Nearly 2 Weeks In and Struggling

Hi guys/girls. and sorry for my grammar in advance. i am going on my 2nd week living with the t and this is hard to come to terms with only just turned 26 feel like ending it all already this is how it happened put my headphones in and pressed play volume was insanely loud taken them out immediately. abit after started hearing a slight ring in my right ear then the next few days it got louder and louder and now it sounds like a jet engine on warm up. i saw 3 doctors over a week they all said ear seems fine no damage to eardrum etc told me come back in 2 weeks then she maybe might refer me to ENT. in a state of panic i went to local hospital yesterday for a 4th opinion and some sleeping tablets and she said i have got a little hole in my eardrum plus its inflamed said infection got some antibiotics. maybe i am clutching at straws here but is their a chance once eardrum heals infection goes t might go or at least get quieter?? i am already struggling from alot of things combat PTSD from going to Iraq, general anxiety disorder ,depression lost my mum 2 years ago she was only 41 still grieving for her she was my world and i fear this t is gonna take me over the edge! i would appreciate any advice or input thanks

 

I feel sorry to you man, I am a police officer here in my country and i have T both of my ear. one ear rings loud and the other is a hizzing sound.
maybe my advice to you is just to feel relax, i know its sound stupid in the condition that we have but it is the way to lower the volume of T and try to look on your antibiotics that you take cause some meds can make T worse. For now, white masker really help me alot. dont let depression take you cause it can give anxiety + loud T and more depression.
Try to be positive man and i hope you get better soon.

 

Hi Dayl,

Usually I just lurk, but I read your post and thought I could relate. In January, I sat down at my desk and put my headphones on as I always do, with the intent of not disturbing my neighbors by listening to the speakers. The headphones I have are a fancy type with a rotary knob. At some point, the knob got turned all the way up (it could have been bumped, I may have turned it myself when the computer volume was lower, who knows). Anyhow, when I clicked "Play" on my Music service, the music came out and the music was so loud, I struggled to get the headphones off. At the time, I didn't hear any Tinnitus, but a day or so later, I was quietly listening to music when I heard a ringing in my ears. I took the headphones off and the ringing never went away.

I had other stressors at the same time the ringing started (started a new business, quit my job, had a beautiful little baby). Those other stressors caused me to grind my teeth and clench my jaw as I slept.

After the Tinnitus started, I went to the Emergency Room, the ENT, and then again a month later upon his request (and I have no idea why he made the follow-up request), as well as to a GP and eventually one dentist, and then another dentist (one who had experience dealing with TMJ). I had a special dental appliance made for people who chomp, grind and clench their teeth in their sleep.

Eventually, my Tinnitus got considerably better. It may have been time. It may have been the appliance. I don't know.

The sound I heard was identical to a jet-engine, sitting at the end of a runway, idling. Sometimes, the sound would move to a higher pitched tea-pot whistle. In the first two weeks, the sound would move to both ears. Now, it's mostly a jet engine of a plane that's been recorded and played back on the lowest volume setting, in a single ear, followed by a little bit of static. It has improved quite a bit.

While I thought for months the headphone incident was the cause of my Tinnitus, I think it was more likely an additional catalyst, one with an organic basis, made worse by stress-related issues (the grinding and clenching made things worse).

I think oral steroid medications are often prescribed by ENTs for Acoustic Trauma during the early onset, so it may be worth finding a specialist. I had gone to see an ENT who seemed to know little about Tinnitus, so a Tinnitus specialist can sometimes help.

The statistics show about a quarter of military returning from Iraq and Afghanistan have some form of hearing loss or Tinnitus. There is probably a support group within the military, but the British version of the ATA lists local support groups which can help (I forget the name).

If your mum was your only support network, you'll need a new support network, with or without the Tinnitus. Military service is hard. That being said, I greatly appreciate your service.

 

sorry to hear about your mom, and thanks for serving our country ! I have had T for the past 11 months right ear, we all pretty much have gone through hell and back while trying to cope with T in the beginning it was pure HELL couldnt sleep,eat and even took 6 months leave from work I dont know how i got it went to bed without it and woke up with it ENT says i have 100% hearing in both ears, cat scan,MRI xrays.blood work, stress test all normal no tumor then the WHY ME !!! i stayed away from anything and everyone .. after i found this sight things started to change i knew i was not going crazy and i was not alone in this, this site gave me hope, gave me strength and gave me my life back I read peoples post good and bad and came to the choice to LIVE My T has 3 to 4 diffrent tones and i have learned to just not care about it i know it's there but just accepted that it's there and just live life.. i have been doing well for the past 7 months sleeping 8+ hours eating and back to work for the past 4 months and doing the things i did before T.. just hang in there and keep coming back .. God bless my friend... hope this helps

 

Hang in there, my friend. I know it doesn't seem like it now, but you will eventually habituate. I know at first it really does seem helpless. When I first got my tinnitus, I didn't want to habituate or anything. All I wanted was for it to be gone. Nothing other than gone was good enough in my mind. Now, I can function without my tinnitus interfering with my life; I can even sleep without any type of sound to mask my tinnitus.

Many people have been where you are. Read Dr. Nagler's, "Letter to a Tinnitus Sufferer". He knows exactly how you feel. But now, he successfully helps others with their tinnitus.

My advice to you for now though, is to not hide this from people that you know care about you. Tell your family, your friends, see a therapist, etc. The most people who are supportive of you, the more positive your outlook on life in general will be, with or without tinnitus. And of course, connect with people on here. I know I have enjoyed talking to you in the chat.

 

Dayl I'm very sorry you're feeling so down. It seems like t is just one more thing you have to deal with, but I don't know if you're dealing with the other things(ptsd, passing of your mother). Dayl you need to see someone for these things, it takes some work and it's hard but I hope you don't give up but your very young yet at 26. You can get past this difficult time and will be hard but it'll be worth it once you do. I think you need to deal with all these things separately, stay strong.

 

In the beginning we are all wired to the point of exploding....mainly anxiety and lack of sleep, first order of business do what ever it takes to sleep, even get Xanax, its a psych drug....but it shuts the brain down at night and you sleep really good. All of your stress and anxiety feeds the T so you will see it will calm down when you do... besides your under 6 months, it can spontaneously go away...... give it time, but fill you ears with soothing sounds to get your brain to break off it.. believe it or not it works.. and hang in there.. we all feel your pain...

 

Dayl
I'm a twenty year vet (hoooah!); and thanx for sticking it out there for us! You may not feel like it right now but you're a big man for doing what you did (truly unique and valuable) and I appreciate it!

Now your next mission is to heal -- to get well. No one can endure what you have endured and expect to be 'ok' without taking some measures; to heal.

High stress, anxiety plus noise exposure can = T (that's why so many vets have it). Mine came on during high stress. However, you mention a hole in your ear drum and an infection. I would imagine much of your T would go away (if not entirely) when those two things heal up. I also believe it's the anxiety and depression (really sorry about your mum) sending it through the roof (right now).

You have got to let yourself heal from PTSD (first); I'm really sorry for what you are going through, but trust me, I'm in your corner (support). If you ever need to 'spill your guts' look me up on the site and we'll talk. I also hear there is a lot more in the way of viable resources to help you heal (the wounds that don't show).

Prayers for you!

Mark

 

Dayl,

Thanks for your service. Since you are a veteran, you may want to get a DPOAE ear test from your audiologist. It will check if your inner ear hair cells are in working conditions. Get audio gram done too.

It's possible the headphones and your T was a co incidence.

 

Dayl,

Like all others have said, thank you for defending the country!

You're a hero, just being involved and putting on a uniform. I salute you!

So sorry about your Mum. I lost my Dad when he was 59 and I was 22.

It's tough for awhile, but eventually you'll come to terms with her loss and be in a better place. It just takes time, Like so many other things in life.

Definately listen to what's been advised on this forum and follow up on your eardrum penetration. That could be the root of the problem. Don't be afraid to take Xanax, initially. I did and it helped me sleep and deal with the anxiety. I now take holistic things, like Melatonin, 5htp and L-theanine. I use a noise maker at night and sleep very well!

Most importantly, keep your head together, seek help through the military and have faith! God will see you through these temporary bad times.

God bless,

Sailboardman

 

Hey guys thanks for all the kind messages means alot not being on this website for a while because it seemed to make me think about t constantly but I'm coming up to a year living with t and feel in control off my own destiny never did I think I could habituate but I have the sounds always their but I just zone it out and man the fuck up am so lucky to still be on this planet put it that way rip comrades. Just thought I'd update and let y'all no am a million times better than this time last year and it does get better like all y'all said so thanks and take care god speed

 

Only thing that can cause a meaningful reduction for tinnitus is trobalt. I hope you can find some mate.

 

Hang in there man,i'm quite new to this " condition " as well it takes time to adjust i guess,although my T is pretty mild it's really getting used to the noises in my head.Sorry for your loss but keep your head up. (PTSD diagnosed as well)

 

God bless you ,I am so sorry about your mother .Im so glad your better,this is a great sight ,someday they will find something that stops T and H and alot of nerve related disorders but untill then we just hang on and thank god for every day cause life is truly a gift . Uncle Vikin.

 

Hello there. I hope this message helps you. First and foremost, I am grateful for your service in this country and may your mother rest in peace. You are not alone brother...

I've had tinnitus my whole life but it's a very minor case. I came across an article about tinnitus so I read it and this was all initiated due to my professor who said every time you hear it, you'll never hear that frequency again. I can't say whether that's scientifically true or not, but I know it helped someone meaningful in my life so please try this...

One well-known cure in Armenian healing culture is Walnut Oil. I believe the main cause of Tinnitus is fungus or infection in the brain or maybe some kind of damage to the brain that leaves you more susceptible to it. It's easy to get and it can get worse depending on what you're sensitive too. I, for example, am somewhat allergic to wheat. I can eat it just fine, but I feel the effects of it on my immune system that same day. It messes with my sinuses and causes other problems such as headache, tension and irritability.. but the list goes on.

Take one table spoon of Walnut Oil every single day and don't miss a day until it decreases or is otherwise eliminated and cut out highly inflammatory foods like sugary carbs and unhealthy oil. In other words, try to diet as in eat fresh fruits and veggies. No random oils. Only walnut, sesame, avocado, coconut and olive oil, but use them sparingly as well. Eat whole grains... buckwheat, oatmeal and seeds/nuts. Try listening to ancient Celtic music to relax. Youtube "Celtic Music" and "Beltaine" as to the composers. And please try to take comfort in those you still have who care for you. Dayl, I really wish you all the best. I know you condition will get better. Be strong and be always be optimistic.

God bless you and take care of yourself.

PM me if you want to talk or have any questions.