New Mum with Tinnitus... Help!

Hi all T 'experiencers' (i didn't want to say 'sufferers'!)

I had a sudden onset of T when my little one was 7 weeks old (4 months ago). I was, at the time, suffering from post natal depression but the onset of the T made it 100x worse. I felt dark in the most dark of ways. Recent tests have discovered that I have mild hearing loss in my left ear (the one that I feel my tinnitus is most/worse in) and I am awaiting an appointment for bilateral hearing aids. I still hear my tinnitus all of the time and it is literally driving me crazy and having a significant impact on my relationship with my husband. Any advice or help would be greatly appreciated. Thank you x

 

Welcome to "the club" (it's ok to call us "sufferers" - it seems like a legitimate use). Hopefully your hearing aids are going to help you with your T.
Do you know why you have hearing loss? Sometimes there are root causes that can be fixed. Your HL is probably the reason you have T.

 

Thanks so much for welcoming me to 'the club'. I don't know why I have this hearing loss... could it be the result of a natural birth and lots of pushing... I have used cotton buds previously?? I don't know. At the moment I just feel like everything has changed and it is very difficult to see a way forward... Sorry to sound so negative

 

@ClaireP Your T may be muscle related and having your neck bent forward during the delivery. Often T doesn't show up for weeks after muscles spasms. Delivery is also stressful. We had a few cases of this, when I worked in a hospital. Because you didn't receive whiplash, your T just might go away.

Since your delivery was done natural, a hormonal imbalance may have taken place. That also can be resolved.

By saying a natural birth, are you saying no C-section or no epidural and drugs like Demerol and Pitocin? Those treatments if taken are probably not a cause. Give if some time like six months, but don't stop follow ups with your doctors.

 

What you are feeling is common and natural - no need to be sorry.
You should try to root cause your hearing loss. Some causes are fixable. There is some correlation between Otosclerosis onset and pregnancy, so it's worth checking it out.

 

No, I had no drugs during the birth not even gas and air .

 

Thanks Greg I will def bring this up at my next ENT appointment the middle of next month.

 

Ear problems like tinnitus and hearing loss can happen during and after pregnancy and profound hearing loss too!
Hormones and depression and anxiety can cause it also.
Stay positive as the hearing aids will help and still a chance it could go.
We are here around the clock to support you.
Love glynis

 

Changes in blood flow around the ears while pregnant or postpartum can also contribute to hearing loss and tinnitus. I know of several moms who lost hearing while pregnant.

You’re not alone, @ClaireP! There are other young moms on this forum, too.

 

Hi Clare and welcome

Don't be despondant if a specific cause can't be found. The good news is that you won't have to live with it for ever. Any reduction in hearing increases the sensitivity in the brain which is one of the reasons we hear tinnitus. At the end of the day, it is a noise - it is not a cancer or a disease.

Your hearing aids will increase peripheral input to the brain which will start a process of habituation - meaning that over time, your brain will learn to tune out the tinnitus.

There is hope...

 

Thanks so much for your kind words Glynis. At this time it really means alot.

 

Thanks dingaling, the other potential 'ray of sunshine' is that a day after the T started I was put on Sertraline / Zoloft. A side effect of this could potentially be a 'ringing in the ears'! Could the drug be prolonging / exaggerating it???I'm unsure what to do as I think that it would be unwise to come off the antidepressant at the moment and my doctor has told me that I would need to come off it completely before trying something new....

 

The AD you have been on 4 months should by now be working in a positive way for depression and anxiety if on the best therapeutic dose for you and your brain settling down and any tinnitus that can be caused on first onset.
However it could be hormones and can take a good 12 months to settle after having a baby or breast feeding etc.

Amitrypaline and Nortryptaline can reduce tinnitus for some people and options for you to talk to your doctor about but maybe for now give it a little more time.
Love glynis

 

Hey there, i can't relate much because I'm not a mom but i got my tinnitus from a loud rave and i can honestly say feeling depressed and having no hope is normal, I'm only 21 and thinking that i got this ringing so early in my life killed me, but I'm about 2 months in and feeling better.. Chances are your tinnitus might go away in time , you have better chances then me so stay strong.

 

Oh Mike, you have only had your T for a relatively short time and you are young, so surely the odds are in your favour also! I have had periods of A and D since my early 20's... are you taking / doing anything to actively help??

 

Unfortunately yeah... I gave up my motorcycle :/ Gave up listening to earphones (i love music.. still listen to it but it's not the same as high quality ear buds) my tinnitus has gone down in volume a bit and i believe sleeping in absolute silence helps. I bought ear plugs but i rarely use them, unless it's very noisy.

 

I'm so sorry to hear this! At 21 you should, of course, be living life to the max (I was!) I find that my T is most quiet in the morning...and at times can almost feel silent for a few minutes at least...what is your experience?

 

Eh.. The first week my right ear made a noise that would remind me of a computer working.. an electronic noise that stopped for a second .. continued for 3 and stopped again... As if you put in a cd into a pc and it was reading it. The left was (still is) a continuous slight ring that has calmed down greatly. The right is now a constant ring but not as loud as it was.. so i guess there is hope but yeah giving up my motorcycle was the worst part.. apparently even plugs won't help because reaching speeds of 100km/h is already far too much wind noise.. and I'll be honest i used to drive much faster than that.. (yup I'm young and stupid i know) It's odd to say but tinnitus killed my personality a bit.. But I'm trying to stay positive you know .. sorry for all the writing i got carried away

 

My T usually sounds like cicadas/grasshoppers or like some sort of electrical/static hissing charge, just wondered if this was normal. I feel like it may change quite frequently and wonder if this is just my perception??

 

Right, with my 'mum' head firmly screwed on may I suggest that it is not a good idea for you to be going too fast anyway!! But, I also understand at your time of life the freedom, and what it and what it means to you, and I can only feel sorry for your loss! have you been able to discuss your T with your family/friends ? I really hope that you can find some support somewhere x

 

@ClaireP It's seems that you had a somatic reaction while giving birth. Everything that you had mentioned could point to this. Lots of pushing, electrical static tinnitus sound and tension. Somatic is physical tension of muscles and nerves that accompanies anxiety. This can connect to mild hearing loss, hormones and blood flow. Since you didn't get whiplash, your ringing may improve greatly. ADs as mentioned may help all of the above.

 

Thanks Greg, still slightly concerned that the sertraline / zoloft may be a contributing factor, as it can be a side affect...but not sure what to do in this case...

 

I don't really have anyone to talk to about it, but that doesn't bother me too much, how does your tinnitus sound? I also hope yours will go away.. i wouldn't wish this to my worst enemy.

 

Well, you can talk to me, anytime!! My tinnitus is high pitched like cicadas or grasshoppers with extra whistles added in sometimes...all the time....it seems to change...louder sometimes and quieter too. I love the quieter mornings they feel like bliss!

 

@ClaireP Please with all concern, when deciding to stop using a drug, do a taper or slow withdrawal. Talk to your doctor when the times comes for a taper regimen, but also look for drug withdrawal schedules on the internet. Some recommend a longer taper for those with tinnitus.

 

Thanks for your advice Greg... slowly and surely wins the race???

 

Happy to hear, hopefully those days will be more and more common and i really appreciate your words.. I have trust issues from past experiences that keep me from talking to people. I'm here watching a show quietly (2am here) and got so into it i forgot about my T, it's happening more often now and that keeps me going.. even if it doesn't go away I'll surely get used to it and i bet you will too

 

Hi Mike, like I said, you can always talk to me. I think, just like you said, that whatever happens we will eventually habituate to these sounds and live normal, happy lives.... you know where I am if you need me x

 

Hi there,

Congrats on the safe arrival of your new baby! Are you a first time mum?

I am a midwife. I have cared for many women like you who have suffered with PND. So sorry to hear.

Have also known women to develop t during/after pregnancy. Not entirely sure why, but PND seems to be a predisposing factor. For some, I have known the t to completely resolve, for others, it remains but fades.

@Samantha R Would you mind commenting?

Do you mind me asking if you are being treated for your pnd? Are you managing to get any sleep? Do you have support at home?

What is your thyroid function doing? Are you anaemic?

Glad to hear youve been to an audio. Give the aides a go. For some, they can help reduce the awareness of your t by picking up more external sounds youre missing because of your hearing loss. Are you going to have maskers incorporated into the h/a?

I am nearing my fourth anniversary next month with t and h. I really couldnt comprehend a life with t at the start. I know exactly what you mean when you say the t drives you crazy, and the way it can affect relationships.

It doesnt have to drive you crazy. In fact, I can reassure you, that you wont go crazy. But, it can be mentally debilitating and difficult to imagine ever enjoying life again. I wanted to tell you that in time, you will adapt. Adaptation is part of survival.

Most importantly right now is quality sleep. Life, including t, is a lot harder to deal with when you are sleep deprived.

It is any wonder this is affecting your relationship with your partner. Though, welcoming a new addition to your family is an exciting time, it can also be a very stressful time. Then to layer in postnatal depression and new onset t, I am not at all surprised that things are tense at the moment.

. get sleep
. gather support
. trial the h/a/maskers
. consider cbt/mindfulness/support here ie back to silence video and thread

Youre not alone. You will get through this. Your t may still resolve. But, if it doesnt, you are going to be totally fine. You have us to support you. We understand how stressful t can be. There are many forum members here who have very happy and fulfilling lives in spite of their t. Try not to despair. X

 

What you have managed to do ie natural birth is nothing less than AMAZING!!! It brings tears to my eyes just thinking about the amount of pain you have endured to bring this new life into the world. It is a testament of how courageous and strong you really are. Bearing this in mind, I know you are going to get a handle on your t too in time. I think you would be hard pressed to find anyone on tt who hasnt experienced all those negative emotions and thoughts that you are entertaining right now.

Many of us, as mentioned earlier, have moved past this stage (which is part of the grief reaction really) and have found joy in living again. I get asked a lot 'how often do you hear your t......?' over the past week, i would hear my t about a quarter of the time, and when i do hear it, its more of an observation rather than a negative reaction these days. it doesnt stop me from sleeping, reading, doing the things i love. I am sitting in a quiet room now. if i focus on it, i can hear it. does it bother me? not really.

if you asked me a while ago, the answer would have been yes. i would have said as you did 'that it drives me crazy'

this is what i am talking about when i refer to adapting. my brain is filtering it out, and instead of freaking out everytime i hear the hissing, i now think .. 'whatever...'