1 Month Tinnitus Milestone — Need Advice, Positivity

[Alex Matyjasek]

Hey Everyone, this is my second post here. The first post was about the first week I had tinnitus, 3 weeks later and here I am... 1 month in, and I guess the only good news I can give is that i'm getting 'more used it'... not sure if it's going down, or i'm accepting it. The first week on onset I was having anxiety attacks on a daily basis, 3 weeks later, well I get at least frustrated, angry, why me? once a day...

There's a lot of info out there that says that this demon can be caused by stress. There is no dought in my mind this was caused/set off by that...

Two and a half months now I've been suffering from kidney stones. Had a catheter pigs tail inside me from avoiding going back to the hospital. Doctors told me I could have a normal life, and it was just the other way around really. Of course, I was worried something was wrong, but no, just normal symptoms having a catheter. I was in hospital for 10 days. First 3 days with the most horrible pain i've ever experienced. The Spanish health system is not that bad, but very slow in which it has prolonged my recovery a lot more. 1 month after leaving hospital (me waiting to get treated for my kidney stones) suddenly got NON-STOP tinnitus. I still remember clearly the moment it started. 5 in the morning as I went to bed, suddenly heard like an unsinked radio frequency, then right after that the tinnitus started, and never stopped since then. And on top of it all it had to be loud. So yes, it had to be stress, 37 years old and I dought very much I won the lottery in a period of one and half months. It's too much of a coincidence. (Went to see a specialist and said the same).

This first month I've learnt to cope (more or less). I know 'the beast', the most annoying, life disturbing thing you can give to some body can permanently stay to disturb me for the rest of my life. Hoping, fantasizing that i'm not on the chronical list yet, still givese hope and energy to try believe that the miracle might happen (fading away). I know being anxious, sad, and doing your head in only feeds the tinnitus. I'm at war, and I guess these are the key elements to give me the little chance that one day it's not here to make my life a lot more complicated or even habituating. Relaxation exercises, and tranquimazin helps my day.

The loudness varies during the day. Distracting, and trying not to think about it (easier said than done), helps a lot, but I still hear the beast... There are moments I think it's gone, but no, there he is. I can hear it when I'm driving, hardly with the windows down though, put the tele pretty high and need to focus a lot not to hear it... Anyway, I know there are people worse off than me.

And I apologise for making this so long, just felt the need to share this terrifying moment I'm going through. Need advice, positive feedback to give me fuel to get through this. I know this might not be, or forever be... (Chronic). Time will tell. Thanks for taking your time in reading my post.

 

[JohnAdams]

I'm 5 months in. It's been a wild ride for sure. I hope it gets better for you. Watch out for scammers peddling fake cures.

 

[coffee_girl]

Give yourself some time, hopefully it will settle.

 

[Alex Matyjasek]

1 month is too early to bump into conclusions, and I know there are lots of cases it just fades away... I'm somewhat still trying to come to terms that that this is happening to me. There's no meds that work out there. Relax, stay positive, try stop thinking about it is key in getting through this.

 

[MBH]

I am against the grain, due to most having tinnitus from acoustic noise or hearing loss, but mine is from major stress. So, at first when I read Tinnitus Talk I was confused, and thinking what's going to happen. I can only tell you it takes time to heal and reform your health to get stronger to help with the ever changing tinnitus, and I'm hoping for you it will ease up.

 

[marc 1974 london]

1 month is too early to bump into conclusions, and I know there are lots of cases it just fades away... I'm somewhat still trying to come to terms that that this is happening to me. There's no meds that work out there. Relax, stay positive, try stop thinking about it is key in getting through this.

Look at CBT therapy if you can see a therapist you'll soon learn to split thoughts, feelings, emotions & reactions from tinnitus & let tinnitus be tinnitus... anxiety is anxiety, it's just a reaction to a stress, very normal in some respects ......yeah you could have it a while, you could smash it & habituate real quick.... but if you didn't & learned to let it be you'd be in a different place by far...then most likely just get on with things a lot easier & habituate..... YouTube Julian Cowan Hill.

For me it's CBT & mindfulness, try not to cover it up with louder sounds like that, more of trying to relax your thoughts & use masking sounds ... there's a fella on here, Bill Bauer I think, has a link to some on YouTube... not sure it's him but YouTube does have great tinnitus masking videos.

 

[Alex Matyjasek]

I'm currently using a white noise app before I go to bed, and I ocasianaly put the volume on the Tele to 0 and just listen to it... And the volume does go down... I'm currently visiting two psicologists (one my mom recommended). The first one told me not be afraid of it, not run away of it, make him your friend, and do relaxation exercises on a daily bases. The second psicologist makes me do deep relaxation exercises by listenting to recording we did 3 days ago. It lasts 20 minutes, and anyway, at point she makes me imagine a white board, where it puts 'i'm relaxed and im not afraid of tinnitus, I can't hear the noises'. Funny thing is after doing this, depending how relaxed I am, the sound does go down considerably, but after 2 minutes the t comes back more or less to it's normal level. I have to do this every day and then get back to here next week letting her know how's it going. Further more if everything goes well they will take my catheter pig tails out next week. let's see how things go... It may sounds silly, but atleast trying anything available.... Also taking ginko pills 'earon' before go to bed. My specialist told me to take them for a month. Not really working to be honest. I'll have a look on YouTube later on. Thanks for the advice. Bit like buying a lottery ticket really.. that's what tinnitus is

 

[coffee_girl]

The first one told me not be afraid of it, not run away of it, make him your friend, and do relaxation exercises on a daily bases. The second psicologist makes me do deep relaxation exercises by listenting to recording we did 3 days ago. It lasts 20 minutes, and anyway, at point she makes me imagine a white board, where it puts 'i'm relaxed and im not afraid of tinnitus, I can't hear the noises'.

This is literally my mindset and it has helped me so much, i see it as a friend and over time my brain stops trying to see it as something that is trying to kill me but just a minor irritation to my day to day life. The idea in itself is hard to grasp at first, but once time goes on...it really does help with habituation.

 

[Alex Matyjasek]

And habituation means the volume going down? Or just not paying that much attention to it?

 

[coffee_girl]

And habituation means the volume going down? Or just not paying that much attention to it?

The definition is different to everyone i'm sure, for me anyway it means that the T is there...but i trained my brain to never allow it to bother me...essentially my brained is tricked to not hear it any more.

 

[jasonbourne]

And habituation means the volume going down? Or just not paying that much attention to it?

Habituation is a fancy term for "you'll eventually get over it"

 

[New Guy]

Alex you're in the early stages, like I was 6 months ago, and it's going to get better for you. In time it may fade, I hope it does, but your mind will get more used to it if it doesn't. Right now I want you to do your best to relax and give it time. I know, easier said than done. I encourage you not to do or think anything drastic. Focus on trying to find joy in something, even if only for a moment, and give it time.

 

[Alex Matyjasek]

Thanks 'new guy's. Patience, and I'll try to be obtimistic. In the end of the day it's only a small portion of people who have this permanently, and if it's my case, I'm sure i' l'll figger out how to live this. I'll work for that. .. Like I said, my first week was living hell, 3 weeks later and I'm ''getting better' in accepting it. Let's see what the next step is. Thank you very much for your advice. The fight continuous....

 

[New Guy]

Alex, you've got the right attitude. The 'veterans' often told me not to rush things and give it time and they were so right. There are going to be ups and downs and that's ok. Good luck!

 

[TLion]

The definition is different to everyone i'm sure, for me anyway it means that the T is there...but i trained my brain to never allow it to bother me...essentially my brained is tricked to not hear it any more.

How loud is yours? Do you hear it in your car, when you're on the streets, in louder environment?

 

[infVM]

Thanks 'new guy's. Patience, and I'll try to be obtimistic. In the end of the day it's only a small portion of people who have this permanently, and if it's my case, I'm sure i' l'll figger out how to live this. I'll work for that. .. Like I said, my first week was living hell, 3 weeks later and I'm ''getting better' in accepting it. Let's see what the next step is. Thank you very much for your advice. The fight continuous....

Alex, how is it for you now? (If you're still here..)

 

[Alex Matyjasek]

Alex, how is it for you now? (If you're still here..)

Well it's more or less the same. Got good and bad days. I've had it for 5 months now and there were a couple of months it seemed to be a little bit quieter... Now it has gone be up again and I don't know why. In general i've habituated a bit to the extent that when I hear it doesn't bother me as much as it used to (that doesn't mean I have moments that it drives me mad)! I just keep on going hoping that a miracle is gonna happen.

 

[infVM]

Well it's more or less the same. Got good and bad days. I've had it for 5 months now and there were a couple of months it seemed to be a little bit quieter... Now it has gone be up again and I don't know why. In general i've habituated a bit to the extent that when I hear it doesn't bother me as much as it used to (that doesn't mean I have moments that it drives me mad)! I just keep on going hoping that a miracle is gonna happen.

Hang in there, 5 months is still short I think, it can go away later, let's hope it will.

 

[Alex Matyjasek]

Hang in there, 5 months is still short I think, it can go away later, let's hope it will.

I certainly hope it will, but I doubt it very much. I'm counting on it staying but atleast going down in intensity and volume. Hopefully effective treatments (a bit optimistic) are coming out this year! Maby I won't need it, but like I said, I don't think that is gonna happen!

 

[Marcus Skye]

I hope you're doing well, Alex.

I'm three weeks into this, medication induced. As a military veteran I know it's better not to wrestle with what I cannot control, but to live each day as it comes. Remember Lt. Dan and the storm from Forest Gump? "You'll never sink this boat!" A fierce attitude helps. I already put my hands over my ears and yelled last week. But that didn't do anything. I learned long ago, long before this, to just keep going, let go of wishful thinking and just live.

Good luck, man.

 

[MikeS]

One month point is a time when many people start to freak out. It's because you start to realize this may not go away. This causes anxiety which makes the T even worse . Think of it as mourning the loss of the "old normal" . In time, having tinnitus will become the "new normal". You will accept it, and eventually forget what it was like to live without it. That doesn't mean it won't still act up & bother you from time to time. But you won't freak out about it anymore.

 

[slc]

Sorry eight years here with tinnitus. Have had good days and bad days. Going through a really tough time now. Relieved to know that suicide is an option in the future if I so choose. Not something that I'm planning but this condition is a bitch. I have done Ayurveda, acupuncture, cranial sacral therapy, hypnosis, homeopathy, Clonopin, Celexa, gabapentin, yoga, meditation and more. $150,000 poorer. It is better than in the beginning when I lost 30 pounds had hyperacusis, and was unable to sleep more than two hours at a time . I could barely leave the house and could no longer drive. But it's still a Cluster fuck. I was throwing $30,000+ a year at it , but I can no longer afford that .

Interestingly the Ayurvedic practitioner diagnosed the condition two years before I even knew I had it. Only looking back did I realize that I thought I was hearing crickets which turned out to be tinnitus .

One day at a time and there are plenty of really difficult days. Occasionally I have a decent day. Well I'm off to bed because that's one of the variables that unleashes the tinnitus .

 

[BobDigi]

There are moments I think it's gone, but no, there he is. I can hear it when I'm driving, hardly with the windows down though, put the tele pretty high and need to focus a lot not to hear it..

With respect you need to put it into perspective. I know everything is relative, but your T sounds like something I could only dream about having. Mine is a loud unmaskable screech 24/7. I'm not trying to out tinnitus you. But you need to realise if things are easier after 1 month, and your t is how you describe, you'll be fine. Stop monitoring it, protect your ears in loud environments and trust me, as far as your tinnitus goes, you'll be fine. It will either fade away, or you'll habituate to it soon. Good luck.

 

[Alex Matyjasek]

With respect you need to put it into perspective. I know everything is relative, but your T sounds like something I could only dream about having. Mine is a loud unmaskable screech 24/7. I'm not trying to out tinnitus you. But you need to realise if things are easier after 1 month, and your t is how you describe, you'll be fine. Stop monitoring it, protect your ears in loud environments and trust me, as far as your tinnitus goes, you'll be fine. It will either fade away, or you'll habituate to it soon. Good luck.

Well, 9 months later after making this post, my T is more or less the same. The other day I did the THI test and I've got moderate tinnitus. Just a few points less and I was close to mild, but that depends on the day. Yes, I'm getting more habituated, it certainly bothers me a lot less than in the beginning. On a bad day I can hear it 24/7 even when I'm busy.
Good days, during the day it's very managable except in the evenings. Let's see how this goes the following months.... How bad is your T? I can hear it out-doors, and sometimes even in a busy bar!

 

[coffee_girl]

Well, 9 months later after making this post, my T is more or less the same. The other day I did the THI test and I've got moderate tinnitus. Just a few points less and I was close to mild, but that depends on the day. Yes, I'm getting more habituated, it certainly bothers me a lot less than in the beginning. On a bad day I can hear it 24/7 even when I'm busy.
Good days, during the day it's very managable except in the evenings. Let's see how this goes the following months.... How bad is your T? I can hear it out-doors, and sometimes even in a busy bar!

You are still going to bars =[....are you at least using protection?

 

[Alex Matyjasek]

You are still going to bars =[....are you at least using protection?

Over the last month's I've realized I don't get spikes in places that are less than 80db. I don't remember the last time I went to a night club, and even before getting tinnitus. So I don't even know if I would get a spike in louder places or not. That doesn't mean I'm exempt from spikes. I don't know but there are certain noises and not all the time that gives me them.

Yes, I got earplugs and I use them when I get uncomfortable. For instance I was serving 120 kids today. Put my ear-plugs on and no problem. On the other hand in a bar, I feel confortable. Nearly the hole time I'm distracted, having a good time and I don't notice a thing. (I do hear my T in quiet bars or in a terrace) I think that's part of my approach in trying to get learn to live with this.

Not everything is going that stable. Got a mild form of visual-snow not long ago. But that doesn't bother me that much. During the day I don't notice it.

How are you getting along??

 

[Alex Matyjasek]

Sorry eight years here with tinnitus. Have had good days and bad days. Going through a really tough time now. Relieved to know that suicide is an option in the future if I so choose. Not something that I'm planning but this condition is a bitch. I have done Ayurveda, acupuncture, cranial sacral therapy, hypnosis, homeopathy, Clonopin, Celexa, gabapentin, yoga, meditation and more. $150,000 poorer. It is better than in the beginning when I lost 30 pounds had hyperacusis, and was unable to sleep more than two hours at a time . I could barely leave the house and could no longer drive. But it's still a Cluster fuck. I was throwing $30,000+ a year at it , but I can no longer afford that .

Interestingly the Ayurvedic practitioner diagnosed the condition two years before I even knew I had it. Only looking back did I realize that I thought I was hearing crickets which turned out to be tinnitus .

One day at a time and there are plenty of really difficult days. Occasionally I have a decent day. Well I'm off to bed because that's one of the variables that unleashes the tinnitus .

Sorry that you're going through such a shitty time. I really hope it gets better for you. I know it can be a lot worse. I've got moderate T and it doesn't make life that easy... This thread is 9 months old now and things have changed a lot. If I would have felt the same in the beginning I wouldn't have created this thread...

I also got a mild form of visual snow not too long ago but that doesn't bother me that much.

 

[Flyingsheep]

Hang in there. I'm also 9 months in now, which is crazy to think about because it feels like yesterday when I noticed the disturbance. Mine came from (I'm guessing) nerve damage from drinking too much at high altitude. It's extremely reactive and spikes multiple times a day, and I got severely depressed. Now I could barely care less and just live my life. I still roll the windows down in my car and go to bars, loud environments, etc. I was just in NYC for 3 days and it spiked my tinnitus super loud, but I gave zero attention to it and it's back to mild again. Of course I wear protection if I'm in a loud enough environment (louder bars, concerts, etc) or if I feel uncomfortable and feel like I should put them in. I've got those plugs hooked to my keys so I never go without them.

You're still early into it that it may resolve. My mom had tinnitus for two years and it simply resolved. She goes to super loud concerts still without protection and it hasn't come back, which I don't suggest you do but it is baffling.

 

[Fleegle]

I find the Sleepo app works well. On GPlay and free. A lot of options and not just random hissing over badly looped music. Try it and see. It helps me sleep when I can't.

 

[Alex Matyjasek]

Hang in there. I'm also 9 months in now, which is crazy to think about because it feels like yesterday when I noticed the disturbance. Mine came from (I'm guessing) nerve damage from drinking too much at high altitude. It's extremely reactive and spikes multiple times a day, and I got severely depressed. Now I could barely care less and just live my life. I still roll the windows down in my car and go to bars, loud environments, etc. I was just in NYC for 3 days and it spiked my tinnitus super loud, but I gave zero attention to it and it's back to mild again. Of course I wear protection if I'm in a loud enough environment (louder bars, concerts, etc) or if I feel uncomfortable and feel like I should put them in. I've got those plugs hooked to my keys so I never go without them.

You're still early into it that it may resolve. My mom had tinnitus for two years and it simply resolved. She goes to super loud concerts still without protection and it hasn't come back, which I don't suggest you do but it is baffling.

My mind-set is basically accepting that this will never go away. I've been thinking the same way since month 2. Yes, there are moments I like to fantasize that it might disappear one day, but I am aware that the only thing I'm doing is making my life harder.

I think everyone figgers out eventually what you can and can't do. Even by accident...

Nice to know that you're not doing that badly at all. My main approach was just getting out of the house and do things (friends,walk, drive etc). I guess you did the same? Not easy though and I also got days that I think this is pure caos.