Hi! I''m new to this board and actually to any board (health or otherwise). have been diagnosed with pulatile tinnitus, which began 85 days ago. I hear mine day and night, which sounds like a soldier marching in my right ear. It never has gone away since starting and can be quite loud and most frightening. I've had an MRI/MRA done that shows no tumor or clogging of my veins or carotid artery from the neck and above. I have tested negative for thyroid difficulties and other possibilities. I do not have high blood pressure, but do have high cholesterol (Total: 276; HDL: 67; LDL 175). I think I am supposed to get used to the pounding in my ears, which seems impossible so far. Just before the pounding in my ears started, I had a headache unlike any I have ever had had before--it was in the back lower part of my skull in the occipital area and nothing could break it. The headache was constant and started the day I started taking lipitor, which may have been coincidental, the doctors think.It took four doctors' visits and a final combination of painkiller, muscle relaxant, and anti-inflammatory to stop the headache . About 5-10 days later, the pulsatile tinnitus started and has not stopped for a second since. The pulastile tinnitus started the day I started taking Zetia (which was used as a substitute for the lipitor).

I am trying not to be fearful, but it's hard and also quite annoying. I'm 64 years old and have had a crickety-soundin kind of tinnitus for years that hasn't bother me at all is it sounds far off.

If any of you have experience with lipitor causing an occipital headache or zetia causing pulsatile tinnitus, please let me know. Any feedback at all would be appreciated. I know no one with pulsatile tinnitus, and I am feeling quite alone.
Gen in Missouri

Re: Pulsatile tinnitus
I am a 60 year old male living in Boca Raton, Florida.
I have been taking Lipitor for 3-4 years with no apparent adverse reaction other than increased fatigue (which I attributed to old age), neck pain (I attributed to tension), and weight gain.
I was put on 2 drugs in addition to Lipitor (20mg) because I didn't want to increase my statin intake. (I have two benign liver cysts and from time to time elivated liver functions) Therefore Xenicol (which blocks fat adsorbtion)and Zetia which also works in the intestine to block lipid adsorbtion.
After several months of Zetia I experienced headaches.
Now the headaches have subsided and I am left with 'pusatile tinnitus' which has produced a degree of anxiety and restless sleep.
I am now going through the diagnostic procedures that you went through to rule out a carratoid -arterial problem.
When I complained to my doctor about the tinnitus he put me on a mild dose of blood pressure medication Enalapril 2.5 mg (my blood pressure was 148-150/88-92) I think regardless of the tinnitus it certainly can hurt and may be protective in the event its a arteial problem. Have you stopped taking the Zetia and other statins. If so did your pulsatile tinnitus stop? Please reply.