On My Way to Recovery from Tinnitus and Hyperacusis

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year Everyone!

I wish that silence would visit us again next year and that we would always find strength in ourselves to believe it the better, to stay positive and strong and to help and cheer up others.

 

Hope you’re ok. I feel the same way. I’m not even a year into this. I just came on to check your page and check my messages. It’s all so terrible, but we have no choice but to hang in there...

 

I had two teeth extracted yesterday. Both on the left side of the lower jaw. One big lower molar and a wisdom tooth. The process was really noisy. Yesterday tinnitus became louder. Today settled back to its usual loudness, maybe still a bit louder than before going to the dentist.

 

@Vassili, wow, pretty excited to see you posted.

Have been checking to see if you have been posting and haven't seen anything from you since Christmas (nice post by the way!).

Those are pretty big time teeth. Probably still needs time to settle down.

How are you doing?
How are the headaches? Any improvement?

Don't know if this is any help to you but I had a consultation with a neurosurgeon and she put me on Topiramate and it seems to help the severity of my head pain (still have but not as bad).

I'm still rooting for you!

Take care.

 

Yes, they are. My left cheek is so big at the moment that I don't recognize myself in the mirror.

I am doing better than before Christmas. Headaches improved significantly. I would say 95% of them are gone. I still get a bit ear fullness and spasms in my temples now and then but usually I don't even notice them if I am doing something else. Plus the fact that I've extracted wisdom tooth really made a difference because I had lots of weird nerve pain in my head, neck, back. Now these symptoms are going away. My ears also used to give me lots of nerve pain in my body but it was a long time ago. I still have tinnitus. I hear it only in a quiet room and recently it became even more quieter and softer.

I am really happy for you, Linda. It is hard to live with chronic pain every day. Any improvement is a good sign.

I've started going to psychiatrist but I haven't been diagnosed yet.

Have a great day, Linda!

 

Just a Small Update to Sum Up My 16 Months

After 16 months post acoustic trauma my average day looks something like this:

Till this day I still sleep with masking (usually some waterflow sounds). Maybe I could sleep without it (only with a clock) but I still use it because it helps me to relax and fall asleep.

When I wake up I have tinnitus that I hear a bit in a quiet room and I have to sort of look for it to hear it. Then my tinnitus settles down significantly and starting from 10 a.m. till 16-18 p.m. I can only hear my tinnitus only if I block my ears with my hands or fingers. Or I hear a hiss so gentle, soft and quiet that I don't even notice if I don't look for it. In the evening after 18 p.m. my tinnitus increases and becomes slightly louder than in the morning. I think the reason for this is because my nervous system gets tired throughout the day.

My headache is 95% gone. I can still get a bit of ear fullness or spasms in my temples now and then throughout the day but this symptom does not bother me much if I don't think about it. My hyperacusis is still present but I think it's also 95-98% gone because sometimes my ears do react to some noises (cutlery, for example) and I have no pain (only some tapping in my ears). My vertigo is completely gone.

I don't hear tinnitus outside (only sometimes when I plug my ears). Recently all these weird sounds that I've always heard while being at a mall also started to disappear. Sometimes I can be at a mall for an hour and don't hear anything that I don't suppose to hear.

I don't take any medications. Only supplements and Valerian tablets.

I am really grateful to God that I could reach the phase where I am now. Even if I won't heal completely I think I can live with this condition and patiently wait no matter how many years it could take or even completely let go the situation and just carry on with my life protecting my ears. I am not loosing hope and I don't advise anyone to loose it.

God help me.

 

Yep, it’s been one hell of a journey...

 

The samurai has no goal, only path...

 

So very happy for you! What a great story of your journey! Thank you for sharing it with us. It does help to hear stories of healing and recovery. Wishing you the very best~

God bless you~
Teresa

 

@Vassili,
Hi, did you wear earplugs during the procedure?

Thank you,
twa

 

Hi,

I did it without any earplugs. I went to the dentist several times during 2020 and every time everything was OK. This last procedure was the noisiest, well maybe ultrasonic cleaning was as noisy as this last one but still, everything turned out OK. Nothing bad happened. Tinnitus could increase in volume for couple of days but then he always went back to his last level of loudness.

But then again, this is in my personal case.

Vassili

 

Hi Vassili, I am glad you are doing well. Wasn't it possible to have dental cleaning done manually? I think there are also cleaning devices that rotate at a lower speed and produce less noise...

 

Hi, Juan!

I'm sure there are. To be honest, all these dental procedures are not that loud to be afraid of.

 

I still can’t believe this happened to me... my hope of getting back to normal seems to be diminishing as more time goes on unfortunately. Getting back to normal seems like an unreachable dream.

 

I still have it it’s an unending hell!

 

For her I cross the raging waters...

Shenandoah

 

1.5 years in. Tinnitus is really quiet. I hear it properly only in a quiet bathroom. I had a couple of days even without hearing it at all, even in the bathroom. Mild daily headache is still present. Overall hearing improved significantly.

Concussion diaries continue...

 

Thanks for following up with updates and I’m glad to hear it’s fading for you. Stories like these make me feel hopeful.

 

I'm really happy for you. It's great to read about your tinnitus subsiding and staying away for a substantial amount of time. It really gives me hope for the future

 

I'm glad that my story gives you hope. I know how important it is to read something positive along the way to recovery. Positive mindset is very important.

 

I am glad that I can share my experience. I hope that someday we will reach silence and find peace.

 

How long will the night take?

Tricky - 'Passion Of The Christ'

 

20 months in. A week ago I've started taking an antipsychotic (Abilify, Aripiprazole, 7.5 mg per day). I have to take it for 8 weeks. It was prescribed by my psychiatrist not to treat tinnitus but to eliminate stress that I've been experiencing for the last 20 months. I took it for a week already and I must say that I feel much better psychologically and I sleep better and I can effectively relax. No side effects so far. I feel better and it's the most important part.

 

50% of time I hear a very quiet tinnitus (I would say almost hear nothing) and other 50% of time I hear basically nothing, even in the bathroom. I have to block my ears with my hands to find my tinnitus. Some sounds are still unpleasant. A bit burning here and there, discomfort in teeth/jaw also still occurs, plus 1-2 days a week my tinnitus is definitely louder than "almost nothing" at least for couple of ours.

I think I continue to improve even after 20 months. This makes me very happy and gives hope.

 

You should play the lottery...

 

If I'll make it, maybe I will...

 

I think it's time for me to try and sleep only with a clock.

 

Two nights in a row slept without using sound enrichment. Only with a clock in my room. It was second attempt in 20 months and, finally, it went well. This is a huge step for me. Almost like fully returning to normal life because I can sleep like I used to (not 8-10 hours but 6-7 for sure) and I am not stressed out all the time. Antipsychotic Abilify (Aripiprazole) 7.5 mg per day did a great job. Took it for two weeks. Six weeks more to go.

Not out of the woods completely, but I am almost there. Time will tell.

I will keep posting.

 

This is great news. Congrats on your healing. How would you say the Abilify has helped you? Do you think it has had any effect on your tinnitus or hyperacusis? Does it relax you that you are not as worried about them? Thanks.

 

Thank you!

Abilify was prescribed to me not to cure tinnitus but to eliminate signs of chronic stress and psychological problems that I've started having after my trauma. It's not a miracle drug for tinnitus. My tinnitus and all other symptoms go away with time.

And yes, it does relax you and you don't feel stressed out all the time. You sleep better. Also gives you energy to cope and not to put your life on pause.

Wishing you all the best,

Vassili