Don't Give Up

[Fungus]

I haven't posted on the forum for a very long time. About a month ago I received a questionnaire from TT asking as to why I no longer visited the site. It occurred to me that it would probably be beneficial for my reasons to be known generally as most folk who leave forums, well it's never known what has happened to them.

So nearly 4 years down the line......tinnitus is no problem at all. To be clear....it's just as loud as ever it was. In the evening (when it's loudest) I need to increase the TV volume or use text so that I can follow programmes. I still have T-tubes for chronic Eustachian tube dysfunction. I still have hearing aids with white noise masking facility, but haven't worn them for 18 months. Tinnitus no longer affects my life.....period.

I am posting this to say that it is wholly possible to take your life back from Tinnitus.

Like many folk I suffered really badly at the start.....couldn't sleep, severely depressed, thought I'd never want to live again unless I could get rid of tinnitus. Well I didn't get rid of tinnitus, but now I really don't care whether it stays (which almost certainly it will after 4 years) or goes.

So to all of you who are going through Hell because of it right now....... things are likely to improve, but it may take some time to get there. For most of us the brain will eventually say "No threat.....can ignore" . Tinnitus then becomes no more relevant than the feel of your clothes on your back or your tongue in your mouth.

So, though it may not be visible right now, there is likely to be a light at the end of the tunnel.

Fungus.

 

[glynis]

Hi @Fungus,
Great to hear you are doing so well and letting everyone know life with tinnitus can get better.
love glynis

 

[threefirefour]

>"Don't give up!"
>literally gave up

 

[MeBeSurfer]

I haven't posted on the forum for a very long time. About a month ago I received a questionnaire from TT asking as to why I no longer visited the site. It occurred to me that it would probably be beneficial for my reasons to be known generally as most folk who leave forums, well it's never known what has happened to them.

So nearly 4 years down the line......tinnitus is no problem at all. To be clear....it's just as loud as ever it was. In the evening (when it's loudest) I need to increase the TV volume or use text so that I can follow programmes. I still have T-tubes for chronic Eustachian tube dysfunction. I still have hearing aids with white noise masking facility, but haven't worn them for 18 months. Tinnitus no longer affects my life.....period.

I am posting this to say that it is wholly possible to take your life back from Tinnitus.

Like many folk I suffered really badly at the start.....couldn't sleep, severely depressed, thought I'd never want to live again unless I could get rid of tinnitus. Well I didn't get rid of tinnitus, but now I really don't care whether it stays (which almost certainly it will after 4 years) or goes.

So to all of you who are going through Hell because of it right now....... things are likely to improve, but it may take some time to get there. For most of us the brain will eventually say "No threat.....can ignore" . Tinnitus then becomes no more relevant than the feel of your clothes on your back or your tongue in your mouth.

So, though it may not be visible right now, there is likely to be a light at the end of the tunnel.

Fungus.

Thank you so much for coming back!! Really glad to hear this and you have provided hope to a lot of people on this forum. Much appreciated.

 

[MeBeSurfer]

>"Don't give up!"
>literally gave up

If it doesn't bother him, why is that considered "giving up?" You only need to "give up" if you are in battle with T, which he is not.

 

[threefirefour]

If it doesn't bother him, why is that considered "giving up?" You only need to "give up" if you are in battle with T, which he is not.

You live in California? Looks like you do from what I see in your profile picture. I'm just asking hecause I wanted to know if you could hear my eyeroll from where you are.

 

[MeBeSurfer]

You live in California? Looks like you do from what I see in your profile picture. I'm just asking hecause I wanted to know if you could hear my eyeroll from where you are.

Because eyerolls make sounds. Good one, bud.

 

[threefirefour]

Because eyerolls make sounds. Good one, bud.

They do but very quietly. Except my very big one of course.

 

[Contrast]

@threefirefour please don't be rude to people who learn to ignore there tinnitus, just point out what is actually going on.

The main problem we are concerned about is that scientist and investors will not have as much incentive to research tinnitus and hearing loss if so many people put habituation and acceptance before actually wanting medical treatment.

There really are up coming trials for tinnitus/hearing loss that may help millions and I really value the scientist that are trying to fix the problem. Until treatment comes it's best you do what works for you, but I just hope to God that the medical community doesn't look at our problems as if this is no big deal due to how habituation is praised and how hearing aids can half ass treat hearing loss.

I have habituated to tinnitus, (excluding the reactive aspects of it) but the hearing distortion in my right ear completely ruined my life, thinking about it every day makes me suicidal. The only thing that keeps me going is research and friends that care about me.

 

[Fungus]

Maybe I should have called this thread 'Don't give up Hope'.

When I first developed my tinnitus (4 years ago in October)....along with deafness, hyperacusis and then essentially Eustachian tube failure I didn't get much encouragement from anyone...."Get used to it" "It won't kill you" "Very common, no cure""Did you know there was a lady who was granted euthanasia for tinnitus?" etc. etc. I felt my life was over. I tried everything, vast arrays of supplements, no caffeine, no alcohol, many alternatives treatments, hypnotherapy, talking therapy....I'd have eaten slug slime if it was said to be helpful. I participated in a couple of trials. Oh, and I accepted conventional treatments as well, T-tubes after grommets for blocked tubes, anti-depressants for the first depressive episode of my life etc etc. Not an iota of difference.

But the mind is malleable.....it can mend itself. I'm not too keen on the term 'habituation' (although it is the accepted scientific term) as to me is suggests some kind of 'habit' and most habits aren't a good thing.

Sometimes it seems that folk get quite bitter when others say they don't have a problem any more.

I would be the first to promote research....even to the extent of participating in two trials myself. However, with a symptom which has as many causes as there are days in a decade coupled with many examples of spontaneous regression, it is most unlikely that there will be a universal treatment to unequivocally work for everyone.

So, this thread is just to say......tinnitus is likely to get 'better', but for all aspects to improve it may take a long time (for me going on 3 years). I am grateful beyond expression that tinnitus no longer dogs my every step. I can drink beverages with caffeine and alcohol, eat what I like, take no supplements, go to concerts, basically live life much as I did before. I'm not smug.....I'm eternally grateful. Don't get me wrong.....I'm not totally stupid.......I wear musician's ear plugs when I go to venues where the sound levels are likely to be high, have to wear water-excluding ear plugs when I wash my hair and cannot go swimming (T-tubes). I have significant hearing loss and my left ear suffers with recurrent bouts of 'swelling' after infection (some anatomical abnormalities there including concha bullosa).

Just trying to give a bit of encouragement to those who feel 'all is lost'.......maybe it can be found again (or some of it, anyway).

Fungus.

 

[Ed209]

If it doesn't bother him, why is that considered "giving up?" You only need to "give up" if you are in battle with T, which he is not.

Fungus seems to be doing great with his life, so I agree, there is no issue for him anymore. You can't 'give up' if something has no affect on you. It's absurd. And why people feel the need to shoot down others' successes I'll never know; it's an unfortunate trait of some people's personalities. He comes back to make a post because of a TT email and this is what he gets. No wonder people stay away from here when they're habituated.

Some talk on this thread like they are involved in some sort of cutting edge research or are helping in other ways. The fact is this: some haven't even started to help themselves, let alone the cause, so in that respect you can't give up on something if you haven't initiated anything in the first place! That's just a non-starter and even worse than giving up in my opinion.

Shame on anyone who feels the need to piss over other people's success stories.

PS, in this instance, some people, refers to threefirefour

 

[brownbear]

@Fungus. Thanks very much for your post. I'm coming up on 2 years and not doing nearly as well as I would have hoped by now, so it's great to read about people continuing to improve longer term. Feel like I am on a long plateau.

 

[Nice]

I haven't posted on the forum for a very long time. About a month ago I received a questionnaire from TT asking as to why I no longer visited the site. It occurred to me that it would probably be beneficial for my reasons to be known generally as most folk who leave forums, well it's never known what has happened to them.

So nearly 4 years down the line......tinnitus is no problem at all. To be clear....it's just as loud as ever it was. In the evening (when it's loudest) I need to increase the TV volume or use text so that I can follow programmes. I still have T-tubes for chronic Eustachian tube dysfunction. I still have hearing aids with white noise masking facility, but haven't worn them for 18 months. Tinnitus no longer affects my life.....period.

I am posting this to say that it is wholly possible to take your life back from Tinnitus.

Like many folk I suffered really badly at the start.....couldn't sleep, severely depressed, thought I'd never want to live again unless I could get rid of tinnitus. Well I didn't get rid of tinnitus, but now I really don't care whether it stays (which almost certainly it will after 4 years) or goes.

So to all of you who are going through Hell because of it right now....... things are likely to improve, but it may take some time to get there. For most of us the brain will eventually say "No threat.....can ignore" . Tinnitus then becomes no more relevant than the feel of your clothes on your back or your tongue in your mouth.

So, though it may not be visible right now, there is likely to be a light at the end of the tunnel.

Fungus.

Maybe I should have called this thread 'Don't give up Hope'.

When I first developed my tinnitus (4 years ago in October)....along with deafness, hyperacusis and then essentially Eustachian tube failure I didn't get much encouragement from anyone...."Get used to it" "It won't kill you" "Very common, no cure""Did you know there was a lady who was granted euthanasia for tinnitus?" etc. etc. I felt my life was over. I tried everything, vast arrays of supplements, no caffeine, no alcohol, many alternatives treatments, hypnotherapy, talking therapy....I'd have eaten slug slime if it was said to be helpful. I participated in a couple of trials. Oh, and I accepted conventional treatments as well, T-tubes after grommets for blocked tubes, anti-depressants for the first depressive episode of my life etc etc. Not an iota of difference.

But the mind is malleable.....it can mend itself. I'm not too keen on the term 'habituation' (although it is the accepted scientific term) as to me is suggests some kind of 'habit' and most habits aren't a good thing.

Sometimes it seems that folk get quite bitter when others say they don't have a problem any more.

I would be the first to promote research....even to the extent of participating in two trials myself. However, with a symptom which has as many causes as there are days in a decade coupled with many examples of spontaneous regression, it is most unlikely that there will be a universal treatment to unequivocally work for everyone.

So, this thread is just to say......tinnitus is likely to get 'better', but for all aspects to improve it may take a long time (for me going on 3 years). I am grateful beyond expression that tinnitus no longer dogs my every step. I can drink beverages with caffeine and alcohol, eat what I like, take no supplements, go to concerts, basically live life much as I did before. I'm not smug.....I'm eternally grateful. Don't get me wrong.....I'm not totally stupid.......I wear musician's ear plugs when I go to venues where the sound levels are likely to be high, have to wear water-excluding ear plugs when I wash my hair and cannot go swimming (T-tubes). I have significant hearing loss and my left ear suffers with recurrent bouts of 'swelling' after infection (some anatomical abnormalities there including concha bullosa).

Just trying to give a bit of encouragement to those who feel 'all is lost'.......maybe it can be found again (or some of it, anyway).

Fungus.

Thanks for the encouragement. I need it in gallons.