No Hope Left — Warning Negative Post

My tinnitus has been horrendous but the last two weeks it’s gone even worse. The only reason I can think of is oral prednisone that I was on but didn’t taper off because I was struck with stomach (gastro) virus and stopped cold turkey.

I was on it for a week then another round shortly after.
I never imagined something like this is remotely possible.
I’ve hit the rock bottom!

Yesterday I went to see my gp who referred me to private psychiatrist but said it could take 2-3 months and then said I should urgently go to ER because I said I’m seriously suicidal.

I went to ER and was told on arrival: we can’t help you with tinnitus, what do you expect from us???
Great start! I was sobbing the whole time and she said: do you have a plan how to kill yourself? Did you discuss it with your doctor?

Then I was asked to take a seat in a noisy room full of people and screaming patients (I did ask if there’s anywhere quieter for me to wait but no) and after two hours of waiting I left.

I’m absolutely lost for words as how little help I received, how little human life is worth to this whole system!

Unfortunately the level of noise I have is not something anyone could survive so I’m now moving towards more radical and permanent solution.

Sorry for negativity

 

Why even bother wasting time and money on these consultations since you already know then answers after reading the forums for so long
Yes no cure nothing welcome to 2018
Check back in 10 years maybe

 

It's sad to feel like this. I understand your pain, it's brutal and it takes lots of guts and strength to carry on. I am going through a very bad allergy or whatever it is right now and I was give a prescription for pred and I will not take it. This med might be helpful but it can also annoy as well.

i know how it is to live with loud and destructive-non/stop tinnitus all day long. It is very hard and it takes a very thick skin to ignore it and just try to live a simple life. If you ever need support, I'll be here

BTW, don't expect the world to understand what tinnitus is, because most don't and don't feel bad about it either.

 

@valeri,
It's not you it's the prednisolone.
The white ones can cause stomach problems so you need the red coated ones.
Stopping steroids cause the opposite effect and cause a very low depressing mood and tearful and a bit nervy.
Tapering them does help the unwanted symptoms.
You are ok and everything will settle over a few days.
Keep relaxing music on around you and stay positive it will pass.
Love glynis x

 

@valeri
Give it some time to see how your abrupt discontinuation of the meds settles. It's a hump to go over, and while it's painful, it's also most likely temporary.
I am sympathetic as I deal with pretty horrendous T myself and I know it can screw with your mental state easily, especially if you aren't rested (a comorbidity) as you are not well equipped to deal with the stress.
Try to get some rest and hang on for a few more years. There are interesting things finally happening in the space, like the UMich device (Susan Shore), that have a real scientific backing. It's not just the device that is interesting: it's all the findings that go along with it that finally start to bring a logical and scientific explanation to this weird phenomenon for an important fraction of the cases.
Good luck!

 

You should have asked the nurse's name, and then you could have told a nurse that you are leaving and that you will be mentioning his or her name in your suicide note, as a person who let you leave without getting the help that you needed. This might have gotten you some help...

 

@valeri
Do you have private health insurance?
If so, presenting to a private psych facility may be an option. I self referred myself when I first got tinnitus. Though they couldn't help with tinnitus, the stay was very beneficial for me.
Otherwise, there should be a mental health triage phone line in your city that you can call and go from there, maybe a stay in the public facility.
I'm sorry your experience was so shitty. That's such a poor attitude that nurse had. I don't expect better from our public hospitals sadly...
I agree with Greg, please try to hold on.

 

Glynis has the best advice here. Prednisolone rebound. Pred comes with unwanted psycho-active components that don't really get enough attention.

When I tried an ED (of my own Hospital no less) I got "its just the kind of thing that happens at your age". You know Val, that your suicide will be palmed off medically as "mental illness issues".

 

@valeri I'm sorry I know how you feel. Is there any chance you can go to a private psychiatric ward (like some other users said?) I'd imagine the care in those places is better. Don't apologize for "the negativity." You're a human being and you deserve emotional support. Your pain isn't a burden upon others.

You're not alone in your suffering.

 

@Samantha R @valeri I can assure you both that our once great Public system here in OZ is collapsing at an ever quickening rate.

 

The TT member "I who love music" participated in a loud event when he already had T, and after that he got super T. It lasted for about two years before it settled. One way or the other, his body adjusted.

If his T could go back down, after he hurt his ears even more, you who can't even pinpoint any reason for further damage might experience the same.

Sleep. Eat well. Do anything else you can think of that seems healthy,

And wait.

Then you might be able to skip the drastic way out.

 

I was on Clonazepam for only a couple of months, and when I stopped abruptly, my T spiked like a motherfucker. So I started back on the prescribed dose and created a tapering plan that would last the rest of the year. It was slow, but it worked. The slower, the better.

 

Please don't comment at all if you cannot be supportive. Val has been suffering for 7 years now and is mentally worn down.

 

@valeri,
I hope you read my above post.
I have had to go through Prednisolone withdrawals and tapering many times and got hit with the Pred blues and uncontrollable crying and spikes .
Mine is due to a life with stupid lungs and have to take steroids long term.

Please be reasured your not loosing the plot and it was stopping the steroids to fast.
Please let us know how you are so we can support you through this.
Stay strong .
Love glynis xxx

 

Hey Valeri. Never lose HOPE! There is still a God in heaven that can heal you at any given second! Just as easy as tinnitus came in to your life; it can go just as easy. Many times in the Bible the Lord allows his followers to go through very trying times; and there are also illustrations of people alive today that are enduring very severe life challenges. Prayer is what you can depend upon to help see you through. As you pray and put you Faith in God; He will either heal you or give you the Grace you need to live your life with this disability. Please do not take you life, but surrender what is left of your life to the Lord; and you will have a bright future one day without the challenges that tinnitus brings to those of us that suffer from it. Father God, I ask you in the mighty name of Jesus to speak to Valeri's heart as she reads this post, and supernaturally do something about her situation to the glory of your great name. Amen!

 

@PaulBe
It saddens me so much, but you are right.
To really just ignore a distressed, suicidal patient is beyond negligent.
I'm not sure whether it's that resources are so stretched that they don't have time? It goes against the grain of their profession which is supposed to be caring.

 

Val I'm sorry you are suffering so much. I can only offer you my support and understanding. I think TT also should be a place where you can vent honestly - maybe a thread or area with a warning caveat for those that don't want to read. I know those that suffer so badly like you without improvement are in the minority but you need someone to talk to.

If you are going to a psych dr do some reading on the different classes of antidepressants. After SSRI's there are other options that can be tried and this is no doubt what they will discuss with you to at least help with your anxiety reaction.

Tamika

 

@valeri What you went through sounds truly horrible and unfair, and I'm hoping that your T has died down and you are more at ease. That hospital could certainly could have treated you better. I had a similar experience with Prednisolone. Never again! Thankfully it was during the day and the clinic I went to was more understanding, but coming off that can be difficult even if you are on a low dose that doesn't need tapering. I hope your tinnitus has settled a bit.

 

The system itself no longer cares. There aren't the resources relative to the demand, and its worsening every month. Under those conditions people just give up caring because caring slows everything down too much.

 

Thank you all very kindly for your words of support.
I guess desperation drives you to try anything and everything but it hits hard when you meet ignorance from medical profession.
I really only had heaps of shitty luck starting from ENT who told me that people with tinnitus kill themselves, a reputable audiologist who said to come back when I get better to last night experience at emergency department.
Not to mention ENT handling my case regarding my work situation.
Maybe is just my luck!

My last dose of prednisone was on 26/12 (25mg twice daily) and on 27/12 I woke up with nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, low grade temperate, pain all over my body, just feeling sick.
On 29/12 I woke up to monster tinnitus that still hasn’t gone down, it’s been 2 weeks.

I’m worried that this is permanent.
I don’t think this long is normal or promising.

I’ve taken steroids many times in the past for skin or better say autoimmune condition called urticaria (all over body itchy rash). This was brought on by tinnitus related stress.

I plan to write to express my disappointment about the way I was treated last night, I definitely don’t think I’m a priority over somebody with heart attack but for sure there’s some urgency for help when suicidal.

Once again thank you all for your support! It means a lot!

@butterfly75
I have to put warning on my posts because in the past I was labeled a very negative person by another member here. She said that every time I post something it’s negative and not good for people new to tinnitus to read.

 

Your story is heartbreaking, it's disgusting how some of these so called "medical professionals" treat their patients. It's also ridiculous that the psychiatrist is a 2-3 month wait, like "yeah just deal with your issues by yourself for another three months, I'll get to you when I can". I would press your GP for a new referral (in the States we can see whoever we want, not sure how Australia works though), if you're unable to see someone within a week or so do some Googling and find a legitimate private mental health facility that you can admit yourself to, please don't make any permanent decisions just yet. I think things will turn around for ya but you obviously need a little help right now. I hope everything works out for you Valeri.

-Ross

 

Hi Glynis,
Have you ever experienced extended spikes (2 weeks in my case)?
I assume your tinnitus has not permanently increased?
I just couldn’t taper off because of that stomach virus that floored me. Silly me!
I suffer anxiety and depression related to tinnitus but what I’ve been through emotionally this last two weeks is absolutely mind blowing.

 

@valeri you are a hero, no doubt. And I am very touched by how people here responded.

 

Hi @valeri,
It is quite common to get extended spikes from medication and the anxiety soon joins in too!
I hope you're getting support for the low moods as I like to call it and anxiety.
I hope you have a better day and feel more settled.
Love glynis xxx

 

Sorry about your latest spike from prednisone withdrawal. Don't panic nor worry too much. There are posts from others like this one about prednisone making T worse:

https://www.tinnitustalk.com/threads/prednisone-made-my-tinnitus-worse.14119/#post-191749

Pay special attention from post# 12, another poster @Mikie_Mike have had this problem with prednisone too. But the same poster comes back in a few weeks to say his T has faded a lot as in post# 83 & 85 of a success story

https://www.tinnitustalk.com/threads/my-tinnitus-is-completely-gone.16169/page-3#post-195166

So Valeri while the current suffering is very tough, know that it may fade in a few more weeks or months. It is not this will be forever. The less stressed out and negative about it, the better chance your T will lower to a more tolerable level. Take care. God bless.

 

Hi @valeri, I've had medication induced spikes, the longest one lasted 4 or 5 weeks, I was certain it was permanent. I was wrong and it eventually subsided. It took another few weeks to get back to pre-spike levels. I know its difficult, but give yourself some time.

 

I’m just confused if steroids can cause such a bad anxiety that I have now?

 

https://patient.info/forums/discuss/prednisone-and-anxiety--397533

Alright so I started prednisone this morning (2 ten mg tablets) and I suffered a HUGE panic attack a few hours ago, shaking, trembling, racing heart, blurred vision, so I took 0.5 ativan and the feeling started gradually going away, and now a few hours I later I'm starting to feel the effects again, this time I have a headache and lower back and upper butt cheek pains. I am NEVER taking another pills of this horrible poison. I feel like I am losing my mind. Everything turns into anxiety or panic mood. Does anyone know how long one dose of this med lasts?! I need to know when it will be out of my system with no more side effects. It was one dose, two pills, 10 mgs each earlier this morning. (Around 10:30) please please please.

 

I really wouldn’t have a clue, for me it’s been two weeks of horrible tinnitus and crippling anxiety, but I was on it for much longer than you.
I guess yours should settle down soon.

 

Apparently it can for those who may suffer withdrawal symptoms. Here is a site talking about prednisone. Anxiety & depression plus panic attacks are the symptoms listed.

http://mentalhealthdaily.com/2014/06/10/prednisone-withdrawal-symptoms-how-long-do-they-last/