Improvement in Three Weeks. READ This If You Want Hope.

Hello everyone! I have been very active lately on this side for many reasons, mainly because I experienced everything almost all T-sufferers do in the beginning. Everything from suicidal thoughts, anxiety, depression, lack of appetite and sleep, etc. I have now had tinnitus a little more than three weeks and I must say it gets better. Your tinnitus may not have come to the point that it has begun to fade, and it may never get there, (U STILL NEED TO HOPE FOR IT THO) but you, you who sits there with all the possibilities in life- you will feel better. Do not rush to feel good at once, it is the time that will get you to land and learn how to handle this situation. I did that mistake. I wanted to feel happy and calm all at once but you will fail. You can not force positive thoughts, they will come up slowly if you start to live your life like you did before. You will manage to accomplish all your goals in life if you just believe in yourself. Encircle yourself with people you love, talk about your anxiety and panic, let them comfort you. Do not ignore the fact that I was a week ago googled fastest way to die, a week ago. I spent hours and hours to sit and listen for the sound. (Like WHY? It's not like I would go to lie down in a quiet room or else to listen for something before (???) WHO DOES THAT.

I understood that I asked for it, I realized that I spent way too much time to torment myself. If I didnt had my family, boyfriend and friends supporting me (AND OF COURSE YOU GUYS), I would probably fall further down in the terrible spiral. You sit there and probably thinking "How the hell can she even think that things will be better with this sound?". I was thinking the exact same thing, how the hell can I live a normal life again? How can I laugh again? I started to generalize my thoughts, I was thinking of the children in Gaza or Syria who probably got Tinnitus from all the bombs exploding near them, and they lost family members and T is just the smallest problem in their life. I'm not saying that you should be ashamed that you feel bad, it is quite normal. You experience something for the first time, you find it difficult to adapt. But I want to remind you that there are problematic situations that make tinnitus to a speck in comparison.

The last week I actually slept 7 hours, in comparison to previous weeks, (2-3 hours). I got sleeping pills from my doc, I did not even take them. It boosted my self-esteem when I woke up the next day, pretty reliefed and rested without help. Try to do those things without help in the beginning, just try. It will strengthen you if you succeed with it.

Finally, I want to say, I can laugh today. I look forward to my future. I just got a dream job (halftime) that I competed with 60 other candidates, and I GOT IT, little me. I will graduate about 6 months. I have a wonderful strong family. A caring boyfriend. I have a strong body and healthy body in general. I will not let tinnitus control over my life, even though I wish there was a cure because I know there are people out there who suffer from this very extremly. But until then, I have to live my life. YOU CAN ALSO. Believe me. Try to realize what you have to appreciate in your life and put your tinnitus in perspective. If you have something you bothers you otherwise in life, for an example: think about what you wanted to change before the T, change it now. If you get the puzzle together, so will the tinnitus feel easier if you tackle things to bother you otherwise. Do you think you are living a unhealthy life? Do something about it. Start being healthy. Do you think you and your love of your life does not spend enough time with eachother? Prepare a date night or something. Do you and your mother have a weak relationship? FIX IT. Do you hate your job? Find a new. Believe me, you will feel better soon if you put your shit together(the other shit). Do not rush into it in the beginning only. Let it come to you naturally. AND SILENCE? Try to find silence in other sitautions. Silence for me is now when I feel calm and safe. Maybe it sounds crazy but when I'm sitting to eat with my family and they talk to each other, I find that sometimes like my own silence, in the shower and when I go my regular powerwalk in the forrest I can find some silence, I try to listen for calming sounds in my own enviroment. U will have to find a new silence until things gets better. Stress will never get you silence, that's for sure. Peace and Love <3

And just a tip to motivate you girls (especially girls): Read this blog. http://www.kenzas.se. This is a swedish girl who has the biggest fashion blog in Sweden. (You can read her posts in English too) She has moderate T and hearing loss. LOOK AT HER BLOG. Does it seems she's unhappy? No. Is she very successful? Yes it seems so. Does she do everything like people without T does? Yes. WE can too.

 

You did it quite fast , good for you! now take care of you're ears untill forever

 

@uae96 that Will not be a problem. Im Taking care of my health by not eating shit, am I limited? No. Ears goes under that list too I guess. Ear plugs, Lets make them fashionable. LOL

 

Naddesh you took the t on like a champion and it appears you took control.......your writings were very inspiring
and good luck to you... you sound like a leader type girl so its no wonder you got that job over others.

 

Thank you @Harold!! Getting over T is still the biggest success after all..

 

@Naddesh ...Glad that you're feeling so much better as compared to only a couple of weeks ago!

Additionally, I appreciate you taking the time to share your experience, as to what helped you, in order to encourage and give hope to others. Good for you, Girl!...

 

Thank you @jimH. I admire people who stay positive and move on with their life no matter what. I dont think I Will stay here long but I think my mission to keep people optimistic will make me return to this site sometimes.

 

Well done and good luck. You're doing great.

 

Hi there!

It was not long ago I wrote a success story, but I'll give you a little update. It has now been five weeks since I got tinnitus. Since my success story it has gone maybe a week, but I'm here to give some tips.

As many have said, the time is the thing that will make the T more manageable. I personally have a little hard to agree 100%. It is actually YOU and your decisions regarding your reactions and your way to do something about your mental state that determines whether you will suffer or not. You may decide for today, tomorrow, next week when you want the suffering to end. If you read through the forum's positive threads, you will notice that habituation kicks in within various different of time frames.

OK so here are some tips and ideas about tinnitus. I have noticed that the more I tried to control tinnitus, the more often I was losing it. I have begun instead to think when I hear it (which is perhaps 25% of my day) "Ok, I hear it, but now I want to actually do the dishes," I began thinking completely irrelevant thoughts every time I became aware of my tinnitus. This has meant that I somehow managed to neutralize and defuse the sound. I'm not as scared as I was the first 3 weeks. I have taken a step back sometime now and then, but those situations tend to be shorter and fewer. I'm not afraid to go in quiet environments, Because if I fear that - I will always associate these environments to fear, which in turn will lead to that I become aware of T every time when I enter them. Begin therefore consider irrelevant thoughts as soon as you become aware of your T. Let us say that you should go into your quiet room to get something, and suddenly you hear your T in that silent spot, think again, "I'll just get my jacket" . Try to remind yourself of your real "mission" in your daily life. You do not even have to control your tinnitus or try to process it to the maximum, put it just to the side. It will eventually just be something you are not aware of, even though you can not believe it now. You will get there. And let go of these forums full time! I understand how important all the support is here, but try to find security and support within your family or friends. You can of course read all the success stories, or perhaps print screen them and then watch them when you really feel like you have gone back a step, only to remind yourself that you will live your life as you did before. Because you will. It is your choice. U dont want to let go of those beautiful moments that life has to offer. U just dont want to.

Love, Nadine

 

Im not saying it will be the easiest thing, but it will be very effective if you have already decide to live like you want to. This is my last time here probably so im saying goodbye now!

 

Thanks for your inspirational story. I am just shy of two weeks in and think how you respond is so important.

 

Hi honey. I can see that you are scared, I am now on my 8 week and things are even better! My T went from a high pitched sound with loud crickets to mostly a hissing sound. Sometimes it feels like im sleeping in silence. I also go to the gym when I have time, and Im Taking magnesium (280 mg) before sleep. Dont be scared. Things will get better. And sometimes I actually believe mine will go. But until then I have to live like I always did, try that!

 

Hi Nadine,

Thanks so much for your response. I am scared. Terrified actually. I feel like I will never be the same. My husband just thinks this will go away and I will be fine or the ENT I am seeing this week will just flush my ears out and all will be right in the world. He just doesn't get it. Neither do most of my friends. I guess no one really can until it happens to them. My kids see me suffering and do not know what yo do about it. I got this it seems from one outdoor concert. So angry at myself. Never thought to protect my ears. Those who attended with me are all fine. Anyway, I am really in the profound grief stage of this thing. Realizing I have lost who I was before this and now having to try to rebuild and find a new way yo live. I think my T is probably fairly moderate. I hope it decreases though time though. I dream of the day of habituation. To read that you ate doing do well in such a short time gives me so much hope. Each day I just try to put one foot in front of the other and try to carry on.

Wishing you all the best,


Danielle

 

You probably wont believe me when I say this but: It wasnt long ago I had the same thoughts about my life and myself, but the time + your mind will do things much much better. Try to believe that things will get better no matter what: Do you really think that the majority of T-people really suffers? No, with time and some kind of positive mind it truly gets better. What I mean by "better" I mean = T will go away, T will fade or T will not be any thing that bothers you, T can bother you sometimes but you live your life as normal and dont feel sad about it. You could ask for anything right now, I know. BUT YOU WILL GET THERE. DONT RUSH IT. Dont feel like you do any failure, because everyday you do some progress, even if you or anyone else doesnt see it. I only came here now to post this comment because I saw your comment, but otherwise I dont give a fuck about this site really. I only care about people. And I always seems to do some effort when I can see "me" in others. Because I can relate to it. (Im 22 years tho, so maybe you cant relate to me, but we still have got through the same thing) So, however, believe me when you will be normal again. And believe me that anxious feelings you have only do things worse, but they will go away also. You will wake up and think about your daily life. Not tinnitus. Tinnitus itself will get better also, the first weeks are the worst, I believe. Now people will probably try to correct me because on this site the majority is people who suffers and didnt have so much luck with T, so the risk is that you will see a lot of negativity, but there are also great people here to help even though they have been suffering for years but finally got to see the light. One thing I recommend is to only to look for the success stories and nothing else.

DONT BE SCARED. Think of this like a battle that you know you are going to win no matter what. You just need to get those muscles. I knew I was back to normal when I woke up one day and was thinking of the best way to chop onions. LOL

Peace and love /Nadine

 

Hi Nadine. Thanks for the continued support. I am a little more than twice your age although I hate to admit it. I have no idea how I got to be this old. But I recall being 22 like it was yesterday. You sound very wise and sensible for your age. Although I am 48 , I started my family late so I have young kids. I actually went to my son's birthday party today that I had planned over a month ago. It was at this outrageously loud place and I was not sure I could do it. I brought ear plugs but cannot seem to get them to fit right. So walking thorough the game room I rammed my fingers in my ears. My nails dug in. Ouch. I hid in the party room where it was pretty quiet. I am glad I went and got to see some friends of mine who brought their kids. It made me feel human again. And I got a pedicure. Again, trying to feel human and my toes were all chipped. I have my pride. LOL. Anyway, I just keep reading success stories where posters say that it gets better. And I try to just keep reminding myself of that over and over again each day. I guess I need to have some patience and faith. I found an audiologist who specializes in TRT and I have a consult with her next week. I feel good about that.
By the way, love the chopping onions reference. That really made me smile. Wishing you the best.

Danielle

 

hi! i'm 13 and about three months ago i noticed a ringing in my right ear when i was trying to sleep. it doesn't bother me throughout the day, because i can only really hear it when i'm in dead silence or like at night when i'm in bed. it gets really annoying and i have no idea why i have it? like it came out of nowhere and i don't listen to loud music or anything. do you think it will go away? like i'm still really young and have a lot of my life ahead of me so i'm really scared

 

Hi Danielle, this is my first post here. I got T for no apparent reason 10 years ago and was in pretty much the same shape as you for 2-3- months. Then it slowly faded away to the point where I had to actively listen to it in order to hear it and ceased to be a problem. Since then it has returned 4-5 times and with the same pattern of spontaneous resolution (although, having access to medications, i must admit I have experimented with pretty much everything). The reason I'm here is 10-14 days ago it has returned and this time it's definitely louder at night. I find Nadine's story highly inspirational, and I'm 100% sure I will get better this time also.
As for medications, I agree with Nadine about Magnesium before going to bed (it relaxes and is harmless).
The only thing that has maybe helped me is corticosteroids (dexamethasone 4 mg qid) for a couple of days everytime that a spike was associated with feeling of "fullness" in my ear (left), as this can be a sign of cohlear pathology that can be relieved by corticosteroids.

 

Hi @Andy70 ,

Thanks for your response. Interesting that you talk about the spikes in relation to ear fullness. I get ear fullness a lot since the T started. Never had it before. I ended up with fluid in my ears which has now resolved. There is also some ETD due to chronic allergies. Ears full and popping. They have me on an inhaled steroid, which will take about a month to work ( on it just shy of three weeks now) and a daily antihistamine. Also, there seems to be a TMJ component and ENT said that can cause ear fullness. I have invisalgn and grind them during the day. Weird habit I know. Anyway, what is strange is that I have had them for almost 2 years and never had ear fullness as a result of my grinding habit but guess it come on after awhile. My jaws have been aching. I asked for steroids when this first occurred after reading posts on this forum but ENT said no because they are only helpful if there is hearing loss, which I do not have. I get the fullness in both ears. More left than right but I o get it on both ears. Is it common to have cochlear pathology in both ears?

As an aside, my T has decreased significantly. Sleeping is still tough though and the anxiety around it is killing me. The ear fullness is the worst though. So annoying. MD tells me to wait until the meds work but maybe I should call and ask about cochlear pathology.

Thanks,
Danielle

 

Hi Danielle,
I am a doctor myself, but "unfortunately" for us no ENT or audiologist (I work in Anesthesia and Critical Care) so I cannot answer your question about how common it is to have cochlear problems in both ears.
My story is that back in 2005, 2 months after T onset, I consulted a neuro-audiologist in Milan (dr. Dario Alpini, he has a fair amount of publications about T, you can google him) who told me this ear fullness (mine was only on the left), is mostly due to inner ear viral infections once a middle ear problem is ruled out (but that was only his opinion, in reality nobody really knows. It can make sense though). Since in the days before the consult I had had ear fullness again, and he was concerned that I might develop hearing loss, he prescribed me: dexamethasone, high-dose vitamin C (1 gr tid) and acetazolamide (Diamox), which is a mild diuretic. But that was not specifically targeted to my T, just to avoid worsening of my hearing. I cannot remember for how long I took the cocktail (the steroid no longer than 5 days for sure), then things went their natural course I think. Ear fullness disappeared rapidly (who knows whether on its own or because of the meds).
In your case you mention two factors that point to a middle ear problem (fluid- which I assume was in the eardrum- and ETD) but as I said I'm no specialist.
Happy that your T is "significantly" better (have you done TRT as you mentioned you would?) try to relax because middle ear pathology should be easy to cure at some point. If fullness persist though, you can mention the "cochlear" theory to your ENT.
There's so much basic science knowledge about hearing, and so little clinical certitudes.
Cheers, Andrea

 

Danielle, I forgot to mention: the other part of Dr. Alpini's prescription was to drink at least 2 Liters of water a day. I don't know exactly what the reason was, but it may be that he wanted to avoid dehydration caused by the acetazolamide (mild diuretic). The action of acetazolamide is at the cochlear level, not through global loss of water and salt. Also, there's a theory that tinnitus of cochlear origin might benefit from suppression of ADH, which is a hormone released by the neurohypophysis following dehydration, bleeding, but also pain and stress. the normal way of suppressing ADH release is to drink a lot of water.

 

Hi @andrea,

Thanks so much for your response. I will call the PA who works for the ENT about the cochlear pathology. Can I ask if you have any hearing loss? I was tested and do not have loss, at least any known loss. There are, of course, frequencies that they do not test for but I just prefer to believe that I do not have loss. Denial can be a wonderful thing.

Re: TRT, I had a consult but I am really not a candidate. You were these partial masking devices that look like hearing aids. Anyway, you set them just below your tinnitus level but even on their lowest, I could not hear the tinnitus over it. So the audiologist recommended table top therapy. But I really do not hear it unless it is really quiet and I search for it. Sometimes I actually think it is gone. But in dead, dead quiet, I can still find it. I am sad about that b/c I was hoping it was really gone. Dr Nagler has written that the vast majority of tinnitus cases resolve in the first few months. I am a week and a half away from 2 months. I was hoping that I was one of the lucky ones. Does not seem to be the case though. I am very good at using sound therapy to decrease my anxiety and now find it comforting. My husband and I sleep to the sounds of a summer night now and he loves it. I have to travel for work in 2 weeks for a three day conference. I am nervousness about how I will manage in case the room is really quiet during the conference and there is no other ambient noise. That will be my next challenge.

Danielle

 

Hi@Andy70,

Sorry the post above I think references another poster but it is meant for you.

Danielle

 

I hear you--this was one of my biggest struggles early on. What I learned and realized is that just about any meeting room anywhere has some kind of ambient noise going on--and concentrating on what is happening in the meeting almost always took my mind off the tinnitus. One meeting in particular about two months into my tinnitus, we had an outside person come talk to us and he had an incredibly relaxing and calming demeanor to him, which was a big step toward me not being afraid to be in those types of situations anymore. You'll find a way, and considering that you could not hear your tinnitus above the TRT devices tells me that you'll be used to this thing in no time.

 

Were do you get this?? And how much do you take a day? Thanx

 

Hi Danielle,
(BTW, I' m a newbie to forums, I don't know how to make a post an answer to a specific post...any help?)

I don't know if I have any hearing loss. The only audiogram I made was in May 2005, 2-3- weeks into T-onset, and it showed a very mild transmissive deficit at the low frequencies in both ears (transmissive meaning due to eardrum problems as opposed to cochlea). I had a mild hyperacusis at 6000 Hz on the left ear (where my T was).
In the first days after T-onset I distinctly recall ear fullness and sort of a "dampened" hearing from left ear, (for instance, when stroking a fingertip on the outer edge of my ear canal, the sound was "different" on left and right). But that went away pretty soon.
I've never done another audiogram since because I don't notice any significant hearing impairment in my everyday life and I think that even if I were found to have some hearing loss that would not have any therapeutic consequence (not for T nor for hearing loss).
A mild transmissive deficit like the one that they found on me (equal on both ears) is very common and does not have anything to do with my T. It had certainly something to do with this left ear fullness, whatever it was.

From what you write, you are exactly as in one of what I refer to as my T-free (long) periods. Please, try to forget the whole thing: if you have to do an effort to hear your T then you are effectively cured, aren't you? (just don't do that effort...)

As for myself, it's still unchanged since 3-4 weeks: I hear it pretty loud when I lie in bed, and even louder when I wake up (sort of telling me it's time to get out of bed, isn't?). Ear fullness is gone (Dexamethasone?). It does not bother me during the day, and I'm in good spirits.

 

Hi OnceUponaTime,
as I mentioned, I've been taking 4 mg 4 times a day ONLY when I have this ear fullness and ONLY for 4-5- days at most. It happened to me maybe 4-5- times in the last 10 years, and the last time 3-4 weeks ago. It's a completely unproven treatment, it was prescribed to me by this neuro-audiologist who thought my symptom of "ear fullness" could signal a cochlear pathology of viral origin (in the absence of any other apparent cause). Corticosteroids are prescribed in cases of sudden hearing loss, and by analogy he thought they might protect the inner ear from a supposed acute inflammation.
So don't take them just to relieve or improve your T because they're not effective and they have serious side effects (when taken for too long)

 

Hi @Andy70 ,
I am a total newbie to posting as well. Thanks for your response. I am hoping and praying your T returns to your low level baseline soon. For me, if it stays like this, obviously, I can live with it. My fear is a spike or change. I have a friend who has had T for 25 years due to a horrendous ear infection and secondary hearing loss. Fortunately for him, it has never gotten worse. I protect my ears but not too much as to not cause over sensitivity. I have never had any hyperacusis though. I try to fill my environment with joyful/ pleasant noise but at a safe level to distract me. I even treated myself to some expensive Bose earphones.

I brought a sound machine to a meeting today and explained the reason for its use and learned that one of the men with whom I was meeting has T and he was very interested in the sound machine. And like so many people with this condition, got the "too bad so sad" brush off from his treaters. That is just maddening. I live in Boston and even Massachusetts Eye and Ear has limited resources available to people with T. It is so frustrating.

I am going into the ENT office this week to pick up my new custom earplugs and will ask about the cochlear pathology in relation to my ear fullness.

Wishing you all the best Andrea.

Danielle

 

Hi @marqualler,

Thanks for your response. Truth be told, I tend to get super bored in conferences, so being engaged alone is a challenge for me let alone trying not to search for my T . Maybe I can discreetly wear one of my new fancy earphones and plug it into some white noise as a distraction if necessary. Will have to hide in the back though.

Danielle

 

@Forever hopeful

We're in similar boats... :-/ Trying to stay positive!

 

Hi! I got tinnitus in july, I just wanted to say that not only does it get better - you are going to be the normal you again. I did hate when doctors said to me "But hey, don't be sad - you are getting used to it". For me that was: You are getting used to be sad. That is a stupid thing to say to all new sufferers, I believe. Im here to tell you, I AM NOT SAD anymore. Like, it doesnt even has an impact on my well-being. I'm happy. But it was a slow process to finally reach "MYSELF" again. All this stuff about making friends with tinnitus, skip it. Dont do anything with it, it is not your enemy, it is not your friend either, it's nothing. I promise you that you will feel this one day also. When I got happier and more relaxed, I think my tinnitus got lower also, it is hard to explain but all of a sudden it isn't that distinct anymore.

I can say things I did that is not to my normal routine though (besides going to the gym): 375 mg magnesium before sleep (Google the best bio-magnesium and go out to buy some). That helped me to get some "deep" sleep and my nerves were more controlled.
I always tried to do relaxing things, like deep breathing, and also taking a several baths. You just have to focus on getting relaxed so your tense neck muscles from all the stress gets a relief. That may have some impact on your tinnitus as well. And one thing that may be important to say: I did only mask ONE night since July. I did never mask even though I had hard time with tinnitus. Never. I was very stubborn to not letting tinnitus change my normal routines. That is just who I am. And yes, I sleep like a baby, with or without magnesium (now Im taking magnesium because I go to the gym very often and its good for sore muscles)

Try always to believe that you will get through all of this, even in my darkest time I still had hope that one day I will be myself again and here I am, happy and relieved.

That's all I think. Have a good life, bye.