Struggles Even After a Year?

This is a question for those of us that has had T for a year or so. Do you guys still have tough days ? I mean some days I can handle this T thing and tell myself I'm on the other side of this and then not sure what happens but T comes back to the fore front of my mind and then I get depressed for few days till I kick myself in the ass and get on with life. God I wish I can just put this T in the back of my thoughts and leave it there. Anyone else have this struggle too? Guess I just need a positivity slap.
God bless all who struggle with T it definitely brings out the human side of us all.

 

Hey Carlos. Be patient.

When I read stories of people with loud, intrusive T, it took most of them much longer than a year.
Same for me. One year in and still with anxiety and depression. T is loud, high-pitched and not maskable.
I hear it 24/7 and it is very difficult. But I hope one day I am ready with this BS in my head and other things become more important again. So if you already have better days, I am sure you will make it. It takes long.

What I am wondering sometimes: People tell me, I should not read, think or write about T and then I will forget about it. But it is so loud that I hear it all the time. So how should I forget about it?

 

Hey Martin I'm not sure how some people do it ....it is constantly on my mind cause it's there always yeah I have more goods now or maybe more days I don't care as much . People also tell me not to come here and read about T but it's the only place I can go where people truly understand what we go through you know....T it's tough man it's really tough not only on the mind but your spirit too. God bless

 

I'm almost a year in and struggle every day. I still hope I can wrap my head around this one day.

 

I am a year in (almost to the day). I have improved allot. But I do still get the "bad" days where it just get to me.

 

@Telis I woke up today with loud T and instantly started feeling high anxiety i broke down and had to take an ativan.
This was after having a pretty good couple days actually went out with friends had few beers now I'm sitting here wondering if it was the alcohol that gave me this spike just doesn't seem fair.....hang in there man

 

I'm at 16 months. And yep, I still have "frustrating" days. Like you, I kept thinking what is wrong with me, why aren't I gettting better? But in truth, I AM better. Much better. I plan to keep on keeping on until I am even better still. We need to be patient with ourselves.

 

Well don't feel bad for the booze. You got out and that's great.

 

Well don't feel bad for the booze. You got out and that's great.

Yep, agree with @Telis. Life still is for the living, tinnitus be damned. I wouldn't do anything stupid, like go to a concert with no ear protection. But sometimes I do things I know I'll pay for the next day, like staying up late or having an extra glass of wine because I'm laughing with friends, and I don't give a damn. I refuse to live in a bubble. The spikes will ease and I'll go on.

 

This is what I posted on the other thread but I think it is relevant to this thread on living with T.

The first year especially the first 6 months was all hell and panic attacks. Life was bleak, lonely (due to hyperacusis which forced me to wear ear plugs and stayed away from social contacts), depressed and lots of sleeplessness. Over a year to 2nd year I decided to accept the reality of T if not T itself, and just tried to co-exist peacefully with this beast. I learned from Zoe Cartwright and Melody Gardot etc the need for positivity and acceptance to move on with my liffe. But there were lots of setbacks. But I had some fun back being able to live my life again and tried to enjoy what I used to do such as fishing, gardening.

Third year life was basically back to normal and I wrote my success story on Yuku forum. Now I don't give a dime what T does, high or low. Life is absolutely enjoyable. I try to be positive and focus on Now the very moment in front of me and not the distant uncertain future. Don't get me wrong, T blasts as hard and high pitch as can be most morning when I wake up. Sometimes, on hugely spiking days, I could hear the T on a flight with all the plane noise. Some days, even shower couldn't cover it. It is an ultra high pitch dog whistle, packed with so much condensed energy like a laser beam in a night sky. It was definitely unbearable at the start, but somehow I habituate to this sound nowadays and go about enjoying my life to the fullest, not holding anything back or tip-toeing around tinnitus. T can go to hell while I enjoy my life's heaven regardless of what it does. It has lost its tyranny over me. I believe positivity plus time and a bit of CBT/TRT if needed can really help.

 

Carlos you still struggle after a year but have you made strides in the past year ? Another words are you better off today than a year ago ?

 

Like mine. Yesterday was out for breakfast with friends, then barbecue with my kids and in the evening I was in theatre with my wife watching a comedian group. They also made a lot of good music and due to residiual inhibition, T was low in the night (a T I would take gladly forever). Woke up today with loudest T ever. High-pitched and oscillating. Immediately got stomache ache and felt miserable. Can hear my T even in the shower, but nevertheless took a 20 minute shower and things became little bit better. Sitting at my desk listing to fountain sounds working as good as possible. I really don't know how long this should go on... sad. :-(

 

@Martin69
I usually know what I'm in for as soon as I open my eyes
Yesterday I couldn't hear it at all, AT ALL, woke up after few hours of sleep with my whole head vibrating with the noise.
Go figure!
What could possibly change while sleeping

 

Would like to know for you one year or so folks @LadyDi @Carlos1 @Sjoerd etc
Has the perceived volume of your t faded overall from the first few months?
Thanks.

 

I am not sure...at times it seems much softer, but other times its seems to be just as loud....

 

Rico I am definitely better today then a year ago I guess I figured a year into this I'd just forget about it and move on but that's not the case. I still hear it every day but I have built tolerance to it and that allows me to have more good days.

 

Martin I hear you and it is sad man almost feels like we with T have to pay a price for having a good time makes me live my life cautiously hang in there man and I hope you have a good day.

 

@Lisa88 The perceived volume does seem to have faded at times but what has happened to at least me anyways is that my tolerance for T has gone up which allows me to have some good days.

I am not the same person as I was a year ago tho in order for me to live with T I needed to adjust my life style so I could live with this T thing.

 

Thanks, Carlos. Can you say some of the ways you needed to adjust your life? Cheers.

 

@Lisa88 Well its basically the same prescription as most with T do
Limit my alcohol, Caffeine my exposure to loud environments avoid anything that brings on stress (tough one)
and basically keep telling myself that they'll be a cure for T and what I endure now will only make my life that more pleasurable when the cure comes along.

 

When alcohol leaves the body anxiety easy builds up, same for me Carlos. Think it´s Worth that for a good night out with friends. I love my whisky and have no plans to quit it despite T.

 

I like and agree with what you posted above. Given time, the body will have some time to absorb in the new sensation and experience and it will slowly moderate its reaction to it, provided you don't cave into those setbacks with more mental black holes. You are right that we need to make adjustment. I learned this very quickly that my old set of thinking approach would lead me to disaster. I needed to switch to more positive and realistic thinking, something along the line of CBT. So I listened to Dr. Nagler's advice to challenge my own distorted thinkings. I also did anything to minimize T and maximize my life force and slowly the fear for T is slowly gone. By doing this, our tolerance to this T ringing will be increased over time.

 

I think I am in this club. But at the same time I think it is a matter of time. Even though I feel constant distress, it is not as soul crushing it was one year ago. I am just a tad slow, that's all.. 17 months of constant awareness of alien screeching thus far.. I surely hope this is not as good as it gets. I'll post back after one more year or so