Am I crazy?

General Blog
#1

I'm starting to think that I may be going crazy. Well, at least that's how my rheumy's nurses are making me feel.

First, I would like to ask all of you, has anyone had any problems with hearing loss and/or loud ringing in your ears? I'm currently taking Humira, so I looked on the internet if there was any corralation between Humira and my ear problem. I had found that there was a study done in, I think, 2008 and there were a VERY small amount of patients that had ear/hearing problems. I'm convinced that my ear problems are due to my Humira. Let me tell you why. Yesterday I had my Humira shot and last night I noticed a deafening ringing in my ears. Also, I noticed that I have had progressive hearing loss since I started taking Humira. I may be crazy, but I just want to know if I'm the only one that this is happening to.....

So, with the insane ringing in my ears, today I also had some other things: nausea, dizziness, headache. I called my clinic and spoke to my rheumy's nurse because my rheumy is on vacation all week. She said that there is NO way that any of my meds could be causing my problems and that it's most likely an ear infection. End of story and help on her part.

I went on with my day, the best I could, feeling like crap. Work was unbearable and I decided to go to Urgent Care after I was done with work.

The U.C doc said that there was no infection in my ears. No infection??? WTF is causing this then? He was reading my patient notes and said that the nurse that I had talked to today put in that NONE of my meds are causing my problems. How in the hell can she completely disregard the possibility that it COULD be one of my meds causing this? The U.C. doc said he would call an ENT doc tomorrow and get me in to see them so we can figure out what's going on.

Am I crazy to believe a study that was done that resulted in some patients having ringing in their ears? Do I just sit back and believe my rheumy's nurse? I feel extremely defeated.

#2

http://www.ehealthme.com/ds/humira/ringing+in+the+ears

Hi Morey,

As you know, I am no Dr, but that nurse has no place to tell you that, there are rare SE that can always happen. My own Doctor has never discounted a SE even if he never heard of it!!! She should have said, that it was not a common SE, or it was doubtful, but possible!!

It's not you!

My husband has Tennitus, he has had it since Nam, from the fire fights, and explosives... It is terrible! Glad you are going to an ENT, those are some great Docs! They should be able to get to the bottom of it, BUT, if I were you, print off all info of this and take it along! Just in case, they cannot know about every drug on the market, especially one that is basically unrelated to their field!

Please don't let the nurse rattle you, tell your Rheumy when he gets back, let the Doctor take care of her!!!!!

Hope this helps you get through it! Stay strong and focused!

Concerned,

SK

#3

Thanks for the encouraging words SK! And also thanks for that link. I will definitely be printing that and taking it to my ENT appointment. I will also be taking it to my next rheumy appointment!

#4

http://www.dizziness-and-balance.com/disorders/autoimmune/aied.html

Now morey, I am not a Doc, and not trying to do a diagnosis here, but this is something else I found. This may be what the nurse knows that we didn't.

Something that is worth knowing for all of us!

SK