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Ototoxicity (deafness)

6080 Views 15 Replies 7 Participants Last post by  Philly Bud
I've been hearing impaired since the age of 18 and I'm now 65. Recently my doctor, who is an advanced practice nurse, put me on Lasix for edema that I have in my legs and feet - which she thinks is caused by another blood pressure drug called Norvasc. After being on Lasix for about a week or less, I noticed that my hearing was being affected.

So I called her office and the decision was made to stop Lasix and try Bumex, which I guess is in the same class of water pills. Now after being on Bumex for almost two weeks I am again experiencing the same ototoxicity. My head feels like it is in a barrel - all hollow - can't hear worth a darn. I am 100% deaf in my left ear and hearing impaired in my right ear. So any hearing I have left I want to protect at any cost.

This past Wednesday, when I first noticed my hearing was being affected, I called the APN and explained my situation. She told me that since I was on a small dose twice a day she did not think it was the Bumex that was affecting my hearing and I should not stop the drug. I believed her....what a fool I am!!!

Today I woke up and I cannot hear hardly anything even with my hearing aid. I am feeling absolutely crushed.....just needed to rant on about my ear. Sorry if I've offended anyone.
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I'm very sorry for your difficulty. In 2005 I awoke one morning completely deaf in my right ear. I had no ear infection and no symptoms of ANYTHING prior to that morning. I spent many months trying to negotiate with whoever inhabits the Ether to return my hearing, but it didn't seem like a priority to anyone but me (LOL). To this day, if I had to choose between replacing my hearing or my pancreas, the ear would win out hands down!

Your experience is really an object lesson in why it's SO important for people to read the prescribing information pamphlet that comes with every medication. Doctors should too, but they won't. The onus falls on us as consumers to be educated and to advocate for ourselves.

I hope the ENT can help. Please let us know how you do.

Jen
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