One Step Forward Two Steps Back

So hey everyone hope you are all doing well! I posted a forum a while back when I first got my T and was I complete despair and in urgent need of support.

Since then I have been diagnosed with ETD (euchastrian tube dysfunction) which is where the tubes that link your ears and nose get inflamed and blocked with mucus/fluid. It usually results after a cold and is known to cause ringing in the ears. I have also been prescribed a nasal spray to help with the ETD but told the T could remain for longer (maybe even 6 months).

Anyway despite this diagnosis I began to feel much more positive and the T became less and less of an issue to me and I only really noticed it in the evenings and at night but I was become more and more able to fall asleep without masking! I felt as though I was in a much better place and was actually happy!

But over the weekend the T seem to be louder thank usual and I began to have trouble sleeping again! I'm beginning to feel like I did when I first got T and I was in such a bad place back then that I am frightened to feel that way again! I'm hoping that this is just a low few days and that I will start to feel more positive again?

Anyway experiences or help with habituation would be great fully appreciated!

Thank you for reading have a good day xx

 

Trust me, the battle with T is always "one step forward, two steps back". When we are mentally strong we can deal, but if we have a bad day the T and the fear grabs hold.

I too have ETD which has caused fluid build up, and I have a feeling I may need to have tubes put in, though I am going to wait a bit longer because I'm not sure that will do much good if I'm honest. Hopefully yours will resolve itself soon.

Don't get scared. Sometimes the T gets louder - I swear mine changes every hour. But it will seem quite again. Put maskers on and try to distract yourself. Take some meds if needed. You've already escaped the fear that T holds over you - you've done it once, so you can do it again. Every time we say "No" to T, we get a bit stronger. Telling your T to bugger off really makes you feel better

Try to relax. I think it will go down again. Getting scared will only make the problem seem worse. I swear T is a mental illness more than anything else. Just give it time. Good luck with sleeping.

 

@Maddy I agree with @citigirl13 that tinnitus can be unpredictable, but over time it will get better. You are so early into tinnitus, however, there's a great chance it will go away. Two things are really important. First, you do need to get enough sleep. Sleep deprivation always worsens tinnitus. I take melatonin, 3mg, sustained release for sleep. I also listen to water sounds. Indeed, I never go a night without my water sounds. Very relaxing. And, if you don't like melatonin, there are lots of OTC sleep aids. Or you could go to your doctor for something. Second, try to keep background sounds around you 24/7. These sounds will detract from your tinnitus and help you to forget about it. Most importantly, try to live your life normally, even if you're having a bad day. Don't give into your tinnitus; be strong and tell it to "get lost." Easier said than done, I understand, but over time it truly does help.

 

i totally agree with T being more a mental illness more than anything else! I have exams coming up in the next two weeks and I guess the stress of those is probably contributing to my T seeming louder! Once my exams are over I've got quite a few things to look forward to so i'm trying to focus on those!

I think (and hope!) that i am slowly adjusting to my T, the anxiety is no where near as bad as it was during the first four weeks and has turnt into more of an annoyance towards my T when it is really loud!

Thank you for your reassurance, I can't tell you how much it helps me xx

 

thank you so much for the reassurance and advice! thank god for this site! i honestly don't think I would've gotten through the first few weeks of T without it! I will definitely think about having something to take for sleep when the T is really bad and will try the water sounds as well! Distracting myself from the T is becoming less of a challenge and during the day if I begin to dwell on my T then I mentally slap myself as if I can't hear it then why should i think about it!

 

No worries - we have all been there. Occasionally I get anxious about my T but I have to try and stop myself. I find that more than anything my T annoys me, and I just wish it would piss off. Hopefully it will soon.

You're right, stress is probably not helping. It's good that you've got some stuff to look forward to which will help relax and distract you. Just keep trying to ignore it. Who knows, one day you might ignore it so much you will suddenly realise it's gone.

 

Maddy
I've had T for a little over a year now and, like you, actually did pretty well after my first three months -- then came the set-backs. I hated 'going back to that place' and each set back would cause my fears and imagination to run wild. One thing to keep in mind about T is that you must have very long term experience with it; in other words, you have to know how to deal with it throughout all four seasons of the year, the range of your physiological state, and all stress related issues (family, job, politics, et al). Therefore, it just takes some time.

As much as I hate set-backs (even now) they are just that (and nothing else, nor are they permanent). My audiologist would always reassure me that my T would never go back to the levels it used to be -- and he is right. Yet, I still manage to get my anxiety up .

After several set-backs last year, I learned to bounce back quicker and to have less negative (prophetic-style) thoughts during the set-backs.

Mark

 

Mark, did you go through TRT or any type of tinnitus treatment?

 

Matt
No, I went through Audio Habituation Therapy through Nebraska Hearing Instruments via hearing aids with white noise generators (specifically targeted to mask my T). I still wear the hearing aids (for obvious hearing loss issue) and use the white noise when I need it (like today )

Mark