My tinnitus is out of hand for now, making me crazy. The cicadas are in rare form in my head. Anyways. I was reading about tinnitus and it says that serotonin levels can cause the tinnitus to worsen. It also states that tinnitus is a central nervous problem, which serotonin is a huge part of.

So, my first question, do you think that some of us are just predisposed to have neuropic problems? I have had tinnitus for as long as I can remember. I also remember learning to crochet and my hands always hurting, my mom just said it was because I didn't do it enough. But, was that nerves acting up even then?

In the central nervous system, serotonin is believed to play an important role in the regulation of body temperature, mood, sleep, vomiting, sexuality, and appetite. Low levels of serotonin have been associated with weight disorders, namely clinical depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), migraine, irritable bowel syndrome, tinnitus, fibromyalgia, bipolar disorder, and anxiety disorders.[citation needed] If neurons of the brainstem that make serotonin—serotonergic neurons—are abnormal, there is a risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) in an infant.[1]Reading about serotonin makes more sense out of my life. Of course, having celiac disease, I had a vitamin and mineral deficiency, which I do not think has corrected itself, even after almost 6 years of gluten free. I was taking B complex vitamins, B12, and a multi vitamin and my sister told me I was just wasting the B vitamins, that my body doesn't retain them anyways. Is she right? Should I be taking B6 along with my 2400mcg of B12?

Will I ever figure this all out? I know you have to eat the right combinations of food for a good balance, yet I can't. I have too many intolerance's. So, what do I do? Any ideas?

I feel like I just go in circles. I have neuropathy because of vitamin deficiencies because of celiac's and because of celiac's I can't eat properly so I have vitamin deficiencies which make the neuropathy progress. Circles!!!

I need a

Somehow, after reading years of posts, I'd almost given it AS a 'Given'!..
Yes, when BP is hier [stress, infusions, what eaten, meds...whatever] IT is worse. Somehow, docs seem, to me, to dismiss this s/x as a 'nothing' issue. Like you the 'noise' is constant, ignored and seemingly totally unrelated. I dunno.... it does seem to be one common issue among many of us.

I would NOT give up the vites! Not at all! Since you seem to have a gluten issue [especially], the possibility of/for asorbtion issues especially is always present. IF you take excessive vites, well, some may go 'out w/the trash', but, your odds of 'getting' what you may NEED is far more important that not getting anything at all..

I'm sure Mrs.D or Rose will speak soon, but, a prudent choice of supplements certainly can't HURT your overall health. You just have to be careful in your choices. Example, Vits C and B-12: excess simply goes out...If you provide your body [which may have issues asorbing ONE pill a day] well, giving the body 'opportunities' more often during the day to 'get' that needed stuff, is well, harmless in the long run, and super-helpful in the overall. So, the question remains...are you HURTING or HELPING yourself in which choice you choose? It's your choice. I too go in CIRcLES about which 'what's to take and when...and HOW much. It can turn the brain to MUSH! Hard enuf to try and understand PN! Not to mention the variables? I DO trust Mrs D and Rose to provide the sources for the better, safer options for supplements. I do believe THEY ARE THERE...OR HAVE BEEN THERE...

As for SSRI's...for me, like Neurontin...they are DISASTROUS for me? I count my blessings in some ways...at least, I can take opiods for pain in what I feel are real-beyond real situations. Some folks can't. Geesh! What are the options-if any...then?

Hugs and good thoughts for now - j

NSAIDs (Non Steroidal AntiInflamatory Drugs) such as aspirin, ibuprofen, and naproxen sodium (Aleve) increase my tinnitus.

You can look up the side effects of all the medications you take, including over-the-counter. That way if a weird symptom turns up, like tinnitus, you'll know what caused it and let your doctor know. There are often alternatives without the same side effects. I check drugs at www.rxlist.com .

Grapefruit potentiates some drugs. There's a short article about it in the new National Geographic Magazine. That kind of interaction is included in the rxlist "Side Effects" and "Patient Information" sections.

Thank you both. I did forget to mention that I take Celexa, which is suppose to help with serotonin--maybe I do not take enough. I have had tinnitus most of my life, right now is the worst it has ever been and for so long.

So, about the grapefruit, does that mean I shouldn't eat it? I love grapefruit, yet I do not eat a lot of it and it is one of the few fruits I can eat.

has many causes; not all of it originates from the CNS.

One example: cervicogenic tinnitus is caused by dysfunction in neck muscles, which often accompanies stress, bad posture or TMJ.

I also love grapefruit. Most days, I peal and eat a whole one. Grapefruit has the effect of preventing some stomach and intestinal enzymes from breakng down some drugs, especially some of the statin drugs. Taking a statin drug with grapefruit has the effect of greatly increasing the blood level of the affected drug in an unpredictable and possibly dangerous way.

So, look up each drug you take at www.rxlist.com . Check the "Side effects and interactions" section and the "Warnings" sections to see if that drug interacts with grapefruit. I checked all the drugs I take, and none of them interact with grapefruit.

Thanks David, so I am thinking it's ok for me to have my grapefruit. Thanks!

And Steve, cervicogenic tinnitus is caused by dysfunction in neck muscles, which often accompanies stress, bad posture or TMJ.I was thinking about this too. I honestly didn't connect the 2, but I do have a lot of trouble with my neck and shoulders. My doctor told me he thinks the nerves are part of my problem. My shoulder react like a pinched nerve--it all starts on one side, usually my left shoulder, crosses over pass my neck, then into my right shoulder and down in my arm. A friend mentioned TMJ to me the other day because I also clench my teeth, especially in my sleep when I am over stressed, which is often. Some times, I even realize I am clenching my teeth when awake now. And, you know, just life alone is stressful, then you throw in all these aches and pains, celiac's, neuropathy--of course I am overrun with stress!!! I had never heard there was a connection with tinnitus and your neck. Thank you--more research for me to do. Every little bit of info helps.

" Example, Vits C and B-12: excess simply goes outwith the trash..."

This is an old post, so this py not help the original poster, but for the record;

I was told that B-12 unlike other vitamins, gets stored in the liver and it is that fact that makes it possible to benefit from periodic B-12 injections.

So I get one just on principle whenever I go to my Doc.

Ten percent of Caucasians have a gene mutation that does not allow them to metabolize serotonin re-uptake inhibitors. I am one of them. I see a few other people can not take them either.

Docs make the assumption that serotonin always needs to be increased.

I check the Cytochrome P450 chart and if it is metabolized by the 2D6 family of enzymes, I don't take the drug. I have been sick too many times.

I am on the least amount of medication in a long time, and I feel OK. I am still sick but now I know when I am sick from disease versus meds. Sort thru your meds, and decide what you have to have...keep that...what you feel you don't need, talk to your doc about stopping.

Everything we stick in our body affects us....even stuff on our skin. My husband can take anything....he took benadryl yesterday to stop sneezing and fell asleep for a few hours like a baby....I take benadryl and tic and twist for 3 days and nights solid. We are all different. Someday they will be able to do our pharmacological blueprint before they prescribe.

I read in an theraputic touch news letter that there was a small study done with Melatonin 3mg at bed time for 3 weeks cured the participants. I was going to give it a try. It doesn't cost a lot and may help sleep happen to boot. I too clench my teeth in sleep and this "should have been retired Dentist" said my jaw would disintegrate in 10 years if I didn't get implants now. He did order an MRI of my jaw to prove his point. Unfortunately for him my jaw and joint were exactly normal for my age. For me the ring is all about PN which he really knew nothing about. I saw a physio last month who gave me some excercises to work on for my scapula. They help.There is also a lot of info about how to actually sit at your computer the right way. You can get a dentist to make a mouth guard so you don't wreck your teeth at nite. Sometimes I get a trigeminal neuralgia type pain on the rt side esp. after talking on the phone for an hour. It's a great excuse to not talk to the inlaws. My father in law has tinnitis as well and they gave him a hearing aid to help him hear above the hiss and bells. He thinks that helps him but it would drive me to drink, I think. I can't use stethoscopes or ipod plugs or anything that vibrates in my ear. I use moulded ear plugs to swim.
Just some thoughts. Maybe something will help, I hope so and wish us all well.