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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 9 of 9. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by Movie Mom on January 17, 2006, at 15:14:41
I suffer from major depression and insomnia and have been on a (seemingly) never-ending search for an AD that will ease the depression while helping with sleep, or at least not worsening the insomnia. My doctor has tried Cymbalta, Wellbutrin, Prozac, and Effexor. The AD's seemed to help the depression but not the sleep.
Last summer we tried a course of Lamictal (without an AD). Helped my insomnia tremendously but didn't help the depression. So after a couple of months, we added 10 mg of Prozac. After a couple of weeks on the Prozac, she increased the dosage to 20 mg. I almost immediately started to experience tinnitus and music "loops" going through my head with the 20 mg of Prozac. I have never experienced this before, including during a 2 1/2 year stint on Prozac.
My doc thought the Prozac was too activating so had me stop it. Still have the tinnitus and music three months later. Is this a problem with Lamictal, a problem with the Lamictal-Prozac combination, or something else? I was also taking 1 mg of clonazepam (Klonopin) and 300-600 mg of gabapentin (Neurontin)at the time I started the Lamictal. I had been on these in an effort to ease the insomnia. Have since nearly weaned myself off the clonazepam but am still using the gabapentin.
Posted by fires on January 17, 2006, at 18:15:21
In reply to Tinnitus and music in my head, posted by Movie Mom on January 17, 2006, at 15:14:41
>>I almost immediately started to experience tinnitus and music "loops" going through my head with the 20 mg of Prozac.
I'm convinced that the music loops, or earworms, are pathological if they cause distress. I've had them from time to time. Lamictal seems to have almost wiped them out. I don't think that I've ever had them due to meds.
Posted by Movie Mom on January 18, 2006, at 9:16:21
In reply to Re: Tinnitus and music in my head » Movie Mom, posted by fires on January 17, 2006, at 18:15:21
It sounds like you have done some research on this. Any idea what started the earworms for you? Are you or have you been on any other medications?
Posted by fires on January 18, 2006, at 17:34:37
In reply to Re: Tinnitus and music in my head, posted by Movie Mom on January 18, 2006, at 9:16:21
> It sounds like you have done some research on this. Any idea what started the earworms for you? Are you or have you been on any other medications?
I don't recall exactly when they started, but they seem to come on during hypomanic episodes. I never experience euphoria with hypomania -- just pressured speech and hyperactivity.
I was on Parnate for 14 years. Then I tried many ADs. Now I'm taking Wellbutrin XL, Lamictal, Klonopin, and 6 or 7 non-psych meds.
Posted by cache-monkey on January 18, 2006, at 20:02:40
In reply to Tinnitus and music in my head, posted by Movie Mom on January 17, 2006, at 15:14:41
Hello,
I wonder if both of the symptoms you describe could be from withdrawing the Klonopin, assuming you were on it long enough to achieve tolerance.
I'm actually in the process of a small dose reduction as part of a longer taper right now and have noticed tinnitus. I also have had snippets of music looping now and then. I had attributed this to a general sense of overarousal, i.e. trying to calm myself with a little repetitive thinking. Another thought I'd had is that it could have something to do with the tinnitus... trying to block it or maybe hearing a tone triggers the music.
Just a couple of thoughts... You might want to hold on a dose of Klonopin for a little while and see if it resolves. Or if you're near the end of your taper, see if it dose so after you've been off for a little while.
Good luck,
cache-monkey> I suffer from major depression and insomnia and have been on a (seemingly) never-ending search for an AD that will ease the depression while helping with sleep, or at least not worsening the insomnia. My doctor has tried Cymbalta, Wellbutrin, Prozac, and Effexor. The AD's seemed to help the depression but not the sleep.
>
> Last summer we tried a course of Lamictal (without an AD). Helped my insomnia tremendously but didn't help the depression. So after a couple of months, we added 10 mg of Prozac. After a couple of weeks on the Prozac, she increased the dosage to 20 mg. I almost immediately started to experience tinnitus and music "loops" going through my head with the 20 mg of Prozac. I have never experienced this before, including during a 2 1/2 year stint on Prozac.
>
> My doc thought the Prozac was too activating so had me stop it. Still have the tinnitus and music three months later. Is this a problem with Lamictal, a problem with the Lamictal-Prozac combination, or something else? I was also taking 1 mg of clonazepam (Klonopin) and 300-600 mg of gabapentin (Neurontin)at the time I started the Lamictal. I had been on these in an effort to ease the insomnia. Have since nearly weaned myself off the clonazepam but am still using the gabapentin.
Posted by 4WD on January 18, 2006, at 22:28:59
In reply to Tinnitus and music in my head, posted by Movie Mom on January 17, 2006, at 15:14:41
> I suffer from major depression and insomnia and have been on a (seemingly) never-ending search for an AD that will ease the depression while helping with sleep, or at least not worsening the insomnia. My doctor has tried Cymbalta, Wellbutrin, Prozac, and Effexor. The AD's seemed to help the depression but not the sleep.
>
> Last summer we tried a course of Lamictal (without an AD). Helped my insomnia tremendously but didn't help the depression. So after a couple of months, we added 10 mg of Prozac. After a couple of weeks on the Prozac, she increased the dosage to 20 mg. I almost immediately started to experience tinnitus and music "loops" going through my head with the 20 mg of Prozac. I have never experienced this before, including during a 2 1/2 year stint on Prozac.
>
> My doc thought the Prozac was too activating so had me stop it. Still have the tinnitus and music three months later. Is this a problem with Lamictal, a problem with the Lamictal-Prozac combination, or something else? I was also taking 1 mg of clonazepam (Klonopin) and 300-600 mg of gabapentin (Neurontin)at the time I started the Lamictal. I had been on these in an effort to ease the insomnia. Have since nearly weaned myself off the clonazepam but am still using the gabapentin.
My only experience is that i got tinnitus with Effexor (which is definitely dose related) and which never completely went away after I quit taking it. I also got tinnitus on cymbalta but not as badly. Also from amitriptyline. I';m back on Effexor now plus Depakote and the tinnitus doesn't seem to be increasing. Maybe the Depakote is keeping things calmer up there. (I don't *feel* calmer, though).Marsha
Marsha
Posted by James K on January 19, 2006, at 16:29:42
In reply to Tinnitus and music in my head, posted by Movie Mom on January 17, 2006, at 15:14:41
hi, I don't want to overlook the obvious here just in case, but are you taking regular aspirin or another for nsaid for non psych reasons?
Those can cause tinnitus. So can ear damage, loud noise, etc. I'm just bringing these up so you don't miss something crucial by focusing on the wrong area. I see you've worked with your doctor on this, so I doubt he overlooked these things.
The repetitive music thing though, I've had that as long as I can remember. I'm very music oriented so I just accept it. At any given time, I can stop think and name the snippet that's been running. It only bothers me when I can't sleep.
I hope some of this helps,
James K
Posted by BennyJ on January 20, 2006, at 13:18:33
In reply to Tinnitus and music in my head, posted by Movie Mom on January 17, 2006, at 15:14:41
Have you tried trazodone for sleep? I find 100-150mg before bed knocks me into sleep and continues to help with depression the following day.
> I suffer from major depression and insomnia and have been on a (seemingly) never-ending search for an AD that will ease the depression while helping with sleep, or at least not worsening the insomnia. My doctor has tried Cymbalta, Wellbutrin, Prozac, and Effexor. The AD's seemed to help the depression but not the sleep.
>
> Last summer we tried a course of Lamictal (without an AD). Helped my insomnia tremendously but didn't help the depression. So after a couple of months, we added 10 mg of Prozac. After a couple of weeks on the Prozac, she increased the dosage to 20 mg. I almost immediately started to experience tinnitus and music "loops" going through my head with the 20 mg of Prozac. I have never experienced this before, including during a 2 1/2 year stint on Prozac.
>
> My doc thought the Prozac was too activating so had me stop it. Still have the tinnitus and music three months later. Is this a problem with Lamictal, a problem with the Lamictal-Prozac combination, or something else? I was also taking 1 mg of clonazepam (Klonopin) and 300-600 mg of gabapentin (Neurontin)at the time I started the Lamictal. I had been on these in an effort to ease the insomnia. Have since nearly weaned myself off the clonazepam but am still using the gabapentin.
Posted by summerflowers on January 23, 2006, at 4:39:14
In reply to Re: Tinnitus and music in my head, posted by BennyJ on January 20, 2006, at 13:18:33
Im just curious,if you have tinnitus really bad,can the noise turn into voices?is this known to happen?Iv heard its common to hear music with tinnitus but voices?anyone know?
This is the end of the thread.
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