Furosemide can definitely cause hearing loss, but it’s my understanding is that it’s more typical when given intravenously and in high doses (especially if given too quickly) In my experience (retired RN who worked with heart patients), furosemide is most often used in patients who have a history of congestive heart failure. Otherwise a thiazide diurietic like hydrochlorothiazide (HCTZ) would be more likely to be used if treating hypertension. I think it’s worth talking to your physician about. DASH diet (Dietary Approach to Stop Hypertension) is very helpful in treating high blood pressure. Briefly it emphasizes low sodium and lots of fruits and vegetables. Edit: Realize my reference to “it’s” is vague. I was suggesting talking to your physician about the whole issue, not about switching to HCTZ.
It’s a well known fact that Ototoxic drugs can and do cause Hearing loss. You will find a whole list of ototoxic drugs in google. But generally speaking you need to have high doses of the drugs to cause hearing loss. Please get advise from your pharmacist or doctor before you do anything about modifying your medication.
I am a heart patient and previously took lasix for 23 yrs because of my CHF. Was always taken in combination with a potassium pill. If my potassium would get out of wack my bi v device would fire. The lasix was also not great for my kidneys. Not fun. In 2016 I was taken off of lasix because I no longer needed it for my heart. In 2017 I developed Menieres and they wanted to put me back on lasix. I refused because my kidneys had finally rebounded from 23 yrs of lasix use and I didn’t want to go there again. Now my hearing is shot but at least my kidneys are working great. I guess my point is I took lasix for 23 yrs with no hearing problems. I came off of it and within a year I had Menieres! Probably coincidence but it makes one wonder.
That is an interesting coincidence! And yes, lasix can definitely cause kidney issues too. Everybody is different though. My 92 year old Mom takes lasix for her heart failure. Her kidney function was pretty bad for awhile, but has improved greatly. And yes, some people on lasix need extra potassium, but others don’t (like my Mom)
Hi,
I’m a Pharmacist by training. Yes, furosemide is known to cause even permanent hearing loss. Please see:
https://www.webmd.com/drugs/2/drug-5512-8043/furosemide-oral/furosemide-oral/details
Other meds also have this unfortunate adverse reaction.
The question is WHY did your physician put you on furosemide in the first place? What condition(s) was he or she treating? There are many other diuretics or meds that treat the problems addressed by furosemide.
Have you discussed your hearing loss with whichever physician prescribes furosemide for you? Have you asked about alternative treatments? Do not ever be shy about asking: why one drug and not another? Are there any safer treatments for my condition?
Depending on your medical condition(s), I would not recommend ANY kind of diuretic therapy without discussing your options with the physician most familiar with your medical needs!
There are medical reasons to prefer one type of med over another.
I hope this helps and I hope your hearing returns!
He was trying to keep fluid from building back up in my inner ear.
I haven’t, I no longer go to Shea Clinic. I haven’t been able to get in to see an ENT because of the shutdown. I will be getting an appointment ASAP.
Thanks for your input!
You should see a physician in internal medicine who can sort out why you are on the frusemide and advise you on treatment. Stopping it suddenly could result in serious problems depending on why you are on it. Hearing loss has been associated especially with high doses given quickly or in combination with kidney failure.
Tim,
If you’ve been taking furosemide for 12-13 years, SOMEONE has been prescribing it for you. I’ve never heard of the Shea Clinic, so I asked Mr. Google (who knows everything except how to cure this virus). It is an ENT clinic. Do you have a regular physician? If so, have you asked him or her; or is that who referred you to this clinic?
I am not familiar with fluid in the inner ear or the medical conditions that lead up to it. However, IF a simple diuretic is what is needed, there are many from which to choose.
As I was taught 50 years ago, there is NO such thing as a SAFE drug! I was taking Ciprofloxacin for an intestinal infection and I developed severe tinnitus in ONE ear. The antibiotic can adversely affect the auditory nerve. Thankfully, it disappeared after a month or two.
After I stopped going to Shea my physician keep my prescription going. I quit Shea because it seemed they had done all they could do for me. It was a 180 mile round trip to there clinic and always a two/three hour wait.
Tim,
At the risk of beating the proverbial dead horse, call your primary physician and ask WHY is he or she continuing the furosemide! I am wondering if you have medical conditions OTHER THAN fluid in your inner ear requiring potent diuresis.
That’s not the kind of fluid he’s talking about.
As noted in an earlier message, I am now familiar with the condition. Do you know the medical term for it so I can learn?
The procedure is dexamerhasone perfusion of the labyrinth via the round window
This seems to be a decent link on Meniere’s disease from Mayo Clinic. There are a lot of unknowns. Meniere's disease - Diagnosis and treatment - Mayo Clinic
Perfusion with dexamethasone is a treatment, not a condition. Is it Meniere’s disease, as suggested by MDB?
Yes it is. This is a diagram showing the fluid in normal ear 
This one is not normal 
I’m fuzzy on this in general and not quite sure what your “it” refers to. My attempt at understanding follows. As described in the Mayo post, Meniere’s disease is complicated and is thought to involve fluid in the inner ear. This (fluid in inner ear) might be referred to as labrynthitis or otitis interna. Fluid in the middle ear might be called otitis media. Otitis often implies infection, but technically means inflammation. Anybody is welcome to add clarification to the above.
My bad, “it” is “meniere’s” .
The way mine works as I understand it from the MD who performed the treatment, the part of your ear that holds fluid (sorry I don’t remember what it’s called) gets to much fluid. There is supposed to be some in there but when to much is produced that’s when problems occur. In my case loss of hearing, fullness and loud noise as with tinnitus.
I was going to Duke for my Menieres and have since stopped. I also have a heart condition which makes me a bad candidate for surgery so there was really no reason to keep going back. They offered me shots into my ear as a possible relief but from what I read it could have made my hearing even worse. I just passed. Now I just take the meclazine and Zoloft when needed. At least my symptoms have improved but I think that’s just the nature of the Menieres progression.