Getting Better Every Day

I wanted to share my tinnitus journey as well, as I always promised that if I got to a point where I was starting to feel better, I would be sure to come back and let people know!

My T journey started in November of 2014. I came back from my lunch break, went into my office, and my ears started to ring (loud tonal constant ring). After a few minutes of it not going away, I started to full on panic. I walked out of my office trying to see if I could calm myself down and it go away, but it wouldn't. I ended up going home early from work because I was in such distress panicking about my ears. I was a wreck the whole first night, stayed up all through the night and visited my doctor at 7AM the next morning.

When at my doctor, she looked at me for two seconds, told me it was tinnitus, and said I should go on anxiety medication because I had a "low quality of life" and that I would have to "learn to live with it". I was beyond frustrated, upset, nervous, anxious, angry and decided to see another doctor. He said the same thing, but referred me to an ENT. Over the next two months and two ENTs, two Audiologists (including a tinnitus clinic), two Chiropractors, and Reflexology....all that couldn't help me. During this time I had anxiety so bad that I couldn't eat. I lost so much weight from just being physically sick from the ringing going on in my head. I even thought about going out on FMLA from my job, as I just couldn't function. I literally had to bring in white noise to some of my meetings, as I just couldn't concentrate on what was going on. I was beyond depressed, and would have panic attacks so bad I think my family was on the verge hospitalizing me. My ringing changed so much along the way: ringing, to hissing, to tonal, always constant and never going away. I also started to get hyperaccousis as well, and became sensitive to tones in the radio as well as the TV.

I have tried tons of vitamin supplements (B Complex, B6, B12, C, D, Magnesium, Lemon Balm, etc.) and nothing worked.I have spent thousands of dollars on trying to find a "cure" for my tinnitus (TMJ therapy-splint, physical therapy, chiropractors, massage, reflexology), but I am slowly starting to understand that there may not be one for me. Although I hope and pray every day that there is, I am starting to come to terms with the fact that I may have to "live with this" forever.

Is it frustrating? Yes. Is it annoying? Yes. But can I live like this? Yes. We are living, breathing, not dying, and have a purpose in life. Every day I feel better living with T. It bothers me less and less because I am working on my emotional reaction to it. I am telling myself every day that it could get better. I have good days, and bad days, and get super scared when I get an increase, but I keep telling myself that I can do this. I've met and talked with people that have had the same journey as me when they first got their T, and years later they forget they have it, or only notice they have it at certain times such as right before going to bed. I still have to listen to white noise to fall asleep, and I still surround myself with sound all of the time because of some fear, but I can sit in my office with the computer fans and not let it bother me. I try to stay active, and keep my brain moving, but I also am trying to let myself slow down too, and embrace T so I can enjoy things like reading, or taking a bath. By no means do I not have any times that I panic or get frustrated and upset, but my hopes are that by summer I can just sit in a lawn chair and not worry one bit about my T. I am determined to get on a path where T doesn't take one bit of my life away.

If anything, maybe the purpose of my T was to bring me closer to my family and friends (it has), bring me closer to my community (met so many people with T), and ultimately bring me closer to God (which it definitely has). God doesn't let anyone struggle without a reason, and I was brought closer to my Faith than ever before. If you are struggling, watch this series. It has been the thing to help me the most during my extremely difficult and frustrating T journey. http://meantimeseries.org/ I have so many people praying for me that it will get better. I can feel their prayers and support through the motivation and sense of calm that I experience more and more every day. It will get better if you want it to get better, which we all do. Stay positive, be hopeful, and we will all get better each day!

 

@ashlee This is a terrific story and one that I can identify with a LOT. Thanks so much for sharing!

 

Thats a great story @ashlee I hope I find peace with this as well.

 

I'm glad that people can find this helpful! It has definitely been the hardest thing that I've gone through in life, but I'm hoping each day will continue to get easier. When I first got my T I would spend hours on this site, reading every story I coud. I would just cry thinking "will this really be my life?". Although difficult, we need to be positive for each other, because really, what other choice do we have? We can't get rid of it (YET-hopefully soon), but until that day, we should share what's working for us, stay positive, and live the life we want to live, because I sure know I don't and won't let my T ruin my life!

 

thank you for this. I can't believe I even have this, just one day, there you are. constant head noise. I have just begun to try everything to make it better. I spend a lot of time looking for answers on the net. nice to be a part of this site and not feel so alone in this. Unless you have it, you really have no idea what it is like.

 

Hi Ashlee,

I sincerely understand your pain as i am going through this as well. All was well and until last friday i had an ear infection with the ring. I took medicine and the ring faded away. But it reappear after 2 days after i stopped taking the medication because i have finished off the medicine. Today is the 4th day and i am having sleeping problem but i hope it will go away on its own. I am 31yo btw. And i pray that yours will go away as well. Please talk to me if you need to support each other.

JOHNNY

 

Hi guys, just wanted to say that all is not doom and gloom. Apparently tinnitus, in the majority of cases, fades significantly or goes away completely usually within a year. If it doesn't then the brain can habituate to it eventually. It is a horrible condition but it is not life threatening and there is much that can help us cope with it / habituate. I am 4 months in with T now and it doesn't cause me any distress any more and as such I hardly notice it most of the time. So don't panic. Yes it's crap, yes it's frustrating but try to get on with your lives as usual. Do all the things you always do but protect your ears in loud environments. Try to stay positive and the T will settle down.

 

I'm excited by the thought that it could go away within a year! Do you know anyone or have any statistics of cases that go away?

 

Hi Ashlee, I got that info from this board ! I read one of Dr Naglers replies to someone's post about whether T ever goes away. Dr Nagler said that in his experience, for the majority of people who develop T, it reduces significantly or goes away completely, usually within a year.
Also, I have been on the British ENT (ears, nose and throat) website and they say the same. My audiologist also agreed with this. The statistic I have read a couple of times (can't remember where) is 75-80% of people either recover completely or experience a significant reduction.
But remember, if it doesn't go away you will habituate to the noise eventually ( but that can take longer) ie. your brain will tune it out as it realises that the noise it is not a 'threat'. Again I have read on here (Dr Nagler) that habituation is a natural process and happens 100% of the time, unless there are obstacles to habituation. Go onto Dr N's section in Doctors Corner and read his post re: obstacles to habituation, it is really helpful.
So try to stay positive - that is the best thing for the 'recovery' of this thing. Carry on with your life as normal but protect your ears in loud places.
I know 2 people who had T for a few months and then it went away completely - one is my own doctor and the other is a nurse at the same surgery ! I also know 2 other people for whom it didn't go away but who habituated to it within 12-18 months and no longer hear it.
I wish you all the very best and if you want to chat or ask me anything else feel free to contact me. Xx

 

So exciting!! Thank you so much for the hope!!

 

Great thread. Always keep up hope. Im on day 5 with having tinnitus. im having trouble but the support pages like on facebook and this makes me know i can get through this. @gill do you know what brought on those cases that the tinnitus went away? Thank you.

 

Wow didn't realize T goes away for most
..it's been well over a year for me, guess I am not part of that statistic

 

Hi guys, I don't know what caused the T in all those people but I know the nurses was high blood pressure related.
Street Spirit, if you read through Dr Naglers posts you'll see that he mentions people who's T has gone completely even after 5 and 10 years. Although I think this is rare, it shows it can happen ! x

 

I like this success story thread especially with the 'stay positive' message. That is one thing I emphasize all along. The more positive you are, the less stress. The less stress, the less your T will bother you and the faster you can habituate to it. It is amazing progress considering you are only within 6 months into T & H. Congrats to your success story and thanks for sharing it.