Thoughts and Question About Habituation....

RE: Habituation....I feel that I could live with T along with all of my other weird head sensations, if it didn't interfere so much with my hearing. It's so difficult not to "check on it" when it's the very thing I'm trying to "hear around", so much of the time. I have Meniere's related hearing loss with fluctuating T. The T is never "not there", but it does fluctuate from "ignorable" to "outright deafening". And I really think my hearing aids would be acceptable if my hearing weren't so frequently obstructed by my T. Sometimes I think if I could just raise the volume on the hearing aids to accomodate for the loud T episodes, then I wouldn't be so upset be it. Is that something that people can even do? Or does that defeat the whole idea of habituation? I'm very bewildered about this. I've learned to accept a lot when it comes to neurosenory alterations....and I honestly feel that I could befriend the squeeling high tension wire sounds, the roaring white noise and the clicks and chirps. But, they completely undo me when they keep me from hearing voices and music. When you effectively habituate, does it actually feel as though the T is no longer interfering with your hearing acuity? Thanks for your input!

Take good care...
J

 

Hi JAJ,
I have duel purpose hearing aids and I find setting them first thing every day and keeping them on ok helps take the edge of my tinnitus and use white noise if their is no sound to amplify if needed.

My hearing loss fluctuates with menieres and had it about 12 years now.
I find it hard to locate sound,the direction it is coming from so hate being in busy places like shopping centres.
I loose my balance and more so in the dark.
I find talking to people and listening to people hard and concentrating on what they are saying is they have a lot to say.

I don't think I can habituate totally but remember my tinnitus Is due to menieres and not the same as noise induced tinnitus .
Staying positive and a happy positive out look on life with what you do and people you meet keeps me going.....lots of love glynis

 

Hi Glynis....It sounds like our Meniere's symptoms are very much alike. I get so confused, not being able to tell where sounds are coming from. And yes...beyond a simple exchange, concentrating and following the thread of a conversation is very difficult!!! Even grocery shopping is exhausting, because there is so much noise I don't understand, and that I can't "find" the source of....And the visual input, is crazy. I'm already so off balance and stumbly, but now they've begun to paint big advertisements on the floor that almost look 3D....I get so nauseous and off balance when I see them, I try to focus on some kind of high, non-moving point. But grocery shopping has triggered my vertigo, more than once.

Yesterday, I had to "break up" with my audiologist. I completely broke my own rule about not doing business with friends or family, and went to this guy, an old school buddy of my husband's, whom I'd never met. The first 2 visits were pretty difficult...my questions were met with a lot of sarcasm and dismissal. He was expressing his impatience with lot of harrumphing and sighs, and shaking his head. It's tough to describe; but I felt ashamed...like every question I asked was a stupid one, and that I was clearly wasting his time. I felt sick before, during and after the appoinments! ( I hung in there of course, because he was H's friend/acquaintance!) But also, I thought maybe it was me, so I brought my husband along for the third visit. I walked out of that one shaking and crying, and feeling like I was going to have a heart attack, and with hearing aids set so loud, it felt like punishment! My husband was dumbfounded! Even HE was too intimidated to say anything! He was completely unaware that this guy was like this,in the office. So...after 2 sleepless nights, I finally worked up the courage yesterday to call and cancel Friday's appointment, and to say that I'm not "ready to go forward." I'll bring back the hearing aids today, and begin again from square #1. I'd rather be deaf than to go back there. I really need to find someone who understand's Meniere's related hearing loss, fluctuating tinnitus, and who understands that my not being able to hear music properly, has taken away my main source of happiness in life. But I'm doubtful about getting what I really need: After browsing through the ads of all the audiologists in my area, I can't find anyone who even mentions Meniere's. I can't see investing $5000, and still hearing so poorly. I guess I need someone who will up front, help me to set realistic expectations, and someone who is patient. I walked into this hearing aid things, completely innocent. The two people I know well, who have hearing aids are so incredibly happy with them, but then again, they don't have Meniere's....They are both deaf from occupational noise exposure. This Meniere's hearing loss, along with the fluctuating tinnitus, I think, is an entirely different beast.

I've been trying to stay really positive and find happiness wherever I can get it, but I confess that after that last audio appointment, I've been feeling like "I just hate this!" I've got to get my head back into a positive place!!!

Twelve years into it, is your hearing still changing? Does it tend to change after MD attacks? I've lost 70% of my hearing over the past 7 months....The pattern has been like a roller coaster, but one that ultimately is going downhill fast. With each attack, the hearing takes a big hit, and then goes back up just a little....never reaching the pre-attack hearing levels....and the tinnitus increases.

Thanks for sharing your experience with me! It helps a lot!

Take good care....
J

 

Hi JAJ,
My hearing is moderate but more with tinnitus blasting in my ears.
Had it a really long time now and been tough going but keep pushing as we do to get by......lots of love Glynis x

 

Yesterday, I had to "break up" with my audiologist. I completely broke my own rule about not doing business with friends or family, and went to this guy, an old school buddy of my husband's, whom I'd never met. The first 2 visits were pretty difficult...my questions were met with a lot of sarcasm and dismissal. He was expressing his impatience with lot of harrumphing and sighs, and shaking his head. It's tough to describe; but I felt ashamed...like every question I asked was a stupid one, and that I was clearly wasting his time.

This guy sounds like a total waste of your time, @JAJ. You did the right thing by kicking him to the curb. I would be tempted to write him a letter and tell him why you left, rather than just canceling the appointment -- although maybe you can't do that, since he's a buddy of your hubby's.

Anyway, hang in there and keep looking for professionals who will listen to you and who want to help you. They ARE out there. Sometimes, you have to kiss a lot of frogs. But don't give up.

 

Thanks so much, LadyDi! Most of the articles I've read online that address the challenging and peculiar nature of fitting hearing aids to Meniere's patients, have been written by one guy...and even he acknowledges that there's very little out there, in recent years. The odds of him being able to refer me to a local audiologist are slim to none. However, I might have to manufacture the courage to bring some of his articles to a few local audiogists and see how receptive they might might be. I'm so exhausted by all of this...I've got to find a short cut. I can't start with trying to explain and then waiting weeks to see if there's any expertise. I'm probably dreaming, that any professional wouldn't be put off by such an approach. I'm going to sleep on it and see how it feels in the morning. I think you're probably right....I've got to get used to the idea that there's going to be lots of reptile smooching in my foreseeable future!!

Take good care!
J
P.S. Nope...I can't write Bad Audiologist an honest letter. I don't want to compromise his relationship with H. That's the inevitable icky stuff that comes up by doing business with friends or family...Why did I break my Cardinal rule??!! Arrrgh!!! I'm so mad at myself!!!

 

I read about a study where they used hearing aids which could be programmed by the user to treat the fluctuating hearing loss in Meniere's. Idk where you could get one but it might be worth asking about.