annoying ringing in ears

[sbrainbolt]

I am 9 months out from my tx and have noticed this annoying ringing in my ears the last few months. I am wondering if this is due to the chemo or just too many loud concerts as a teen? Seems to have gotten worse in the last couple of months.

Anything you can do about it?

Thanks,
Susan

[Lee]

Hi Susan,

Did you get FOLFOX? If you did, you might want to get your ears checked by an ear specialist. I had some ringing in my ears while on chemo, but most importantly I lost almost all my hearing for awhile at the end of my chemo treatments. I was sent to an ear specialist who I still see today. Seems chemo caused ear nerve damage and I lost some of my hearing as a result. I had a few yrs when the damage continued, then slowed down and has all together stopped for the past few yrs. I get my hearing checked once a yr now to monitor

While they say it's rare, it seems it can happen. Good luck,

Lee

[mstults]

No ear problem so far. My ears are the best organs I have left I think.

[skypup]

I got it a while about a year after chemo (FOLFIRI). It hung around for a couple of months and then moved on to some other poor cancer soul's ears. To keep things in balance, someone else's hip pain came to stay with me.

[Ehut]

Almost seems like a pattern here. I also get some sporadic ringing in my ears that started recently, and I've been off FOLFIRI for 10 months and FOLFOX for about a year. It's not bad, just a bit annoying at times. Most of the time they're not ringing though. At first I was concerned I might have a brain tumor but it hasn't gotten worse.

[brigita]

I started noticing tinnitus in both ears about three years after finishing treatment. They gave me a head MRI & tested my hearing--all came back normal.

Don't know if this was from FOLFOX or attending too many rock shows in my hipper days.

[luvmymom]

I am 9 months out from my tx and have noticed this annoying ringing in my ears the last few months. I am wondering if this is due to the chemo or just too many loud concerts as a teen? Seems to have gotten worse in the last couple of months.

Anything you can do about it?

Thanks,
Susan

My mom is on FOLFOX and since the very first session has ringing in her ears ("tinnitus") for a few days after each treatment. It is apparently a side effect of FOLFOX, but it isn't one of the most common ones.

[Kathryn in MN]

I've had tinnitus my entire life. It got a LOT worse on FOLFOX, and then when I was done with that, it improved again. Then 4 months later I was back on chemo - FOLFIRI + Avastin, and it got worse again. I've been on and off variations of chemo with Irinotecan for the last 3 years and chemo week the tinnitus gets really bad. The next week usually isn't quite as bad. When I get breaks it gets better, and when I start back on chemo it gets worse.

[pog451]

I have a permanent ringing/whistling in my ears which, in my case, is DEFINITELY due to too many very loud concerts and particularly too many hideously loud sessions with my own bands (I play/played bass). (But yes, it was worth it )

Having said that, I also think its got worse on FOLFOX but interestingly, one of the therapies for tinnitus is fluid infusions, so possibly the worsening may be due to hydration issues.

[Crystally]

Hi Lee,

You mentioned some ear nerve damage from Folfox. My mother is half way through her treatment and started to notice some ringing in the ear and hearing loss. Her oncologist was very sceptical about the ear nerve damage as this is extremely rare but referred her for testing. This is in fact turned out to be a nerve damage and quite severe. She never had these issues before so we assume it is caused by chemo mainly oxilaplatin. We are still waiting to see our Oncologist in a few days and she is so upset he might need to stop Oxilaplatin. Was your treatment stopped because of it or you only discovered it after the treatment was completed? I guess if anyone notices some hearing loss or unusual ringing it's best to see an audiologist for testing. Lee how is your hearing now? I've heard that ear damage is irreversible unlike peripheral neuropathy associated with Oxi.

Thank you

Ally

[singingholly]

I share the same issue since I did my first chemo: it's like an electtic sound inside the head... and it worsen if I drink some alchool like wine or beer.
Olivia

[Bev G]

I have had pulsatile tinnitus since being on chemo, though I never had lxi, just irinotecan and 5FU. My peripheral neuropathy has been confirmed to have been caused by 5FU, so I assume the pulsatile (heartbeat sound in my ears) was too.

PS Could also be clogged carotid arteries...which would be just grand!

[Peabody5422]

Had ringing since hit by a car as a child. But now I get changes in tones. It's pretty funky to hear. I keep an Ipod with me all the time. I go to bed with earbuds but as soon I put them in I go to sleep. it's like a pill after all this time. Anywhere I am where there is not a lot of noise, I have my earbuds in: car (only one ear in car). Ear, Nose and Throat dr said if that helps, do it. I listen to audiobooks all the time with them.