[cricketlover26Participant]

I started chemo at the beginning of September 2026 I’m on the Dara/VRD treatment programme so lots of meds and weekly injections.

I’ve had a range of fairly minor side effects but the worst has been a spike in my tinnitus. I developed this late last year after a blocked ear and two micro suction sessions. This is only in the left ear and I’ve realised over the last few mweekw it appears to be pulsatile, as I can match the noises with my heart beat and pulse.

It has been fairly mild until three weeks ago when I noticed a spike over the weekend – my injections are on a Thursday. Very noticeable and hard to sleep properly with a thumping noise in my head.

I’ve reported this to my chemo team and it is with the consultant at the moment. I saw ENT earlier this year and they said hearing is fine and the CT scan showed nothing, but that only looked at physical structure and not veins and blood flow.

Has anyone else encountered this issue? I realised that it is quite specific but I could do without it as it sleeping for 3 or 4 days isn’t ideal! Thanks.

[rabbitParticipant]

Hi cricketlover26 and welcome to the forum.

I asked AI about hearing issues and myeloma, as this is a new one on me (even though I read up a lot and actually have somehow had more sensitive hearing since treatment started. The relevant bit is as follows:

“Treatment Side Effects (Ototoxicity)

Certain medications used in myeloma management can damage the inner ear:
​Bortezomib (Velcade): Known primarily for peripheral neuropathy (numbness/tingling in hands and feet), it can occasionally affect the auditory nerve, causing sensorineural hearing loss or tinnitus.
​Supportive Medications: High doses of loop diuretics (like furosemide, often used to manage fluid retention or hypercalcemia) and specific antibiotics or antifungals used to prevent infections during treatment can be ototoxic.”

Regards
Rabbit

[cricketlover26Participant]

Hi Rabbit and thanks for the welcome and the post. I had done my own research but did some more tonight after your message. It is true that although unusual impacting on hearing is a possible side effect with bortezomib. There are apparently some alternatives, a reduced dosage, stopping that med altogether, different meds that don’t have such an impact, etc. I can send you the screen shots I took if you would find the info useful?
Having had my latest bortezomib injection today, I’ll see how things go overnight. I’ve already flagged this issue with the chemo team and I know they have raised this with my consultant. I also raised it at my appointment today. There has apparently been no answer as yet so I will follow this up in the morning.
I did also see my GP on Monday, they suggested asking the chemo team to refer me to ENT, however the nurse who I saw today suggested I go back to my GP! So stuck between a rock and a hard place!

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