Saying Hello (...Whilst Feeling!)

Hello to all out there...

I’ve been looking over the various Tinnitus forums out there over the past couple of weeks as I’ve just entered into this terrifying (well it is for me at the moment anyway) world of Tinnitus.

I’ve decided to say hi for a couple of reasons…

Firstly and like everyone else because whether I like it or not I’m now on a journey and I would like to share, gain advice and in turn offer advice to others at a later stage based on the sum total of my experiences.

The second reason is that I do hope (which is all I have right now) to improve and should this occur, I would like to stay and keep feeding this back in turn to offer others hope. I couldn’t be happier for others who are either free of or come to terms with their Tinnitus at an early stage. I’m very much aware of those who do post success stories on THIS forum who I’d like to say a big Thank You to but sometimes we don’t hear from others again after their initial posts and I guess I’d just like to know more about those soles we don’t hear from again hence my little mission statement.

Okay, that out the way here goes.

Tuesday 31st March was the end of Silence for me following attending a metal gig in the UK where we were quite close to the front. Truth be told, I think more damage was done by some drunken individual stood behind me at the end who was being aggressive and literally screaming football chants (substituting the performing artists name at appropriate points) right behind me. We were packed together and couldn’t really move so all I could do was put my head down as this voice cut through me like nothing I’ve ever experienced before – I hoped he would stop soon which didn’t happen till around 10 minutes later by which time I felt physically sick.

Following the gig there was the usual ringing in the ears but over the days it didn’t stop and became more Alien. I began to have serious concerns at around the four day mark and started the research that lead me to conclude the now obvious. I have a low pitched ringing in the right ear and a higher pitched ringing in the left. Thinking back these have possibly been there since I suffered from Otitis as a Child (I’m just turning 44) but at such a low volume that it never occurred to me that I may have had low level Tinnitus since then, it was simply what I thought silence was until now. These sounds have now increased significantly in volume however the source of my current fear, dread and anxiety that I feel is quickly turning to depression is the 16 KHZ or higher pitched screaming ringing I have throughout my whole head day and night that is already making me have ‘those’ kind of thoughts should there never be any change or more frighteningly, should it gets worse as my age increases.

So I guess initially I’d like to ask my new community for advice, help and reassurance as I am truly frantic at the moment.

What have I done already, we’ll I’ve paid to see a specialist Tinnitus consultant at an early stage as my GP said a referral would take up to 6 weeks! 6 weeks without support?? Plus I know that time can be of the essence in the first few weeks which is why I realised I needed to get prescribed with a daily dose of Prednisolone 60mg (started taking then last Friday….on day 10 of my T, not ideal but better than nothing I guess - I didn’t know any other before this point.)

Also my specialist is also in charge of the Birmingham UK AM101 trials so I know I’m in good hands.
Beyond that, I’m just going to have to wait, try not to go crazy and hope someone will tell me ‘No matter what, it will get better one way or the other, even if you have to live with this for the second half of your life.’

Anyway, that’s enough from me for now, I look forward to chatting.

 

Welcome Stu. You seem to be in good hand and you did the right thing with the steroid treatment for a brand new sufferer. The rest of tinnitus has a lot to do with the mental side, like trying to be more positive and relax about the situation. The less stress, the less loud T. Try to think if in a few months of a year or two you will be like many others who have posted their success stories. Then try to minimize or ignore the significance of the inevitable ups and downs or setbacks in your young tinnitus life. This will help moderate your reaction to what T does every day. T is unpredictable, and new T particularly will act that way for many people. So be prepared mentally for a brief period of instability or suffering and this will help you. Try read up the success stories to have hope in your recovery. Try masking if T bothers you. Here is a good resource material from TT with advice, tips as well as some masking tracks. Take it easy.

https://www.tinnitustalk.com/panic/

 

Thanks for the warm welcome Billie.

Despite feeling desperate at the moment I know that the only way to successfully live with this is by accepting the initial stage for what it is and then find the strangth to focus on the positives as I ultimately meet the many hurdles and set backs I imagine are ahead. I have two young children to keep going for if I ever forget about myself and a supporting family too so despite this 56k dial up modem at full volume I have at blasting away in my head I musy always remember it could be worse. (Can anyone guess I'm having a positive day - another small victory?!)

Will post again in the main section...

 

Can you get into the AM-101 trials? If you can make sure to update us on if it helps you! And welcome buddy!

 

Hey Danny,

Without tempting fate, participation in the trials is looking good, im just waiting confirmation of my screening appointment for next Tuesday 21st... I'll make sure I keep the updates coming.

 

Hello @Stu welcome!

 

Thanks Valentina, it's nice to have the support of you guys!