New Member — Really Need Some Advice

Hey everybody, I'm Darren. I'm 21 years old. I've had T since around late August 2016. I went to the doctor and I got the the typical response. "We can't help you. Just learn to live with it."

Back then is was very mild. It sounded like a little fan in my left hear and and a faint high pitch in my left ear. I wasn't bothered by it at all. I didn't even think about it. The first time I ever noticed it I was after a lot of alcohol. Alcohol is a definite spike for me. And when I cover my ears or lie down on one ear it does get louder.
But in the past month or so it went from mild to a high pitched sound in both ears. Not sure what happened. Maybe stress or anxiety. I have suffered from anxiety for the majority of my life.

I am currently taking Sertraline 50MG for anxiety and I'm taking Quetiapine 25MG for sleeping. But I have read that these medications are ototoxic. I never really took my anxiety meds. I'm a strong believer that the only thing that can make you better is yourself.

But I was taking the Quetiapine every night. I kinda became depended on it. But every time I ran out of pills I was too lazy to go back to the doctor. So I was basically going on and off these pills. And I heard that's a dangerous thing to do without a doctor's recommendation.

I did used to listen to music on full blast. Not often but sometimes, and that was years ago. So I don't think it's that. I took a hearing test and my hearing was fine. Hell I even remember one time I was in my city and an ambulance literally drove right past me with the siren on and it didn't even so much as cause a spike.

I have been blessed with people who are very supportive but they don't understand what T is like. So that's why I'm here. Anyway, that's my story in a nutshell.
Any advice for me would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance.

P.S
Doctor's tell us there is no cure and that we have to live with it. I say screw that. They don't know ANYTHING about this. I strongly believe something can be done with a little bit of effort. But obviously some things are just too expensive so we just ignore it.

Remember, tinnitus is a symptom of an underlying problem, so instead of focusing on the symptom, find the problem. I truly believe there is hope for all of us.

 

Welcome to the forum. It seems you are looking for the cause of your tinnitus. There are many causes which can trigger or aggravate tinnitus including but not limited to drug reaction or side-effects from ototoxic drugs, ear wax build-up, ear or Eustachian tube infection or ETD, ear drum injury, fluid build-up feeling pressured, TMJ, TTTS, high blood pressure or blood circulation problem, loud noise exposure, acoustic trauma/shock, head trauma & injury, neck injury or muscle problems, hearing loss, Meniere's, barotrauma from sudden change of air pressure such as flights, slapping of the ears, grief for the loss of loved ones, untreated sleep apnea, elevated stress, anxiety & panic disorder, etc. See if you have any of these. Take care. If the root cause of T is fixed, then it is possible T may fade or disappear. Take care. God bless.

 

You raise some valid points but don't disregard what you're doctor has told you. At present there is no cure for tinnitus and it has been around for centuries but many people manage to habituate and cope with it in time. Exposure to loud noise is the most common cause of tinnitus. If you listen to music through headphones I advise you to listen with the volume as low as possible. I believe it's better not to use them at all even at low volume. If you go to clubs or other places of entertainment where loud music is played, I suggest using noise reducing earplugs.

Michael

 

Thanks for the reply Michael. I know there's no magic pill to make it go away. But some people have found the underlying problem and noticed their symptoms backing off.
Now knowing that I was prescribed Quetiapine, a drug treated for Bi-Polar, Schizophrenia, and major depression. (I have none of these things) makes me a bit sceptical. I understand that there are a lot of good doctor's who are willing to listen to their patients instead of throwing them on the first medication they can think of.
I don't use earphones anymore besides from sleeping. I just listen to a cat purring at a very low volume. I do wake up with louder T because of it but it always goes back to the way it normally is throughout the day.

 

Thank you Billie. I am quite new to the T. I'm still a bit scared to be in silent rooms but hey, at least I don't let it stop me from doing things I enjoy.

I will find out what's causing my T. And when I do I will come back to post about it. I refuse to believe nothing can be done about it. I also refuse to believe that I have to live with it. Not because I can't, but simply because I shouldn't have to.

 

Try a deep tissue neck massage. Have them focus on your scalene. Do alot of stretching too, try not to be looking down at your phone as much too. Bad posture can contribute also.