Forty Years In...

Hi! I've had T since puberty... No one can quite figure out why as I was not exposed to acoustic trauma or ototoxic drugs. In addition to the T, I've developed some mild hearing loss in the speech banana over the last 20 years. I choose not to wear aids, not for vanity's sake, but because it makes my T more noticeable and doesn't really help with speech recognition. (I'm a great lip reader!)

Since I grew up with T, I think it might be a little easier for me to deal with it now, but when I was a kid, it was hell on earth. I didn't know to tell my Mom or the docs what was happening, I just thought there was something scary in my room. (I guess I was too busy being a kid to really notice it during the day, but the nights were terrifying.)

I earned a Masters degree in Special Education of the Deaf from Gallaudet University in 1988. During my first audiology class, the the light bulb finally came on. Since then, my T has progressed. It's louder and the frequency of the sounds has expanded. However, with the help of a fan next to the bed, the nights aren't so scary anymore. We each have to find our own path to acceptance - at least until someone figures out how to silence the noise!

 

Just wanted to say welcome to this forum, it's a good place to have information regarding tinnitus, some people are having some kind of succes in the "retigabine" thread, some others are trying natural supplements, whatever works !

 

Thanks James! I've been skulking around the forum for awhile. Figured I'd best introduce myself.