Vicodin Can Cause Hearing Loss

jillio said:
Maybe we should all write the producers and suggest that they have him start loosing his hearing to keep things real! Maybe even put him in an HA.
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He already has a bad limp. They won't give him an extra difference in my opinion.
 
Doug5 said:
sorry rehashing this topic and posting in the wrong section.

I was freaked out learning this. Ive been taking pain medicine for several months for my arthritis. My hearing doesnt feel as sharp.

I hope my doctor will switch medications without too much hassel. He is paranoid about prescribing pain mediciene.
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I would talk to your Dr if you're worried, but from what I understand, otoxicity from vicodin is rare. It happens, but not often. I have been taking narcotic medication for fibromyalgia for about three years, and I haven't had a problem yet. I also am hearing.

I had a series of infections a few years ago that affected my hearing MORE. I was given two antibiotics that carry a known otoxicity risk, and I had severe tinnitus while being treated with these meds. The infections I had were life threatening, so I consented to treatment with the antibiotics; even though I ran a risk of losing my hearing. I figured I could adapt to any potential hearing loss, but I couldn't adapt to being dead! Therefore, the decision to consent to treatment was easy for me to make.
 
Bottesini said:
He already has a bad limp. They won't give him an extra difference in my opinion.
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You are probably right. A doctor with a limp and a hearing aid would be too much for the general public to handle!:giggle:
 
Oceanbreeze said:
I would talk to your Dr if you're worried, but from what I understand, otoxicity from vicodin is rare. It happens, but not often. I have been taking narcotic medication for fibromyalgia for about three years, and I haven't had a problem yet. I also am hearing.

I had a series of infections a few years ago that affected my hearing MORE. I was given two antibiotics that carry a known otoxicity risk, and I had severe tinnitus while being treated with these meds. The infections I had were life threatening, so I consented to treatment with the antibiotics; even though I ran a risk of losing my hearing. I figured I could adapt to any potential hearing loss, but I couldn't adapt to being dead! Therefore, the decision to consent to treatment was easy for me to make.
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This is true. Ototoxicity occurrs with more than recommended doses over a long period of time. In other words, with someone who abuses the medication, and not someone who uses it as prescribed.
 
jillio said:
This is true. Ototoxicity occurrs with more than recommended doses over a long period of time. In other words, with someone who abuses the medication, and not someone who uses it as prescribed.
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Thank you, Jillio. I had heard that, but wasn't sure of the particulars. From what I know, otoxicity from vicodin IS rare, but it can happen. As I previously stated, I was at a much higher ototoxicity risk from the antibiotics they had me on (gentamycin and vancomycin) than I was from the pain meds I've taken since my fibro diagnosis.

I would think, though, that the more ototoxic drugs you're on, the higher the risk for heareing loss may be. :hmm:
 
Oceanbreeze said:
Thank you, Jillio. I had heard that, but wasn't sure of the particulars. From what I know, otoxicity from vicodin IS rare, but it can happen. As I previously stated, I was at a much higher ototoxicity risk from the antibiotics they had me on (gentamycin and vancomycin) than I was from the pain meds I've taken since my fibro diagnosis.

I would think, though, that the more ototoxic drugs you're on, the higher the risk for heareing loss may be. :hmm:
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Well, the risk is cummulative, but then, too, you can never be sure which drug caused it if you are taking several that have ototoxicity. Also, dosage is important. Hydrocodone (the drug that is responsible for the ototoxicity) is present in several different pain meds. Vicodin has less per dose than many of the others.
 
jillio said:
Maybe we should all write the producers and suggest that they have him start loosing his hearing to keep things real! Maybe even put him in an HA.
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That's a good idea! Hmm... are you volunteering? ;)
 
Love vicodin! Whoo lol ofc I'm not addicted to it I only take it few time a month for my chronic tension headache and I'm totally deaf in left and almost in right so I don't care if it harm the hearing because I don't have any left :lol:
 
Doug5 said:
I could see house getting ci's. He would be too lazy to learn sign
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He would be too lazy to do the training necessary to make the CI successful, too. Bear in mind, this is Hollywood we're talking about here. If they ever had a story line where House went deaf and was implanted with CI, they'd probably write the storyline to reflect the idea that you put the damn thing on, turn it on, and presto! You can hear, understand, and speak from the moment of switch on! No mappings necessary. No speech therapy necessary.

What a crock of stupidity, but that would be Hollywood for you. Ever ready to perpetrate stereotypes and misinformation. :roll:
 
Oceanbreeze said:
He would be too lazy to do the training necessary to make the CI successful, too. Bear in mind, this is Hollywood we're talking about here. If they ever had a story line where House went deaf and was implanted with CI, they'd probably write the storyline to reflect the idea that you put the damn thing on, turn it on, and presto! You can hear, understand, and speak from the moment of switch on! No mappings necessary. No speech therapy necessary.

What a crock of stupidity, but that would be Hollywood for you. Ever ready to perpetrate stereotypes and misinformation. :roll:
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thats tv for you, problems are solved in 30 or 60 minutes.
 
Is there a list of drugs for which hearing loss is a potential side effect? Tried to google this and didn't find any such list. I don't want to go looking up every single drug. This could be helpful to know!
 
AlleyCat said:
Is there a list of drugs for which hearing loss is a potential side effect? Tried to google this and didn't find any such list. I don't want to go looking up every single drug. This could be helpful to know!
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Try googling "list of ototoxic drugs". If that doesn't do it for you, PM me. I can send you a list of the most common ones. :)
 
List of ototoxic drugs

Here's a list, but it's not complete.

IFHOH Web - What You Should Know About Ototoxic Medications

Ototoxic Medications
Finally, you should be aware of the common ototoxic medications, how they are prescribed, and for what conditions they are given.

The following is a simplified list of ototoxic medications and represents the most common drugs. (There are many other medications that have bee listed as potentially ototoxic; however the incidence is insignificant. Consult your physician to be sure.) Keep this list for ready reference.

1. Salicylates - Aspirin and aspirin-containing products
Toxic effects usually appear after consuming an average of 6-8 pills per day.

Toxic effects are always reversible once medications are discontinued.

2. Nonsteroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs (NSAIDS) - Advil, Aleve, Anaprox, Clinoril, Feldene, Indocin, Lodine, Motrin, Nalfon, Naprosyn, Nuprin, Poradol, Voltarin
Toxic effects usually appear after consuming an average of 6-8 pills per day.

Toxic effects are usually reversible once medications are discontinued.

3. Antibiotics - Aminoglycosides, Erythromycin, Vancomycin
Aminoglycosides - Streptomycin, Kanamycin, Neomycin, Gentamycin, Tobramysin, Amikacin, Netilmicin

These medications are ototoxic when used intravenously in serious life threatening situations. The blood levels of these medications are usually monitored to prevent ototoxicity.

Topical preparations and ear drops containing these antibiotics, Neomycin and Gentamycin, have not been demonstrated to be ototoxic in humans.

Erythromycin - EES, Eryc, E-mycin, Ilosone, Pediazole, and new derivatives of Erythromycin -- Biaxin, Zithromax
Erythromycin is usually ototoxic when given intravenously in dosages of 2-4 grams per 24 hours -- especially if there is underlying kidney insufficiency.

The usual oral dosage of Erythromycin averaging one gram per 24 hours is not ototoxic.

There are no significant reports of ototoxicity with the new Erythromycin derivatives since they are given orally and in lower dosages.

Vancomycin - Vancocin

This antibiotic is used in a similar manner as the aminoglycosides; when given intravenously in serious life-threatening infections, it is potentially ototoxic. It is usually used in conjunction with the aminoglycosides which enhances the possibility of ototoxicity.

4. Loop Diuretics - Lasix, Edecrin, Bumex
These medications are usually ototoxic when given intravenously for acute kidney failure or acute hypertension.

Rare cases of ototoxicity have been reported when these medications are taken orally in high doses in people with chronic kidney disease.

5. Chemotherapeutic Agents - Cisplatin, Nitrogen Mustard, Vincristine
These medications are ototoxic when given for treatment of cancer. Their ototoxic effects can be minimized by maintaining blood levels of the medications and performing serial audiograms. The ototoxic effects of these medications are enhanced in patients who are already taking other ototoxic medications such as the aminoglycoside antibiotics and the loop diuretics.

6. Quinine - Aralen, Atabrine (for treatment of malaria), Legatrin, Q-Vel Muscle Relaxant (for treatment of night cramps)
The ototoxic effects of quinine are very similar to aspirin and the toxic effects are usually reversible once medication is discontinued.

Just as you are responsible for your overall health, you are responsible for the preservation of your hearing or the preservation of your existing hearing reserve. Being aware of ototoxic medications and their potential warnings is a good safeguard to protect your hearing -- and a sound investment!
 
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