Newbie in the Trenches

Hello, Tinnitus Talk members.

I have been looking through the forum over the past couple of weeks, and it's been scary and helpful. It's been scary to know that some people have Tinnitus for years and lifetimes and helpful to know that others' have gone away relatively quickly. I see myself coming here to learn more about treatments and for genuine support as my supportive family has heard a lot about my suffering with T and is tired of hearing about it.

( I apologize for the long post. I'm spilling my guts on here, really. Heh.)

I am 26 years old, live with a supporting family, and have a decent full-time job. Here's my semi-offical diagnosis: Tinnitus at 8000k (did the high frequency test myself) in both ears (more in the right), and hyperacusis (spelling?). I've also had bad headaches, nausea, dizziness, and back/neck/shoulder pain from a car accident. See below. In all, I think the T is pretty mild, about a 3/10 in left and 4/10 in right maxed out at 5 in the left and 6 in the right. I can still function for the most part, and the H is annoying. I've also had clicking in my ears and behind my eyes particularly when I took a homeopathic ear medicine called "Ring Relief".

Here's my story from the beginning. I went to a club in the beginning of November 2013 where I knew there would be loud music, and the idea of bringing ear plugs crossed my mind, but I honestly forgot to buy them and bring them. The night at the club was going fine and I was dancing and having fun. Then, the DJ, a popular trance artist named BT, came on for his set late (or early 12:30) into the night. The first 20 minutes were all fine, then the volume of the music increased, and it was uncomfortable. In retrospect, I should have ran for the bathroom for some bloody toilet paper to put in my ears, but I stupidly stuck it out in the crowd for over 45 minutes.

I couldn't take it after that, I searched for a place away from the dance floor to get away from the music, but the music was at max volume just about everywhere in the club. I ended up getting my coat and leaving a little discombobulated. I thought it would go away on the ride home, but, when I lied down to sleep, I definitely noticed that something was wrong and this might not go away. I thought to myself, "My God. What have I done?"

Over the next couple of days, the ringing mostly went away, but it was definitely still there especially in my right here. I'm wasn't able to hear or focus as well, though.

I went to an ENT. They ran a hearing test and said that I didn't have any damage and that it should all go away with time which was a huge relief. I also went to a Audiologist and was given another hearing test. He, too, said that my hearing was good, explained the general concept of T, and said to give it time and go back to my ENT if it worsened or didn't go away after a month.

Then came New Years eve 2013. In all, I was stupid and made it worse by lighting off firecrackers with my friend even though I was a good 30 feet away and had my ears covered. I thought I would be O.K., but that obviously was not the case.

The next few days after that were the worst for me. I had bad headaches, nausea, dizziness, and an increased ringing in both ears. I went back to the ENT and he said he wishes there was something he could do, but there wasn't. He brought up prescribing an MRI, but didn't. He noticed that I seemed anxious about it, which I was, (plus I was sensitive to light and genuinely tired that day) and said to talk to my PCP about anxiety meds. My PCP said that while I'm still on pain meds for my whiplash, he won't prescribe mixing them with anxiety meds which I'm not too fond of taking.

I started a new job this year and have called off sick twice due to nausea and dizziness. The first day couple of days I was sick as a dog at my desk, but stuck it out. Overall, I'm doing ok at the job, but I've been feeling nauseous very often at work.

As I've read, the first weeks/months of T are hard on some people. This has been the case with me. I'm definitely not the same, and have felt anxious and depressed at times.

There is some background as to why I might have gotten T. When I was in my mother's womb. I was diagnosed with Congenital Ocular Toxoplasmosis. It was basically a parasite that left a scar in the back of my left eye and left me with only peripheral vision in my left eye. My other senses, including my hearing, have definitely become more acute over time. I had very good hearing before this. I could lay in bed and hear trucks on the PA Turnpike a mile away. I had my own little world inside my head, really. My hearing kept me on my toes and alert. I used to be very attuned and aware to what was going on around me. I used to always talk to myself and recite scripts of movies to myself. I could hear the vibration of my voice in my right ear. The last silence I remember was delivering to a client for my old job (delivering food to the homebound) in a rural area, and I just enjoyed it. I miss laying in bed and hearing my heartbeat and my breathing within me and regulating my body temp.

The T has changed all of this and I feel like the character Charlie Gordon from the story Flowers for Algernon (good read, check it out if you haven't) when he's beginning to lose his artificially-induced intelligence. I recall him saying something like, "My God, please don't let it go away!" as he's reverting to his old, mentally retarded self in a closed off room.

I've always been worrisome as has my mother, so my T had that part of my personality firing on all cylinders. Over-analyzing, regretting, reliving the traumatic events are what I do sometimes. I've been in tears and saying to myself, "It's done. I'll never be the same.", but I've also said, "I'll be patient, and it will go away like the doctors said.".

I'm a Christian, and have spending plenty of time praying to God for help and healing, and I will keep praying until it goes away, however long it takes, because it is good to be persistent in prayer. (Luke: 18:1-14 and Colossians 4:2-6)

I have been going to Vestibular rehab the past couple of weeks. They said that they saw some things with my eyes that they've seen in people who've been in car accidents. I'm going to get the term the next time I go. I think the therapy has helped me focus and regain my balance a little. I've also been taking a multivitamin daily and Lipo-Flavonoid for the past 3 weeks. I'm willing to give it a shot over the suggested 2-6 months, but not getting my hopes too high. Any advice or comments on the Lipo and other remedies like T-Gone or other vitamins would be appreciated.

So, here I am. 2 months into actual Tinnitus and 3 weeks into more a debilitating Tinnitus, and I'm trudging through the trenches (see my status ). I say that because it really is like a battle; a battle that WE SHALL OVERCOME! I've been doctoring out the wazoo and have been very proactive about dealing with this problem. Any kind words, advice (for treatments, therapy, ect.), realistic comments, would be greatly appreciated. I'm laughing to myself and guessing I'll be seeing the word "habitualize" a lot on here. I've see the comments on here, so I know that I'll receive a warm welcome. I may not be as responsive as others on here, so please bear with me if you have any questions.

I look forward to hearing from you all. Thanks, and God bless.

-Chum

 

I ran out of edits, so I'm making a correction in a reply. The term I'm guessing I will hear a lot from people here is "habituate". "Habitualize" is not a word. Habituate, habituate, HABITUATE! NO! Make it go away! HABITUAAATE!

 

Hi and Chum. Quite a story you have my friend. For now I would suggest you read through as many post as you can, there is a lot of good info that has already been posted here. I kinda like the non-word Habitualize, has a nice ring (pardon the pun) to it.....

 

you can try helichrysum italicum essential oil ...look it up , also b12 and b6 shots in the butt, also wobenzyme n pills

 

Well I hate to say it but, HABITUAAATE! , That is what i'm looking into now!
God bless you and I hope he heals us all. Let's hang in there, We will get through this trial just fine and come out with some blessings in the end.

 

No. Dont agree. Habituation isnt solution of problem, only bypass it. T must dissapear forewer! I have acustic trauma induced T too and believe in AM101. I was never friend of superloud pubs or disco clubs/concerts and i always avoided them. My T starts after my stupid idiot former friend starts his superloud motorcycle without mufflers in his concrete garage.

In my opinion, our States need laws, where they set maximum loudnes of those idiot disco clubs or concerts (for example 85 Dba) And very high priced penalties for those pubs, who broke those laws.

 

I think in the 50s cocaine was sold to help with toothache so I think the time of volume limitations will come

 

Oh, I'll be on here and reading as long as my problem is here. If it goes away, I, like others I guess have, will fade away and put it behind me, God willing. I don't mind the pun. In fact, I've been saying to myself that my story puts a new meaning to "ringing in the new year". Hardee-har-har.

 

http://www.aurismedical.com/p/news/news_41.php?lg=en Interesting...

AM-101 sounds promising. I'm technically in the "acute stage" (1-4 months of getting it) , so I hope I'm not missing out on being able to do something before something is too late. I admit, just today, I feel more cognizant, but the ringing is still there and would love nothing more than something that could completely obliterate it. There's always been home in medical/technological advances, and I can't help but think of people that said in the 60's that we'd be living on the Moon by now. Either way, I'm guessing it's only a matter of time before the scientists get it right and in our lifetime at the very least. (I'm reminded of a Coke-Zero commercial where someone says "I'm looking at you, scientists.")

I've never been much of a club goer, so that adds some irony. I saw other people at the club holding their ears or putting in ear plugs as it was PRETTY STINKIN' LOUD. I'm guessing 105-110db. Terrible. I imagine some people have called the club to complain like I've considered doing, but it was months ago, and they would probably just apologize and tell me to see a doc. Been there, done that, ya jagoffs. It's interesting that T is called the "club disease", and I've heard that 1 in 5 people in America have it or a symptoms of it, but the crazies at the clubs still play the music too loud. I digress. Here's to the Miracle Cure that may very well be AM-101, and some common sense concerning the volume of music in public places. Your suggestion of 85db max sounds about right.