New to Tinnitus and Distressed!

In the evening of August 9th, now my personal day of infamy, I suddenly heard a high-pitch sound like a thousand cicadas mating, but a higher pitch that only a dog should hear. Jumped up and went to look for the sound to make it stop - or to ride it out in another room if it was external. Room to room - uh oh - the volume isn't changing ... it's me! I could've shot myself then and there.

I'm a person who craves quiet, save the water fountains I have on all my decks/balconies. I carry around ear plugs for when I'm in a noisy environment. This honestly is worse than my cancer dx, though I realize my brain will start adjusting/adapting somehow. It's driving me mad.

Went to the audiologist for a hearing test (am in my 60's and both parents had hearing loss). I have some loss on the high end and she said maybe hearing aids would help. While I don't object, I have no trouble hearing anything, never have to ask people to speak up, more often ask them not to talk so loudly

Saw the ENT yesterday and the first thing he said is: 'your hearing is very good!' He doesn't recommend hearing aids. My ear drum tension/pressure/whatever is excellent, no infection or wax in my ears, they look great. No explanation for what caused this sudden, dramatic onset. Is that common?

My first suspect, chemo drug, is not the cause. The anti-inflammatory (Voltaren) I've taken for years is more likely. He suggested I go off it for one month, that if it's the cause the tinnitus should go away. When I asked if the NSAID damage could be permanent he claimed no, but I'm skeptical about that. Anyone else get this from NSAIDs?

His other suggestions:
- don't try to mask the sound (i.e. turn up TV or white noise louder) but have it at the same volume so brain can better adjust - the idea being to hear the tinnitus slightly
- get adequate sleep
- reduce stress (easily said, but this tinnitus is creating it!)
- meditate

Apologies for this being so long. Will read around the forum, but any other suggestions are welcome!

Grateful this forum is here.

 

We all understand. When I first got
Tinnitus, I 1 as on the brink of suicide....but you do and will adjust. I researched everything, found paxil and ativan helped so much. The anxiety became as bad as the tinnitus. Ativan has helped tremendously. Find s good psychiatrist and get some. I took it for 7 months daily and quit with no issues. It really helped be cope.

 

I am the exact same way...

It is my understanding that most people who got their T as a result of a drug, eventually hear silence after they stop taking the drug.

Most people will recover or improve:
https://www.tinnitustalk.com/threads/spontaneous-recovery-stats-over-70-recover-3-studies.21441/

Try to stay away from moderate noises like that of a vacuum cleaner, blender, etc.

Amitriptyline helped me sleep during my acute stage. It is non-addictive and I didn't feel drowsy the next morning.

You can also try sound enrichment (playing nature sounds in your bedroom) to give you something else to listen to besides your T.

Even if your T doesn't go away, it will most likely fade, so that what you will end up having to listen to is Not what you are listening to now.

 

Also make sure you eat well, green food carry a lot of anti-oxidants that help recovery. So stock up on vegetables and fruit.

In the meantime, stress is difficult but it should sort out eventually. I'm in this for 5 months now and I'm learning to live with it even though I miss the sound of silence.

 

I have a supply of klonopin that I take on rare occasions, and took one last night but it didn't help. Am reluctant to take it daily, but maybe I'll try a few days in a row to see if it makes a difference. Are you partial to ativan for any reason beyond that's just what you landed on?

 

I've taken my NSAID for years - wonder if longevity plays into this? If I am still the same in a month, my ENT's belief is that the NSAID isn't the culprit. At the same time, they can't say why I got it so unconvinced he can know that.

Many thanks for the link, giving hope that it could go away. I will cling to that as my brain tries to adjust.

I'm still unclear how common it is to get this suddenly and loudly, without an obvious cause like loud concert, etc.

 

What I've read over the past couple of months is that use of oxotoxic medication can result into T. The risk is higher for long-term than short-term and logically short-term use has a better chance of healing than long-term use. So like the rest of the people that come here: we can't say if it will stay or not.

One thing I do know is that there are always people far worse off than I am. Some members on this board have a T so loud that there is absolutely nothing that can mask the sound. Plus what conforts me is that a lot of people are researching hearing loss and T, I think that they'll eventually find a way to help us. Some people will disagree, but on the other hand, look at all other diseases that were untreatable in the past.

 

Today has been a somewhat good day. I've been off NSAIDs for a week and this morning actually heard quiet. Yay! Unfortunately my pain levels are increasing now from lack of anti-inflammatory. I have some dexamethasone left from cancer therapy and took one (therapy was 5) this AM to try and attack the pain that way, plus 1/2 hydrocodone. That helped the pain a bit, the tinnitus is active this evening but not as blasting as before. I take comfort in that, even though I realize it's too early to know much, and that tinnitus can wax and wane.

I don't want to take dex or live on narcotics, but want to make it the 4 wks without NSAID to see. If it's the NSAID and the tinnitus goes away, then will figure out a workaround with my team of amazing docs.

 

That's so odd. I got my tinnitus on August 9th as well. We are like tinnitus brothers.

Unfortunately, this hasn't happened yet f0r me, and I'm getting more paranoid of the thought of it being permanent.

 

Ears take forever to heal. It will take months, but you will probably be ok.