Acetazolamide and Ringing In Ears: What Users Say

• tir...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• January 14, 2020

Acetazolamide for Pseudotumor Cerebri "I have been on the medication for about 3 weeks, taking 1 pill - 125 mg every night. It did not help, I still had episodes. Last week I started taking 2 pills (one in the a.m. and one in the p.m.). While it seems to be holding off the episodes so far, I feel awful. My ears were already ringing, and this has just turned it up. I have nausea and a general feeling of 'I just don't feel well.' I experience weakness and fatigue. It feels like I'm breathing in air but getting no oxygen, like I'm getting no benefit from it (does that make sense?). I slept for about 8.5-9 hours last night and still woke up completely exhausted."

• She...
• February 1, 2015

Acetazolamide for Pseudotumor Cerebri "Effective, but not without side effects. The first month was pretty bad - my hands, feet, and legs were falling asleep, and I experienced painful tingling and cramps. My joints also had problems, and I had to wear a brace on my knee for a little while. I was more lethargic. Anything carbonated tasted awful. I couldn't drink caffeine, or my whole body would feel weird and tingly. I also had to pee a lot during the first few weeks and was quite thirsty. Over time, most of the side effects went away, and my pressure went down. My vision problems completely went away. However, a new side effect appeared after about two years - tinnitus. It is definitely being caused by the medicine because I've found that skipping a dose makes it go away."

• lei...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• April 5, 2018

Acetazolamide for Edema "I was given Diamox to treat bilateral ringing in the ears, headaches, and pressure behind my eyes. I am 39 years old, and I have lived with ringing in my ears all of my life. I have tried every available option out there to treat tinnitus, and nothing has worked. I was referred to a new specialist dealing with ear diseases, and he asked me a few questions and then prescribed Diamox. Within 2 hours of taking Diamox, the ringing in my ears stopped completely, and the pressure behind my eyes went away, as well as headaches I've dealt with for years. I was shocked that this medicine is working, as one of the side effects was ringing in the ears, but I am having the opposite effect."

• rls...
• July 4, 2019

For Edema "My ENT prescribed Diamox for Meniere's disease, a buildup of fluid in the inner ear. I will experience tinnitus, vertigo, ear fullness, and visual disturbances, including light sensitivity. Once starting Diamox, all of my symptoms were significantly minimized. I also struggle with migraines and noticed since taking Diamox, I have not had one episode. Like others, I experience diarrhea, but increasing my daily water intake has helped. I too also experience tingling in my hands and feet, but it's not intense. I just learned this medicine can suppress appetite, and this does occur with me. I also have more energy, so much, most nights I have insomnia. Has anyone else experienced this? Overall, for me the benefits certainly outweigh the costs. I've been granted a new outlook on life. Before Diamox, the Meniere's left me in a fog, both in vision and hearing. If anyone has also experienced trouble sleeping, please share what you have found to help, I would love to hear it!"

• Mar...
• March 26, 2016

Acetazolamide for Pseudotumor Cerebri "Diamox put me in remission after about six months, but it began to cause tinnitus and hearing problems. My hearing is fine now, but I cannot take Diamox again if my PTC returns. Just something to keep in mind. Tinnitus and hearing issues are considered rare side effects, but they can happen."

• ohi...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• December 27, 2024

Acetazolamide for Pseudotumor Cerebri "Migraine sufferer of 5 years, labeled chronic. Finally got my neurologist to send for MRI, MRA, and LP. Opening pressure was 24 during LP, closed at 19. Started Diamox and built up to 1000 mg daily. 500 mg in the am and 500 in the pm. Symptoms include tingling in feet more than hands, metallic taste lasted the first two weeks. I'm not a huge soda drinker but will have a Coke or Sprite. No issues until I had a Dr. Pepper, tasted like pennies. Yuck! Headache days have decreased from about 20 per month to 2 or 3. Last a couple of hours, then no issues but worse around my cycle. I've also stopped all other medications such as Tylenol, Excedrin, Aleve. My vision has improved as well and not so blurry in the morning. I do still have ringing in the ears occasionally and pulsating in my head, but I give it an A- overall from where I started 2 months ago."

• jlm...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• September 21, 2020

For Pseudotumor Cerebri "I have been on Diamox since July 2019. I take it to treat my idiopathic intracranial hypertension. I was getting really bad headaches, and my vision was blacking out. I started on 250 mg once in the morning and once at night. I noticed almost immediately that my vision wasn’t blacking out anymore. I was still getting headaches, which I didn't think were going to go away because I have been getting migraines since I was 7 years old. At first, the side effects were very prominent. My hands and feet would tingle all the time and go numb. I was always hearing a loud swooshing sound followed by a ringing in my ears. It has been over a year since I started taking Diamox, and now I take 1000 mg once in the morning and once at night. I still deal with migraines, but the pressure in my eyes has decreased significantly. My feet still tingle sometimes, and the ringing in my ears still happens. I would rather deal with those two things than lose my vision multiple times a day."

• Kay...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• September 23, 2016

For Pseudotumor Cerebri "I have been taking this medicine for only two weeks after being diagnosed with pseudotumor cerebri, and it is awful. I feel like everything is getting worse. Before the medication, I already had the ringing in my ears, the terrible headaches, and occasionally I had numbness in my face, hands, and legs, along with many other symptoms. Now, since taking this medication, the ringing and headaches are EXACTLY the same, if not worse, and my feet are killing me, they are constantly 'asleep' with the feeling of tiny thumbtack jabs all over. It's multiple times a day: walking, standing, sitting, lying down. I feel worse now than I did before. I don't know what to do, but I know I cannot continue like this. I know that everyone reacts differently."

• Ble...
• February 13, 2018

For Hydrocephalus "I am currently on this medication, 500 mg, 2x a day to treat the excess fluid gain on my brain that causes seizures. The first dose of this medication, I instantly had a really bad taste for soda and for most anything that I ate or drank. I experienced extreme tiredness, dizziness, headaches, and had a decrease in appetite. After about 2 days, I noticed numbness and tingling in my hands and feet, ringing in my ears, a stabbing pressure pain in my eyes, and abdominal pain. I had to pee every 20-30 minutes and had extreme diarrhea instantly after every meal, all my bowel movements are diarrhea. After telling my neurologist about it, he said they are common and to take it once a day for 2 weeks to let my body adjust, then back to 2x. I fluctuate back and forth with the once and twice a day because he will not let me stop taking it, and all of the effects still remain after 8 months of treatment, but it has decreased the fluid levels on my brain, and I lost 30 pounds are the only benefits."

• Sba...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• July 26, 2021

Acetazolamide for Pseudotumor Cerebri "First of all, I am happy for everyone that has benefited from this medication. For me, I don't feel this medication has done anything for me. I started taking a small dose, 250 mg, when I was diagnosed with IIH back in September of 2020. Since then, my headaches have not gone away, I am now up to 1625 mg per day. Yes, I have lost 30 lbs. The worst side effects for me are diarrhea, tingling in my feet, ringing in my ears, and all-day fatigue. The lack of energy and the headaches continue to be so massive that they debilitate me so badly, but I have to work like this, either work or be homeless. They also did a lumbar puncture, which caused a tear in my dura, and they had to do an epidural blood patch, and it took a month to recover. I was told that if this medication doesn't help and losing weight, then the next option is a brain shunt. I am just so tired of taking this medication, which I don't see any benefit or help with my headaches, which is what changed my life, and then the constant blurred vision."

• r0a...
• Taken for 10 years or more
• April 13, 2025

For Edema "Great! Trying this... I was given Diamox to treat bilateral ringing in the ears, headaches, and pressure behind my eyes. I am 39 years old, and I have lived with ringing in my ears all of my life. I have tried every available option out there to treat tinnitus, and nothing has worked. I was referred to a new specialist dealing with ear diseases, and he asked me a few questions and then prescribed Diamox. Within 2 hours of taking Diamox, the ringing in my ears stopped completely, and the pressure behind my eyes went away, as well as headaches I've dealt with for years. I was shocked that this medicine is working, as one of the side effects was ringing in the ears, but I am having the opposite effect."

• jel...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• September 4, 2019

Acetazolamide for Pseudotumor Cerebri "Makes my feet tingle, and I hear ringing in my ears all the time."