Don't Know What to Do

It started about last Wednesday. I remember going to bed on Tuesday and hearing these loud humming noises, but I was able to go to sleep, and I woke up once more with the noises and fell back asleep. However, whenever I woke up there was nothing, no sound. Then later in the day about 5 or 6 in the evening it was the loudest thing I've ever heard. Louder than the TV. It seemed to be coming from both ears. The next day it was just as loud I couldn't sleep at all. Maybe got 1 hour of sleep.

Then it seemed after that hour or so it drastically reduced volume. To where it's still loud but not "OMG! SUICIDE!" loud. It kind of stayed that while for 2-3 days. Then one morning I woke up and it wasn't that loud, I also felt much better sleep wise too. I noticed that I could shave and the tick of the clock could mask it. IT only seemed to be a faint buzz in the left ear. I wish it would reduce to this level, because it's a livable level. However, it got worse that day in the evening and came back in the right ear. It also doesn't help that I've noticed some slight sensitivity to sound. That's gotten better though and it only seems to be certain sounds and not a general type of hyperacusis where just going places bother the ears.

The funny thing is that I can fall alseep without white noise, but I can't stay asleep. Maybe it's anxiety but I just cannot get more than two hours of sleep at a time. I would love to sleep 4-8 hours continuously.

I'm full of anxiety, stress, and depression right now. I got a prescription for atvian to take at night to sleep, hope that works and I got zoloft for the depression.

I have too many negative thoughts in my head right now. I can't help but think, "How am I going to live the rest of my live with this?" I could handle it if it went down to the level it was one morning, but I don't know about now. The right ear is just so loud.

I just wish that this is something that is just stress, anxiety, and depression related and that once that's fixed it will all clear up. My fantasy is that once I can get 8 hours of sleep that it will fix itself. However, when you search online it seems that all you find are permanent cases and no one is like, "Yeah, I had it for 3 months and it disappeared." But I also don't want to create a self fulling prophecy where I just reinforce the negative views and they come true.

I just don't know what to do. Should I call an ENT asap and try to get in? My doctor was more dismissive and was we will give it a little bit and go from there. I keep reading about prednisone and I keep thinking maybe if convince the ENT to do that, it will help, but I don't know.

All I'm taking supplement wise is vinpocetine and fish oil. I've seen others recommended. I'm half tempted to go and buy niacin, ginkgo, and magnesium.

Because of this I've realized I've abused my ears. I actually through away my headphones, because the last three years I've been using them way too much. I figure better not tempt. So my hearing probably isn't that great, but I just hope it's not due to hearing loss.

Yeah, I rambled on, but I don't have anyone to talk to about this.

I guess what I'm wondering is that, is the decrease in volume or fluctuations in a week a good sign or are these normal for people with tinnitus?

I also wonder how loud is tinnitus for most people? Loud enough to be heard on the TV? Loud enough in the car?

Sorry, I'm just really worried. It seems for me that when something good happens, then something bad has to happen too.

 

My T started with popping and weird kind of sounds to a high pitched whine. Mine stayed relatively manageable and even had a moment of quiet. But it's definitely there now. I've had an especially crazy day filled with noise and its bothersome right now, but it fades into the background thankfully if I'm not paying it any attention. A second opinion may be a good idea if you feel your doctor isn't taking you seriously. An ENT is a good choice. Find someone who will take you seriously. It's okay to get a second opinion and sometimes it's best.
I'm not aware of using prednisone so I cannot speak to that, but why not see someone else and ask about things you have heard about (prednisone) and have a discussion. Best if luck to you.

 

Hi Neon,

I couldn’t read and not reply because I understand everything you are saying. My T started 3 months ago and it is still terribly bothersome and I think about it constantly (my biggest worry is will it get worse?) BUT ... I’m better than I was - and that’s a great thing.

I think my T is a combination of ongoing chronic sinus issues and a nasal flush I did one night which was quite painful - the ringing started after that.

I'd say right now you are full of anxiety, stress and uncertainty about your T - this is totally normal but you need to get that under control. Stress feeds T and then it becomes a cycle, which is very very hard to break.

Get an appointment with an ENT to make sure you don’t have impacted ear wax or some other reason for your symptoms. If you wanted to push further you could have an MRI to exclude tumours etc. but I guess, be aware that most of the time these are a dead end and sometimes you never even get a reason why T started.

In terms of loudness, I do think mine fluctuates however whether it really does or it’s all in my head is another thing. When I’m tired, sick or thinking about it it is louder. It’s very rare that I go long periods without noticing it.
It is also different for everyone. For me, whist driving I can’t hear it, but the TV doesn’t mask it, and right now at the computer with only the TV on in the background I can hear it loud and clear. My dad is a T suffer also and pretty much nothing masks his at all.

Just work on taking care of yourself and not stressing too much. Find something that masks your T and at least for a little while try not to think about it

 

I took .5mg of lorazepam last night. I don't think it did anything because I still woke up after an hour or so and didn't sleep for 4-8 hours continuously. I would love to be able to go to sleep at 11 and then wake up and look at the clock an see 5 am or even 4 am. Most people can't get to sleep due to the sound, but I can I just can't stay asleep. However, the anxiety about the tinnitus is down today. I don't know if that's the anti-anxiety medication or what. I don't think .5mg of lorazepam would last 14+ hours.

I also noticed that right side wasn't as continuous in tone, it seemed to break up here and there (kind of like someone messing with a volume knob in a way). I don't know if that's a good sign or just standard procedure. However, the left side is pretty much gone. I ran some errands today and couldn't hear the left, only the right. I can't really hear it at all and even if I tried to listen I wouldn't be able to tell if it's the right side tricking me or an actual sound. The pressure on the left ear I felt occasionally too is gone also. I remember watching TV three days ago and it was so buzzy that I couldn't stand it, but now when watching TV it's only the right side.

A weird thing that happened was when I woke up a little in the morning I didn't hear anything and then went back to sleep. It was probably about 5 seconds in total. However, when I woke up again it was there. The volume seems lower today, but I don't know if that's the anti-anxiety med or just me less freaked about it. I also noticed that my right jaw was sore today. The muscles around the ear were sore and when I opened my mouth I can feel the tightness on the right. I have a bad habit of clenching my teeth in the day time and I probably do it at night too.

I didn't take the antidepressant yet. I'm not sure whether to take 1mg of lorazepam or not. I might try .5 again and then maybe 1 mg.

The tinnitus is still exhausting though. When it gets to be two hours before bed I just want to go to bed, but I can't because that's too much time for sleep.