If you are getting a drug from the platin family, please consider having a baseline hearing assessment done. I had Carboplatin, and I hear cicadas 24/7! The oncologist said it happens in about 12% of patients- BUT, without a baseline, and without doctors reporting it when it happens (mine didn't) that 12% is probably lower that what the number should really be.

I have been out of treatment for 6 years, and it has improved somewhat on the right side, but the left side is still loud, and interferes with hearing- as anything has to be louder than the constant noise in my head. I do use a white noise machine at night to help distract my brain from focusing on the tinnitus. Some days are "louder" than others- but still no fun!

Chemo can permanently affect our hearing via nerve damage (resulting in tinnitus) or, just as we lose the hair on our head, we can lose the fragile little ear hairs that are needed for hearing well. And since those do not regenerate- chemo often produces a permanent hearing loss.

Keeping you in prayers that the "ototoxicity" skips over you! Hugs!

Stress....my chemo was hard after 1st treatment. I wasn't so sick after. I didn't let it overwhelm me

Hi

I have a history of tinnitus due to otosclerosis. I am considering chemotherapy so I am definitely going to speak to my Medical oncologist about this as an issue that may worsen it. However, it seems as if stress has heightened it a bit.

Sharon