# Hearing Loss & Hypothyroid



## seg85254

Hi Everyone,

I am new to the thyroid boards, but not new to hypothyroidism. My oldest child was born July 1990 and I was diagnosed with hypothyroidism shortly after. At the same time I developed fibromyalgia/CFS symptoms although it took several years and many doctors to finally get a diagnosis of fibro. I was living in Chicago and in 1995 I moved to the southwest. My fibro symptoms have improved greatly since moving to a dry climate. About seven years ago I started having bladder problems and it took over 5 years to get the correct diagnosis of interstitial cystitis, another autoimmune disorder. Also within the last 5-6 years I started losing my outer eyebrows and developed severe ridges on my fingernails. I have been in Synthroid or Levothyroxine since 1990 and have always had regular blood work and very naively thought my doctors were taking care of me.

Two months ago I developed what I thought was an ear infection. It started out as head fullness and ear pain in my left ear. Then I started having migraines, dizziness and balance problems, tinnitus, and hearing loss. I have spent most the the last two months in bed because of feeling so poorly. My energy level is zero. My GP tried treating me with antibiotics and then steroids when the antibiotics didn't work. I was then sent to a ENT that gave me a hearing tests and an MRI. He couldn't figure it out and referred me to a neuro-otologist with the Barrow Neurological Institute in Phoenix. Before I could see that specialist, I had a really bad night and my husband took me to the emergency room. The ER doc said he thought I had Meniere's Disease and gave me some pain pills for the migraines. I saw the neuro-otologist and he told me that I did not have Meniere's and that whatever I had was systemic. I then went to a neurologist recommended to me by Barrow. He ordered a MRA, MRV, many blood tests and did a spinal tap. I have an appointment on the 29th to go over the results of all of my testing. In the mean time, I had a regular thyroid test ordered by my GP. He told me that my TSH was 16. He wanted to bump my Levothyroxine up to 0.2 MG (from 0.175 MG) and then recheck me in three months. He said my T3's were off and if the higher levothyroxine didn't work that he would switch my meds to work on my T3. Later that day I later saw a naturopath who was the first person to suggest that all of my symptoms are probably related to my thyroid symptoms. I didn't ask for a copy of my thyroid blood work from my GP, but will be requesting a copy tomorrow. Additionally, I had a complete hysterectomy including ovaries in March and have been having hormonal problems ever since.

I have felt so bad for so many years that I really don't know what it feels like to feel good anymore. I guess it took something as drastic as losing some of my hearing to get my attention. Now that I am finally educating myself on thyroid issues, I now know that missing eyebrows are a classic sign of thyroid problems. Wouldn't a doctor notice my missing eyebrows and question me further?

I have always been a very positive person and I am not a complainer by nature. I always look for the positives in my life and I am grateful for all the blessings G-d has given me. Does anyone know if hearing loss from thyroid issues is reversible? The neuro-otologist I saw said that I could expect to continue to lose hearing in both ears. I am hoping that this isn't the case and that by finally properly treating my thyroid I may regain some of my hearing that I have lost back. Any good thyroid doctors in the Phoenix/Scottsdale area that you can recommend? I have United Healthcare Plus/Golden Rule for health insurance.

Thanks for any answers,

Susie


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## Calli66

I have wondered about the thyroid/hearing connection myself. When my thyroid hormone is off or my autoimmune antibodies are attacking, my tinnitus is terrible. My ear (right ear) just roars!

I have been on levothyroxin for over 3 years, and I am beginning to realize that it doesn't work very well. Even though my TSH were deemed "good---excellent!" by my doctor, I would have recurrent episodes of fatigue, bloating, constipation, etc. Sometimes the digestion problems would just "magically" improve---almost overnight. Never could figure out why---tried all sorts of diet changes, supplements, gluten free---all good. But I am finally beginning to understand that my symptoms are thyroid-related.

By the way---the eyebrows--I've been penciling in the outer third for about 8 years, and my hair is all weird and different, and falling out, too.

In two weeks I'm going to a different doctor and will ask to be switched to natural dessicated thyroid. I want to try that for at least 6 months, and see if it's an improvement over the synthetic.

The bottom line is: don't underestimate the power of thyroid problems to totally mess you up! It's a biggie.

Hope you get some answers soon.

Calli


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## northernlite

Interesting discussion, I am a newbie only 6 weeks into diagnosis but some of my symptoms are dizziness, occasional vertigo, balance issues. I have seen a lot of improvement in them since starting medication. Also for the past year I have had some tinnitus and hearing loss. I never correlated them to the other thyroid symptoms but I am going to pay attention and see if they improve too!


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## CA-Lynn

I hate to be the bearer of bad tidings, but where there's one [autoimmune disease], too often there are others looming.

The ridged nails are a telltale sign for a number of diseases/injuries, including several autoimmune diseases within the rheumatology, pulmonology, and dermatology spectrum. If you're experiencing any joint pain, I'd include a visit to a rheumatologist to determine if there's a muscle/joint issue.

Have corticosteroid drugs been included in the treament for the hearing loss? [I'm assuming it's neuro-sensorial.]

Also, have they ruled out BPPV [Benign Positional Paroxysmal Vertigo]? If not, the treatment is very easy for that.


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## Andros

seg85254 said:


> Hi Everyone,
> 
> I am new to the thyroid boards, but not new to hypothyroidism. My oldest child was born July 1990 and I was diagnosed with hypothyroidism shortly after. At the same time I developed fibromyalgia/CFS symptoms although it took several years and many doctors to finally get a diagnosis of fibro. I was living in Chicago and in 1995 I moved to the southwest. My fibro symptoms have improved greatly since moving to a dry climate. About seven years ago I started having bladder problems and it took over 5 years to get the correct diagnosis of interstitial cystitis, another autoimmune disorder. Also within the last 5-6 years I started losing my outer eyebrows and developed severe ridges on my fingernails. I have been in Synthroid or Levothyroxine since 1990 and have always had regular blood work and very naively thought my doctors were taking care of me.
> 
> Two months ago I developed what I thought was an ear infection. It started out as head fullness and ear pain in my left ear. Then I started having migraines, dizziness and balance problems, tinnitus, and hearing loss. I have spent most the the last two months in bed because of feeling so poorly. My energy level is zero. My GP tried treating me with antibiotics and then steroids when the antibiotics didn't work. I was then sent to a ENT that gave me a hearing tests and an MRI. He couldn't figure it out and referred me to a neuro-otologist with the Barrow Neurological Institute in Phoenix. Before I could see that specialist, I had a really bad night and my husband took me to the emergency room. The ER doc said he thought I had Meniere's Disease and gave me some pain pills for the migraines. I saw the neuro-otologist and he told me that I did not have Meniere's and that whatever I had was systemic. I then went to a neurologist recommended to me by Barrow. He ordered a MRA, MRV, many blood tests and did a spinal tap. I have an appointment on the 29th to go over the results of all of my testing. In the mean time, I had a regular thyroid test ordered by my GP. He told me that my TSH was 16. He wanted to bump my Levothyroxine up to 0.2 MG (from 0.175 MG) and then recheck me in three months. He said my T3's were off and if the higher levothyroxine didn't work that he would switch my meds to work on my T3. Later that day I later saw a naturopath who was the first person to suggest that all of my symptoms are probably related to my thyroid symptoms. I didn't ask for a copy of my thyroid blood work from my GP, but will be requesting a copy tomorrow. Additionally, I had a complete hysterectomy including ovaries in March and have been having hormonal problems ever since.
> 
> I have felt so bad for so many years that I really don't know what it feels like to feel good anymore. I guess it took something as drastic as losing some of my hearing to get my attention. Now that I am finally educating myself on thyroid issues, I now know that missing eyebrows are a classic sign of thyroid problems. Wouldn't a doctor notice my missing eyebrows and question me further?
> 
> I have always been a very positive person and I am not a complainer by nature. I always look for the positives in my life and I am grateful for all the blessings G-d has given me. Does anyone know if hearing loss from thyroid issues is reversible? The neuro-otologist I saw said that I could expect to continue to lose hearing in both ears. I am hoping that this isn't the case and that by finally properly treating my thyroid I may regain some of my hearing that I have lost back. Any good thyroid doctors in the Phoenix/Scottsdale area that you can recommend? I have United Healthcare Plus/Golden Rule for health insurance.
> 
> Thanks for any answers,
> 
> Susie


Hi Susie and welcome. You poor thing. Yes, ears can be severely affected by TD and also the myriad of other symptoms you have described. I truly feel bad for you.

Not everything is due to thyroid but I am here to tell you that w/ a TSH like that, most of us would be in the hospital and I kid you not.

It sounds like you have never had any antibodies' tests done so I am going to suggest some and provide some links for you so you can advocate for yourself here.

I think RAIU is a good idea too for in the "real world", cancer must be ruled out.

TSI (thyroid stimulating immunoglobulin),TPO (antimicrosomal antibodies) TBII (thyrotropin-binding inhibitory immunoglobulin), Thyroglobulin Ab, ANA (antinuclear antibodies), (thyroid hormone panel) TSH, Free T3, Free T4.

You can look this stuff up here and more.........
http://www.labtestsonline.org/unders...s/thyroid.html

Understanding thyroid lab tests.....http://www.amarillomed.com/howto

Also, radioactive uptake scan (RAIU); sonograms have limitations.


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## stranazingarella

I had a TT in February for Thyroid cancer and Hashimoto's and Sarcoidosis, both auto-immune diseases were found in the pathology. Eight years previous, I had gone to an ENT for what I thought were mere sinus issues, and he discovered I had virtually no hearing left in one of my ears. He didn't know how it had happened or what caused it but said with exploratory surgery he could find out. I opted not to do it, but I still wonder.


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## jumpinjiminy

Wow. Your story sounds a lot like mine, except I gave up seeking help for the problems when a doc tried to rule me bipolar without ever checking a hormone level. He did this after antidepressants made me more anxious and caused insomnia resulting in more fatigue, aches and pains.

Fast forward ten plus two years and I end up having a uterine ablation done for heavy bleeding that exacerbates the fatigue x50, have suffered 20 years with rupturing ovarian cysts, fluctuating moods (not bipolar, depression or any other form of psychosis), fluctuating energy levels, fluctuating attention levels, am now diagnosed with interstitial cystitis (have had for years intermittently unknowingly and treated for how many non-infections?), and then this summers huge attack that hit like MS that rapidly unfolded with new symptoms every week.

Very scary. It turned my life upside down. I, too, have had trouble with fluid in the ears, mostly on one side only. Not only has there been fluid, there have been shooting pains, earaches, fullness, crackling, sounds like soap suds, high tone ringing and low tone ringing, then there are the days when it sounds like crickets chirping. I've seen just about every specialist you can imagine (except an oncologist) since late this summer, and everyone has contributed a little something that has led us to the thyroid.

When I was having the vertigo/nausea/tinnitus/loss of balance/ataxia/migraine/weakness/spasticity month, they did multiple tests. Among them was the BAER - stands for brainstem auditory evoked response test. I had an audiology exam and a VNG - short for videonystagmography. All of them picked up subtle abnormalities, some old, some new, but showing some nerve damage somewhere along the pathways. There is slight hearing loss on one side only - the side I've had trouble with the fluid collecting for at least six years now (only after illness at first and then last year started with the two-week headaches) - and the same side that has always started aching in the cold wind.

The reason I'm rambling on about all of this is, since this big flare up of whatever this summer, the fluid has collected and ruptured the tympanic membrane leaking into my ear canal about three or four times over the course of this flare up. And with the new flare up that started a month ago, now the fluid is starting to build up in both ears.

I mentioned to my neurologist when I saw him last that whatever this is, is causing the fluid to build up in my ears because I've never had this much trouble with them before. And every time I have had trouble with them in the last year, I've also had migraine like headaches, blurring vision, fatigue, irritability and probably a whole host of other things that I now know are related to this mystery.

The only diagnostic anything they've found in all my testing (until the elevated TSH today), are the elevated TPO antibodies. That's it. I even suffered through a horrible spinal tap today (to look for oligoclonal bands) that probably won't show a thing, and then come home to find out I am hypothyroid. My TSH went UP on steroids when it should have went DOWN. LOL. Huh?

Anyway, the neuro tested for these antibodies because he's enlightened and thought it could be Hashimoto's enchephalopathy. I still don't know if that's what I have or not, but the neuro stuff and the ear fluid, the interstitial cystitis, muscle spasms, twitching, fever, blurred vision, tinnitus, fatigue and miserable brain fog all get better on the high doses and come back on the low doses then increase on nothing.

I wish you the best. I know how it is to feel absolutely horrible and not know where to turn. I hope somehow my story helps you find your path and that it's a lot faster and less frustrating than mine has been. Every specialist has added a little something to the picture with their testing that is starting to take shape.

Now we have enough info to try a little of this and a little of that and see how it goes. My GP thinks this is more systemic too and wants me to go to Mayo. I've been through so much testing, I just want to get treated and ride it out for a while. And after today, sheesh, I hope he finds what he's looking for with that one spinal tap. It's unlikely they'll get me to do another without knocking me out first. It didn't go so well. Most people don't have a lot of trouble with them. But mine? Yes. It's not been my year for pain free living.

Bye bye 2010. Good riddance!

May 2011 show you the door and grow to be more spectacular than the decades before. Eat.My.Dust.

Can you tell I'm feeling a little hopeful about having found out SOMETHING today that can be treated?

hugs4


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