Tomorrow Is 6 Months... Does That Mean I Will Always Have Tinnitus?

So now I have chronic T. Does that mean that I will always have T now? That's what I read--that at 6 months it becomes unlikely that one's T will resolve itself and disappear. I'm not sure what the classes of T are...I only know that I accepted having T permanentaly after about 4 months. When I did that, my reaction to T started to change for the better. I'm not all the way there yet--I still get annoyed and sometimes I still feel badly about having T--but I don't have that gut wrenching paralying fear bordering on terror that I used to have if I heard it through my ipod. To me, that's a major difference. Of course, the xanax helps with that too but I think acceptance was a big part of it.

So really, tomorrow's just another day...

Thank you all for being here--you have helped me so much. It's hard to believe that I've lived with this for 6 months and have gotten to a place where I have good days as well as bad. It's because you are all so encouraging and made me see that I had to live my life--not despair over something I have no control over other than to make sure I sleep enough and stay as stress free as possible.

 

6 months for me too.... October 2013 my life changed. For me I believe in hope. A cure. It's reducing. It disappearing. Or living too full a life not to care. Life is short, let's live.

 

Kathi chronic t is more of a theory. People don't know for sure if the brain memorizes t and if it does I don't think anyone knows the time frame. People have lost there t after months years as well. Even though this is a possibility don't count on it your doing what you can to habituate and you will get there eventually. No one knows when but you keep pushing until you get there.

 

I'm also joining the 6 months club. Yes, it has gotten better over time. Or at least my reaction to it has. I believe in "never saying never" and I still hope it will go away. In the meantime, I firmly believe the T will continue to get better and my acceptance will grown stronger. I've started to say "the heck with T" and am doing the things that I enjoy, from singing in the choir to eating chocolate and salty chips (occasionally). Life is too short; make it worth living!

 

Hey @Kathi, it sounds like it's starting to not matter whether or not you have "chronic T" or no. At 6 months I was feeling about where I think you are now, too. At a year, I feel pretty dern good, if I do say so myself

As others have said, you can hope it will go away and keep on living and not caring about T so much at the same time. T has gone away for some people after year, after a decade. You don't now what the future will hold, so there's no point in labeling it as permanent.

 

Amen well said! !!

 

I don't think T can become classified chronic until 1.5 year - 2 years. There have been cases where people have their T go after 7 months, 8, some point after a year, even after 2 years. I think T is too unpredictable to say for certain, and everyone's T is different. Who knows? Maybe it'll go tomorrow. Don't give up hope!

 

It could go any given time any point in your life! I dont believe in chronic/acute. It could be permanent then all asudden dissapear for a sec or a few minitues or even forever for some.. Many people say there T changes tones, pitches, some days low some days high.. This to me means that theres changes in the brain and the brain always changes/adapts.. So keep livin on, stayin strong, accepting it and life
May throw us all a suprise in a few years

 

Chronic simply means that something is persistant, of long duration or long lasting

It doesnt necessarily mean that the condition will sit the rest of our lives, but rather a statement for something that has been around for a while.

At least to my knowledge

I know people that had chronic T and now they dont

Im so happy to hear you are doing better Kathi

Best wishes

 

Chronic T doesn't have to equate to chronic suffering

 

I didn't know it was just a theory. Thank you. Almost everything I read says that 6 months is when T becomes chronic. I have not lost hope that someday it might go away--I just found that it's easier to get on with things then to constantly hope for it to go--do you know what I mean? That's why tomorrow is just another day in my journey. I find now that even bad ear days are not as bad as they were before--I know I can get through the work day and come home.

 

I've had some chocolate too! It didn't affect my T at all. It made me brave enough to try other things because I'm not so terrified of a spike as I used to be. I hope it will go away too Deb, but I live as though it won't--like it's now a permanent part of me and I just need to get on with things.

 

Very well said Erik!!

 

Yes, you understand what I meant. I am at the point where I don't care about it as much--sometimes I can sit and watch tv or post while it's buzzing away and although I still notice it, I'm not bothered. Other times, it still annoys me on loud days.

In my heart I know it could go away but I have to live as if I have it permanently --wishing and hoping is harmful to me--I do better just getting on as if it's part of me now.

 

Thanks erik. I didn't mean to sound like I'm chronically suffering--if anything I'm suffering less lately.

 

For me its also been half a year. Time goes fast I guess. Never ever expected to get this condition, and still cant believe how weird unexpecting life can be.

Mostly I can live with it and am not bothered by is. But sometimes I still panic a little. Also hope that there may be a cure one day : )

 

Why is it that they say if you have it for 6 months it's permanent? What changes the idea that it can go? Does it root deeper in the brain? Is this just a standard measure ?

 

There's no real meaning to it, I think. I don't see why all the sudden on the very day of the 6 month anniversary it would become permanent for everyone who has tinnitus. It really seems meaningless and unsupported, I wouldn't pay attention to that at all. Moreover, I don't see why anyone's tinnitus should be permanent, no matter how long they've had it or how severe it is. I think it's a total cop out for any doctor to say anyone's tinnitus is permanent. It's only "permanent" because it's not being treated!

 

To my knowlegde, after 6 months "they" are considering T to be chronic which does not mean it has to be permanent.

From wikipedia:

"A chronic condition is a human health condition or disease that is persistent or otherwise long-lasting in its effects or a disease that comes with time."

 

I would imagine it's a just general term. Yes, T is "permanent". That's the deal, generally speaking. But as far as a 6 month cut-off point? I think that's largely meaningless, as least in a more strict clinical way. Supposedly, anecdotally, people with T get better all the time, often well after any somewhat arbitrary cut-off point.

And if you consider the various cures/treatments coming down the pike, there's no reason to think that after six months, they won't work. IMO T is not understood that well. Not understood in all sorts of important ways. The idea that it will never go away once the brain imprints or memorizes it, is most definitely a theory or a notion or an idea. Probably not an idea completely without merit or just a good scientific guess. But seeing as how they currently have no cure for T at any point in time, the idea that some of these great potential treatments, that will only work within the first three months of onset because after that it's too late, that's just conjectrue. Even AM 101 is testing it on more chronic patients. And autifony is supposedly explicitly for "chronic" T.

I just think the idea that it will never go away after three or six months, regardless of any cure, if you've crossed that solemn rubicon, because the brain has imprinted the cycle into it's daily routine or what have you, is just not something to worry about. It borders on being urban legend. Of course, the brutal truth is generally speaking T is considered permanent. Forget about six months!

 

@Penelope33, you said that your T has gone when you exercise. Even though it is only for a few minutes, that is a good sign. Permanent T usually doesn't do that. I think you either have to wait it out or see another doctor to try and check your blood flow - I am no doctor by any means. But if yours has gone, even for minutes, it is a good sign. Remember that. Try to keep positive and ignore the "six months - chronic T" rule. People have lost T after 7 or 8 months, some even after 2 years! And some people lose it even when it was noise-induced, which I believe is the most likely reason for permanent T. Please don't let this get you down. I honestly don't think that rule means anything at all.

 

@citigirl13 Mine has occasionally gotten so quiet I can barely hear it, even when cupping my ears. Usually if I'm in a genuinely good mood, which hasn't been often in the last several weeks since onset. Is that a good sign?

 

Because statistically it leaves more often before six months, after that the rate of tinnitus going away on its own becomes smaller. So its a statistical generalization. It could go away but the chances are smaller.

 

I would most def think so dude But then again, T is not playing by our logic rules and I'm no doctor.

 

I asked pretty much the same question:

https://www.tinnitustalk.com/threads/tomorrow-is-6-months.4546/

 

Yes, I think if you have moments where you struggle to hear it in a quiet room/blocking your ears it is a good sign. Hopefully it will disappear completelycompletely

 

Hang in there! life here to live! I have mine a month now!

 

I hit my 6 month today too. Went so fast but i dont even care anymore. If it goes it goes if it doesnt it doesnt.. But good treatments are soon here to help us so just live on this wont be forever.