Ears buzzing- Just another Metformin side effect? (I hope)

rosalindp · Oct 15, 2017

Hi

I have had buzzing ears (-tinnitus) for the past few days, & I'm -hoping- that it's just another Metformin side effect (& so will go away when I can get off the pills). - Has anybody else experienced this with Metformin, please?

My background:

Before June this year I had high (-Ok, very, very high) blood sugar levels (so I realise that my body will take some time to recover from that abuse).
On 24 June I started on 2 Metformin (500 mg) twice a day, & immediately my typical BS reading was down to 7 point something.
About August I started on a Low Carb diet, & my Metformin dosage is now down to one pill, twice a day (& a BS reading today was 5.9).

Circulation (- which may or may not be related):

I've sometimes over the past 2 weeks had breathing issues, felt out of breath.
At a Dr visit, my oxygen saturation levels were only around 94-96%. (Tried an asthma/hayfever inhaler, no effect. So the cause is not that.)
I have some "mottling" on my left forearm, which is where the veins appear to be like red beehive cell hexagons. (Sorry, I can't explain it better.)
According to Google, a possible cause of tinnitus is "Circulation." (Yeah, how?)

Thank you for your help.

Kind regards,
Rosalind

Joke:
Boss to Employee: "Wilson, I want you to stop wearing those nice suits to work. People might start to think that you're somebody important."

ickihun · Oct 15, 2017

rosalindp said:
Hi

I have had buzzing ears (-tinnitus) for the past few days, & I'm -hoping- that it's just another Metformin side effect (& so will go away when I can get off the pills). - Has anybody else experienced this with Metformin, please?

My background:

Before June this year I had high (-Ok, very, very high) blood sugar levels (so I realise that my body will take some time to recover from that abuse).

On 24 June I started on 2 Metformin (500 mg) twice a day, & immediately my typical BS reading was down to 7 point something.

About August I started on a Low Carb diet, & my Metformin dosage is now down to one pill, twice a day (& a BS reading today was 5.9).

Circulation (- which may or may not be related):

I've sometimes over the past 2 weeks had breathing issues, felt out of breath.

At a Dr visit, my oxygen saturation levels were only around 94-96%. (Tried an asthma/hayfever inhaler, no effect. So the cause is not that.)

I have some "mottling" on my left forearm, which is where the veins appear to be like red beehive cell hexagons. (Sorry, I can't explain it better.)

According to Google, a possible cause of tinnitus is "Circulation." (Yeah, how?)

Thank you for your help.

Kind regards,
Rosalind

Joke:
Boss to Employee: "Wilson, I want you to stop wearing those nice suits to work. People might start to think that you're somebody important."

I get buzzing ears when I'm experiencing a hypo! What is your meter saying when this happens hun?

Guzzler · Oct 15, 2017

I have had tinitus for most of my life. Metformin has no effect on me in this regard. Asprin, however, can make it worse. BP is linked to it as well.

rosalindp · Oct 16, 2017

ickihun said:
I get buzzing ears when I'm experiencing a hypo! What is your meter saying when this happens hun?

Hi @ickihun
Yup, I've also had buzzing ears when my sugar levels have been bouncing around wildly (-generally was a hyper than a hypo). But this buzzing is now constant, 24/7 (for a few days now). My meter says that my sugars are what they usually have been for the past few months, eg just now they are 7.4
Thanks.
Kind regards,
Rosalind

~ "Someone is sitting in the shade today because someone planted a tree a long time ago." - Warren Buffett

rosalindp · Oct 16, 2017

Guzzler said:
I have had tinitus for most of my life. Metformin has no effect on me in this regard. Asprin, however, can make it worse. BP is linked to it as well.

Hi @Guzzler

Thanks. My Blood Pressure was a little high at my last Dr's visit... Does your tinnitus get worse when your blood pressure is too high or too low?

Thanks.

Kind regards,
Rosalind

~ “All of us have moments in our lives that test our courage. Taking children into a house with a white carpet is one of them.” ― Erma Bombeck (the comedy author)

rosalindp · Oct 16, 2017

rosalindp said:
Hi @Guzzler

Thanks. My Blood Pressure was a little high at my last Dr's visit... Does your tinnitus get worse when your blood pressure is too high or too low?

Thinking about it a bit more... Recently I haven't been drinking as much water as I usu do... So maybe it's dehydration... causing my BP to rise.... (Going off now to drink lots & lots of water... )

Thank you!

rosalindp · Oct 16, 2017

rosalindp said:
Hi @ickihun
eg just now they are 7.4

Ah ha! ... maybe the buzzing was louder because my BS levels were on the way down... Now (36 minutes later...) my meter says 6.4... (Going off now to eat some food...)

Guzzler · Oct 16, 2017

Not a great problem for me with bp. Hope it is better now, I know only too well how maddening it can be to be stuck with the tinitus.

rosalindp · Oct 16, 2017

Guzzler said:
Not a great problem for me with bp. Hope it is better now, I know only too well how maddening it can be to be stuck with the tinitus.

Thanks. The buzzing seems a little less noisy now. I'll wait & see what tomorrow brings.... Sigh...

Guzzler · Oct 16, 2017

One tip I can give you that really helps me is that in the wee small hours when tinitus seems at its worst, have the radio tuned to radio 4 on a low volume. The sonorous voices will be loud enough to cover the buzzing but not loud enough to keep you awake. Good luck.

rosalindp · Oct 16, 2017

Guzzler said:
One tip I can give you that really helps me
Good luck.

Thank you.

SueOaks · Aug 24, 2024

rosalindp said:
Hi

I have had buzzing ears (-tinnitus) for the past few days, & I'm -hoping- that it's just another Metformin side effect (& so will go away when I can get off the pills). - Has anybody else experienced this with Metformin, please?

My background:

Before June this year I had high (-Ok, very, very high) blood sugar levels (so I realise that my body will take some time to recover from that abuse).

On 24 June I started on 2 Metformin (500 mg) twice a day, & immediately my typical BS reading was down to 7 point something.

About August I started on a Low Carb diet, & my Metformin dosage is now down to one pill, twice a day (& a BS reading today was 5.9).

Circulation (- which may or may not be related):

I've sometimes over the past 2 weeks had breathing issues, felt out of breath.

At a Dr visit, my oxygen saturation levels were only around 94-96%. (Tried an asthma/hayfever inhaler, no effect. So the cause is not that.)

I have some "mottling" on my left forearm, which is where the veins appear to be like red beehive cell hexagons. (Sorry, I can't explain it better.)

According to Google, a possible cause of tinnitus is "Circulation." (Yeah, how?)

Thank you for your help.

Kind regards,
Rosalind

Joke:
Boss to Employee: "Wilson, I want you to stop wearing those nice suits to work. People might start to think that you're somebody important."

My ears started ringing when I started metformin. I found a UK web site where many folks complained about metformin making their ears ring.
Sue

Pipp · Aug 25, 2024

SueOaks said:
My ears started ringing when I started metformin. I found a UK web site where many folks complained about metformin making their ears ring.
Sue

Are you able to provide a link, please, @SueOaks?
I would be interested to read more on this topic, as I have hearing loss and tinnitus, also have bern taking prescribed Metformin for a few years.

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