Ok Here Goes...

I have been dealing with tinnitus for a very long time. I started seeing an ENT about 7 years ago for the ringing in my ears. I, for as long as I can remember have bad hearing and can even remember my parents getting my ears checked regularly.

Now, I've kind of learned to live with the T, and most days it doesn't really "bother" me or at least not like it used to.

However, about 7 months ago, I started hearing my breathing in the same ear as my T. My voice also echoes back inside my head and my ear feels very full. I even sometimes get this pressure inside my head like my brain is growing and my skull is staying the same. I recently starting g having dizzy spells as well. I'm not even sure if that's what you would call it, I just get to feeling like my brain is spinning or like my eyes are going crossed.

I went back to my ENT and he did a VNG on me and says I have weakness on my left side, which is same side of my T and autophony. He thinks I might have menieres disease and honestly, I just don't know.

I feel hopeless and like people think im crazy, and I get that because sometimes I wonder if I am just crazy? I get so depressed to the point where I don't want to move and I feel like no one understands or cares. I don't know what to do... I hate feeling sorry for myself like this and I hate the utter hopelessness I feel.

Has anything helped anyone or does anyone have these problems?

 

Hi,
Welcome to Tinnitus Talk.
Welldone with coping with your tinnitus for so long.

I have menieres Disease and had it about 12 years and remember how the first years were like with it and how it tough it was.
For menieres you can ask your doctor or ENT to try you on a medication to help with the symptoms.
Betahistine is the first medication and cinnarazine or Buccastem or Proclorperazine and sometimes a diuretic also.
Menieres can take a while to diagnose as you dont have to have all the side effects and its a waiting game see how you go over time ...
Ask about the meds as they will help you

....lots of love glynis

 

Thank you for the quick reply! Yes, it is frustrating and one minute my ENT says he thinks I have it and the next he says he doesn't want to say that I have it yet even though I have a lot of the symptoms. He is starting me on a diuretic and vestibular therapy and hopefully that helps. I am a bit afraid of the diuretic since it can drain your body of potassium, but at least I know that and can supplement it with bananas and such. Thanks again, glad to know therected are people out there that understand!

 

It sounds like you have patulous Eustachian tube.
Hearing your voice in your head and autophony is a symptom of it.


You can get your ENT to do the thing where they put a camera down your nose to look at your eustachian tubes to confirm or see what's up.

Do your ears crackle and pop when you swallow?

 

Yeah, they do sometimes but most the time I feel like I needs to pop and it will make the popping sound but no relief. Super frustrating. What can be done to fix a patulous Eustachian tube?