Ringing in my ears :(

pinkkari09
pinkkari09 Member Posts: 877 Member
in Breast Cancer #1
Ok warriors, I'm going to go absolutely crazy!! I went to my Onc. last week for blood work and the usual....I asked her if ringing in my ears (it's more like a vibration and I'm not sure if it's my ears or the back of my head) is a side effect of Xeloda (the chemo I'm on). She looked it up and it's not a known side effect so she said go see an ENT, well, I don't want to see another doctor, isn't it enough that I already see 5? So my question.. have any of you had this? What caused it? It's driving me nuts....it's worse at night when I try to fall asleep, it starts, stops for a couple seconds and then starts again, and goes on all night. If I absolutely have too, I'll go to an ENT but I don't think it has anything to do with my ears, nose or throat :( Advice?
Miles of Love,
~Kari

Comments

  • MAJW
    MAJW Member Posts: 2,510 Member
    #2
    Something to try..
    Kari...have no answers to "what" is causing this but ...a friend who had bc experiences this...she uses "white noise" at night so she can sleep...a fan or noise machine...she also has a sleep mask that has ear phones built in, that offers different sounds..which includes whiite noise...she purchased this at Brookstone..you could check online also...she said it's drowns out the ringing in the ears and she can sleep...
    Hoping you can find the cause...
    Nancy
  • cinnamonsmile
    cinnamonsmile Member Posts: 1,187 Member
    #3
    I have had ringing in my
    I have had ringing in my ears and severe vertigo bouts for 15 years. The medical name for ringing of the ears is tinnitis. Sometimes I have both, sometimes just ringing in the ears. IF the ringing is minimal, I just live with it. I have had such bad episodes from dizzines with the ringing in the ears that I have gone unconscious waiting to be admitted to the e.r.I have had physical therapy in two different hospitals and one clinic that was supposed to "cure" me and of course I still have it. I have seen several ENT doctors and not one has been able to do anything other than say, yes I have it, here's some pills. My ear ringing just seems to come and go at will. Good luck with the ENT cuz I know when it gets so loud it does drive your crazy! And I hope you never get the vertigo that I get.
    Here is a good link from Mayo Clinic:
    http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/tinnitus/DS00365
  • cahjah75
    cahjah75 Member Posts: 2,631
    #4
    Kari
    I had mild ringing in the ears and at times it could be annoying. I also had an ear infection while going through rads. I went to an ENT and felt better knowing that all was ok. He did tell me that it might take several months for my ear to feel unclogged. I could hear my heart beating.
    {{hugs}} Char
  • pinkflutterby
    pinkflutterby Member Posts: 615 Member
    #5
    cahjah75 said:

    Kari
    I had mild ringing in the ears and at times it could be annoying. I also had an ear infection while going through rads. I went to an ENT and felt better knowing that all was ok. He did tell me that it might take several months for my ear to feel unclogged. I could hear my heart beating.
    {{hugs}} Char

    my ears do that too, I think
    my ears do that too, I think its the ommaya in my head, mines weird sometimes I cant hear very well, it goes away after a few mins. Never mentioned it to my onc. Most bothering in a quiet room or in the car so I usually have background noise of some type to avoid it. Good luck!!! Mines usually in the AM or if I seem to get up too fast or something.
  • Aortus
    Aortus Member Posts: 967
    #6
    pinkflutterby said:

    my ears do that too, I think
    my ears do that too, I think its the ommaya in my head, mines weird sometimes I cant hear very well, it goes away after a few mins. Never mentioned it to my onc. Most bothering in a quiet room or in the car so I usually have background noise of some type to avoid it. Good luck!!! Mines usually in the AM or if I seem to get up too fast or something.

    Just because your onc...
    Kari, just because it's a side effect your onc couldn't find in a book, that doesn't mean it's not a side effect. Here is something about the Xeloda-Gemzar combo I found at a very reputable online site: http://bit.ly/fdpxse

    I know you are only taking the Xeloda, but the site doesn't say which part of the combo causes the tinnitus. Wishing you, as always, the very best!

    Love,
    Joe
  • VickiSam
    VickiSam Member Posts: 9,079 Member
    #7
    pinkflutterby said:

    my ears do that too, I think
    my ears do that too, I think its the ommaya in my head, mines weird sometimes I cant hear very well, it goes away after a few mins. Never mentioned it to my onc. Most bothering in a quiet room or in the car so I usually have background noise of some type to avoid it. Good luck!!! Mines usually in the AM or if I seem to get up too fast or something.

    Our dear 'Kari' ... I am so sorry :-)
    and another doctor to see.. Please take care ..

    Strength and Courage,

    Vicki Sam
  • lynn1950
    lynn1950 Member Posts: 2,570
    #8
    Hi Kari. I don't have any
    Hi Kari. I don't have any insights for you. I had tinnitus when I was pregnant long ago. It finally resolved itself, but was NO FUN while it was going on. Mine came after I had had the flu and was most likely an inner ear thing. It resolved itself, as I hope yours does soon! xoxoxoxo Lynn
  • carkris
    carkris Member Posts: 4,553 Member
    #9
    lynn1950 said:

    Hi Kari. I don't have any
    Hi Kari. I don't have any insights for you. I had tinnitus when I was pregnant long ago. It finally resolved itself, but was NO FUN while it was going on. Mine came after I had had the flu and was most likely an inner ear thing. It resolved itself, as I hope yours does soon! xoxoxoxo Lynn

    I have had tinnitus since I
    I have had tinnitus since I was a kid from a ruptured ear drum. I think it got worse from chemo. My friend has bouts of verigo, her doc does a maeuver to get the crystals in her inner ear to realign and she is fine. Another friend got it from anti inflamatories, and a PT did the maneuvers and she has been fine too.
  • New Flower
    New Flower Member Posts: 4,294
    #10
    carkris said:

    I have had tinnitus since I
    I have had tinnitus since I was a kid from a ruptured ear drum. I think it got worse from chemo. My friend has bouts of verigo, her doc does a maeuver to get the crystals in her inner ear to realign and she is fine. Another friend got it from anti inflamatories, and a PT did the maneuvers and she has been fine too.

    Tinnitus
    Kari,
    I am sorry, my husband has tinnitus , I know it is very stressful. Still please see the doctor you might get help and will be better.
    Hugs
  • Katmy
    Katmy Member Posts: 93
    #11
    Emend nausea medicine causes
    Emend nausea medicine causes ringing in the ears. I get ringing every treatment, so I searched for the culprit. Maybe it is the Emend that I get infused before the Taxatere starts. Do you get Emend for nausea?
  • DianeBC
    DianeBC Member Posts: 3,881 Member
    #12
    Aortus said:

    Just because your onc...
    Kari, just because it's a side effect your onc couldn't find in a book, that doesn't mean it's not a side effect. Here is something about the Xeloda-Gemzar combo I found at a very reputable online site: http://bit.ly/fdpxse

    I know you are only taking the Xeloda, but the site doesn't say which part of the combo causes the tinnitus. Wishing you, as always, the very best!

    Love,
    Joe

    I agree with Joe. It still
    I agree with Joe. It still could be a side effect. Hoping it gets better for you.



    Hugs, Diane
  • DebbyM
    DebbyM Member Posts: 3,289 Member
    #13
    MAJW said:

    Something to try..
    Kari...have no answers to "what" is causing this but ...a friend who had bc experiences this...she uses "white noise" at night so she can sleep...a fan or noise machine...she also has a sleep mask that has ear phones built in, that offers different sounds..which includes whiite noise...she purchased this at Brookstone..you could check online also...she said it's drowns out the ringing in the ears and she can sleep...
    Hoping you can find the cause...
    Nancy

    I know people too that use
    I know people too that use those noise machines at night. You can get them doing anything, the ocean, the wind blowing, lots of stuff. Maybe that would help you to sleep at least.
  • jo jo
    jo jo Member Posts: 1,175 Member
    #14
    Dont you just hate it when
    Dont you just hate it when our "TEAM" of doctors cant figure out whats wrong cuz its not in there book of side effects. I feel for you Kari cuz im going thru something similar (not the ringing) but hopefully someone will take the time and figure it out for you!
  • CypressCynthia
    CypressCynthia Member Posts: 4,014 Member
    #15
    Tinnitus
    Tinnitus or ringing in the ears is a common side effect with aspirin and NSAIDS (advil, alleve, ibuprofen, motrin, celebrex).

    "Medications that can cause tinnitus
    A number of medications may cause or worsen tinnitus. Generally, the higher the dose of medication, the worse tinnitus becomes. Often the unwanted noise disappears when you stop using these drugs. Medications known to cause or worsen tinnitus include:

    Antibiotics, including chloramphenicol, erythromycin, gentamicin, vancomycin and bleomycin
    Cancer medications, including mechlorethamine and vincristine
    Diuretics — water pills — such as bumetanide, ethacrynic acid, furosemideQuinine medications used for malaria or other health conditions Chloroquine, a malaria medication Aspirin taken in uncommonly high doses (12 or more a day)"

    See more causes:
    Tinnitus Causes (Mayo Clinic)
  • VickiSam
    VickiSam Member Posts: 9,079 Member
    #16
    CypressCynthia said:

    Tinnitus
    Tinnitus or ringing in the ears is a common side effect with aspirin and NSAIDS (advil, alleve, ibuprofen, motrin, celebrex).

    "Medications that can cause tinnitus
    A number of medications may cause or worsen tinnitus. Generally, the higher the dose of medication, the worse tinnitus becomes. Often the unwanted noise disappears when you stop using these drugs. Medications known to cause or worsen tinnitus include:

    Antibiotics, including chloramphenicol, erythromycin, gentamicin, vancomycin and bleomycin
    Cancer medications, including mechlorethamine and vincristine
    Diuretics — water pills — such as bumetanide, ethacrynic acid, furosemideQuinine medications used for malaria or other health conditions Chloroquine, a malaria medication Aspirin taken in uncommonly high doses (12 or more a day)"

    See more causes:
    Tinnitus Causes (Mayo Clinic)

    Dear Kari :-)
    How ya doing "? How is the ringing in your ears?

    Please let us know.

    Strength, Courage and Love,


    Vicki Sam

Discussion Boards