No more ear pain and immune system re-boot

[[Bu...]]

Ok, here's another weird one, but so important to me.  After my last brand change in 2019 I started to have horrible ear problems:  pain, itching, swelling and chronic infections.  Half way through my taper, the infections let up, but the rest remained.  Every time I was coming down with a virus, it would be heralded with much ear pain and pressure.  (My immune system has really taken a hit from all this, so there have been many illnesses.)  

This week I caught a virus, but I didn't feel it coming.  No ear pain.  None at all.  This is the first time in 5 years that it didn't happen.  And this bug isn't lasting very long.  Just a couple of days I am already feeling much better.  I think my immune system may also be coming back on line.

[[Pa...]]

I hope so @[Bu...], but I had no idea stupid benzo's can cause ear problems like what you're describing, these drugs are insidious! 

5 hours ago, [[B...] said:

I think my immune system may also be coming back on line.

 

[[...]]

 

@[Bu...], that's really good! However weird it seems to you, for me, it's an obvious sign of your brain getting better of the withdrawal. Hope your immune system will soon catch up too!

I've also had strange ear pain  since tolerance. For some reasons, it was always the right ear plus a swollen lymph node under it. An ent doctor couldn't understand why. Both symptoms (?) have been definitely getting better since I quit benzo. 

 

[[Bu...]]

@[...], it was usually my left ear and just sometimes my right one too.  It's so strange how this effects all us, sometimes with the same symptoms but on the other side of the body.  I'm so glad yours is improving too!

[[Bu...]]

5 hours ago, [[P...] said:

I had no idea stupid benzo's can cause ear problems like what you're describing, these drugs are insidious

I didn't know either.  It when to an ENT and had all kinds of tests done and he couldn't figure out why it was happening.  He would just prescribe antibiotic ear drops for the infections and gave me steroid drops for the rest of it.

I guess I still don't have absolute proof, but it started right after that brand change.  And now it's gone.  I can't think of any other reason.  I haven't been back to the ENT for over 18 months.  I am debating making an appointment with him to tell him what's happened, in case it might help someone else's mystery ear issues, but I don't think he would believe me.  I can't say that I would blame him.  If I hadn't gone through this and experienced all the really strange things these drugs can do, I wonder if I would believe it either.

[[Pa...]]

6 hours ago, [[B...] said:

I didn't know either.  It when to an ENT and had all kinds of tests done and he couldn't figure out why it was happening.  He would just prescribe antibiotic ear drops for the infections and gave me steroid drops for the rest of it.

I guess I still don't have absolute proof, but it started right after that brand change.  And now it's gone.  I can't think of any other reason.  I haven't been back to the ENT for over 18 months.  I am debating making an appointment with him to tell him what's happened, in case it might help someone else's mystery ear issues, but I don't think he would believe me.  I can't say that I would blame him.  If I hadn't gone through this and experienced all the really strange things these drugs can do, I wonder if I would believe it either.

Great, just when we're at our most sensitive, you get prescribed two medications known to give us even more problems.  I'm so happy to hear you've gotten some relief but you're right, telling the doctor will most likely end up with you frustrated. 

[[Bi...]]

On 08/12/2024 at 16:02, [[B...] said:

I didn't know either.  It when to an ENT and had all kinds of tests done and he couldn't figure out why it was happening.  He would just prescribe antibiotic ear drops for the infections and gave me steroid drops for the rest of it.

I guess I still don't have absolute proof, but it started right after that brand change.  And now it's gone.  I can't think of any other reason.  I haven't been back to the ENT for over 18 months.  I am debating making an appointment with him to tell him what's happened, in case it might help someone else's mystery ear issues, but I don't think he would believe me.  I can't say that I would blame him.  If I hadn't gone through this and experienced all the really strange things these drugs can do, I wonder if I would believe it either.

@[Bu...] I searched ear pain to find other experiences and found your post. I have this EXACT issue. I have been on diazepam 8 years and for the past six years would get recurrent left “ear infections”. Burning pain. And forget taking a flight. It would pain for days after. My doctor kept prescribing antibiotics. Upon tapering I started getting terrible tinnitus and the pain was becoming so frequent and unbearable. At the same time I was having vertigo quite severely. All due to withdrawal. But at the time, I went through all the vestibular testing, audiology, MRI of the canals, and then the ENT. The ENT tried to prescribe off label anti depressants for the ear pain, which I declined! I since learnt that ear pain is common both during use and withdrawal. I have a particularly bad bought at present. I also get odd sensations as though liquid is “moving” in my ear. No specialist could find anything wrong. Bloody benzos! Thanks for sharing!!! I too put off my December ENT follow up for Jan, because I want to let my ENT know the same. I don’t think it will go far though. My ENT looked at me blankly when I raised the benzo connection. He said “I don’t know.” I did have confirmed by a psychiatrist that it is quite frequently reported. And I happened to obtain a medical chart of the nervous system - where the entire ear canal and jawline is driven my nerves (which helped make clear in picture) the pain connection. 
Hope you’re doing well! And thanks again for sharing! 

[[Bu...]]

Hey @[Bi...],

I'm sorry you've got this one too, but it always makes me feel a little better finding someone else with my particular kind of weirdness from these drugs.  Confirms I'm not crazy! 😃

I have that feeling like something is moving or sloshing around in there too; it's really strange.  And I can't fly either.  Well, I have a couple of times and it was a nightmare each time.  No more until this is over.  Anyway, I hope yours gets to improving soon.