Posted by Rick on November 3, 1999, at 19:20:46
In reply to Hold the Boat!, posted by Rick on November 3, 1999, at 19:08:52
As usual when I post using WebTV (it hates text boxes), something gets screwed up. In this case, the last part of my post (after my signature) should be ignored.
BTW, I tried the Buspar+Pindolol combo for about seven weeks.> Interesting to run across this thread in an Alta
Vista search. It talks about Pindolol as a
tinnitus-fighter, while my experience has been
*quite* different. It also talks about the
purportedly powerful AD effects of Buspar and
Pindolol taken simultaneously -- depression relief
on par with Luvox, but with very rapid onset of
relief.
>
> I just DUMPED the Buspar+simultaneous Pindolol
after 7 weeks, with one of the primary reasons
being that my longtime mild-to-moderate tinnitus
had turned into a 24/7 screeching racket! I guess
we've got a MAJOR case of YMMV going on here!
>
> I added Pindolol to my Klonopin regimen about
three months ago, and my tinnitus remained its
usual variable self. Then I added the Buspar -- a
mere 7.5 mg morning and 7.5 mg at night, and the
tinnitus became a lot louder and more persistent
immediately. I kept expecting this side effect to
subside, but "no go". I haven't read a lot about
tinnitus, but my limited surfing kept turning up a
> long-list of drugs which can cause tinnitus.
Aspirin (which I started taking daily long before
the Buspar) and Buspar were listed as among the
top offenders. Several anti-hypertensives,
including the very common beta blocker
Lopressor/Toprol/Metoprolol, were on the list of
possible tinnitus inducers.
>
> Now, my problem is Anxiety (esp. Social Phobia),
not depression. I was doing great in that regard,
but the Buspar+Pindolol side effects (tinnitus,
dizziness,fatigue -- all much more bothersome at
night) just wouldn't go away. And I wasn't sure
the Buspar and/or Pindolol and/or purported
beneficial interaction of the two meds were
helping me. I theorized that the Pindolol (which
DOES list tinnitus as a possible side effect in
its official monograph) might be exacerbateing the
Buspar tinnitus. Also, I thought the Pindolol
might be causing my nightly, annoying weird dreams
AND my dry, irritated eyes (both listed as
possible side fx). So I dumped the Pindolol.
Nope, no change in the racket. So about three
days ago, I dumped the Buspar, too.
>
> Well, the amplified 24/7 tinnitus stayed with
me. And the last few days I noticed that the
Klonopin didn't seem to be working *quite* as well
as usual, so I popped half a 5 mg. Pindolol, and
within 15 minutes I felt MUCH more relaxed. So,
while I've never heard of Pindolol augmenting a
Benzo, I'm beginning to think that the K+P was the
key to how well I've been doing (i.e., 75-80%
relief on K alone, 95% on K+P. And it certainly
doesn't hurt that Pindolol's antihypertensive
effects brought my BP and heart rate -- which
moving back up to higher-than-desired levels --
back down. And I'm a *bit* more fatigued than
when I was taking the K alone, but not nearly so
much as when I was taking all three, and certainly
not dizzy. Regardless, even though there's a lot
of dispute about the benefits of Pindolol's unique
mechanism's, I'm a fan. It's a cool med, alright.
>
> Now a question: Does anyone know if
drug-induced tinnitus is reversible?? I'm hoping
that the worsened, relentless tinnitus is hanging
around simply because it takes awhile to get all
the Buspar out of my system (any thoughts on THIS
aspect)? Thanks in advance for your thoughts.
>
> Rick
>
> Now, to my surprise, I sit here with screeching
sounds in my head, check out Psycho-Babble for the
first time in awhile, and read that Pindolol
cancels out Tinnitus! Not for me, at least. But
I sure do like it for other reasons. It is one
cool med.
poster:Rick
thread:7974
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/19991028/msgs/14548.html