New to Tinnitus — Some Questions — Need Advice

Hi all - ok so I'm in high anxiety/panic mode on day 9. I'm trying to stay busy but can't seem to shift my focus (I work from home...a quiet home, I play quiet music, run the sink, white noise at night...)

A few questions:
1. I just went for a short walk and now my tinnitus has gotten louder! 4 days ago I went for a drive and it got louder after that for 2 days.
2. Occasionally it's quieter, then comes back louder. Other times it's very loud. Does everyone's tinnitus fluctuate? Also it changes sides. Do I have a chance that this will go away because it's moving around?
3. I'm trying (unsuccessfully) not to fear it but I am an anxious mess. My husband does not understand, he thinks it will "just go away"

Thank you. I also think my tinnitus was caused by tobramycin eye drops, not 100% sure.

 

Hey there. My T (3 months old now) fluctuates and moves around too. I never know what I’m gonna get so it’s normal for some. If it was caused by eye drops and you stopped taking them it can go away.

 

Hi.

Since your tinnitus is VERY new there will be lots of emotions involved. All of us had the same issue and some still do. Going for a nice peaceful walk, should not increase your tinnitus. The stress of your surrounding, is more of the culprit than the actual walk.

Unless you are walking in a big city, with lots of sounds, then a nice walk should not annoy the tinnitus. All of us had a hard time adjusting/coping and trying to understand what was going on, when we first got tinnitus. It's natural and it's a shock to your system.

Here is my tinnitus formula: T + S + D/R

Time: it will take between 6-18 months to get a grasp on the tinnitus. Each day can and will make you stronger. Let time do it's thing and do not rush it.

Support: seek as much support and love as possible. When I got tinnitus over 30+ years ago, i'd ask my mom lots of questions. I have also talked with therapists before about life with and without tinnitus. This forum did not exist 30 years ago, so you are one step ahead of me

Distraction/Relaxation: This is CRUCIAL to your success. Do something that is safe for you and your ears and TRY to relax yourself. Distract your mind away from the noise.

Fish's daily tinnitus tips:
1. Eat healthy
2.Do not listen for your tinnitus
3.Avoid loud places
4.Avoid negative people
5.Avoid or try to avoid stress
6.Protect your ears
7.Do not LISTEN for your tinnitus and do not scan or it (I put this twice because it's a mistake many make)
8.Do not try millions of vitamins, thinking they will lower your tinnitus
9.Always be thankful (even if you have affliction in your life)
10.Do know that you CAN live your life even with tinnitus

Be well.....

 

Thank you so much for the responses. I am having trouble calming down and i feel like crap physically and emotionally so ive been in bed curled in a ball too much. Ive hurt my neck recently but im too afraid to take anything for the pain, etc. Im trying not to monitor the T but its so hard not to. @fishbone I really really appreciate the list im going to keep it handy to remind myself. I also have read many of your posts and so i know you know what you are talking about. @Michellejean you are at 3 mo. is it getting any easier for you? I see a baby in your pic, t must be really hard with a baby. Thank you both!!

 

@Julryan i understand, as we all do the fear of this being forever. I have almost accepted it as forever and my goal is habituation, this too is possible, and this does not mean it’s your story, all of the people who post here we seek desperately to find someone with the same cause and sound and try to relate but we are all individual. Your body is an amazing tool. People heal from T more than we are led to believe and people who don’t heal habituated and don’t even know this site exists cause they don’t care anymore.

I believe no matter what once you can overcome the fear and shock, and that takes a good while, so don’t beat yourself up, you will start to feel better, and get better.

I’m struggling daily but I want to be happy again so dammit I will be happy or at least try to get along with the sounds in my head. Maybe one day, like many others I just won’t hear or notice it anymore!

 

@Michellejean Thank you for the support. I am working on habituation as well. In case its permanent why not try to habituate. But im still in the shock mode. But i am sitting listening to all the sounds that i pay zero attention to all the time. That doesn't bug me at all. Also if i expect it tp be there I might move to acceptance faster. Im still going to investigate ever thing it could be other than the eye drops but who knows. I have sinus pain, maybe its my TMJ issues. Its all a process. Thanks again. Keep us posted on your journey.

 

I can't really offer better advice than fishbone did however I can share my first run-in with tinnitus. When I first got my tinnitus it was relatively loud, high-pitched and intrusive. Mixing the tinnitus with my anxiety kind of scared me a LOT. It was up and down for the first roughly 2 weeks. I found that playing games as usual (thought do be careful of the volume of which you do things at, sound generally causes spikes for me) was a good way to distract myself and I just gave it some time. I also used my family as an outlet to talk with which also calmed me down. I feel a big part in the beginning is relaxing. Find what helps you to relax and that can be extremely beneficial. Time healed the rest for me. You mentioned that you stayed in bed, in my experience that was a bad thing that I did for the first day which trust me, I know the hardest part is overcoming that initial fear to actually do something but it's worth it. For me I've had a mild tinnitus (worsened some days but not often at all) for roughly 4 years and honestly it's done nothing but get better. Right now I'm personally going through a bought of anxiety worrying if it'll get worse or stay the same (which I'd be fine with) but who knows I guess. Best of wishes to you!

EDIT: Oh, personally I also feel like my allergies (which are horrendous) spike my T which I suppose could be do the amount of inflammation in my ears at the time. Usually once my allergies subside whether it be with time or anti-histamines this goes away.