Greetings. I Guess Sometimes Misery Does Like Company. Lol.

Hi folks. One month ago I never even had heard of T....much less suffered with it. Amazing how ones priorities in life can be so abruptly and intensely altered by something so seemingly innocuous.

Just over 3 weeks ago my rt ear began emitting a phantom high pitched,dog whistle,microwave noise. Loud enough to disrupt sleep and thoughts!!
During these past few weeks I have been trying to educate myself as to what is going on.

However,the more I learn....the less I know ! Lol. There seems to be so many conflicting experiences and theories regarding T and its specific causes,remedies,etc.

I am a 59 year old male..reasonably good shape....and was on no meds whatsoever prior to onset. Over the course of life I have occasionally been exposed to loud noises...nothing that I would consider overly excessive...did run my nasty old chainsaw a few times without ear protection but the last time I used it was a couple of months prior to onset.

Some anxiety and depression has also been in my life these last few years.
......however I have always managed to pull myself out of it......without the use of any meds !!!

Smoking a little "herb" is my only vice. Lol

I went to see my GP who did a basic check for damaged eardrum and waxbuild up...none detected!

A week later I went to see him again as the noise is making me anxious,uncomfortable, and sleep was impossible.

He has referred me to an ENT...I am now waiting for their office to call me and let me know when my appointment will be.

In the meantime my Dr. Has prescribed Oxazepam for now and as well I am taking Lipo flavanoid,gingko biloba and a little bit of zinc and CoQ10.

I realize that most info on these vitamins etc. is anecdotal.... But at this early stage I am still in fight mode .
Yesterday was a pretty good day! If the noise level stays under a certain point my brain seems to try to compensate . However,I have also had some very noisy,awful days too !!!! I've even had moments of delightful silence....far too fleeting. It's is interesting to note that the simplest things in life can become so precious when one is deprived of that joy.

The changes in intensity make it difficult to adjust....and in good moments you hope that your on the mend and things are getting better.....and then it gets noisy again !

Anyway that's probably a long enough introduction....just wanted to say hi..share some of my feelings with the only people that seem to understand how rotten and difficult this stupid T is. Thanks and best of luck to you all...my heart goes out to you ALL!!!! Kind Regards Gary

 

Welcome to TT, Gary. We here understand your struggle with T and you are never alone. You are welcome to rant and ask questions, as well as browsing the resources on TT, such as the incredible helpful success stories and the treatment sections.

The initial struggle with T is always tough for any body because the body is facing this new and alien sensation which can't be shaken off nor treated. When we feel stuck, trapped, and when there seems to be no available medical solution, then stress and anxiety build up to a point the limbic system takes over, and we function in fight or flight mode, making any irritation from T much worse and the brain zooms in on T all day. Also the brain may be flooded with many distorted thoughts called cognitive distortions, and very often the brain is fooled into believing that living with T for life is a total catastrophe. Hence the immense mental sufferings, many even have suicidal ideations.

Try do something active to help yourself, such as masking T, living & enjoying life again as much as possible. It will take some time but T is not an end game and good days will be back. I was in a mess 6 years ago with ultra high pitch dog whistle T. I also had severe H which caused all noises too loud and piercingly hurtful. Worst, I had relentless anxiety and panic attack from T & H due to prior condition of anxiety and panic disorder. The sufferings were so bad that I thought I never would have good life again nor even to survive for long. But never say never. I am back to living a normal and absolutely enjoyable life. I wrote my success story and listed some important points helpful to my recovery. Here is my success story if you have time to read it. Take care and God bless.

https://www.tinnitustalk.com/threads/from-darkness-to-light-how-i-recovered-from-tinnitus-hyperacusis.3148/

 

@Garye , The initial weeks and months of T can be very distressing, to say the least. And when you first get to the Dr's office and hear the word 'incurable' for the first time, that makes it all the worse. What @billie48 tells you above is true. You will move on from this and live a happy and normal life. The best data that we know of shows that around 98% of all people with tinnitus completely habituate to it over the course of about 18 months. this probably feels like a long time right now. But let me tell you that there is a really good chance that in just a few months that you will be feeling a lot better. Definitely get in to the ENT to clear up any remote possibility that your T can be gotten rid of or very, very, remote possibility that your T is a serious health problem. From there, if neither of these are the case, it's simply a matter or getting on with your new life with T. There are plenty of books that can give you facts about T, and plenty of medical professionals that can give you the facts about habituation. Do your best to find out the facts. And the facts are that there is a really, really good chance that T will not be an issue in your life 2 years (or less) from now. The power of positive thinking can go a long way toward helping with habituation. Good luck, Eric

 

Thank you for your kind thoughts and wishes ! I know that this may be one of my biggest challenges in life.....and I have had a fairly interesting and sometimes challenging life. I will do my best...what else is there ? lol Today I took my doggie for a walk down by the ocean. It's hard to get used to because the decibel level changes...and very occasionally the noise goes way down....yesterday was a good day...slept well...and woke up today with that infernal screech which chooses not to subside today ( so far). I have been reading some interesting things...some encouraging....some...not so much...and it is quite evident that there is no single answer for why or how to relieve it...each person seems somewhat unique ! Anxiety/depression have been issues during my life...but managed to maintain without meds whatsoever. On Wed. I see my GP again and get a note to go down to the " Farmacy" in Victoria...a legal cannabis product outlet. I have been reading some reports on CBD Oil being tried for T. Nothing ventured...nothing gained. Cheers

 

Weed would drive me crazy on T. Ativan quieted my T

 

Hey Garye,

Tinnitus can be a perplexing condition. My Stepdad is in the same situation as you - he has never taken ototoxic medication, doesn't expose himself to loud noises. He does have a bit of hearing loss though - this can be age related. Nothing that substantially affects his ability to converse. He has habituated to his tinnitus and seldom thinks about it. Only when I mention it to him, lol.

Many people's tinnitus (such as my own) can substantially improve given time or even resolve entirely. Those whose tinnitus hangs around, given time, will habituate.

The early stages of tinnitus are definitely the most difficult. I found it difficult to believe things could ever get better for me but they did.

Keep reading the success stories and stay positive