Left ear symptoms and conditions

I had a sudden onset of tinnitus in my left ear about 2 weeks after starting to take singulair nearly a year ago.. I had not made the connection until I read about ototoxic medications on Wikipedia. I will try stopping Singulair and see if my tinnitus improves. I'll report back.

Lisinopril works! I have been taking 5mg three times a day for years. No side effects. The Dr. told me to take 15mg once a day. Is this a time released tablet? I am 77 years old and a diabetic. I test my blood sugar 6X a day. This way I can control what I eat. Sugar problem was diagnosed 5 years ago with levels running from 40-385. I was depressed & worried about my health. This drug resolved the problem. My best advice is talk to your Dr. and your pharmacist. Friends, family & neighbors mean well. Consider the source!

Was prescribed HCTZ and started taking it off and on in early August. Pain in the butt cutting the pills in half. Started to feel weird feeling in my left ear and cheek and then numbness spreading up my face, forehead and scalp.(I did have a few beers the weekend before this happened) Took myself to ER. MRI, CT, full blood work, thyroid check, EKG, heart and lung xray. ALL PERFECTLY NORMAL. Of course I was diagnosed with possible MS, Belle's Palsy, and was told I might just be wired weird.

Went to primary the following day for follow up and was told that my blood pressure may have been the cause of the episode. Prescribed Lisinopril and started taking it immediately 10/12.5. Started feeling good pretty quick, but noticed a few crazy dreams and almost like I was falling.

Missed a few doses and and had a few beers over the labor day weekend. Started meds on Monday but started feeling pins and needles coming back in different parts of my body. Continued to take meds and then went camping. Had a few beers around the fire. Woke up next morning with slight case of Vertigo. Continued with meds through the weekend and have felt dizzy, dumb, tired, my eyes don't move correctly, my left arm has felt numb and swollen, my left cheek tingles and I feel so swollen in my gland area under my ears. Knee pain too.

I didn't take a dose today, and I feel 100% better. Still tingly and numb in spots, but better. A little anxious and my heart feels like it's beating really deep and fast. BP is 154/82 after going down quite a bit on the drug.

Anyone else had trouble with the alcohol? Any similar symptoms? This site has calmed me down as I've always been a worrier/hypocondriac type. any response or idea would be really appreciated. Thanks everyone...good luck!

I have been on Prednisone 40mg x 5 days and am now reducing to 30mg x 5 days followed by a 10mg reduction q 5 days until I am off the med. I have read your blogs and my heart goes out to you all.

Has anyone lost their sense of taste? I can only taste salty things, but just the salt only. I have the nausea, stomach pains, depression, mood swings, inability to focus and a tremendous amount of 'floaters' in my eyes. In general, I am extremely drug sensitive, but the Prednisone has brought me to a place I don't want to be.

I welcome your input on the sense of taste issue. Thanks in advance for your comments.

I am taking Omeprazole 20 mg once a day. After about one week of initiation of treatment, an I feel intense pain behind my left ear, just before the orgasm during sex. The pain is so sever, I feel as if my head will explode. Now I am going ask my doctor to change the medicine.

Was prescribed DS (Double strength) 800-160 Sulfameth/Trimeth for 7 days/ 2 pills per day to treat a staph infection from a cut. On the last day, I woke up with a swollen gland under my left ear and a red, itchy rash all over my face and arms. Small hives also began to appear. Today is the next day and the hives are spreading but don't last very long. Very itchy, though, and that's unrelenting. Hoping it will decrease quickly since the first symptoms didn't appear till the dose of Bactrim was almost over.

I am 40 years old and recently went to my medical facility as I have had a "viral" ear infection for almost a year now, and it is concerning me. I do not take medication typically. My new primary care provider recommended I try Singulair. So far I have taken three doses over three nights. The first night was horrifying, the dreams I had were so scary, and they were tied into reality which was even stranger as the drug also makes you wake up often, then when you fall back asleep your awake time ties into your dreams. I woke up in a numb state. Since then, I also have been extremely agitated, dizzy, mouth sores, acne, fuzzy thinking, light headed and severe fatigue and body aches. Thank goodness I checked out this webpage, as I too will stop taking this drug. I find it very disappointing, how are we suppose to be able to trust our medical professionals to help us with one of our most prized possessions, our bodies, when we are given something to clear up an ear infection only to have it affect numerous other aspects of our lives to such a serious degree with no mention from our medical professionals. This is ridiculous. I guess I'll live with the viral ear infection.......

I take a combo of Zoloft and Klonopin for anxiety. The medication helps control my anxiety problems, but now I suffer from severe headaches, upset stomach and weight gain. The biggest problem was my headaches. My Dr. suggested stretching exercises for my headaches and stiff neck. The stretching seemed to relieve my overall headaches, but would a trigger spot for an incredible flash of pain when I turned my head a certain way. I've found that resistant pressure seemed to help tremendously.

For example: If my headache was in a specific place just behind my left ear, I would place the heel of my left over the pain and push my head towards the heel of my hand and hold for ten seconds. If it was general tension in the back of my neck that is causing the pain, I would place the heel of my hand on my forehead and push my head toward my hand and hold for 10 seconds. Repeat as necessary. Hope this helps.

I see there are a lot people suffering from headaches so I thought I would share what kind of works for me. Does anyone else have any "works for me" stories?

I was given Cymbalta to help me deal with chronic pain. For the last 7 years I have tried one thing then another.....this was a drug I actually asked for...I thought I knew the side effects. Well my nails look like I filed groves into them after 2 weeks and now I have all but lost the hearing in my left ear. I have quit taking the cymbalta...and have been seen twice now for my ear(s). Nothing is adding up....it came on all of a sudden. It has been very hard to cope with and now my right ear is acting the same as the left. I am scheduled to see a ENT in a week.
Anyone else had these type of symptoms...and did your hearing come back??? I'm only hearing out of one ear.

My doctor prescribed Singulair for my allergies and asthma last month. Immediately I began to have headaches from it - not terrible, but just there. After about 3 weeks on it, I began to have ringing in the ears also. Again, not bad, but just there. I decided to stop the Singulair (even though it was the first thing that really worked for me) on a Thursday night and the next morning I woke up with a horrible really loud noise in my left ear like a piece of heavy equipment and dizziness! I went to urgent care that Sunday and they put me on a round of prednisone - didn't work at all. I went back to my allergy doctor and she is VERY concerned, as I have "significant hearing loss" in my left ear. She referred me to a different doctor where I have to go today for a procedure to have my eardrum slit open and steroids injected behind it. I am beyond upset. This is ridiculous!

Hi,
I read your post regarding side effects on the Mirena. I had mine in for about 9 months and started having some pregnant-like symptoms (could be more but i feel so fogged up now, can't remember much) and had it removed for 2 months now. However, I was also on orthotricycline pill at the same time with the Mirena for acne (must be the most stupid mistake ever). I got 2 light cycles after the removal of the mirena. Last 3-4 weeks, I have been very sick with insomnia, almost no sleep for the last 2 weeks. My left head hurts constantly. My left ear's pulsating constantly like I'm hearing my own heart beats. My blood pressure's up, a lot higher than usual. They did all kind of tests on me and off couse, all negative so far. We're waiting on an IRM now. I'm still on the orthotricycline pills. Could that be the reason I'm feeling sick like this? The last to periods were so light. However I had more PMS and lower back pain, thinking this period must be heavy but it's not. I feel like I don't menstruate enough. I'm so desperate. I'm with Kaiser and everything they do is so slow. I have no energy and enthusias for anything. It's affecting my memory too. Please help if you can.

Amazing! Just now I decided to check on Lisinopril side effects.
Imagine my surprise when I found the first posting described me!!
Morning cough, persistent runny nose, left ear problems!!!
Also have the dizziness and faint feeling on occasion.
Have been on Lisinopril-hctz 20 for two years and my symptoms have suddenly gotten worse with headaches.

I appreciate the information this site has provided and DO BELIEVE.

No hearing loss in family history. Doctor put my father on 80 mg Lipitor, 1-1/2 years latter he started having trouble hearing. I was taking 40 mg Lipitor after 2 years my left ear went bad, 9 months latter my right ear went bad the same exact way. The ears went bad with a tinny sound to all when the hearing came back the 3 kHz area was very low. I have just put this together the recently. This is not a coincidence, I am sure Lipitor caused this. I also think this caused me to go through Hell from hard bump break outs on my body, had me spend thousands hunting for a parasite that was not there. It was not a rash, small bumps with a hard center.

I am a 49 year old female I took Cymbalta for 3 days and on the 4th morning I woke up with severe blurred vision and roaring in my ears that was April 26,2008. My ears are still ringing. I clenched my teeth so hard in my sleep I traumatized one of my upper molars which resulted in a root canal and crown. I have been to a ENT to have my ears checked, he said I had minimal hearing loss and gave me lipo flavonoid to take for the ringing. I just went to a neurologist today who is requesting an MRI on my brain to rule out a tumor. I don't know if this is a coincidence or not ,I know the clenching caused the damage to my tooth. The neurologist said ringing in the ears is not a side effect of Cymbalta. My life has been a nightmare since I took it.

Ear busing, pain and swelling on my left ear down and a golf ball un my throat, short pin pain on my kidneys and legs first noticed swelling of my lower lip with small blisters after one pill SMZ/TMP DS 800 –160 TAB QUAL
biolence, headache,

I had Mirena inserted one week ago and there was some minimal cramping directly after the insertion but I have had nothing ever since and I am hoping it remains that way. I am so sorry to hear of all the negative side effects that Mirena is causing some women but I am interested in hearing some of the more positive feedback.

Adderall has been an excellent drug for the treatment of ADD. It took me from a lethargic, disorganized adult, to a more productive one who finally could finish her work and leave her desk organized at the end of the day. Unfortunately...
...there are many side effects to this drug which has, reluctantly forced me to quit taking it. The weight loss was a welcome side-effect as was getting rid of the lethargy I have experienced on a daily basis since the age of 11 (anti-depressants did nothing). However, my infrequent migraines became daily and excruciating after starting Adderall and its generics. My insurance could not keep up with the coverage of the migraine meds I needed. I began experiencing ear problems (primarily in my left ear) that felt like I constantly had the pressure associated with a cold. After visiting my doctor (who told me nothing was wrong), an ENT doctor, getting a hearing test, and an MRI of my ear canals and Eustachian tubes, I finally found out it was due to the Adderall. The worst side effects, however, was a gradual increase in dermatitis (dry, itchy, scaly, skin). My complexion looked sallow and my back and neck broke out in horrible cyst-like acne (not typical AT ALL for me). My eyes became so dry (not to mention the cotton mouth), that I began trying to reverse this effect with pills from a Lasik eye center (helped, but didn't solve the problem). Perhaps the worst side effect, however, has been the hair loss. Long, beautiful blond hair, has been replaced by very thinning hair (comes out tons at a time in my shower), which is now brittle and breaks all the time. I have finally decided to quit this medication despite its benefits. I only took 15mg 2/day. Once my body recovers, I hope to take on an as-needed basis for important work projects or hectic weeks where productivity is necessary. Other than that, I won't take it any more. The side effects are too severe, even for me.

I had my parotid glands washed out with saline and because they were still dirty the surgeon decided to swab them with Betadine. When I came around from the operation I was panicking in the recovery room. Later, I was put into a side ward, luckily with my sister in attendance, and took a minute sip of water. This caused me to choke and I could not catch my breath. Assistance was sought and I was taken away to get help with my breathing. My whole face swelled up and my eyes had huge sort of blisters under them, which affected my sight for about 3 days; my hearing was also affected temporarily. The sides of my face, where the parotid glands are, were absolutely solid, my lips were distorted and I looked like I had been in a fight. My vocal cords were also swollen, which resulted in very poor speech for 24/36 hours. I had to be put on continuous oxygen, and have frequent nebulisers. I was given steroids, antihistamines, antibiotics and other treatments which I am not sure of. What should have been a 45 minute operation and 2-3 hour recovery resulted in a week's stay in hospital. When I was discharged, I had to return the following day, as the swelling had come back up again and I had to have the steroid medication I was sent home with doubled and Piriton and Omeprazole prescribed as well. I had intense pain at the top of my head, over my left ear, at various times during the week, resulting in me having to take Oramorph. All of these effects caused my diabetes to go out of control, with my blood sugars running over 20 for the first 2 days and well over 10 for the rest of the week. All in all I was very unwell.

Hi
I had a blood clot in my l. leg. I had an angioplasty and was put on 4mg of Warfrin daily.
Since I started on Warfrin I have developed a hearing loss and a rather severe feeling of soreness when I rise from a chair. I really feel like I can't make it thru another few months.
Maybe the warfrin is not the problem. I have heard of no other warfrin users getting hearing loss.
Love to hear your Warfrin experiences
Ernie M.
Canberra, Australia

Right after I started taking Lisinopri in May 2007, I had a major flare-up of my Psoriasis. I have had Psoriasis for over 35 years and it was only in certain areas, now it has completely spread over my entire body. I also have constant ringing in my ears, never thinking it could be related to the Lisinopril. Sometimes it works to lower my blood pressure and other times it seems not to help. Occasionally I experience dizziness. These are all symtoms I never had before, I am not overweight and do not smoke. I had been healthy except for borderline hypertension prior to taking Lisinopril. I am not taking any other medications. My dermatologist is pressuring me to start Raptiva and I have agreed, not realizing that maybe just stopping the Lisinopril might ease the symptoms of my psoriasis. I just started researching Lisinopril in the last few days when someone I work with casually mentioned that there may be a link between Lisinopril and Psoriasis flare-ups.

I would like to share this information with everyone. First, I would like to caution all that it does not prove anything regarding the negative side effect of Singulair but it does suggest that there might (only might) be a physiological cause for any side effect that could be attributed to brain function.

A Chinese team has been studying the receptor (Cysteinyl leukotrienes receptor 1) that is targeted by Singulair and is responsible for the method of action that makes Singulair successful. Here is one of their studies.

1: Neurosci Lett. 2004 Jun 17;363(3):247-51. Links
Expression of cysteinyl leukotriene receptor 1 in human traumatic brain injury and brain tumors.Zhang WP, Hu H, Zhang L, Ding W, Yao HT, Chen KD, Sheng WW, Chen Z, Wei EQ.
Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, 353, Yan An Road, Hangzhou 310031, PR China.

Cysteinyl leukotrienes (CysLTs) are potent proinflammatory mediators. CysLT receptor 1 (CysLT(1)) is one of the two CysLT receptors that has been cloned. Although the expression of CysLT(1) in the brain has been demonstrated by Northern blot and RT-PCR analyses, the location of CysLT(1) in the brain remains unknown. The objective of this study was to examine the distribution of CysLT(1) by immunohistochemical analysis in human brains with traumatic injury or tumors. CysLT(1) was expressed intensely in the microvascular endothelial cells in both normal and abnormal conditions. At 8 days after traumatic injury, microvascular regeneration was found and all of the endothelial cells highly expressed CysLT(1). In gray and white matters of the normal regions of the brain, CysLT(1) was expressed weekly or not at all. However, the CysLT(1) expression increased in the neuron- and glial-appearing cells in gray and white matters after traumatic brain injury. CysLT(1) was also detected in astrocytoma, ganglioglioma and metastatic adenocarcinoma, and the expression in the neuron- and glial-appearing cells around brain tumors increased robustly.

PMID: 15182953

Here is the relevant part of the study.

"Although the expression of CysLT(1) in the brain has been demonstrated by Northern blot and RT-PCR analyses, the location of CysLT(1) in the brain remains unknown."

That sentence says that these scientists believe that CysLT1 exists in the brain but they don't know what the location in the brain is.

It is logical to assume that if a receptor exists in any part of the body that it has a function in other words it does something or tells some other part of the body to do something. So we don't know what part of the brain or what the receptor does in the brain or what the effect on the body is if the receptor does not do it's job.

We do know that Singular (montelukast, Cysteinyl leukotriene receptor 1 antagonist) blocks this particular receptor so if the receptor exists in the brain that it COULD BE POSSIBLE that Singular prevents this receptor in the brain from doing it's job whatever that is.

I know that it is difficult to argue with doctors. This drug has been around a long time. It would be difficult to understand why we are just learning about problems after so long a period of time. I can see from all of these responses that these problems are very real. Of course, we have no idea if Singulair is related or not. But if you need something supportive to show that it is not impossible for them to be related even though there is no proof that they are related, you could print this out and discuss it with your doctor.

This isn't proof of anything but at least it might be a clue.

My deepest, most heartfelt sympathy for all the horrific losses and suffering.
I wrote earlier, but I am so traumatized by all this... I can't write long now. Besides all the rest of the torture we've all endured, please let me know and do reply if tinnitus and/or hearing loss has been a major problem. Perfect a year and a half ago, I just had my hearing tested and have so hearing loss in my left ear only. Right ear is still perfect. Funny too... my newly developed tinnitus is also in my left ear only.
I am 50 with a bunch of problems from a head injury of 22 years ago and just within the last few year correctly diagnosed. My life is already destroyed, but about a year ago... it all started getting worse. Now, almost completely unable to function, I am trying to nail if the cause is the Singulair I stopped couple of nights ago and started maybe 2 years ago.
I need to determine (because they can find no cause) for the recent onset of the hearing loss and tinnitus... which someone described perfectly as a hissing sound, like someone is letting the air out of my head.
So please let me know if tinnitus and or a hearing loss seems a result of this miserable drug for you too... Thank you...
losthope18

I've been having ringing in my ears (tinnitus) which started at about the same time I started taking Lisinopril. Has anyone else experienced this side effect?

I started on Lisinopril/hctz 10/12.5 mg ten days ago and within four days I had a severe hearing loss in my left ear. I thought it was plugged with wax, but when examined they found nothing. After being referred to a ENT specialist they found nerve damage to the ear and are unsure if I will regain my hearing or not. They are trying to treat the hearing loss with steroids but are unsure if it is reversible. Both the ENT and the internist did not think there was a connection with the Lisinopril. I think there is. I am a healthy 47 year old who has never had a health issuer before ten days ago.

I would love to hear from anyone else with this problem. We need a definitive link to this drug for hearing loss.

On 02-26-08 Tuesday my Dr. prescribed Lisinopril 10 mg 1 time per day, 14 days later on 03-11-08 at 2:30 am I woke up because I could not hear the fan we sleep with. When I sat up I heard the fan going w/my right ear and felt my left ear was plugged. I tried to unplug it but it wouldn't and I realized I had to go to sleep because I had to go to go for some fasting blood work for my diabetes.When I got up that morning my ear still felt plugged and I thought I must have an ear infection so I would go up to see my Dr. since I had to go to the lab. 16 days later 03-26-08 3 audio test, 1 MRI the Dr's don't know what happened. Lisinopril was the only new medication I had started taking. I believe it was the cause of my 100% hearing loss. I noticed that someone else wrote about hearing loss on 03-18-08 & I replied to them but I have not heard back to see if they have regained their hearing. They say I probably will not get my hearing back! Thanks A LOT Lisinopril!