A Locksmith with Tinnitus from Work or Tramadol

Hi all!

I'm new here and just wanted to introduce myself and tell you a little about my story... Any thoughts would be appreciated too!

I am a locksmith who's been in the industry nearly 10 years, I also used to produce dance music and loved listening to music loud (when I was younger. Around 7 or 8 years ago my life took a turn for the better and I had my son) my tinnitus started on the 20/05/2019, it was the Monday after a weekend where I needed to have general surgery on my pilonidal sinus.
The surgery was on the Saturday morning (18/05) and I was home all weekend recovering.
I had taken some time off (Monday 20th and Tuesday 21st) just to give some extra recovery time.

At the time my partner was very pregnant with my daughter and we had an appointment with her doctor on the Monday around midday.

I dropped my son off at school and returned home to jump back in bed before we had to leave for the doctors. I took a Tramadol which I had gotten off my mum who said it worked well for pain for her, as the hospital only released me with Panadol and my pain was pretty bad, the wound was left open for healing.

When I woke we got ready and rushed out the door, on the drive to the doctors I noticed I was rarely anxious and maybe noticed temp (so I thought) tinnitus..

Once we where in with the doctor, she was explaining some details about our pregnancy (our daughter was small and it was this big ordeal and quite stressful) when all of a sudden my hearing went super full and this insanely loud high pitch ringing sound was everywhere! My body was flushed with anxiety and I couldn't talk or breath properly... I staggered through the appointment and we left.

On the way home I was sort of complaining to my partner whilst also trying to ignore my (unbeknownst to me at the time) new permanent friend, tinnitus.

The next few days where rough! I think I made a doctor's appointment with a different doctor and clinic every day for 2 weeks, each doctor told me that my ears where full of wax and they couldn't see my ear drum, this was the cause of this tinnitus (allegedly) I soon worked up the courage to do waxol in my left ear, I did 2 nights then went to doc for water plunge, however this didn't work after a good 10 to 25 mins of attempts whilst I was almost on tears from anxiety..

Next day I found a microsuction clinic and they told me to waxol the other ear also and come in a couple of days.

I headed in to the clinic a couple of days later, still not in a good way, I had been suicidal amongst other feelings and just needed this to work... the doctor who performed the procedure pulled out a cashew sized price of dried wax after about 5 mins of suction prior and far out I could hear people breathing in the room it was an incredible feeling that triggered a panic attack lol... the ringing was still there but the doctor assured me it would subside...

Well here I am almost a year on and still loud as ever. I have my good days and my terrible days where nothing can help the way I feel... I just hope talking about all this helps me deal with it a bit better.

If you read all that, thanks for your time.

Daniel.

 

Hi Daniel!

Welcome! So sorry to hear of your situation. You're in good company here.

7 years with tinnitus and hyperacusis here. I've had my ups and downs, but way better than I was in the start.

Sounds like you had a few possible cumulative insults i.e., surgery, infection, stress, ...? Ototoxic meds, exposure to noise, microsuction etc...

Did your ENT perform an extended audiogram?

How are you doing now?

Things I've found most helpful are; sleep, distraction, back to silence thread, CBT, Mindfulness, possibly L-theanine, Magnesium, Taurine,Ppassion flower.

Let me know how you're going.

 

Not sure how to edit posts on here, but I did want to just add that I'm not doing so well at the moment..

I've had months of being suicidal and I feel these feelings coming on again

 

I’m sorry you’re feeling suicidal, I also have felt that way a lot. I’m here for you if you ever need to talk. I know it’s hard, but try to keep doing things that make you happy. Take it one day at a time, try and breathe. Also try curcumin and NAC. Try getting in a vitamin with omega3’s.

Does your tinnitus change at all or is it constantly the same?

 

It gets worse from time to time with an even louder tone at a slightly lower pitch that lasts for a few mins to 30 mins max then back to normal loudness.

Also thanks for your message, it is rough some times! And I don't really have much support, I have my partner but she suffers from PTSD and CRPS and I don't like bothering her with my stuff although sometimes I can't help it

 

Hi Daniel,

I'm sorry you are going through this. Tinnitus is quite unpredictable. It may get better.

If you need to remove wax it is best to go to an ENT and the doctor can remove it with a special tool, it is just like a stick with a hole through which the doctor can see. It is best not to use water, or microsuction...

I hope you improve soon!

 

Thanks mate I appreciate your support, and I thought there was another way to remove wax! Good to know I'll look into it as I need it done at the moment and I'm petrified of going through microsuction again