Hi all
A quick bit of background - I started getting tinnitus when I was 21 following a few nights out clubbing, although I largely attribute it to listening to earphones too loudly in my youth. I had a bit of a flair up about a year later but it's dropped since then to the point where I hadn't even thought about it for many years.
I'm 27 now, and still maintain a normal life, although when I'm around loud music I always have a pair of pharmacy ear plugs with me to dampen the noise. Three weeks back I went out clubbing, got a bit carried away and when I left after 3 hours, my right ear felt odd... like there was wind rushing past it as I walked. I thought nothing of it and the next day the tinnitus was slightly louder but I assumed it would pass.
The day after that was Monday, and my right ear was LOUD. It was a total foreground noise and extremely distracting. I assumed it would eventually drop, but it didn't. I dealt with it until Thursday and decided to go to the doctor, despite knowing that there was nothing they could do.
Suprisingly, the doctor suggested some meds that he thought might be of assistance. He started me on a course of Serc - 16mg, twice a day. He said that if that didn't help, then I was to try Dexamethasone - 4mg, once a day.
I took a Serc immediately when I went home and the next morning there was a noticable reduction in the noise. I kept taking the Serc, and while it seemed to keep dropping in volume over time, it did fluctuate in volume over the course of the day each day.
Sunday I decided to try the Dexamethasone with it as well. I dropped it at about 2pm and by the time I'd gone to bed, it was actually quiet enough that I was able sleep on my right ear-side.
The volume fluctuations kept happening as I continued the course, and by Friday I'd say the volume had dropped to about 40 or 50% when loudest. I'd seen the largest decline in volume once I started taking the Dexamethasone however I'm sure the Serc had been helping as well. The doctor had only provided 5 Dexamethasones, so I asked for more. He was reluctant to give me any more as the dose he'd provided was the largest he was happy to provide, and extended use can cause adrenal gland and diabetes problems. As I was making progress, however, he agreed to provide 5 more, as long as I took them in halves for the first few days and 1/4s for the rest. The Serc I could continue to take indefinately.
I woke up on Sunday and went about my business before realising that I wasn't bothered by my ears anymore! When I got the opportunity to be in a quiet room I noticed that it had dropped down so far that it was only a quiet hiss (I've never had it hiss before, only ever ring) and it's very very quiet now. I stopped taking the Dexamethasone on Monday (total course: 5 full pills and 4 half pills) and it's now Thursday, with no increase.
The reduction I've had from these two drugs has been *MASSIVE* yet after searching this forum I found no reference to Dexamethasone and only one to Serc. I highly recommend that everyone here speaks to their doctors about trying these meds, as they've fixed my ears so much
For those interested, I don't drink coffee or consume much caffeine, usually have a drink or two every night, smoke between 7 and 10 a night, and don't add salt to my food (I've read theories that these substances can contribute). I've taken vitamin B12 and Ginko before, with minimal to zero results.
The only side effect I felt was that the Dexamethasone made me hungry, especially for fatty food. I endulged
I was sceptical that I would see any results from these drugs as my condition (I believe, at least), is caused by noise, however I felt compelled to register and pass my experience on to you all so that you may find this works for you as well. Good luck!
A quick bit of background - I started getting tinnitus when I was 21 following a few nights out clubbing, although I largely attribute it to listening to earphones too loudly in my youth. I had a bit of a flair up about a year later but it's dropped since then to the point where I hadn't even thought about it for many years.
I'm 27 now, and still maintain a normal life, although when I'm around loud music I always have a pair of pharmacy ear plugs with me to dampen the noise. Three weeks back I went out clubbing, got a bit carried away and when I left after 3 hours, my right ear felt odd... like there was wind rushing past it as I walked. I thought nothing of it and the next day the tinnitus was slightly louder but I assumed it would pass.
The day after that was Monday, and my right ear was LOUD. It was a total foreground noise and extremely distracting. I assumed it would eventually drop, but it didn't. I dealt with it until Thursday and decided to go to the doctor, despite knowing that there was nothing they could do.
Suprisingly, the doctor suggested some meds that he thought might be of assistance. He started me on a course of Serc - 16mg, twice a day. He said that if that didn't help, then I was to try Dexamethasone - 4mg, once a day.
I took a Serc immediately when I went home and the next morning there was a noticable reduction in the noise. I kept taking the Serc, and while it seemed to keep dropping in volume over time, it did fluctuate in volume over the course of the day each day.
Sunday I decided to try the Dexamethasone with it as well. I dropped it at about 2pm and by the time I'd gone to bed, it was actually quiet enough that I was able sleep on my right ear-side.
The volume fluctuations kept happening as I continued the course, and by Friday I'd say the volume had dropped to about 40 or 50% when loudest. I'd seen the largest decline in volume once I started taking the Dexamethasone however I'm sure the Serc had been helping as well. The doctor had only provided 5 Dexamethasones, so I asked for more. He was reluctant to give me any more as the dose he'd provided was the largest he was happy to provide, and extended use can cause adrenal gland and diabetes problems. As I was making progress, however, he agreed to provide 5 more, as long as I took them in halves for the first few days and 1/4s for the rest. The Serc I could continue to take indefinately.
I woke up on Sunday and went about my business before realising that I wasn't bothered by my ears anymore! When I got the opportunity to be in a quiet room I noticed that it had dropped down so far that it was only a quiet hiss (I've never had it hiss before, only ever ring) and it's very very quiet now. I stopped taking the Dexamethasone on Monday (total course: 5 full pills and 4 half pills) and it's now Thursday, with no increase.
The reduction I've had from these two drugs has been *MASSIVE* yet after searching this forum I found no reference to Dexamethasone and only one to Serc. I highly recommend that everyone here speaks to their doctors about trying these meds, as they've fixed my ears so much
For those interested, I don't drink coffee or consume much caffeine, usually have a drink or two every night, smoke between 7 and 10 a night, and don't add salt to my food (I've read theories that these substances can contribute). I've taken vitamin B12 and Ginko before, with minimal to zero results.
The only side effect I felt was that the Dexamethasone made me hungry, especially for fatty food. I endulged
I was sceptical that I would see any results from these drugs as my condition (I believe, at least), is caused by noise, however I felt compelled to register and pass my experience on to you all so that you may find this works for you as well. Good luck!
