Drugs and stuff that harms hearing

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Elsie

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I'm wondering if anyone else has hearing loss? Many reasons for this, I know.

But I've come up with a problem and have been to an audiologist. I test at 15% loss in both ears. Need to go to ENT Dr. to figure out what's going on and why. I also have a type of tinnitus. Lovely.

Anyway, in reading books and the web, I find a list of ototoxic drugs (ones that damage hearing). I find Tegretol on one list. I took that for years but have been off it for 20 years. Trileptal is not on the list.

You can look here www.nvrc.org/hearing-loss-deafness/ototoxic-drugs/ and about a paragragh or two down there is a link to this guy's list and it's a pdf download but I had no problems with it.

Lots of OTC meds too, Aleve, Motrin, aspirin in large doses; novacaine (dentist anyone?) quinine (gin & tonic anybody?) and interesting list under psychopharmacologic agents where I found the Tegretol. Miscellaneous substances: caffeine, marijuana, nicotine, etc etc etc.

Hope this is helpful.
 
Hi Elsie --

Keep us posted on what the ENT says, I hope he can help.

Also, worth noting -- many people are exposed to damaging levels of noise in restaurants and clubs, as well as from portable music devices (particularly when using earbuds). The majority (65%) of people with hearing loss are younger than age 65.

Here's a link to an online hearing test: http://www.beltonehearingtest.com/us/
If you think you may have hearing loss, don't hesitate to make an appointment to see an audiologist. Early diagnosis can make a big difference.
 
Thank you. Yes, I've made an appointment with an ENT, or rather I'm waiting for their office to call back about it.

I had printed out that drug list and failed to notice something. It's broken up into 2 sections. The first section are drugs which cause hearing loss. The second section are drugs that cause tinnitus. Tegretol is on the second list. Tinnitus is the worst thing. Noisy chirping or whooshing in one's head all the time. Accompanies hearing loss lots of times. I have the whooshing kind, DH has the chirping kind. Crickets in his head. I'll bet I took that tegretol for 20+ years.

Read a couple books on hearing (library). So many things we do are too noisy for our ears. Hairdryers! Lawnmowers, leaf blowers, tools! We live in a noisy world.

I'll let you know what the ENT guy says if I ever get there. Now that I'm more aware, I know a lot of stuff I hear I can't understand.:ponder:
 
What are you going to do if sz Meds are perfect but take 25% hearing away,hard call
 
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