- Jun 2, 2018
- 22
- Tinnitus Since
- May 18, 2018
- Cause of Tinnitus
- Middle Ear Infection
I wanted to write this in success stories because you have to see the mini-success stories as well!
Here is where I am at, after succumbing to after contracting a virus from my youngest boy, which then filled my sinus/ear passages with fluid, leaving me with a left middle ear infection, causing TT going now at 2 weeks. I will not call it T, because I do not believe it to be permanent in most cases after all the stories I've read and all the research done in the last two weeks. You're thoughts and attitude on TT matter. If you call it T, you have taken one small step to possibly considering it permanent. I will not go there with you in my case, and with many other cases. For those who have T, I can now empathize and understand how someone may gradually get T or even start out with T, and if that ever happens, I have read what you've done, and would follow your surviving foot steps. But I don't have T. I have TT. Beating TT, like with most injuries, is a mental game that you will win.
1ST: AWARENESS. Great job, you know what is going on. You're here. Mini-Success. Check.
If you've reached this first stage you have looked at an image of the ear probably for your first time and understand now how the ear works. You now appreciate the ear more than ever before. You can now empathize with others if you come across them in the future. After recovering, you will take care of ears and appreciate them more, along with the rest of your body. You are now aware that 1 in 5 people get TT. Thats a lot of people. It is a common injury usually stemming from some random infection that you may have even had before with no problem, or a loud noise-induced situation which may have been a one time or on-going deal that you were not aware of. In either case, don't sit and dwell on what happened. You didn't have the knowledge then. Beating yourself for not knowing something is actually hurting you're ability to heal. You need all the positive energy you can muster. You have the knowledge now. And if you are a repeat TT, you're kicking yourself again, but still optimistic that it went away the first time, and will do the same again. If you've made it here, you may already be on anxiety medication to cope or have literally broke down crying wondering wtf is going on. If so, this may have been your first anxiety-related injury. Congratulations on being human capable of injury and even death. If you are breaking down now, call your primary doctor or ENT immidiatley, to atleast get anxiety-related prescription to help sleep. I am on clonozopram. This is something I took when I had tension head-aches years ago,so my doctor okayed it. It works for me and I don't get addicted to it. It's only 0.5 mg and I only take it before bed to help the stress and anxiety while I wait for the ear to mend itself. You're doctor may prescribe you something else, and if it worsens your situation, you need to go back and get on something that will actually help. You need to cope first so you can help yourself. Some of us worry more than others, so you may not need the medication to cope with the anxiety, not to say those that do are weaker somehow. Be smart, not brave. Now call a friend or family member who will help you make this call you don't want to make. More on the TT success...
2nd: ACTION. What have you done? What will you do next? (Both noise and infection induced)
I met a primary physician and told him I'm pretty sure this cold has given me an ear infection. He said, yes, the left ear looks red. This was about 3 days into the cold/virus. I don't mess around at 36 now with 3 boys. I get straight to it. I knew this ear infection was different from the start however. I've had outer ear infections, and this was likely my first middle ear infection. This time, my head had never felt so full, my ear was ringing EVEN BEFORE I was given amoxicillin, for those upset that it may have been their anti-biotics giving them TT. I'm very in tune with my body, and the ringing was pissing me off more than the sickness. My boys get me sick more than I have liked. My hearing felt muffled, I could'nt blow my nose well. Now, the doctor told me that the amoxicillin may not do anything because it may be a virus and not bacteria related. He was right. He said, if its a virus, it needs to work its way out and it did. He also prescribed me 800mg of IB profein tablets to reduce inflammation, of which everyone should know, is a major root cause to being and staying ill. I think this helped me heal, along with hot showers, and the netty pot (look it up). This is the best sinus cleansing utensil out there. It took about a week for the virus to run its course, leaving me with just the ringing. So I went through all the antibiotics. No change. Still ringing, but just in the left ear now. It seemed like both at the start. So, I went back in to the physician quickly and asked what else could be done. He said my ear still seemed a little red and gave me prednisone. This was a 5 day taken oral steroid to help reduce inflammation further. It worked about two days in. No more inflammation, infection seemed gone, could blow air through my ear and nose passages, but still ringing in left ear. I was like, wtf. I'm all healed, why is my ear still ringing? This is when I hopped on-line and read about T and TT, about a week and a half into this ordeal.
I quickly set an appointment with an ENT (Ear, nose, throat doctor). These guys had already worked successful sinus surgery on me about a year ago to clear out my nasal passage better. It was a common surgery to help stop sinus infections. Now, they first scheduled me two weeks out, but I called back the next day to see about any cancellations, and sure enough, there was one. You have to want to heal! The first thing they did was give me a hearing/auditory test. This is what you need to do, if you have not had one yet. It will determine whether or not the damage done to your ear has created or is temporarily creating hearing loss. OR, maybe you had hearing loss all this time and didn't know it. See, if its hearing loss, that is something that can create long term T. But if you're hearing was 100% or close to, like mine, then you know it didn't damage your hearing. SUCCESS! Hearing not damaged! So my anxiety dropped a little bit, knowing that my ear drums were still working well, but something else took a hit within the ear, that was probably still healing. People talk about the brain and wiring, but my ENT said the ear is still healing somehow, so I'm going with that. Now, if my hearing chart was not great, I would have made a further appointment to re-check that in case my drums or canals were still on the mend. Be persistent in your healing. Remember, with an infection, you're middle ear and all the hearing components were flooded. Think of a basement getting flooded. Its a mess once the water recedes. It takes you, or a catastrophe crew, to rectify the situation. Our ears are no different, expect they are self-sufficient in cleaning up. But, we can expedite the healing, more to follow. For noise-induced TT folks, a tornado struck the house and it needs time to re-build. I think whether your noise-induced or had an infection, we are on the same boat here.
The doctor went over my chart, and TT. He said that sees one to two people a week for TT. He called it temporary tinnitus, although he mention all the fun facts; One, the healing process is shorter or longer for everyone. Two, they don't know what actually causes it. He told me that I was likely correct, in that, the infection had hurt the inner ear and it was still healing AND that ears take a while to heal. What doesn't though?? He said, its ONLY BEEN THREE WEEKS, come back in another three weeks if its still ringing and we will do an MRI just to make sure its not something else. I reminded him that it has only been two weeks and he said, great job getting here so fast. So don't feel bad, if it took you two to four weeks finally see an ENT. That seems like the norm. So, this doctor, with all his experience, assumed ATLEAST 6 weeks for it to heal or for the TT to stop. ATLEAST 6 weeks. So if you've healed in 6 weeks or less, congratulations on being a freaky heal or having had less damage done. I asked him if people come back with success stories. He said all the time. They come back to tell him the ringing has stopped, but are paranoid and want another check up. OR, they don't come back, assuming it worked itself out. He said, look, it's said to be about a 90% chance of it healing given time, and TT pretty much heals on its own. He mentioned ways to ignore the sound which I will get to. He even said, "you're going to be okay." I thought, you shouldn't say that, BUT I was happy he did. How does positive re-enforcement hurt? Even if it doesn't heal, the doctor sent me some positive energy that I was desperate for. Doctors, take note. I did ask more questions, like draining tubes and taking Aspirin. He said stay away from blood thinners as you need the blood to go to the area of healing. He said, draining tubes can do more damage, and they have to actually slit the ear drum for this. Plus, I had no fluid in my ear. How did he know this? He did some kind of a blow test on both of my ears. He also had a deeper probing ear tool. This was all after the hearing test, the same day.
SO SUCCESS! Hearing is good, and I now have a time-line! Why do success stories have to be about what happens in the end! I have two success stories so far! One, I'm aware of what is going on. Two, I have a potential time-line for my next course of action. You need to go get your mini-success stories which will add up to total success!
3rd WEATHERING THE STORM. FURTHER ACTION.
I now prepare to weather the wait. I don't know how long it will be, but here is what else I have done to help me through this annoying and almost debilitating state at times.
1. FANS. I have white noise in my bedroom and in the house. Find noises in each room to buffer the TT. Get a set of ear plugs in case you are placed in a loud environment. I have a pair in my pocket each day now. What pisses me off, is when I have my window down to hear the air, and someone revs their engine loud. So be careful, and be ready to take your hand to cover your ear. The ears are healing and sensitive right now.
2. STAY BUSY. Get outside and hear the birds as you do yardwork, neighbors, dogs, drivers going bay overtaking the TT. Take drives and role the window down a little or keep the air blasting in the car. Find projects to do, like writing a really long positive success message on TT. Tell everyone your mini-successes! , even if its been 16 months. What has helped you survive and weather the storm or even beat the storm. Technology is amazing today, even though we are not God smart enough to figure TT or T. There are many things that can help reduce and fix. Get on-line! Do you want to still heal!
3. OVER THE COUNTER. I take Flavonoid plus as of three days ago. It may be crap, but its a vitamin and mineral supplement that naturally helps blood flow to the healing area, or the ear. It contains Vitamin C, Vitamin B1, Vitamin B2, Niacin, Vitamin B-6, Vitamin B-12, Pantothenic acid, Calcium, Lemon Bioflavnoid complex (who knows). Look it up on-line or go to your nearest Wal-greens, as it is over the counter. I don't know that this is actually helping me heal, but I also take a daily multi-vitamin. Whatever can expedite the healing or potentially give my body what it may be lacking. In my opinion, do not take the Flavonoid night-time. It contains only the extra additive of 5mg of Melotonin to assist in sleep. I added 5mg of Melotonin from the vitamin isle to my sleep and it didn't really change much. In fact, it made me feel more tired depressed. I read on this, and the side effects are just that. I also read that doctors do not recommend additional Melotonin.
I'll likely be picking up some Ginkgo Biloba today, after doing a little more research.
I may also pick up L. Plantarum which is an anti-inflamation pro-biotic. I sometimes take IB Profein at night 200 mg. This is sometimes due to tension headaches from the day, but you don't want to pound IB profein.
I've read that added Zinc 20-30 mg's helps some people with long-term T, but since mine was caused by one-time episode, I'm staying away from that right now. Zinc also happens to be in my multi-vitamin 15mg.
I'm really open to more suggestions here, for those who have researched or experimented, whether it be prescribed or over-the-counter. I'll also be visiting the treatment link I saw on tinnitus talk, here.
SO MORE SUCCESS! I am expediting my healing.
4. BE GRATEFUL. UNDERSTAND WHAT PEOPLE ARE CAPABLE OF LIVING THROUGH.
TRUE STORIES:
A. A woman goes on a vacation for the first time in a long time. She gets her leg ripped off by a shark. Life changes. She learned to deal not just with the psychical injury, but with the mental anguish of the odds of this happening, sort of like how we feel with TT, BUT on a much larger scale I feel. There is hope for our healing. Her leg will not re-grow, but she did find a damn good prosthetic and is living life fully.
B. A man, whom I know personally, is involved in a military helicopter crash because a $25 part of the helicopter failed. He is now paralyzed from the waist down, but not only does he deal with it daily, he has been an inspiration to me and those around him. He has an anniversary of the crash to embrace and accept. He owns it, and not to take away from his daily output of pushing through.
C. Another person I knew, a maintenance man, decides to rides his motorcycle crazy on the highway. He had plans for schooling. Smart guy actually. Paralyzed from the neck down. I never heard what became of him.
D. A person is born without the ability to hear or see or smell. Or without limbs. Or with cancer. Or has contracted cancer, which is life-threating. All these people would trade you for your TT.
Need I go on? Be grateful, and continue your search to heal. Remember what people are capable of. Beat it in this life, and the next life may have much more fruit to offer. Who knows these things.
WHY AM I SO OPTIMISTIC WITH THIS RINGING IN MY EAR?
*6 years of age. Mom ripped from me at a young age. She lives in another continent. My Dad in the U.S. Long story, but I had to come to the slow realization that my birth mother would not be in my life on a continual basis. But, we still talk to this day and have a good relationship! We visit each other soon, like we've always done. Every-time I see her is a blessing, because some kids don't even have birth parents. They are orphans or have been fostered. How do you perceive things?
*3rd Grade: Broken arm. Cast for 6 weeks. Once cut off, my arm looked half the size of my right. It healed. I have two great arms. I actually loved the attention I got from this. All my class signed my cast.
*4th&5th Grade: Multiple ear infections. All healed. I may have even had ringing, but I was a kid. We don't care about these 'minor things' as long as we can get outside and play.
*Highschool Senior: Stress fracture in my lower lumber due to additional weights plus active soccer. I played the entire varsity soccer with a stress fracture not telling anyone, finally telling my step-mom after the season. She brought me to the doctor right away. I was put in a back brace for a year, which I had to wear all the time expect for when showering. I was 18. Too young to be in a back brace. I was medically disqualified from the Army Reserve and lost my soccer scholarship opportunities. The doctor said I may not be able to do much the rest of my life. I had to stay close to home and because of my back could only work at the top of a slide at 18 years of age. A year later, my back got stronger, I built up my back swimming and proved myself as a Lifeguard. I then became Head-Lifeguard. I then became the Aquatic Supervisor for the City. I then became a Pool Inspector for the County. I then became a GM for a private pool service company. I was fired in 2008, and then built my own pool service company from scratch with a good strong back. I sold my business. I built another business and sold that, with a strong mind and a strong back. I also played recreational soccer on the side. Screw that doctor, although I thank him for finding my fracture.
*2015: Cross-fit injury. No more cross-fit for me thanks. Took a year and half to heal. Also the back, but muscular this time. Hip flexor. Started Yoga. Love Yoga. Kicking ass at Yoga. Body is healing physical therapy and much faster. When I do Hot Yoga in class, I do not hear my TT, because I am focused on keeping up with the class. I'm feeling better and losing more weight doing yoga, then when I did cross-fit.
*In my twenties I had severe back acne. Wouldn't take my shirt off at a pool for a couple years. Took two years to fix and some rough medication. Back all clear.
*Before I got married, I broke down completely, fear of commitment. Ended up in the hospital at 120 lbs. Was saved by steroids, and finally made a decision to marry. Both my parents married and divorced twice with all kinds of half and step sibling situations going on. I had baggage here, but broke those bonds with a a final decision to commit. I'm still married for 13 years. Went through counseling, anger management, and my 3 boys love their life because of my decision to beat the odds.
*After my second son and during the build of my first business I gained 50 lbs. and started developing really bad headaches. I went through two weeks of non-stop headache and wondered if I'd ever be the same or if I had a tumor or something. I finally found a doctor who prescribed my anti-anxiety medication, which allowed the "tension headaches" to go away. Tension headaches, I couldn't believe it. I started working out and lost those 50lbs. This was before I got into cross-fit. I simply ran and went to the gym but I made my motivation at 32 years of age to attend the Men's Open Tryout for Sporting KC soccer team. I lost the 30 lbs. and made the tryouts. I was the oldest there and played viciously against the younger men. My headaches, non-existent. Company off the ground. Didn't need the medication anymore, but was so grateful for it. I made a decision to GET BETTER and beat my ailment.
Those are just some highlights and I do not compare to many more people in this world who would have my life as a dream. I finished college while married, have three healthy boys, two new puppies, and a new home to move into. After the second sale of my business I'm training to become a Business Broker. My wife is also initiating a clothing line, of which she has my full support.
On the other end of the paradox are kids and parents that are running from people with guns bombs in other countries. Kids and women have been kidnapped and traded as sex objects. They want to die right now. This list goes on and on...where is God? None of know why we are or what this is all about. None of us. I believe in having been helped. By who, I don't know. By what, I don't know. But the people in front of us are very real and they do help us either through and by their own means or by inspiration they received from something or somewhere else.
Thank you Tinnitus talk, for allowing this platform to help us learn and relieve TT and T. I will post back here in four weeks time to let people know where I'm at. I hope you will also share your mini-successes with TT and T and update us on your time-line of HEALING.
Be Grateful. Stay Busy. Help other people and help will find you.
Here is where I am at, after succumbing to after contracting a virus from my youngest boy, which then filled my sinus/ear passages with fluid, leaving me with a left middle ear infection, causing TT going now at 2 weeks. I will not call it T, because I do not believe it to be permanent in most cases after all the stories I've read and all the research done in the last two weeks. You're thoughts and attitude on TT matter. If you call it T, you have taken one small step to possibly considering it permanent. I will not go there with you in my case, and with many other cases. For those who have T, I can now empathize and understand how someone may gradually get T or even start out with T, and if that ever happens, I have read what you've done, and would follow your surviving foot steps. But I don't have T. I have TT. Beating TT, like with most injuries, is a mental game that you will win.
1ST: AWARENESS. Great job, you know what is going on. You're here. Mini-Success. Check.
If you've reached this first stage you have looked at an image of the ear probably for your first time and understand now how the ear works. You now appreciate the ear more than ever before. You can now empathize with others if you come across them in the future. After recovering, you will take care of ears and appreciate them more, along with the rest of your body. You are now aware that 1 in 5 people get TT. Thats a lot of people. It is a common injury usually stemming from some random infection that you may have even had before with no problem, or a loud noise-induced situation which may have been a one time or on-going deal that you were not aware of. In either case, don't sit and dwell on what happened. You didn't have the knowledge then. Beating yourself for not knowing something is actually hurting you're ability to heal. You need all the positive energy you can muster. You have the knowledge now. And if you are a repeat TT, you're kicking yourself again, but still optimistic that it went away the first time, and will do the same again. If you've made it here, you may already be on anxiety medication to cope or have literally broke down crying wondering wtf is going on. If so, this may have been your first anxiety-related injury. Congratulations on being human capable of injury and even death. If you are breaking down now, call your primary doctor or ENT immidiatley, to atleast get anxiety-related prescription to help sleep. I am on clonozopram. This is something I took when I had tension head-aches years ago,so my doctor okayed it. It works for me and I don't get addicted to it. It's only 0.5 mg and I only take it before bed to help the stress and anxiety while I wait for the ear to mend itself. You're doctor may prescribe you something else, and if it worsens your situation, you need to go back and get on something that will actually help. You need to cope first so you can help yourself. Some of us worry more than others, so you may not need the medication to cope with the anxiety, not to say those that do are weaker somehow. Be smart, not brave. Now call a friend or family member who will help you make this call you don't want to make. More on the TT success...
2nd: ACTION. What have you done? What will you do next? (Both noise and infection induced)
I met a primary physician and told him I'm pretty sure this cold has given me an ear infection. He said, yes, the left ear looks red. This was about 3 days into the cold/virus. I don't mess around at 36 now with 3 boys. I get straight to it. I knew this ear infection was different from the start however. I've had outer ear infections, and this was likely my first middle ear infection. This time, my head had never felt so full, my ear was ringing EVEN BEFORE I was given amoxicillin, for those upset that it may have been their anti-biotics giving them TT. I'm very in tune with my body, and the ringing was pissing me off more than the sickness. My boys get me sick more than I have liked. My hearing felt muffled, I could'nt blow my nose well. Now, the doctor told me that the amoxicillin may not do anything because it may be a virus and not bacteria related. He was right. He said, if its a virus, it needs to work its way out and it did. He also prescribed me 800mg of IB profein tablets to reduce inflammation, of which everyone should know, is a major root cause to being and staying ill. I think this helped me heal, along with hot showers, and the netty pot (look it up). This is the best sinus cleansing utensil out there. It took about a week for the virus to run its course, leaving me with just the ringing. So I went through all the antibiotics. No change. Still ringing, but just in the left ear now. It seemed like both at the start. So, I went back in to the physician quickly and asked what else could be done. He said my ear still seemed a little red and gave me prednisone. This was a 5 day taken oral steroid to help reduce inflammation further. It worked about two days in. No more inflammation, infection seemed gone, could blow air through my ear and nose passages, but still ringing in left ear. I was like, wtf. I'm all healed, why is my ear still ringing? This is when I hopped on-line and read about T and TT, about a week and a half into this ordeal.
I quickly set an appointment with an ENT (Ear, nose, throat doctor). These guys had already worked successful sinus surgery on me about a year ago to clear out my nasal passage better. It was a common surgery to help stop sinus infections. Now, they first scheduled me two weeks out, but I called back the next day to see about any cancellations, and sure enough, there was one. You have to want to heal! The first thing they did was give me a hearing/auditory test. This is what you need to do, if you have not had one yet. It will determine whether or not the damage done to your ear has created or is temporarily creating hearing loss. OR, maybe you had hearing loss all this time and didn't know it. See, if its hearing loss, that is something that can create long term T. But if you're hearing was 100% or close to, like mine, then you know it didn't damage your hearing. SUCCESS! Hearing not damaged! So my anxiety dropped a little bit, knowing that my ear drums were still working well, but something else took a hit within the ear, that was probably still healing. People talk about the brain and wiring, but my ENT said the ear is still healing somehow, so I'm going with that. Now, if my hearing chart was not great, I would have made a further appointment to re-check that in case my drums or canals were still on the mend. Be persistent in your healing. Remember, with an infection, you're middle ear and all the hearing components were flooded. Think of a basement getting flooded. Its a mess once the water recedes. It takes you, or a catastrophe crew, to rectify the situation. Our ears are no different, expect they are self-sufficient in cleaning up. But, we can expedite the healing, more to follow. For noise-induced TT folks, a tornado struck the house and it needs time to re-build. I think whether your noise-induced or had an infection, we are on the same boat here.
The doctor went over my chart, and TT. He said that sees one to two people a week for TT. He called it temporary tinnitus, although he mention all the fun facts; One, the healing process is shorter or longer for everyone. Two, they don't know what actually causes it. He told me that I was likely correct, in that, the infection had hurt the inner ear and it was still healing AND that ears take a while to heal. What doesn't though?? He said, its ONLY BEEN THREE WEEKS, come back in another three weeks if its still ringing and we will do an MRI just to make sure its not something else. I reminded him that it has only been two weeks and he said, great job getting here so fast. So don't feel bad, if it took you two to four weeks finally see an ENT. That seems like the norm. So, this doctor, with all his experience, assumed ATLEAST 6 weeks for it to heal or for the TT to stop. ATLEAST 6 weeks. So if you've healed in 6 weeks or less, congratulations on being a freaky heal or having had less damage done. I asked him if people come back with success stories. He said all the time. They come back to tell him the ringing has stopped, but are paranoid and want another check up. OR, they don't come back, assuming it worked itself out. He said, look, it's said to be about a 90% chance of it healing given time, and TT pretty much heals on its own. He mentioned ways to ignore the sound which I will get to. He even said, "you're going to be okay." I thought, you shouldn't say that, BUT I was happy he did. How does positive re-enforcement hurt? Even if it doesn't heal, the doctor sent me some positive energy that I was desperate for. Doctors, take note. I did ask more questions, like draining tubes and taking Aspirin. He said stay away from blood thinners as you need the blood to go to the area of healing. He said, draining tubes can do more damage, and they have to actually slit the ear drum for this. Plus, I had no fluid in my ear. How did he know this? He did some kind of a blow test on both of my ears. He also had a deeper probing ear tool. This was all after the hearing test, the same day.
SO SUCCESS! Hearing is good, and I now have a time-line! Why do success stories have to be about what happens in the end! I have two success stories so far! One, I'm aware of what is going on. Two, I have a potential time-line for my next course of action. You need to go get your mini-success stories which will add up to total success!
3rd WEATHERING THE STORM. FURTHER ACTION.
I now prepare to weather the wait. I don't know how long it will be, but here is what else I have done to help me through this annoying and almost debilitating state at times.
1. FANS. I have white noise in my bedroom and in the house. Find noises in each room to buffer the TT. Get a set of ear plugs in case you are placed in a loud environment. I have a pair in my pocket each day now. What pisses me off, is when I have my window down to hear the air, and someone revs their engine loud. So be careful, and be ready to take your hand to cover your ear. The ears are healing and sensitive right now.
2. STAY BUSY. Get outside and hear the birds as you do yardwork, neighbors, dogs, drivers going bay overtaking the TT. Take drives and role the window down a little or keep the air blasting in the car. Find projects to do, like writing a really long positive success message on TT. Tell everyone your mini-successes! , even if its been 16 months. What has helped you survive and weather the storm or even beat the storm. Technology is amazing today, even though we are not God smart enough to figure TT or T. There are many things that can help reduce and fix. Get on-line! Do you want to still heal!
3. OVER THE COUNTER. I take Flavonoid plus as of three days ago. It may be crap, but its a vitamin and mineral supplement that naturally helps blood flow to the healing area, or the ear. It contains Vitamin C, Vitamin B1, Vitamin B2, Niacin, Vitamin B-6, Vitamin B-12, Pantothenic acid, Calcium, Lemon Bioflavnoid complex (who knows). Look it up on-line or go to your nearest Wal-greens, as it is over the counter. I don't know that this is actually helping me heal, but I also take a daily multi-vitamin. Whatever can expedite the healing or potentially give my body what it may be lacking. In my opinion, do not take the Flavonoid night-time. It contains only the extra additive of 5mg of Melotonin to assist in sleep. I added 5mg of Melotonin from the vitamin isle to my sleep and it didn't really change much. In fact, it made me feel more tired depressed. I read on this, and the side effects are just that. I also read that doctors do not recommend additional Melotonin.
I'll likely be picking up some Ginkgo Biloba today, after doing a little more research.
I may also pick up L. Plantarum which is an anti-inflamation pro-biotic. I sometimes take IB Profein at night 200 mg. This is sometimes due to tension headaches from the day, but you don't want to pound IB profein.
I've read that added Zinc 20-30 mg's helps some people with long-term T, but since mine was caused by one-time episode, I'm staying away from that right now. Zinc also happens to be in my multi-vitamin 15mg.
I'm really open to more suggestions here, for those who have researched or experimented, whether it be prescribed or over-the-counter. I'll also be visiting the treatment link I saw on tinnitus talk, here.
SO MORE SUCCESS! I am expediting my healing.
4. BE GRATEFUL. UNDERSTAND WHAT PEOPLE ARE CAPABLE OF LIVING THROUGH.
TRUE STORIES:
A. A woman goes on a vacation for the first time in a long time. She gets her leg ripped off by a shark. Life changes. She learned to deal not just with the psychical injury, but with the mental anguish of the odds of this happening, sort of like how we feel with TT, BUT on a much larger scale I feel. There is hope for our healing. Her leg will not re-grow, but she did find a damn good prosthetic and is living life fully.
B. A man, whom I know personally, is involved in a military helicopter crash because a $25 part of the helicopter failed. He is now paralyzed from the waist down, but not only does he deal with it daily, he has been an inspiration to me and those around him. He has an anniversary of the crash to embrace and accept. He owns it, and not to take away from his daily output of pushing through.
C. Another person I knew, a maintenance man, decides to rides his motorcycle crazy on the highway. He had plans for schooling. Smart guy actually. Paralyzed from the neck down. I never heard what became of him.
D. A person is born without the ability to hear or see or smell. Or without limbs. Or with cancer. Or has contracted cancer, which is life-threating. All these people would trade you for your TT.
Need I go on? Be grateful, and continue your search to heal. Remember what people are capable of. Beat it in this life, and the next life may have much more fruit to offer. Who knows these things.
WHY AM I SO OPTIMISTIC WITH THIS RINGING IN MY EAR?
*6 years of age. Mom ripped from me at a young age. She lives in another continent. My Dad in the U.S. Long story, but I had to come to the slow realization that my birth mother would not be in my life on a continual basis. But, we still talk to this day and have a good relationship! We visit each other soon, like we've always done. Every-time I see her is a blessing, because some kids don't even have birth parents. They are orphans or have been fostered. How do you perceive things?
*3rd Grade: Broken arm. Cast for 6 weeks. Once cut off, my arm looked half the size of my right. It healed. I have two great arms. I actually loved the attention I got from this. All my class signed my cast.
*4th&5th Grade: Multiple ear infections. All healed. I may have even had ringing, but I was a kid. We don't care about these 'minor things' as long as we can get outside and play.
*Highschool Senior: Stress fracture in my lower lumber due to additional weights plus active soccer. I played the entire varsity soccer with a stress fracture not telling anyone, finally telling my step-mom after the season. She brought me to the doctor right away. I was put in a back brace for a year, which I had to wear all the time expect for when showering. I was 18. Too young to be in a back brace. I was medically disqualified from the Army Reserve and lost my soccer scholarship opportunities. The doctor said I may not be able to do much the rest of my life. I had to stay close to home and because of my back could only work at the top of a slide at 18 years of age. A year later, my back got stronger, I built up my back swimming and proved myself as a Lifeguard. I then became Head-Lifeguard. I then became the Aquatic Supervisor for the City. I then became a Pool Inspector for the County. I then became a GM for a private pool service company. I was fired in 2008, and then built my own pool service company from scratch with a good strong back. I sold my business. I built another business and sold that, with a strong mind and a strong back. I also played recreational soccer on the side. Screw that doctor, although I thank him for finding my fracture.
*2015: Cross-fit injury. No more cross-fit for me thanks. Took a year and half to heal. Also the back, but muscular this time. Hip flexor. Started Yoga. Love Yoga. Kicking ass at Yoga. Body is healing physical therapy and much faster. When I do Hot Yoga in class, I do not hear my TT, because I am focused on keeping up with the class. I'm feeling better and losing more weight doing yoga, then when I did cross-fit.
*In my twenties I had severe back acne. Wouldn't take my shirt off at a pool for a couple years. Took two years to fix and some rough medication. Back all clear.
*Before I got married, I broke down completely, fear of commitment. Ended up in the hospital at 120 lbs. Was saved by steroids, and finally made a decision to marry. Both my parents married and divorced twice with all kinds of half and step sibling situations going on. I had baggage here, but broke those bonds with a a final decision to commit. I'm still married for 13 years. Went through counseling, anger management, and my 3 boys love their life because of my decision to beat the odds.
*After my second son and during the build of my first business I gained 50 lbs. and started developing really bad headaches. I went through two weeks of non-stop headache and wondered if I'd ever be the same or if I had a tumor or something. I finally found a doctor who prescribed my anti-anxiety medication, which allowed the "tension headaches" to go away. Tension headaches, I couldn't believe it. I started working out and lost those 50lbs. This was before I got into cross-fit. I simply ran and went to the gym but I made my motivation at 32 years of age to attend the Men's Open Tryout for Sporting KC soccer team. I lost the 30 lbs. and made the tryouts. I was the oldest there and played viciously against the younger men. My headaches, non-existent. Company off the ground. Didn't need the medication anymore, but was so grateful for it. I made a decision to GET BETTER and beat my ailment.
Those are just some highlights and I do not compare to many more people in this world who would have my life as a dream. I finished college while married, have three healthy boys, two new puppies, and a new home to move into. After the second sale of my business I'm training to become a Business Broker. My wife is also initiating a clothing line, of which she has my full support.
On the other end of the paradox are kids and parents that are running from people with guns bombs in other countries. Kids and women have been kidnapped and traded as sex objects. They want to die right now. This list goes on and on...where is God? None of know why we are or what this is all about. None of us. I believe in having been helped. By who, I don't know. By what, I don't know. But the people in front of us are very real and they do help us either through and by their own means or by inspiration they received from something or somewhere else.
Thank you Tinnitus talk, for allowing this platform to help us learn and relieve TT and T. I will post back here in four weeks time to let people know where I'm at. I hope you will also share your mini-successes with TT and T and update us on your time-line of HEALING.
Be Grateful. Stay Busy. Help other people and help will find you.