Hi! I Live with Tinnitus Since 2007

[Paulo Ferreira]

My name is Paulo, I'm 48 and I live in Portugal.
Tinnitus appeared in my life in 2007, after a depression episode. I was treated with Venlafaxine (Efexor), and soon after the medication withdrawal, I started listening a continuous very high pitch hum in both my ears. It's like the sound of the fly-back transformers of old CRT televisions and computer monitors. It's near the limit of audible frequencies.
I've done a number of tests, but none was conclusive. Doctors say I have a hearing loss of high frequencies, although I was never tested for the frequencies near the high end of the audible spectrum.
My hearing loss is probably due to my exposure to explosions as I was an explosives enthusiast as a teen. I remember an episode, around 14, when a big blast left me hearing a loud whistle in my right ear for a week.
I listen very well to phone conversations on my right hear, although with a high volume setting, but I don't have the same sensitivity as on my left ear. However, I have trouble understanding phone conversations using my left ear, as strange as it may sound...
My tinnitus is the same volume on both ears.
Recently I was diagnosed with hemochromatosis. Could it be related to my tinnitus?
I also found a link between my tinnitus and my sleep quality. When I manage to get an excellent night sleep, usually with the help of mirtazapine, I find that my tinnitus is less severe to absent in the morning after.
That's it. I've learned to live with this background humming and don't think it's a major deal. It's just life. Let's live it!
Cheers,
Paulo

 

[jeffie7]

Welcome, I've has mine for 11 years although i think longer. I just put 2 and 2 together at some point and found out what it was.

My left ear hearing is weaker then my right. And ironically the only way I can notice it is on the phone. The left just isn't as crisp. Not so much on a cell phone but on a land line.

With that being said, my left is almost always noticeable, the right comes and goes. Sometimes if I'm lucky my right will be there and my left will be low, almost as if they are the same volume and for some odd reason they doesn't bother me nearly as much as only having it in one ear. I guess it's easier to forget it when it seems like I'm hearing something hissing in the room vs knowing it's only 1 ear and it's clearly me and not an outside source.

Stress and loud noises seems to be the biggest factor for me with getting it to flare up. I wear ear plugs pretty much daily.

Again welcome, check out the research page, there's a lot of hope for a cure. Back only a few years ago there was nothing... The future is looking bright and quiet.