New Sign-Up, Long-Time Sufferer

Hello everyone.

Just thought I'd sign up for now and post my experience with tinnitus later in the hope that someone can help or I can help someone else.

 

I have had tinnitus since my early 20's, which is around 20 years now. Back when I first had it I didn't know what it was and it was so mild I only really noticed it when I was lying in bed at night when things were quiet.

I do not know what caused my tinnitus in the first place, I have been to many nightclubs over my life, taken drugs, and also worked in noisy environments. My tinnitus is mostly in my left ear and someone used my left shoulder to lean on when I was younger - to let a party popper off.

I think I come across as a bit stupid to people when I first meet them and so only a few people will know me for having a photographic memory, an ability to spot patterns where other people see none, being good with figuring out and fixing computer problems, and good at chess because of focused concentration.

That has all now gone and I cannot even remember things people said a few moments ago anymore. My current job is in a relatively quiet office, but with much time spent on the phone and using a computer screen. I think my current job may be contributing to my poor memory (it's impossible to plan or commit things to memory due to constant change), but it could be tinnitus too.

I get around 3 hours sleep a night, which seems to be the first cycle of sleep then I awake to the sound of my tinnitus and usually cannot get back to sleep, although sometimes when on holiday from work I sleep a little better.

My few visits to the doctor have resulted in an MRI scan, which showed no damage. and a couple of visits to an ENT specialist who I feel did not listen to what I was saying, so I didn't make any more appointments. For example when I told them my tinnitus 'cuts out' on each visit he took it that I was saying I stop concentrating on it. I don't, The tinnitus actually stops for a second every now and again, like it is switched off, (usually when my concentration lapses, I drift away for a bit then realise I'm supposed to be doing something), my head seems to clear of pressure for a moment and I feel back in control of my mind again, and then it fades back in after a second or so. I was clear in what I said to them so I feel they were just going with a preconceived behaviour without really listening to me.

For the past 6 years or so my tinnitus has been really loud most of the time, a previous job in a factory contributed to the increase in noise due to the very loud noise from the presses but I feel that it is getting worse due to 'memory' and that the sound is now recognised by the whole of my brain, which is giving priority to producing and listening to this noise and so I have no room left for remembering or processing other things.

So, the things that I suffer from now, which I used to do without problem:

poor memory (unable to remember a phone number, or even small number. Unable to remember sequences.)
inaccurate hand-eye co-ordination (poor typing, many corrections needed. unable to touch something I know is there while looking away)
constant tiredness (lack of sleep)
overactive, unorgainsed thoughts (unable to focus concentration on a single task. Inability to prioratise by order of importance. Inability to 'switch off' and relax)
Lack of visual focus. (I am short-sighted but feel that visual senses now come secondary to tinnitus. I just glare at things. I can force myself to focus but it takes effort.)

I'm still trying to figure out which of those are caused by tinnitus and which could be caused by other factors, like my job (impossible to plan, or follow routine due to constant last minute change), age, past lifestyle. Certainly when I had a health-check at the hospital last year everything was spot on and I was described as a "perfect specimen", so generally my health is ok.

Sorry for it being a bit long and if it is a little jumbled.