Anyone else get Tinnitus from chemotherapy?

GrandmaV
GrandmaV Member Posts: 1,267
edited October 2014 in Chemotherapy - Before, During, and After

I've been have terrible tinnitus since my last treatment of Taxotere, Carboplatin and Herceptin.  I have since found out that Carboplatin is ototoxic chemotherapy and can damage your hearing, including tinnitus.  I didn't know about this side effect before I had treatment and now I have this noise in my head.  It has been so loud at times it's unbearable. I would just like to know, if anyone else has had this happen?

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  • GrandmaV
    GrandmaV Member Posts: 1,267
    edited January 2012

    I started having the noise the same day of my last treatment and I was given a larger dose of steroids that day too.  So I'm hoping it was the steroids, because, if so it may resolve. 

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  • cycle-path
    cycle-path Member Posts: 1,502
    edited January 2012

    Hi, I just noticed your post when I was looking at the active topics. I didn't have chemo, and I've had some tinnitus for quite a while, but I recently started Tamoxifen and it sure does make the tinnitus worse! 

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  • GrandmaV
    GrandmaV Member Posts: 1,267
    edited January 2012

    cycle-path, Thank you for responding.  I'm half way done with chemo and am just not sure what to do at this point.  I'm sorry you're suffering with this too. 

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  • GrandmaV
    GrandmaV Member Posts: 1,267
    edited January 2012

    anyone else?

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  • GrandmaV
    GrandmaV Member Posts: 1,267
    edited January 2012

    I'm going to keep posting to bump this to the top.  I'm not sure if I should continue chemo or not (I'm afraid of making it worse) and thought others with tinnitus might help me decide.

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  • linnyhopp
    linnyhopp Member Posts: 567
    edited January 2012

    GrandmaV ~ I posted a message for you on the November 2011 board.

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  • GrandmaV
    GrandmaV Member Posts: 1,267
    edited January 2012
    cycle-path, Are you ever afraid it will get to the point that you can't stand it?
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  • Moderators
    Moderators Member Posts: 25,912
    edited January 2012

    GrandmaV, there's more information about the causes of Hearing Problems (including tinnitus), as well as strategies for dealing with them, at the main Breastcancer.org site. Your doctor may be able to adjust your dose, or switch your medication; be sure to check with your medical team for help.

    Judith and the Mods

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  • cooka
    cooka Member Posts: 278
    edited January 2012

    hi grandma v, i had pulsatile tinnitus (whooshing/heartbeat in my ear) during chemo...and I read that several other women did too. My onc didn't seem worried and it has pretty much resolved (I finished 7 weeks ago). Hope you get some answers:)

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  • GrandmaV
    GrandmaV Member Posts: 1,267
    edited January 2012
    cooka, I'm glad yours resolved.   The noises I have are so many different sounds, chirping, and whining, different tones, some seem far away, some close up.  It seems to be mostly in my left ear.  Today it's not as loud, but it has been as loud as a vacuum sweeper. 
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  • cooka
    cooka Member Posts: 278
    edited January 2012

    Mine was in my left ear also, a few days after each tx it was at it's loudest and drove me nutty (couldn't sleep). Deep breathing helped and staying hydrated seemed to help. I also laid on my right side which was quieter for me. walking also gave me a break sometimes. Hope you feel better!!

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  • cycle-path
    cycle-path Member Posts: 1,502
    edited January 2012

    Grandma, I think I've mostly just gotten used to it over time. When it first started several years ago it drove me crazy but I rarely notice it now. I've just started noticing it more since I started Tamox a few weeks ago. 

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  • GrandmaV
    GrandmaV Member Posts: 1,267
    edited January 2012

    cooka, what chemo regimen were you on?

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  • cooka
    cooka Member Posts: 278
    edited January 2012

    I was on Taxotere/Cytoxan.

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  • YaYa5
    YaYa5 Member Posts: 667
    edited January 2012
    grandmaV, i've been doing a little research on tinnitus/chemo, as i'm sure you have as well.  i just learned that carboplatin can cause tinnitus.  one site mentioned that SSRI's might help.  it's encouraging that it's a little better and that cooka's issues resolved when she finished chemo.  i wonder if your onco could substitute another chemo for the carboplatin.  i'll be really anxious to hear what your onco says on monday.  this is YOUR disease and you get to make informed decisions about what's best for you. i hope you get encouraging information on monday.  
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  • suzieq60
    suzieq60 Member Posts: 6,059
    edited January 2012

    I have ended up with pulsatile tinnitus. It started in one ear but now I get it in both - only when I am lying down to sleep thankfully. I've been to see an ENT specialist and he seemed pleased I don't have it all the time. Now I'm not sure it is related to the chemo as I didn't get it until 6 months after chemo finished. It all started when I flew with a cold and ended up with fluid behind the ear drum and I had cricket sounds then. That has gone but the pulsatile tinnitus started after that.

    Sue

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  • Momine
    Momine Member Posts: 7,859
    edited January 2012

    No, but I have one ear that easily gets fluid in it and it hurt after each taxotere treatment.

    Also, as of yesterday (4 weeks after the final taxotere tx) I developed serious dizziness. If I bend forward, look up or bend my head to the side, I get immediately dizzy to the point that I am afraid of falling. Anyone else experience this? 

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  • GrandmaV
    GrandmaV Member Posts: 1,267
    edited January 2012

    Sue, I'm glad your cricket sounds subsided.  Are you on herceptin?  If so, how are your Mugas or echos?

    Momine, It could be related to the fluid in your ear, I do have some dizziness when I get up too quickly, I had that once in a while, before chemo, but it has become much more frequent now.   My primary doc, thinks it's my blood pressure may drop when I get up. 

    My tinnitus seems a little better today, but it's still there.  I have taken some steps to try to minimize it.  No caffiene, no salt, listening to white noise.  I meet with my Onc tomorrow to see where we go from here. 

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  • china
    china Member Posts: 1,567
    edited January 2012

    GrandmaV, I did 14 months of 3 different chemos and in Jan 18th,2011, started having issues with high pitch ringing bilaterally in my ears, then just the right side. I had a nasty episode of vertigo and saw a ENT and he ran tests and MRI with contrast of the brain and R acoustic nerve and I have some hearing loss in my R ear plus the possibility that the chemo is causing the vertigo from too much fluid imbalance in my inner ear. He said chemo  can do nasty things to the body. I still have occasional ringing bilaterally,vertigo episodes. Good luck. I am on Tamoxifen now and still having issues but not as severe. Dawn

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  • GrandmaV
    GrandmaV Member Posts: 1,267
    edited January 2012

    China, You've really been through a lot.  I hope your Tinnitus goes away.  To me that's a hard one to live with.  I've had a good day today, though.   I hope you have a quiet night.

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  • suzieq60
    suzieq60 Member Posts: 6,059
    edited January 2012

    Grandma - I finished herceptin in Dec 10. One thing the ENT guy did say was that my hearing test would have shown nerve damage and he didn't think there was any. I do have a slight loss of hearing in one ear, but I put that down to listening to very loud heavy metal music with earphones in the 70's.

    Sue

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  • GrandmaV
    GrandmaV Member Posts: 1,267
    edited January 2012

    I didn't have to decide what to do.  My onco stopped my chemo.  He said anymore chemo would only make me worse.  I will still get herceptin, rads and hormone blocker. 

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  • Rosewb
    Rosewb Member Posts: 1
    edited June 2013

    I have had terrible tinnitus since I finished chemo in 2002. It hasn't gone away for all these 11.years. I never realized until now that the chemo was the cause though. Makes sense now because that's when it started.

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  • dennis1960
    dennis1960 Member Posts: 1
    edited October 2014

    Does your tinnitus get worse when you are stressed?

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  • Meow13
    Meow13 Member Posts: 4,859
    edited October 2014


    I got tinnitus from anastrozole and still there when I changed exemestane. Thank goodness my hearing is still exceptional.

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