Day 6 Panic

Thought I was feeling positive but omg I'm panicking again, read so many books on how to cope and calm down but my body is not functioning at all, I can't seem to do a thing, including eat or sleep

 

I would have a word with your doctor about how you are feeling and not sleeping.
Anxiety and stress can make tinnitus feel louder and your unwanted feelings and lack of sleep can cause low mood too.
Try this too-
When on your back put one hand on your chest and one on your stomach and breath in slow to the count of three and make your stomach rise and then breath out slow to the count of three and keep repeating it till you are relaxed .
Its a good deep breathing Exercise to control your breathing when feel in a panic etc and hope it helps you..lots of love glynis

 

Shave been Drs twice, and hospital, dr gave me a week supply sleeping aid, took last night, got 3 hours, lost a stone in 6 days, can't do a think, I'm really trying to be positive but my body isn't working x

 

I would try the build up milky drinks and yogurts and fruit.
Your appetite will come back again.
Do you think you could have depression as the symptoms do include sleep problems and not eating and feel you carnt do anything ?
Its nothing to be ashamed of and their is help...lots of love glynis

 

I was already on a depression pill floruxtine, I will try the yogurt but find it hard to swallow at Monet, my body reacts to hot and cold like fevers all the time and my sense of smell has rocketed, x

 

I really feel for you Charron. I thought i was seemingly close to habituation, but it's come back again stronger, and the process has to start from scratch. That said, I know I'll get through this, and I'm certain you will too. Just please have hope and don't let the negative feelings overwhelm you as that will make it seem worse.

 

I'm trying so hard, I'm trying to wait it out and do relaxing exercises but it's exhausting, thanks for replying x

 

I know, believe me when I first got this I thought my life was falling apart and that I'd never recover. Eventually your brain just starts to adjust, but it's a slow process with setbacks, but I'm very confident you'll get through to a brighter place.

 

I can only but try, I don't know how anyone with young babies or only one income would do it, I can't walk straight let alone work x

 

Just had a bad panic attack, thoughts of cutting my wrists, called dr who advised 999, so called husband who told me to calm down an take a sleeping pill, this morning I felt positive but as the day progresses and I look into this with the pain now in my head I don't know if I can do it, I'm so sorry to put this on here as there are so many in my situation dealing with it, I'm not the strong person I thought, I'm so sad for my family

 

Hey @Charron

I am sorry you are feeling that way and having panic attacks... How loud is your T ? Can you mask it easily ?

You are just at the onset of it and it is quite understandable your feelings and emotions, we all went through it at the beginning... It took me about 9 months to get used to it and to stop reacting to it, so don't be too hard on yourself... Take it step by step, keep busy mentally and physically in order to avoid lingering on it too much..

I wish you well... Take care

 

Hi @Charron

Are yours panick attacks due to tinnitus or you have already experienced in the past?

I would recommend to go for an specialist in cognitive behaviour therapy, it has been a life saver for me. Drugs have limits and risks of addiction with a consequently bad impact on your behaviour and tinnitus related conditions.

Best

 

You're on the right path to getting better, because you admitted to yourself that you are not strong. It is ok to not be strong all the time. Actually that is normal, but many resist that and try to keep up an illusion of strongness.

Focused breathing has helped me a lot in the darkest hours of my anxiety and panic. Focused breathing calms down your parasympatic nervous system, which reduces the fight-or-flight response your body is in and thus calms your body, which will calm your mind. Always slow inhales and longer exhales than inhales.

 

It's real loud, sometimes I gain get it to hiss but when it goes up I want to die, only had it for week so I hoping it will calm down but I'm struggling, not sleeping or eating don't help, I can't even seem to balance now, I'm useless to everyone

 

I used to hike 15 miles a day, today I nearly made a mile, I'm disoriented, the light and noise hurts my eyes, I'm boiling hot then shivering with cold, can't stand the sound of tv or speech, just read, surely this is not worth it

 

Hey @Charron

Did you make an appointment with an ENT and a GP to rule out other T-related conditions or possible causes ?

You might have a bit of hyperacusis if you can't stand the sound of TV and speech... Try to protect your ears and give them time to adjust and/or heal...

A huge part of T is anxiety and fear, more than the actual sound sometimes.. So look at your reactions to it and work on them as much as you can...

Best of luck !!

 

Charron,

Mirtazapine might help with sleep/ anxiety.

Definitely switch doctors. Just telling someone "to learn to live with it" within the first three weeks is not a professional answer. There is still a lot that can be done in your situation. Get second/ third opinions.

Best of luck
Gerrit

 

Dits the anxiety an panic attacks which make me worse, not eating,no sleep so it's hard to relax, think I could get a Valium , I went deaf one night woke up with what I thought was ear wax, but next day the noise form good ear earth shattering and the dead one ringing X double whammy, I can't stand light or conduct my body probably x

 

You need to get checked over asap with out of hours doctor or 999 if quiet out of it and not controlling your body well.
It could be anxiety and stress but they will check you over and do basic tests to see if you need extra help at the hospital.
If the sound is in your head it can give you a wuzzy head,brain fog and off balance but you need to been seen my a medic 999 or out of hours doctor so you have reassurance.
I need medical help at times when I carnt breath with asthma and I know panic attacks can take your breath away too.
lots of love duck...
glynis

 

@Charron - The first months are the worst months. Your biggest problem right now is anxiety, which is exactly the response your brain is reacting to. It thinks it's doing you a favor by increasing the volume of your tinnitus, because your anxiety response is telling your brain that this awful sound is very, very important.

If you can't stand light, it's because your whole system is on high alert, but it will calm down. Do some research on clonazepam, which seems to help a lot of folks on TT. Do deep breathing exercises, and look online for videos that will make you smile, like puppies and kittens and things like that. It may sound silly, but it triggers calming responses when we look at things that evoke nurturing sensations.

Many of us have been where you are right now. Believe me, we understand the despair. Try not to make all or nothing statements to yourself, such as "I'll never be able to live with this." That's the fear talking. Your tinnitus will probably subside and become an annoyance, even if sometimes it flares and drives you batty for a day or two or three.

One step forward at a time, Charron.

 

Your body is in flight or fight mode at the moment. Simple said your nervoussystem is in a red state of alert regarding T.
It is like you walk in the jungle at night and suddenly everything becomes quiet and three lions approach you from different sides. Your nervoussystem gets on high alert so all your senses are tuned in on the danger. (Can I hear it....can I see it...can I feel it...I am swetting , Pupils become big....Hearing becomes very sensitive)
Now replace these lions with Tinnitus and you have your reaction right there.
Because T is constant you body keeps staying in this red alerts fase because it sees it as the worst enemy ever.
You brain is not used to the sounds yet and tunes in on it full force. It will take time to get used to it but eventually you will.....but in a lot of cases you have to believe that you will be ok. You can say it to yourself "I'll be ok " etc etc....but you must truly believe that you will.

It took me more than 2 years to get used to it....so do not get worried if it takes a while. People get used to it in a month and some others in 5 years ... must normally your brain gets used to it and will hopefully ignore it or make it seem less loud.

My T in the beginning was in my perception a 10/10 ...nothing could mask it ....and I could not even hear people that well anymore...on top of that I got H also. But it all settled now. H is still there but not really an issue and T is about a 1 to a 4....mostly a 2....but because I fought it so long I got a depression and my body gives my all kind of symptoms that are hard to deal with together with T.

So it is important to calm the body and mind....do not let it go into a depression or an anxiety disorder. I think there is enough info on this site...Check the Back To Silence Method...or read about Tinnitus on the internet by Julian Cowan Hill.

 

Hey @Charron: Sounds like you are in classic extreme anxiety/panic mode. Happened to me when I got tinnitus. I believe someone on here asked if you have had anxiety issues before or if it is a new condition triggered by tinnitus: it can happen either way. Although I have to say that while I never had rolling panic attacks before T, I now believe I probably had anxiety issues that I had stuffed away for decades and never dealt with.

Regardless of how it happened, I feel for you. Anxiety and panic are the most miserable experiences imaginable, and so very physical, you feel like you can barely function. It's the only time in my life I ever seriously wondered if I could go on living. But I got through it and today, I live life as I always have. I have learned to recognize my early anxiety symptoms and treat them through meditation, relaxation exercises, etc. No drugs. As @Joan A., suggested I would look into cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). Was a lifesaver for me, too, and taught me coping skills I continue to use today.

But, although others here may not agree: I do think when you are in high panic mode in the beginning, medication can be a good idea. When you have anxiety, your house is on fire. You need to put out the fire first, then start dealing with the long-term reality. A fast acting benzodiazepene, like Xanax (alprazolam), usually is the drug of choice. Yes, it can be addicting. But it also can be used safely -- if managed through a competent physician, preferably a psychiatrist. Many people here at TT have used benzos successfully, including me.

I wrote a fair amount about anxiety when I first was on board here, so I won't bore others by repeating myself. Here's one:
https://www.tinnitustalk.com/threads/hard-day.5247/#post-52656

If you search around, you'll find others.
Now is the time to be proactive and get as much help as you need to get you through this difficult time. Hang in there. It DOES get better. I am proof.

 

I have days when I want to die as well and work at including positive experiences to have some measure of happiness. The one activity that I have found invaluable is Mindful Meditation - see http://www.mindful.org/meditation/mindfulness-getting-started/. I hope your husband understands how difficult it can be with tinnitus and supports your efforts.

 

You MUST be able to sleep. If you don't, all sorts of havoc will happen to your body and mind. I once wrote about this,hope this helps.

https://www.tinnitustalk.com/threads/new-and-stressed-with-tinnitus-—-read-this-first.3978/

 

I want to thank you all, my server went down and I couldn't reply, I had a massive breakdown and nearly went over the edge, my dr gave me a weeks medication, it helped, I then done some meditation and read some E books on how to cope with it, it's only been 2 days but at least I can c more clearly now and understand that my brain is making me panic, it's a terrible thing that the medical profession does nothing to help! This will change my way of life for the better! Xxxx