Alcohol Is Not an Approved Treatment

I have had moderate to severe tinnitus since 1981 after a bad motorcycle accident. Lost all hearinga nd the T statrted about 6 months after accident and hasnt stopped one day since. I got so mad and crazy from the loud and incessant T i used to drink a lot to ease the suffering and i did notice that the T got lower the more i drank. Well as you can imagine i drank a lot and then the next day wake up with a bad hangover but it was pretty quiet as far as the noises go.
I do not drink any alcohol now but am tempted when the T is driving me nuts, which is often.

 

Unfortunately I am using alcohol to get to sleep because of this T. I'm worried because I know I'm overdoing it!!

 

Why don't you try Xanax or other pills?

 

Don't think the doctor will prescribe more.

 

When my tinnitus first started dr's did not want to give me anything to help my sleep. To this day I can't figure that one out. Turned to alcohol and it worked for a few weeks but your body keeps wanting more. Finally came across an article about the drug Amitriptyline and how it might help with sleep. Doctor let me try some and it worked absolute wonders. Something to at least read up on.

 

Yeah, alcohol does calm you down same... works somewhat the way benzos do. But of course, heavy alcohol use carries big risks, including addiction (just like benzos). If your suffering is due to anxiety (which I assume it is, as it is for a lot of tinnitus folks), you could try a benzo like Xanax short term. But use them under a mental health professionals care and proceed with caution. People who abuse alcohol are more likely to do the same with anti-anxiety drugs.

Oh, and @Cymro41: Alcohol is NOT good as a sleep-inducer. Yeah, it can knock you out. But the chemical changes it causes as your body metabolizes it will wake you right up after about three, four hours. It also inhibits any kind of quality sleep. While I don't recommend them for everyone, sleep meds are a better choice. If you want something natural, try melatonin.

 

Agree. I would try melatonin first. Might just work very well.

 

Secret about melatonin that my primary care doc just told me: take it about an hour-90 minutes before you go to sleep. It's not like a sleep med, that will work in about 30 minutes. I tried it her way and it made a difference, although I still can't really sleep with melatonin alone.

 

You might try bathing in a solution of magnesium chloride (Ancient Mineral Salts) or magnesium sulphate (Epsom Salts) last thing at night.

Transdermal is supposed to be a good way of magnesium supplementation - better absorbed and should not have a laxative effect which it might have orally.

It's relaxing, and even if it doesn't help you sleep, it might help with other things as most of us are said not to get enough of it through our diet.

 

still on the amtripyline? If so how is it going?

 

I don't know how it is for anyone else, but if you want to drink, why not?