# Graves and Hearing?



## anommay1013 (Nov 5, 2014)

This seems like a crazy thought, but I don't really know what else to think. I was diagnosed with Graves in October, my thyroid was completely out of control. I'm currently on 80mg of Methimazole a day and 100mg of Lopressor a day. I am also waiting for an appointment with my eye doctor to see if all my undiagnosed eye problems that no one could ever figure out are from the Graves. But over the past few months I've noticed my hearing going down the drain. To the point where if the radio is on quietly in the car, I can't hear my husband talking to me, or I can't watch a video for school if there's no transcript to go along with it. It all sounds like mumbling to me. It doesn't happen all the time but it is getting more frequent. I was just wondering if this is a known issue from the Graves or my meds? Thank you!!


----------



## Lovlkn (Dec 20, 2009)

I've never heard of nor experienced a loss of hearing from taking anti thyroid medications.

If anything, being hyper and even euthyroid after a TT, I have periods of extremely sensitive hearing rather than loss of hearing.

How long have you been taking 80mgs of --Methimazole a day? That's a fairly high dose. You absolutely need to be re-tested at maximum 4 weeks after you began taking it. Insist they run the FT-4 and FT-3 tests and do NOT adjust your dosing by TSH alone.


----------



## cerumens (Nov 17, 2014)

I am an Audiologist by profession and there is a connection between autoimmune disease and hearing loss. There are also many medicines that have an ototoxic result alone or in combination with other medications. http://ww.asha.org/public/hearing/Ototoxic-Medications/ I would discuss this problem with an ENT in combination with an Audiologist. There may be absolutely no correlation, but it is worth discussing.


----------



## anommay1013 (Nov 5, 2014)

Thanks guys. I have had a lot of weird symptoms that I don't think can be related to the Graves, but I feel like I'm crazy for even thinking there's anything else wrong with me (and I KNOW that is because of the Graves!) I have been on 80 for about a week now, I was on 60. 60 brought me down a bit, but then I plateaued for a while, so my endo bumped me up to 80, with labs once a week. And he does a full thyroid panel every time, along with my vitamin D, since I'm deficicient in that too.


----------



## Andros (Aug 26, 2009)

Yes; this is very possible. Have you had RAI uptake Scan or an ultra-sound? Sometimes the goiter from Graves' will take the pathway of least resistance and can grow inward rather than outward. In certain situations this can compromise one's hearing.

This also happens to be true with GED (Graves' Eye Disease.)

That is why there are no short cuts with this stuff.

Let us know.

Hugs,


----------



## Lovlkn (Dec 20, 2009)

anommay1013 said:


> Thanks guys. I have had a lot of weird symptoms that I don't think can be related to the Graves, but I feel like I'm crazy for even thinking there's anything else wrong with me (and I KNOW that is because of the Graves!) I have been on 80 for about a week now, I was on 60. 60 brought me down a bit, but then I plateaued for a while, so my endo bumped me up to 80, with labs once a week. And he does a full thyroid panel every time, along with my vitamin D, since I'm deficicient in that too.


It's good they are testing you often. Do you have copies of your lab's and could you please post them along with ranges please. I'm also curious to see what antibodies they have run.

My experience was that my Endo increased my anti thyroid med's even though my Free's were reducing. Just want to be sure your Endo isn't dosing you on TSH alone.

As far as your D goes - has your doctor decided to address that yet? I was on a 50K IU weekly for 12 week prescription and need to take 5K IU daily to maintain top range. All of this was not discovered until after I had my thyroid removed.


----------



## webster2 (May 19, 2011)

Very good idea to mention it to your doctor. I experienced a constant white noise when Graves was active, like so many symptoms of Graves are unique to each person.


----------



## anommay1013 (Nov 5, 2014)

I will dig up my labs to post. My doctor has addressed my vitamin D. I was taking supplements on my own, but my levels were still decreasing. So last week they started me on 50k I.U a week for 8 weeks to see if that boosts me up.


----------



## anommay1013 (Nov 5, 2014)

T3 Total: 362 (60-181)
T3 Free: 13.6 (2.3-4.2)
Free T4: 3.58 (0.89-1.76)
T4: 17.8 (4.5-10.9)
TSH: .008 (.470-4.200)
Thyroid-Stimulating Immunglobu: 537 (0-139)
Antithyroglobulin AB: <1.0 (0.0-0.9)
Thyrotropin Receptor AB, S: 5.49 (0.00-1.75)

The measurements from my ultrasound are:
Left Lobe 4.3x1.7x1.2 cm
Right Lobe 5.1x1.5x1.4
Thyroid Isthmus 4mm thick

These are my labs from Mid November. I don't have my most recent ones yet. I forgot to grab them at my last visit.


----------

