Is that ringing I hear?

[Endless]

Hi, all.

Well, in addition to the almost constant migraines, I also have ringing in my ears. My epileptologist says it's not the epilepsy or the meds. I'm not completely buying that answer.

My ears have always rung on and off. Emphasis on the fact it eventually went OFF. It also ran in my family - my father's ears rang.

When I started ramping up on Topamax it got much worse, almost constant, and much louder. It continued when I went off Topamax, and am now ramping up on Lamictal. It's high-pitched, loud, and it's driving me nuts. I'm editing to add the fact that it gets much worse when I watch tv or work on my computer.

Seizure? Medication side effect?

Don't think it's meniere's disease. I'm not dizzy all the time.

Anybody else in here have ears that ring?

[Rae1889]

Well here are my guesses

1.) it is meneire's. as far as I know you do not have to be dizzy all the time

2.) its caused by clenching your teeth. you put pressure on the nerves that are there and that can cause the ringing.

3.) its a seizure. I get ear ringing, and it sometimes sounds like a tune or a buzz. things around me muffle and its just the ringing.

4.) not sure if it could be a side effect

5.) its a small cyst. I know that poly-cystic syndromes are hereditary so you may have developed a tiny cyst on that nerve. (women pass down ovarian cysts, maybe your family has a history of inner ear cysts?)

[Nakamova]

According to information about the clinical trials of Topamax for Migraine prevention published in the prescribing information for Topamax, tinnitus (ringing of the ears) occurred:

with placebo: in 1% of patients
at 50mg/day: less than 1% of patients
at 100mg/day: in 1% of patients
at 200mg/day: in 2% of patients

[RobinN]

again.... a few here have had excellent results by supplementing with magnesium.
Ringing in the ear is another symptoms of a deficiency.
I am sure there are other causes, but worth considering.
The amount of magnesium in the blood stream is not the same as what can actually be absorbed and cross the blood brain barrier. The ionic form goes directly to the cell and doesn't have to be digested, which eliminates most prior to being absorbed.

[RobinN]

I was just catching up on a website I often refer people to and found this:

If that is not enough, then take a peek at the significant rise in conditions that can be related to milk intolerance like asthma, eczema, runny nose, arthritis, abdominal pain, non-formed stool, diarrhea, dark puffiness under the eyes (sometimes called “allergic shiners”), sleep disorders, ringing in the ears, increased pulse rate, hyperactivity, AD(H)D, gut dysfunction (Chats, 2005 and Gottshall, 2004) and diabetes (Virtanen, 2002).

http://www.stankurtz.com/biomedical/...iterature.html

[Endless]

Thx, Robin. Maybe two weeks of magnesium wasn't enough. There wasn't any difference, in fact it got worse. (I took it when I was on the Topamax.)

I'm not taking any supplements for right now, until I'm ramped up on the lamictal. Don't want to provoke a reaction, then have to go off everything I'm on, namely the lamictal. If I still have a problem after I'm ramped up on the lamictal, I'll give it another try.

I'm not milk intolerant. I've been tested.

[RobinN]

I think there is a difference between being milk or lactose intolerant and not being able to breakdown the protein casein. It was just an idea.

As for the magnesium... I was not able to see results until I had taken it for about two months. I was taking approx 800 mg at that time, directly under the tongue.

I hope you get some relief soon from your symptoms.

[Endless]

Hi, Robin,

Yes, intolerances are a good idea, but I don't have any. My ND had me fast for a week, then add back in food groups one at a time every 3 days, with the biggest offenders first. I kept a record of any reactions. The only one I had a problem with was the Lilly food group (onions, garlic, etc.). That would have caught both intolerances and allergies.

[skillefer]

Meniere's does not always cause dizziness. I have meniere's and with me it effects my hearing. What people don't understand is that you have two things that go through your ears and carry messages to the brain. One effects balance, and the other your hearing. With my meniere's my hearing was effected. It can still be effected by the amount of salt I eat. So, my first suggestion is go see an ENT. While waiting for your appt. cut down massively on the salt and see if that doesn't help. Watch out for hidden salt...sodas, fast foods, tv dinners.... you'd be surprised....heck, there's even salt in milk and coffee.

[Endless]

I am so sorry you have Meniere's. That is an extremely tough one to live with.

I thought meniere's always came as a package deal - new news that it doesn't. I'll make an appointment and go in to see an ENT.

[Cint]

I have constant ringing in the ears and I don't have Meniere's, although I did have numerous ear infections and a busted ear drum back in the 90's. I have bad seasonal allergies, also.

[googly389]

That's odd! I came to the forum today regarding this issue and to my surprise your thread was on the homepage! I'm really not sure what it could be. For the past week I have had a constant kind of whirling "roar" in my ear. I don't hear it unless it's completely silent. I'm also lightheaded but it is allergy season. This has happened sporadically all my life as well and my father's side has a history of inner ear issues. I used to get vertigo in high school too!

[Endless]

Upon the advice of my neurologist, I'm going to see an ear, nose, and throat person just to get checked out and try to identify the cause. I see him week after next. My ears kinda hurt, too, like I'm in an airplane and can't equalize the pressure in my ears.

[Nakamova]

I have something called "Eustachian Tube Disorder". The eustachian tubes either stay open or stay closed longer than they are supposed to. It doesn't happen all the time. It's a bit like a low roar or vibrational noise, and it only bothers me when everything else is quiet, and will gets louder when I have a cold. I can make the noise stop by shifting my jaw or turning my head, but then it starts up again. It showed in the last few years, perhaps as a med side effect, or perhaps something related to having conked my head during a seizure. Doesn't seem to be worth treating.

[Solicitous]

I also get ringing in the ears. For me I seem to get it in the postictal stage.

Not only do my ears ring but I can feel movement in my ears.

(((((((((((((((HUGS)))))))))))))) to all

Norm Beam

[flinnigan]

Get it all. It never seemed to be directly related to anything, The deep buzzing is the most annoying. Its been the same before and after surgery and only seemed to start in the last 2 years.

[Nakamova]

Endless --

Definitely let us know how the ENT visit goes.

[KelVarQ]

I experience ringing in my ears along with brain fog. Brain fog is a common side effect of some of the anti seizure meds (definitely Dilantin) and I've just recently came to learn that when I experience the brain fog I'll eat some carbs and this alleviates the brain fog as well as the ringing in the ears. Obviously I don't know if this is the answer but it's worth a shot.

[C0urt]

I have tinnitus, but it is caused by scarring on my left ear drum.

[Endless]

Well, an update: Since the topamax was discontinued, the ear rining has slowly started to get better. I really think it was the Topamax. But my ears are still ringing a lot. I hope it goes away.