July 2013 — One Day Fine, Next Day Tinnitus

There was no loud noise or any other unusual event. I stood it for awhile. Did some online research. I finally looked in my phone book and found tinnitus treatment-retraining mentioned in an ad and called the audiologist. She said I had some hearing loss starting at 6Khz in both ears. I hear the high steady tone in the right ear. I finally ordered the Starkey Xino for that ear. On the ear with a tube that goes in the canal. My BC/BS covered it!

So that was in July 2013 and I wear it a lot and it helps. It has a built-in hearing boost which was centered around 6Khz at its' lowest setting. I hardly notice it accept when I'm clipping my nails! Tick-tick-tick. I can tap on it and get about 5 levels of the tone cycle. I'm usually on the one or two lowest. Sleeping is still a challenge. I'm slow to fall asleep in the best of circumstances and white noise, radios, TVs, whatever, keep me up. I'm sure the Xino isn't meant for sleeping but, I confess, I've used it in desperation on occasion. Still going in the morning when I wake up.

In the meantime, I've tried ginkgo biloba, CoQ10, Omega 3 with no effect at all. I also stopped taking my statin and nortryptyline a month ago because some list these as possible irritants. No difference so far. I'd recommend the Xino. It trades one noise for another but the tinnitus is distinctly and deeply upsetting while the Xino tone cycle is rather soothing. So that's one good thing.