New University of Michigan Tinnitus Discovery — Signal Timing

As a tinnitus sufferer of 30 years I can believe it.

 

I'm afraid we won't see progress until the team boss is replaced. With all due respect, Dr. Shore finds an excuse every year. I think Dr. Tzounopoulos will overtake bimodal stimulation with his drug.

 

All I am asking for is tinnitus relief. I don't need my hearing restored.

 

No chance for release this year; she plans to finish trials by the end of 2021 and, if successful, commercialize it in 2022.

 

Has COVID-19 slowed her trials down? How do you know she plans on releasing the device in 2022?

 

COVID-19 did slow everything down by about a year. My understanding from an interview with her prior to the beginning of COVID-19 was that she was planning on finishing the study by the end of 2020 and then pushing through quickly to production.

Looking at the new clinical study timing information, it should be finishing at the end of 2021 and I guess our assumptions are she still plans to bring it to market quickly, so that would make it 2022.

 

I just received this email today from [The Shore Lab] - I think the criteria looks more lenient and the trial has officially resumed.

Dear Inquirant,

Thank you for contacting us about the Shore Lab Tinnitus clinical trial. We are pleased to let you know that our study has resumed following the University's guidelines to minimize the spread of COVID.

If you or someone you know fit the following criteria, please contact us at 734-763-5159, the study team email, and/or pass on the attached flyer (or send this link).

Subjects must:

1. have had bothersome tinnitus for at least 6 months
2. have no more than a mild hearing loss (better than 40dB)
3. live within 100 miles of Ann Arbor, MI

Thank you for your time and please reach out if you have any questions! Do note that we may not be able to respond to phone calls immediately.

The Shore Lab
The University of Michigan, Ann Arbor

 

I live like an hour from Ann Arbor and emailed them. The only thing that disqualified me was that I have had tinnitus less than six months

 

You could have lied. Not like anyone would have known how long you have had tinnitus.

 

Well perhaps that means it will likely go away. If not, the study will probably be active for several months.

 

I would go as far as make me totally deaf and I will throw in my right arm to not hear this bastard.

 

And how would that be useful for people with tinnitus? If my tinnitus went away not because of the study but because of it going away on its own, the study results would be totally fucked.

People who lie to get into research studies and skew results are shit.

 

I commend your integrity. You rather commit suicide (I read your comments in the Suicidal thread) than lie your way into a clinical trial and possibly skew the results of the trial.

I hope you get better and don't need to leave this Earth.

 

I really would. I don't think it would be fair to others who are counting on the efficacy of the results to lie. Besides I've already told the truth. I can't go back and change my response.

 

Seriously.

 

Would they now accept people who are taking a low dose of benzos? I know in the past they didn't.

 

You did the right thing. Would it perhaps be possible to re-apply in a few months? I'd imagine that recruiting might be slow, given the current pandemic.

 

DON'T LIE - Make this a standard policy. @ajc is entirely correct. If you lied and they eventually found out, could they have you arrested (consider the fates of those who lied on their College Admission Applications)? Or, could they sue you in Civil Court for the cost of interfering with the Clinical Trial?

And as a Commercial Property Insurance Adjuster, I can guarantee that your Homeowner's Liability Policy would not cover such an Intentional Act.

 

I don't know if I can make it a few more months to be honest. Every bit of joy in my life is gone.

 

You can make it. For most tinnitus is short lived in the range of several months. Lots of people here have been suffering for years and even decades. You'll acclimate as your brain calms down. Likely, like most people, you'll have good and bad days. And you just have to hope that it resolves itself sooner than later. Beyond that a lot of treatments are coming down the pipe within the next few years.

As for applying, just email them and be honest. Tell them what a struggle it currently is and that it would be an immense help if you could get in on it sooner than later.

 

Seeing as the half-life of most benzos is quite short, it wouldn't be a problem so long as you have a week to get them out of your system. Point in fact, you should be doing your utmost to use them as little as possible. Beyond the addictive properties, the efficacy of them diminishes the more you use them on a regular basis. Try using Chelated Magnesium capsules 200mg. It helps calm the brain and there's no risk of addiction. There are also some natural anti-depressants that can help.

 

Just popped into to say I received the same email today myself. Even though I'm in Toronto, I'd relocate to Windsor or even Ann Arbor itself for a month or so to take part in this.

Anyone know how long and what kind of commitment the participation for the trial is?

 

This was really helpful and I'm reading through other supportive posts which has helped. Today was a better day actually. I might reach back out and explain my situation. All I can do is try.

 

I agree with what they said. I'm 2.5 years in with tinnitus that gradually worsened to the point that 50% of the days out of the year I have severe ringing. But I'm still here. And I still try to do the same things in life when it's not at its worst. You will make it and you're still within the 6 month window so it can improve. There are many promising drugs and potential treatments on the way so it's probably a really good time to get this condition. Even if you don't get in this trial, by the time it's completed you'll hit the end of that 6 month window. So look at it that way.

 

Your words gave me courage! Thank you! Do we know the year when a drug might be available?

 

I received this email as well but I live in Montreal, Quebec, which is much farther than 100 miles away from Ann Arbor, and not sure about COVID-19 and border crossing restrictions.

Although due to how bad my tinnitus is, I would have liked to participate.

 

I was supposed to be part of the clinical trial in January 2020, but got pregnant and then had a miscarriage.

And then COVID-19 happened and I couldn't do the trial.

My tinnitus is getting worse. What I'm nervous about is they won't let me join the trial unless I get an MRI. I read the horror stories on here of getting an MRI.

Is it worth it getting an MRI to be able to join the trial?

 

Would it be possible to rent a place in Detroit for two months? You could quarantine and then start the trial. Maybe a few Canadians could get a place together?

 

If your tinnitus is noise induced, I would advise strongly against an MRI, as the chance of getting a severe worsening from it is high. If your tinnitus is not noise induced, the risk is reduced; I can't really say what I would choose to do in that case.

 

I've had 3 MRIs since getting tinnitus, and never had a problem. Just make sure you have the earplugs in correctly, and ask for earmuffs on top of it if they have it.

Let me amend this a little bit, if you are still recovering from acoustic trauma then you might want to be a bit more careful.