Good morning, everyone.
My name is Joseph and I recently developed tinnitus, though the cause is currently unknown. I was not exposed to loud noise as I've read happens with many people who have tinnitus, but rather have been sick for a little over the past month. The cause is currently unknown; I don't have insurance, though hopefully this will change in a couple weeks time, and therefore do not have much medical access. I've been in and out of the emergency room several times, particularly the past week, sometimes visiting twice in a single day, to the point where they essentially told me to stop coming back. The last doctor I saw firmly told me that I am a hypochondriac and there is "absolutely nothing wrong with me." This is simply not true.
My illness began shortly after I cleaned mold out of my car. I began experiencing tightness in my jaw and throat that night and went to the emergency room that night, where I received a steroid shot. I felt better for the next couple days but eventually began experiencing a wide range of symptoms: sore throat, nausea, vomiting, muscular aches in my neck and shoulders, pain in both ears, etc. I had my car steam cleaned to be free of the mold but the symptoms persisted and after a couple weeks of feeling horrible went back to the ER, only to be told my blood work was fine and I must have a virus, for which there is no treatment.
All of this would have been easy to handle. It was when I first began to hear the ringing that I became very frightened. It began in very silent settings; I was in the library studying when I realized my ears were ringing very loudly. I left the room and everything was fine. Over the next several days I realized my ears would ring when it was very quiet. A few days after that my ears would ring persistently. Since going to the hospital many times I've received many diagnoses: Ear infections caused by fluid in both ears, Menere's disease, upper sinus infection, Dystachian Tube Dysfunction, and a virus that could have possibly infected the nerves in my ears. The doctors assure me the ringing will dissipate eventually but I've been doing a lot of research that scares me.
I don't know if the mold exposure is somehow connected but that is when it all began. The ringing I hear is consistent but not terrible. It's been going on for a couple weeks now and I've noticed that some days, and some hours within those days, are better than others. Sometimes I can barely hear it at all, such as when I'm outside or there is even a slight amount of sound -- the hum of a computer, for example. Other times it feels like signals are shooting out of my head. I was very suicidal for a few days after doing all of the frightening, obsessive research I did that tinnitus was uncurable, but I think I'm finally ready to handle this, whether it will go away or not. This is my first post but I've read a lot of the boards and would like advice and experience from some of the people I see here, if it isn't too much to ask.
My ringing is usually a very high pitched wailing, though sometimes it can also be a chirping sound. Sometimes high frequency sounds are too high for normal, which, as I understand, is called hyperacusis. My main problem at first was being too obsessive and reading a lot of horror stories on the Internet. I'm trying to change that by finding a more positive forum here. As far as I can tell, it is the best of the groups I have come across.
I think I can handle this if it continues. What I'm mostly worried is that the ringing will get much worse. I'm also worried that doctors will not understand what I'm going through, or that I won't have the money to access the ones who do. Another worry (there are many right now) is that the medication I am on is increasing the issue. Right now I'm taking:
Prednisone -- For the next few days. I'm currently being tapered down.
Claritin 24 Hour -- Once a day, in an effort to get my ears decongested. I cannot pop them and it may be due to my tubes being blocked. I've been blowing my nose a lot, which makes my ears pop, but they still don't seem right.
Antivert -- Once again, to fight off the allergies, if that's what this is. I'll be taking this for at least the next week or so.
Any advice would be much appreciated. I'm terrified of returning to college after the weekend. So far I've been going through this on my week long summer break, where I've spent a lot of time in my room. I'm not sure if this is a good thing or not.
I'm a writer as well as a student and the idea of not being able to write is what depresses me the most. I've been listening to white noise the past several days, which helps me read, but I don't think I've adjusted to it yet. I'd really appreciate some input if there is any. The doctors really haven't been able to help me at all aside from prescribing the medications and doing an MRI to show there was no tumor on my brain.
Joseph
My name is Joseph and I recently developed tinnitus, though the cause is currently unknown. I was not exposed to loud noise as I've read happens with many people who have tinnitus, but rather have been sick for a little over the past month. The cause is currently unknown; I don't have insurance, though hopefully this will change in a couple weeks time, and therefore do not have much medical access. I've been in and out of the emergency room several times, particularly the past week, sometimes visiting twice in a single day, to the point where they essentially told me to stop coming back. The last doctor I saw firmly told me that I am a hypochondriac and there is "absolutely nothing wrong with me." This is simply not true.
My illness began shortly after I cleaned mold out of my car. I began experiencing tightness in my jaw and throat that night and went to the emergency room that night, where I received a steroid shot. I felt better for the next couple days but eventually began experiencing a wide range of symptoms: sore throat, nausea, vomiting, muscular aches in my neck and shoulders, pain in both ears, etc. I had my car steam cleaned to be free of the mold but the symptoms persisted and after a couple weeks of feeling horrible went back to the ER, only to be told my blood work was fine and I must have a virus, for which there is no treatment.
All of this would have been easy to handle. It was when I first began to hear the ringing that I became very frightened. It began in very silent settings; I was in the library studying when I realized my ears were ringing very loudly. I left the room and everything was fine. Over the next several days I realized my ears would ring when it was very quiet. A few days after that my ears would ring persistently. Since going to the hospital many times I've received many diagnoses: Ear infections caused by fluid in both ears, Menere's disease, upper sinus infection, Dystachian Tube Dysfunction, and a virus that could have possibly infected the nerves in my ears. The doctors assure me the ringing will dissipate eventually but I've been doing a lot of research that scares me.
I don't know if the mold exposure is somehow connected but that is when it all began. The ringing I hear is consistent but not terrible. It's been going on for a couple weeks now and I've noticed that some days, and some hours within those days, are better than others. Sometimes I can barely hear it at all, such as when I'm outside or there is even a slight amount of sound -- the hum of a computer, for example. Other times it feels like signals are shooting out of my head. I was very suicidal for a few days after doing all of the frightening, obsessive research I did that tinnitus was uncurable, but I think I'm finally ready to handle this, whether it will go away or not. This is my first post but I've read a lot of the boards and would like advice and experience from some of the people I see here, if it isn't too much to ask.
My ringing is usually a very high pitched wailing, though sometimes it can also be a chirping sound. Sometimes high frequency sounds are too high for normal, which, as I understand, is called hyperacusis. My main problem at first was being too obsessive and reading a lot of horror stories on the Internet. I'm trying to change that by finding a more positive forum here. As far as I can tell, it is the best of the groups I have come across.
I think I can handle this if it continues. What I'm mostly worried is that the ringing will get much worse. I'm also worried that doctors will not understand what I'm going through, or that I won't have the money to access the ones who do. Another worry (there are many right now) is that the medication I am on is increasing the issue. Right now I'm taking:
Prednisone -- For the next few days. I'm currently being tapered down.
Claritin 24 Hour -- Once a day, in an effort to get my ears decongested. I cannot pop them and it may be due to my tubes being blocked. I've been blowing my nose a lot, which makes my ears pop, but they still don't seem right.
Antivert -- Once again, to fight off the allergies, if that's what this is. I'll be taking this for at least the next week or so.
Any advice would be much appreciated. I'm terrified of returning to college after the weekend. So far I've been going through this on my week long summer break, where I've spent a lot of time in my room. I'm not sure if this is a good thing or not.
I'm a writer as well as a student and the idea of not being able to write is what depresses me the most. I've been listening to white noise the past several days, which helps me read, but I don't think I've adjusted to it yet. I'd really appreciate some input if there is any. The doctors really haven't been able to help me at all aside from prescribing the medications and doing an MRI to show there was no tumor on my brain.
Joseph
Member
