felt tinnitus. Went back to clinic and prescribed again pregabalin 50mg. So took another 2 weeks. After i read all of this i decided not to take anymore the pill coz im afraid of having a permanent tinnitus. It sucks. Hoping my tinnitus will end and long will it take?
Hi Kay:
It’s not a good idea to stop taking drugs without at least a short taper period so your body can adapt. Otherwise, you can leave yourself open to side effects such as tinnitus.
I don’t have any information on how long tinnitus from taking Pregabalin lasts. If it is going to go away, I’d assume you’d know this by the end of a month. But your tinnitus is also subject to how you view it. If you treat it as nothing to be worried about and not a threat to your well-being, it will fade away in time, whereas if you focus on it, it can became permanent.
Cordially,
Neil
Yes Doctor sometimes if im not thinking of it when i am bc i dont feel it but when i think of it there it goes again. Does tinnitus becomes permanent in taking 50mg pregabalin for another 1 week? My next appointment would be on Sept 19. 2023.
Hi Kay:
When you think about tinnitus, even if you are totally habituated to it, it pops up like you say. It happens to me every time I respond to a tinnitus email. I may not have consciously heard my tinnitus since I got up, but when I go to answer a tinnitus email or post, there it is. The good news is that since I am so habituated to my tinnitus that within 5 minutes of turning my attention to something else, I no longer consciously hear my tinnitus.
Once you get tinnitus from a drug, there is no guarantee that continuing to take that drug will make your tinnitus permanent or not. So much depends on how you treat your tinnitus. If you treat it as a totally unimportant useless background sound that is safe to ignore (and then ignore it), it will tend to fade into the background as you habituate to it.
Cordially,
Neil