Seeking Positive Stories About People with Fluctuating Tinnitus

Hi!

I would love to hear some positive stories about people who habituated to fluctuating T. I have multiple sounds in both ears that fluctuate..not super loud though.

 

@Marie79 Once you habituate fluctuating tinnitus will come as part of the course and wont bother you too much even when it's severe. When it's severe it may stop a person doing something like reading a novel which requires deep concentration but overall it won't impact too much on a person's quality of life. Everyone is different of course but once a person looks at the Bigger Picture, as I've mentioned in my post by the same name tinnitus wont be a problem. My tinnitus fluctuates quite a lot. It can be: silent, mild, moderate or severe. When it is severe I sometimes have to take clonazapam for a couple of days but haven't taken it for around 4 weeks now.
Keep strong you will get there in time.
Carry on using sound enrichment.
Michael

 

Thank you!! sometimes I just need to be reminded I always so much appreciate your experiences. Happy New Year!!

 

Happy New Year to you @Marie79. I advise you to read my post: The Big Picture. You'll find it under the tinnitus support section or click on my Avatar and choose "started threads" It is written for people that are new to tinnitus. You haven't had the condition long and I think you're adjusting quite well. We all need some encouragment and positive vibes do help a lot.
All the best
Michael

 

@Marie79

Mine also fluctuates. Some days it's really loud and other days it's at my baseline level. It can be anywhere in between as well.

The actual sounds I experience vary as well. Some days I have a lower 'drone' in my left ear, and then other days it's gone, or at least I don't notice it. Sometimes I get crickets, although this is becoming a lot rarer now. I also get the feeling of electricity in my brain, which kind of moves around.

My baseline sounds are a constant hissing - like the sound of a gas hob - and a high pitched squealing sound around 12.5 kHz.

The biggest change I've personally noticed is the happier or more relaxed I am, the more good days I have compared to bad. I also notice that my sleep routine has an affect on the noise I wake up to. You could argue that your sleep health directly relates to your mood, so I believe they are linked in some capacity.

Overall, in my case, stress and anxiety definitely play a key role. I believe it plays a role in all of us, whether we think so or not. Sometimes we just don't realise how much anxiety or stress we are carrying, because we adapt. You can believe you aren't stressed, but in reality your blood cortisol level could be much higher than it should be. If this is sustained over a larger period of time, it can make physical changes to your brain; one change being it can make your brain smaller.

Since I've dropped my guard around sound a bit more, and started living more normally, I've noticed nothing but positive changes. This doesn't mean I expose myself to dangerous noises, it just means I don't fear normal everyday stuff. This includes bars, gatherings, cinemas, theme parks etc. I only use ear plugs when I genuinely believe they are appropriate. I never over-protect because I believe this keeps you in a rut. It keeps you fearing sound which it turn allows that hidden anxiety to burn away in the background.

In summary, anything that allows you to relax, or at least calm your mind will help. Exercise, diet and mindfulness are all brilliant for tinnitus.

 

I agree with everything that you’ve said @Ed209 particularly about over protecting one’s ears. I don’t want to go too much off @Marie79 post but it’s kind of related. I believe if a person uses earplugs too often especially when hyperacusis is present, then it can delay or even prevent habituation. Some of the people at tinnitus talk daren’t leave their home unless they have earplugs, earmuffs and a sound level meter. The mere hint of a car horn or police siren is enough to send these people into panic mode. This isn’t living nor is it healthily in my opinion, as I believe it could lead to phonophobia.

Ear protection should be used sensibly, there’s no need to become obsessed over sound.
Michael

 

This is exactly what I mean. It's not healthy to think in this way at all. In fact, I think I too got caught up in this negative cycle of thinking, after months of reading this forum. It got that bad that I was scared to go to the gym, or in fact ANY social invite. Whilst outdoors I was constantly monitoring my surroundings for noise. After a while I couldn't take it no more; I realised I had to change my behaviour considerably if I wanted to improve. I decided to take a long break from reading about tinnitus, and got back to the gym. At first I was panicking. I was concerned about every single noise (I'd think 'has that caused damage'. Then I'd monitor for differences). When I realised it was my own paranoia holding me back I started to relax more. Over time I have changed my behaviour quite considerably. I am now far more 'normal'. I don't monitor everything and I don't stress about this and that. If I'm in a loud environment I simply pop my ear plugs in and continue.

If something is ridiculously loud, then I'll just leave. It hasn't happened yet as it's quite rare that these situations arise. It is mainly gigs in halls that get this loud. Even then, standing at the back can still be an option. A lot will just avoid gigs (which is a good strategy), but if they are crucial to your happiness, try and find a way round.

 

Curious how these people survive financially if they do not leave the house and are young and cannot retire. Lottery win perhaps?

 

You have the right attitude @Ed209 and managed to save yourself before any harm was done. Panic and fear can be terrible thing when they take hold and start to control a person’s life. I tried helping someone that had hyperacusis, but unfortunately it got worse because she wouldn’t leave her home, in fear of road traffic noise and other sounds in the environment making the condition worse. It got so bad the she couldn’t tolerate the sound of the: washing machine, dishwasher, fridge or microwave. Even the rain falling on her conservatory glass roof caused problems. With time she did improve.

I recently read a post by a member, who says the sound of the washing machine now causes a lot of discomfort. It is an unfortunate situation and I believe could be preventable if earplugs and earmuffs weren’t used so often by this person.

Michael

 

I have thought about this too Sam but I don't think we'll ever know for sure....

 

Thank you all!

I also have the disadvantage of being a woman who has that time of the month. About that time T gets worse and I am a lot more anxious. I always forget and it's hard to remind myself to stay calm.

How do you all deal with the fear of when it fluctuates louder it just won't stay that way?

 

It's simple Marie, the secret is absolute acceptance of your situation. Once you truly accept that you have tinnitus then your anxiety will calm down. You will realise that the bad days pass, and at this point they won't bother you anymore, or very little. If you obsess over it, and let it dictate to you, then it will become an ongoing problem.

 

I went through this probably still am. Although right now it's when I'm ovulating, it's at its worse. It is like taking turns or changed I'm not sure. It's reactive again and in both ears, but for some reason I think my dogs snoring at night has made my ears reactive like on the edge of hyperacusis again. Still I really think the reactive will stop if I give my ears some rest from the constant snoring. Bye bye pekingese, I'll give her the tv. I'm also positive that a hearing aid in the ear that wasn't the problem will help SO much to isolate the t to one side. When I can do that I'll be really happy.

 

@Marie79
@Ed209 is right tinnitus is about acceptance. You take the rough with the smooth and it's called habituation. Right now I have a novel that I'd like to continue with but my tinnitus is a little too intrusive. So, I have music playing in the background and look at the positives. A few years ago my tinnitus was so intrusive hardly a day went by that I didn't feel miserable and wondered if I'd ever habituate again but I did even though it took some time...
Michael

 

Even though it is being reactive just like when it first all started, it's not upsetting me like before, I just listen to it. Maybe pretend it's not coming from my head but the walls lol.

 

@Nonna
As good a coping mechanism as any. If it were a real sound our tolerance would be so much higher. It's the thought of not being able to escape it that causes all the anxiety. Ignoring an annoying but real sound can be done pretty easily. It's knowing that it's only temporary that allows us to do this, but if we can do this (because we know it's temporary), then on some level we already know that we can adapt and filter out annoying sounds.

 

I actually can't stand a soft A/C noise when I'm in a fancy hotel, for instance. Not because of my hyperacusis, just because it's getting me mad ! But my loud intrusive T doesn't prevent me to sleep

 

As a male I stopped having my period a couple of years ago so I no longer have this hormonal shift.
Ed is speaking the gospel in this thread Maria as he generally does with great advice.
How do you expect T to go back down? After going through countless cycles from moderate to mild T, eventually you learn to accept that higher volume T which has little rhyme or reason will pass.
Lots of people here with large variation in their T day to day and even hour to hour including me.

 

Why were you panicking if you didn't have H ?

A TT member recently wrote : "I don't fear noise, I fear pain". I like that. I don't fear noises, I fear my T which will seize every opportunity to spike, I fear the ear pain that comes with my own voice and I fear a lot of not funny H related things...

 

In most instances - before habituation - I'd say it's nearly always the other way round. Real sounds generally don't invoke a limbic system responce, unless of course, the real sound is perceived as a threat. There will always be exceptions however.

 

To be totally honest, mainly because of what I had read on this forum. It really had me doubting whether I should be exposing myself to certain everyday sounds. If you read something often enough, on some level you start to believe it.

 

Not sure why there is this correlation but many with tinnitus are drawn to robbing banks for income. I believe its because if caught, many tinnitus suffers believe they will be given leniency when the court learns of this affliction.

Here's a popular MO:

Pointe Break - Ex Presidents Bank Robbery

 

And the award for best sense of humour on the forum is awarded to Mr @stophiss !!!

 

my coping mechanism. Somebody has to be class clown...or worse.
Cheers brother.

 

You know, we are in 2017, some people work from home

 

Hi, my response is to the original post. I perceive some of my T to be fluctuating, and think it's helpful to look at all of the constantly fluctuating sounds in your environment that you are already habituated to .... road noise while driving, traffic noise in an urban environment, busy office noise, etc. When you stop and think about these noises they are sometimes loud, fluctuating, and irritating (if you focus on them), but your brain has habituated to them. Does this mean habituation to fluctuating T is easy? An emphatic NO .... for all the reasons that T is unique and difficult. Does this mean habituation to fluctuating T is possible? An emphatic YES, for all the reasons that T is so similar to these other fluctuating sounds that our brain can habituate to.

I still still Struggle with my T and my best wishes to all that do, Trebor

 

I was TOLD I had mild H. But even that dr said that true H that can't be habituated out of is extremely rare. So I know that sounds like he was saying2 different things. He was. Maybe there just isn't a word for just sound sensitivity H? I don't know.

 

If I were you @Marie79 I wouldn't pay too much attention to what that Dr told you about true hyperacusis cannot be habituated to or cured. Hyperacusis can be cured but it needs the right treatment. Somtimes it can cured naturally using no treatment. Just going out and getting used to everyday sounds and using sound enrichment at night using a sound machine. In more severe cases white noise generators are needed and will usually desensitise the auditory system. It takes time but can be achieved. I once had very severe hyperacusis and it is now completely cured.
Michael