Can PM settings cause tinnitus?

Hi,

To my great horror I've been experiencing extreme tinnitus since 4 december last. I was put on Verapamil, Flecainide and Apixaban on the 27th of oktober because of recurrent SVT of 120 bpm, retrograde conduction a lot of PAC's. My pacemaker would fall back to 70 bpm (base rate) whenever I was exercising and my doctor told me that the meds would make that go away. My pacemaker settings were changed at the end of my hospital stay.

The meds made me feel horrible (no jet tinnitus jet) but the doctor told me on my visit to her on the 28 of november to continue taking them as she was expecting it to become better over time.

On the 4th of december my ears started ringing really loudly, it was driving me crazy. I convinced my EP on the 18 december lthat I should stop Flecainide and Verapamil, because the ringing could be a side effect. On december 23 I stopped Apixaban.

The awful loud noise has gone down a bit but a soon as my heartbeat goes up it starts all over again. Especially after a recent pacemaker interrogation things went crazy for a couple of days.

That leads me to the question: can pacemaker settings cause tinnitus? Please help.

10 Comments

Some for me as well

by TJ319 - 2015-12-28 02:12:06

i had my PM implanted in November of 2013. The next evening, I was sitting watching tv and thought I heard a muffled car sound in my driveway. It was late in the evening. I then realized that the sound was in my head!
Mine is a dull low level sound that increases when my heart rate and BP increases. It is not bad and I have become accustomed to it. My wife has a much more severe case of Tinnitus and we sometimes use background noise, such as ocean sounds on an i pod, to mask it. My original EP was dismissive as to the cause but I am certain it is PM related since it showed up the very next day following implant.

I have tinnitus

by Good Dog - 2015-12-28 02:12:30

I have had a pacemaker for 30 years and began experiencing Tinnitus about 5-6 years ago. I don't think it has anything to do with the PM. Instead, it may be related to a drug. I took a pain med that I believe caused mine.
The thing about "T" is that it seldom gets better. There is no cure. You just have to learn to live with it. That is called "Habituation". Don't let it make you crazy. Accept it and move-on with your life. When I get busy I don't hear it, but it never goes away. It just doesn't bother me anymore. I won't allow it.
Sincerely,

David

Blood flow in the ear

by BillH - 2015-12-28 03:12:13

There are many different causes for tinnitus.

But in some people they will "hear" the blood flow in small vessels in the ear.

If you have that kind of tinnitus then it might get worse as the PM kicks in.

Same for me

by Theknotguy - 2015-12-28 03:12:13

I've had tinnitus for several years. It started shortly after going on heart meds. Since I've been on several meds it's sometimes worse, sometimes better. I feel it's exacerbated by combinations of meds. Most of the time I don't realize I have it unless I'm in a quiet place so I guess I'm fortunate that way. Don't really have any suggestions for you.

Tinnitus is very common

by IAN MC - 2015-12-28 04:12:46

so it is inevitable that many people who have pacemakers will develop tinnitus , but are the PMs the cause or is it a coincidence ?

All that pacemakers do is persuade your heart to put in extra beats when required . A bit like exercise really ; when you exercise your heart puts in extra beats. I've never heard that exercise can trigger tinnitus. So I am very doubtful that PM s are the cause; but never say "never " !

However, if you do a search you will see that flecainide can definitely cause tinnitus. Add to this the unknown problems of polypharmacy where the Dr adds verapamil to the flecainide and then throws in a new blood thinner to the mix; anything can happen.

Guess how many clinical trials have been done to test the combination of flecainide , verapamil and Apibaxan given over long periods of time ? None ! Zilch !

I believe the cause of your tinnitus is far more likely to be the drugs that you are taking than the pacemaker but it could equally be due to a totally unconnected medical problem.

Ian

Angry

by Hartje5 - 2015-12-28 06:12:26

I'm so angry. After failed experimental surgery (hybrid ablation for persistent afib), now this is happening to me. I blame the new blood thinner most. I've stopped Apixaban last but something really weird happend 'in my head' when I did. The tinnitus was less intrusive for a day. Unfortunately now I'm back to where I was before. And that is horrible. It's a very high pitch, very loud constant sound.

I had tinnitus before I started the meds. My EP did not know this. It wasn't bothering me much before, I've never even sought medical attention for it. I coped by not giving it any attention.

Now the sound is so loud there is no escape. I'm hoping it will go away when all the meds are out of my body. I've been told this might take a couple of weeks.

The Verapamil and Flecainide I took on doctors advice. I asked for Apixaban myself because I've read that it was the best choice of blood thinner. My doctor never ever should have given permission for all those changes at the same time.

IAN MC I think you are right in your observation.

Tinnitus

by Good Dog - 2015-12-28 07:12:44

I hesitate to provide any info on "T", because I believe that the less you think about it, "the better". However:
If you want to learn all about "T" and how people are coping with it, here is a great forum;
http://www.tinnitustalk.com/

Sincerely,

David

Ignoring

by Hartje5 - 2015-12-28 09:12:37

Thank you all for the comments. GoodDog I'm not going to visit the forum yet. Maybe later. Sometimes the story's you read on forums only make you even more scared, especially because there is not much that can be done about tinnitus.

I've read a really good information leaflet from a hospital here in the Netherlands today. In here it says that most people, when T does not go away will get accustomed to it in about 1,5 years. This proces takes longer if a person is alarmed, worried and afraid of the sound because then the brain will associate the sound with danger and it will be 'listening' to it all the time. They compare it to living next to a airport or train station. In time you won't hear the plains and trains anymore.

That's what I'm holding on to today. I'm one step further now I can try to relax with the loud ringing in my head. Before I was just fleeing all the time.

Good Plan

by Good Dog - 2015-12-29 11:12:56

What you read and your plan....... "hit the nail exactly on the head". You are wise!
My wife had "T" long before I did. She complained about it for a long time and I thought she just whined a lot. Then suddenly one day she just stopped and I never heard another word again (for many, many years). So when my "T" started I asked her, "hey, how did you get rid of your "T"? She said; I didn't, sometimes it is so loud I can't hear, but it just doesn't bother me anymore." She told me; "look, there is nothing you can do about it, so just accept it and move on with your life."
It took me a while, but that is exactly what I did. When I did, life is good again!

David

violin

by VIOLIN - 2016-03-14 07:03:32

HI i have had my second pm (most recent was a biventricular one) for afib and aflutter. since all of this problem w arryhthymia started including multiple cardioversions and multiple medications before the pm was implanted, I also have pulsatile tinnitus. it can drive you crazy only if you let it. as others have said, dont think about it; have on music and other distractions if it bothers you. not going away likely.

You know you're wired when...

Your pacemaker receives radio frequencies.

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