Please Help — Saw a Tinnitus Doctor Today — Need Your Expertise

Hi,

I was able to see an excellent Dr today at LSU - very lucky to get in because of a cancellation. I can tell she will be good to work with. We went through various TRT and masking options as well as doing audiology tests.

Here are my "numbers" - not entirely sure what they mean but I do know my hyperacusis is still an issue (one that doesn't bother me much generally) - If anyone gleans something from these please share

Audiogram - 8000 hz (hearing level 10db) (if that makes sense to anyone)
Acoustic Immittance Audiometry - Left Ear Type A, Peak -20, Admitt 1.24, can vol 1.21

Tinnitus Pitch Match - 8 kHz (under is circled the letters PT) (right ear)
Audiogram - 12.0 kHz LE/50 and RE/20
16.0 kHz LE/60 and RE/50

TRQ score - 58
T Awareness - 75%
T Disturbance - 60%
T Loudness Match - HTL Threshold 10dBHL, Loudness Match 24 dBHL, Sensation Level 14 dBHL
BBN Minimum Masking Level - BBN Threshold 23dBHL, Masking Threshold - Could Not Mask

Loudness Discomfort Level -
500 hz LE/63 and RE/59
1000 hz LE/64 and RE/54
4000 hz LE/60 and RE/45

Residual Inhibition (NBN 8 hz) - 60dBHL too loud, Presentation Level 55 (aggravated right ear)

She tried a few devices on me - the one I liked best was Oticon using Pink Noise, the others were Neuromonics, Widex, and GHI White Noise Generator.

She had me purchase a pair of bose in ear headphones (which are pretty uncomfortable as I hate anything in my ear) and download the Oticon Tinnitus Sound app. I'm using it with Pink Noise now. She advised to use it for up to 8 hours per day. If it seems to make me more comfortable then she suggested the Oticon sound generators for daily use for up to a year. Those are 2100.00, and there are no discounts or payments plans although she was going to look around for me. The major difference is those felt more comfortable and also could really fit into daily use. Walking around with headphones and interacting with clients with them on would not be very feasible.

She also wants me to have audiology counseling (she said my advanced knowledge from years of managing my hyperacusis means I probably don't need behavioral counseling) - 2x per day relaxation exercises and regular exercise especially things like yoga or tai chi.

I would so appreciate your thoughts on these options etc. I feel blessed to have found someone that really seems to understand tinnitus. It's a teaching environment and very positive. She did say that with my hyperacusis and the high pitch and loudness it could be difficult to treat but the more I invested my time into it the better the results.

Thanks for reading this long message - I could really use the support and advice from those who have been living with T for some time.

Barri