HealthCareMagic is now Ask A Doctor - 24x7 | https://www.askadoctor24x7.com

Suggest Remedy For Severe Anxiety And Tinnitus In A Person With Hypothyroidism

Posted on Wed, 13 Jan 2016

Question: My 40 year old daughter has suffered from Hashimoto's hypothyroidism since age 8. It has been managed well with Synthoid over the years. Now for some reason she has gone into the hyperthyroid range. He symptoms are distressing to her: muscle twitching, pain, tingling, weakness in arms & hands, insomnia, poor appetite and weight loss, severe anxiety and panic, and persistent loud ringing in her ears. He Synthroid has been reduced and we know it will take awhile for her symptoms to subside. The ringing in her ears is driving her crazy and she wonders if and when she could expect that to stop.

Answered by Dr. Shehzad Topiwala (40 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
Thyroid

Detailed Answer:
Sorry to note her bothersome symptoms especially the ringing in the ears. However it is not generally seen with hyperthyroidism.
I suggest showing her to an ENT doctor to explore other causes.
When I see someone like her in my practice, I typically order the following tests in addition to a detailed physical examination:

CBC
Electrolytes
Calcium
HbA1c
Liver function tests
Kidney function tests
TSH
25 hydroxy Vitamin D

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar

Follow up: Dr. Shehzad Topiwala (11 minutes later)

Thank you for your response to my question. I neglected to mention that her GP prescribed Effexor for her severe anxiety when the above mentioned symptoms emerged. She took the first dose in the am (2 weeks ago) and awoke that night with the severe ringing in her ears. She stopped taking it after 2 doses and the doctor put her on Cipralex and she stopped taking that yesterday as she wonders if it is contributing to her ear problem Do you think these meds could be related to the ear ringing
and if so, is it reasonable to expect the ringing to subside after the antidepressants are out of her system?

Answered by Dr. Shehzad Topiwala (9 hours later)

Brief Answer:
Follow up

Detailed Answer:
Both these medications are not commonly associated with this side effect but it has been reported. So it is possible to experience this problem due to either or both of these medications.
One could expect improvement after stopping these medications but it is very important to consult your doctor in person before stopping any of these medications.

Note: Consult an experienced Otolaryngologist / ENT Specialist online for further follow up on ear, nose, and throat issues - Book a Call now.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar