Joshua Macleod

@Utdmad89 I feel that, I really do - I'm so sorry. What are your limits at the moment in terms of noise exposure etc.?

@Joshua Macleod, tbh I'm not sure. I plug around my son and in the kitchen, and whilst driving, and it seems ok , i get a little pain here and there. i now watch tele and game with the sound off to try and heal. If i watch tele with the sound on, i get a headache and maybe aches in my ear

I'm not 100% sure if some of this is mental. I feel my loudness hyperacusis has improved alot, still get fluttering and thuds when things thud or plastic/paper bags, but I'm ok in hearing protection.

Spikes with obvious causes don’t seem to bother me as much as the ones that come out of nowhere. Hope you don’t spike regardless though!

Yeah, you raise a valid point. I've had the most peculiar spike with this, and I'm hoping it's only transient, but it's a mix of an old reactive tone I had with dysacusis.

These help tremendously when I'm out riding. With ot without plugs.
https://www.junkbrands.com/products/never-surrender-headband-ew?variant=38973757137&currency=USD&tw_source=google&tw_adid=&tw_campaign=17126445084&gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAiA44OtBhAOEiwAj4gpOQcp-MhSe0ipzJbpJvN0nbFQlJGyJdRxhfyOZFJ3yP8dxiJFFXzrkBoCgJ8QAvD_BwE

I tried those silicone ones that you press over your ear and was not impressed. Foam plugs well inserted work best for me when riding. A Giro Aerohead MIPS helmet would probably help. Cat Ears may help a little. Also just a scarf or band that covers the ears can help.

@BrOKeN_1 @RunningMan Thank you both, I for some reason just hadn't considered ear coverings or head bands.

I'll certainly stick with the foam plugs; I also don't get on with silicone ones.

Sorry you're feeling warn out mate. I won't be looking after your T though haha.

Right?! ;(

They sound nice but they should really just be happy you are there working in spite of T which is no joke!

@Juliane I'm very fortunate that, for now, I can continue to work on my PhD. Labs offer a strange respite, despite how noisy they can be.

A friend of mine who works for a gaming website gave it 7/10 and I don't like Bethesda (they ruined Fallout), so I've decided to pass.

I'm enjoying it on PC, albeit I've had dreadful optimisation issues. Struggling to get >30fps.

See what reviews suggest in the coming weeks would be my recommendation.

I’m going to when it comes to game pass on xbox!

Thankfully, it's free at point of care for me @Ryan Scott. Still genuinely bewildering that they would shift my referral despite my complaints. Disheartening, too.

How did your audiology appointment go? I have mine next week.

Hi @SamRosemary. I had a hearing test for the first time, and some other standard ear tests. They offered something similar to CBT and a referral for potential TMJ. Other than that, not too much. It was a weight off my shoulders, above all else.

Though the T is mindnumbingly loud right now, I'm in much better a place than 6-12 months ago, so I didn't *need* anything from the appointment really.

It really is, @SarahMLFlemmer.

I waited about 17 months for my audiology appointment. Your healthcare sounds similar to Canada’s.

@SamRosemary that's genuinely absurd. I waited at most 12-months, which is ridiculous, but a further 5 on top of that? :(

Can you have those bone conducting headphones? I don't see why the lab would allow it.

@Mo8409 Sorry, only just saw this! Potentially. I normally just take my phone into the lab and play music from the other side of the room if I'm alone. I have mixed feelings about bone conduction, but not sure why.

Problem is, I don't spend all my time in the lab! Too many papers need writing, haha.

What do you mean? Like fixating on it?

@Juliane Yes, absolutely. I'll wake up at 4am panicked by it, despite having it for months. It just feels more dominant than the remainder of the T cacophony despite normally being quieter. It's back to its normal position in the orchestra now.

@tpj I'd either go for some extreme metal band like Deicide or some obnoxious punk/post-punk like TV Priest.

Curiously, it was an Adolescents gig where I first noticed an increase in tinnitus back in 2016.

How about you?

@Joshua Macleod I would love to see Iron Maiden.

@tpj Oh absolutely. I regret not going and seeing them at Download a few years back

Hey @Hardwell; it's loud but the conference was good. People really like car horns and loud motorbikes here! Hope you're keeping well.

@Joe Cuber I find it's almost always the evenings that produce the most frustrating T. Quieter environment perhaps, or maybe we're just fatigued. Would rather it was the other way round; noisy T in the morning that slowly subsides over the day. Wishful thinking, though!

Mine is often more calm at bedtime but will ramp up overnight. I'll wake hours after going to bed and have to increase my masking sounds volume to compensate. And my sleep is terrible still. Last night couldn't even fall asleep for hours and only after taking zolpidem a couple times. Squealing sound continues today but haven't slipped into depression again at this point.

For me it is the mornings (or rather when I wake up) when tinnitus is raging, evenings are quiet. I'd rather have the opposite. At least when waking up I'd be more optimistic and able to do stuff and just retire tired in the evening. As is, I start each day with a torture. This also means I do not want to wake up, which is messing my sleep further. I guess it's terrible either way.

I turned the fan on the other day and the living room to try and get some rest. Started hearing a humming noise I was like here we go. Thankfully it was the fan.

@makeyourownluck Truthfully only watched a few episodes of Limmy's Show in the yesteryears but stumbled across his stream a few years ago and have been catching up ever since.

A very good find, he’s hilarious and fast on his feet too. His genuine self.

I’ve got some friends who are Macleods. Dig their kilts!

Albeit, I'm presenting today and will probably not wear any as the occlusion of my voice is too distracting.

Fair enough. Do you spike after these kind of events?

Yes, I spiked for a few hours before my return flight. It has been relatively stable since I have been home.

If I were to be more relaxed about the plugs, it would be a problem.

Yeah my tinnitus has been through the roof the last few days not sure what's going on. Completely miserable looks like I'll be staying in my room for the Easter holidays.

Mine changes all the time

Thank you all for responding - I needed that. I was swapping between foam plugs and some those loop plugs. Just took me 20 minutes to calm before I could crack on.

Every 3 months or so, I have one day where my tinnitus gives me insane anxiety for a few hours or so. It will usually pass but I'm always like "I thought I was done with this shit".

Susan Shore should work for you

My fingers are crossed, @AnthonyMcDonald. I hope the same for you.

I sympathise with you on that one! @Joshua Macleod