Hello! New to Tinnitus + Hyperacusis for 2 Weeks! In Desperate Need of Support!

Hello! I'm a 21 years-old medicine student living in Athens, Greece. I have tinnitus and hyperacusis for 2 weeks now (these 2 weeks are the worst of my life, even though now that I'm writing this post I'm way better psychologically). Sorry for my not-so-fluent English. So, let's get started:

2 weeks ago, on a cold but sunny afternoon (Greece babe! haha), I started hearing a "hissing" sound in my left ear. I didn't worry about it at first. But after 4 hours I started to worry and went to an ENT with my mother. He did an audiogram and detected a very slight hearing loss at 8 kHz. He told me that if this sound was still there next morning, I should start taking cortisone. But, being a big fool, the following morning I thought it was almost gone, so I didn't take the pills until 2-3 days (I cannot remember so well) after I heard the noise. He had also told me that it was not sure whether the pills would work and it would probably be permanent. So, I started to panic (I'm generally very anxious). Gradually, over the next days, the T got worse. The hissing noise became a tape noise and new sounds were adding up, now I hear 4 sounds in total (!), 3 in my left ear and 1 in my right. I always hear the tape noise, but I hear the other three only in complete silence (when I go to bed, for example). These days but way after my first encounter with tinnitus I stared noticing that I have a sensitivity to sounds, especially in the left ear where the tinnitus is worse. For example, the computer fan, loud voices, people speaking together, the "s" sounds of some people's voices, the clink-clank of the knifes and forks etc. I started having really bad panic attacks, as I didn't know what was happening with my ears. I didn't feel pain, I just disliked sounds. I couldn't sleep for days because of my T, I got desperate, unsocial, worried, depressed, each little info I read on the Internet about tinnitus and hyperacusis was making me feel worse. I started feeling that all of this was unfair (you know things like "why is this happening to me and why does nobody understand me?"), I barely slept 2 hours at night, I was in constant stress, I enjoyed nothing, I didnt care about university, studying, social life, anything. I wanted to die. Yesterday morning I even started contemplating about committing a suicide! I was midway through a letter of goodbye to my parents, boyfriend (Yeah, I'm gay, for those who will probably get confused) and sister, who's living in London and is coming home for Christmas. But then, as a miracle, my parents had made an appointment with a psychiatrist and interrupted me from writing the letter and told me to get dressed and follow them. I went to the psychiatrist's office and told him everything, that I want to die, to get rescued from all this. He prescribed me three different pills, and now, after a 7 hour sleep (hurray!) and a so-much-better psychological state (I don't know whether its the pills or this site I've found), I'm writing to you. I'm so glad I've found this site. I want to get all the possible info I can get. What should I do from now on? Is there possible that my hyperacusis will get better and what should I do from now on? Do I have to wear earmuffs everywhere? in cinema? in cafes, bars? In fact, will I be able to have a normal life? Will I ever get habituated to my T (it doesn't panic me anymore, it merely disturbs me when I go to sleep)? Should I immediately start therapies like TRT or pink noise etc? Is it possible that my T will get worse (ot hasnt worsened from then). T + H are almost unknown here in Greece and even ENT specialists know very few about it. To make it clear, I'm not sure wether I have pain in my ears, I think only a slight, barely noticeable pain in my left ear, in loud noises, but i don't know if I'm imagining it form all I have heard. haha). What should I do to sto it from getting worse? Is there any hope that it will get even slightly better? How did you handle the situation? SORRY for the GIANT text, I'm just desperate, but now I've found that there people in this world who actually can LIVE with it and not commit suicide, I'm feeling much better. Thanks a lot.

 

Also, my hyperacusis is worse in high pitched sounds, and these days I'm feeling a bit dizzy, I don't know if that has to do with the problem.

 

Welcome to the forum, Christopher. You are at the right place because here most members have been where you are now. Many got support and learn some strategies to deal with their T and do get better. Just read over the success stories forum and you will see people do get better. You can find hope and comfort as well as some insights from these recovered members. Your T is so new, it may fade or disappear. Even if it stays, it is livable and many people habituate to the ringing to move on with life.

Right now you are at the toughest beginning phase and your body is shocked by the T & H trauma. Your nerve is under the control of the limbic system in fight or flight mode. Every thing looks worse than it is. At this phase you may have many distorted thoughts called cognitive distortions in CBT, such as thinking in catastrophic way about T and your future. Don't believe in the distorted thoughts. Given time you will get more used to the sound and you can then react more normally.

Don't worry about hyperacusis much even though it is the harder one to live with. H usually comes after T, but most people including myself find out the that H will fade slowly in a few months. You should wear earplugs for loud environments but be prudent. Over protection on normal ambient sounds can lead to sound sensitivity.
Be patient. H will usually fade and so give it time and don't worry.

You may want to consider some sort of masking if you are bothered by T. You can also ask questions to the doctors on this forum in the Doctor's Corner as well as Dr. Charlie. You can also post your condition in the Support Forum of both T and H and let other members at large give you collective advise how to cope with your condition. Good luck and God bless your recovery.

 

billie48, thank you soooooooo much for the support!!! Are you a physician? I'm so grateful for your information! I feel extremely lucky to have found this website!!! I only have a small question: I'm not a fan of clubs, bars and places with loud music, in fact I disliked them even before my symptoms, so I guess my life won't change so much... but I enjoy cinema very much. I guess I will have to wear earplugs/earmuffs in these cases? (I have not gone to a movie at all these disastrous 2 weeks, and I have not exposed my ears to very loud noises)

 

I even changed my mood from alienated to happy after I read your comment! Wow!

 

Looks like my story, Chrsitopher.

I have almost no pain, sometimes only in my left t ear.
All sounds are louder.
Exactly the way you prescribe it. Also outside noise like traffic.
Didn't see the psychiatrist but that will be soon. I still have that fear, hoping some pills will help.
Good to see it's helping you.
When there's no TRT most people here say to start with the pink noise CD.

 

You are most welcome. I wish I am a doctor and make their money. Haha. But no, I just happen to have ultra high pitch T followed by severe hyperacusis a few years back. The initial sufferings like what you are going through now was very tough. I panicked how to survive the rest of my life like that. But I read up all the success stories and learn some wisdom from veteran members. Also learn some strategies out there to help out, such as CBT. My H was tough at first and I couldn't stand any noise, including my own wife's soft voice spoken too close. I had to wear ear plugs all the time but forum members told me to use wisdom to avoid sound sensitivity. Then H just slowly faded in a few months. Thanks God.

 

Hahaha, so funny, Christopher. You will be just fine. Give it time and learn from others how to get better. Take care now.

 

Christopher I am glad you found this forum. You will find much needed support and information here. Welcome.
I was in your shoes exactly one year ago with T & H. I didn't even know I had H at the time, I was too busy worrying about the T. Billie48 is exactly right, you will get used to the T and the H will fade. I couldn't sleep a wink a year ago and was very anxious and depressed. All of us here was where you are now. Now I am doing much, much better. Keep reading the success stories. You'll see, you will be fine.

 

Hi Christopher. Your situation sounds the same as mine. A very sudden onset of T with hearing loss. I was in exactly the same place you are right now with all the same feelings. I still have the T and hearing loss and it's permenant but I'm glad to say I am now feeling fully back to normal and loving life again. I got my T in June this year and by September I felt fine again. I'm so lucky i habituated so quickly.

My hearing therapist reccomended to me to not plug yours ears up if you can help it around natural sounds like cafes and normal music as your brain needs to hear this to adjust and get used to them. This is hard as first but is well worth it. If you are going to loud places and you do feel u comfortable have some earplugs on you as a back up. I do this and the thought of them being there is a comfort and I find I never use them.

I have so much more advice I can give to you about how i habituated so quickly but am just jumping in the car to go to work so will try and get on here later to message again

Keep your spirits high you WILL feel good again

Caff x