Freaking Out!

[Frank .O]

Just got T. 9 days ago. It's due to high frequency hearing loss. I'm riddled with anxiety, stress over this. It's 2 tones in right ear, the regular waaaaaaa... one, and tea kettle. Tea kettle one is driving me mad. I'm scared, I've been a carpenter for 22 yrs and never wore ear protection. I've had to quit using power tools and ultimately find something else to do for work.

The biggest problem for me is sleeping. It's a horror, when my T spikes from insomnia, anxiety it's hard to mask, even with white noise. Can't use any other sounds or it will keep my wife up. Doctors, even ENT are not very helpful. Going to try and get Hearing Aid/Masker. Probably won't be able to afford it. I don't know how I'm going to live like this without going to some kind of T Clinic, and Hearing aid/Masker.

I could live with it better if I could sleep easier.

Doctors won't prescribe any Benzo drugs for sleep, I wouldn't want to take long term either. Take Melatonin because Unisom has adverse effect on me. I'm freaking out, I dread the hr before bedtime. I went 3 days last week on 4 hrs sleep.

 

[glynis]

Frank hearing aids with maskers should help you.
Also ask your doctor about a low AD for sleep as I think the lack of sleep is fueling your anxiety and spiking your tinnitus.
Nortryptaline or Amitryptaline or Mirtazapine should help you sleep and not adictive as benzos....lots of love glynis

 

[Mont]

Been 15 months for me. Finally getting used to the screaming teapots in both my ears. Had to wear sleep phones and an ambien at first, now i just go to sleep. Still loud as hell but you get used to it.

 

[Bobby B]

May want to try predsinone since it's still early on
My ent said that it does help up to 3 weeks after trauma but who knows

 

[Frank .O]

Thanks for the replies. I tried Trazadone Glynis and it does nothing to help fall asleep. Both ENT and Primary say if I can't deal with the T then it's a Psychological issue and a psychiatrist would be in order. Psychiatrist prescribed me Paxil for anxiety, I tore the script up in the parking lot. Taking Antidepressants never worked for my anxiety in the past. It seems no one wants to help, they all pass the buck off on one another. I called the Cleveland Clinic today to see if I could start their Tinnitus Clinic. You have a written statement from your ENT saying you've had it for at least 6 months. The Audiologist can't see me till April 17th!!!! Because Tinnitus isn't something visible as a gapping would I feel Doctors really don't treat it as important as they should. I've never been in more suffering, never ever!! I'm barely functioning at this point, it's debilitating for sure. I don't know how much more I can go on, no sleep. Anxiety and stress in a perpetual loop of torment. Like Mont says "You get used to it" I just don't see how that's attainable at all for me. I know it's early in the game but I don't understand how it could possibly ever be just ignored or habituated. Maybe I'm not strong enough mentally. I've lost so much already from this affliction, my job, my social life, my hobbies etc....

 

[RonnieCarzatto]

Hey Frank, I'm the same boat too. I know, I hate that life has dealt us this blow.

Antidepressants could help for other issues but when it come to T, they're a joke.

Doctors don't care. Hate to say it, but they don't. My experience is similar. Doctors treat this like it's either a nuisance, or that it's not a big deal. The worst lark of them all was a doctor who told me, after an 8 hour wait, "these things usually resolve on their own. Good luck!" and walked away. You should have seen my expression, I wanted to kill myself in that moment.

You only have yourself to rely on. Well yourself, and hopefully a brilliant scientist cures this nonsense. I'm two months in and accepting that there is no solution to T. However, the associated anxiety and insomnia can be managed. Some people won't agree with me on this, but I recommend acupuncture. I still have T- loud, blaring T that I hear all the time that has destroyed my sense of self worth- but acupuncture has helped calm down the anxiety, and get me to sleep, naturally. Initially I needed both a fan and nature sounds to sleep along with a melatonin (and I could still hear my T)- I'm at the point when I only need the fan, or sometimes not at all.

I still have emotional breakdowns and my life has been turned upside down, but this forum has lots of excellent posts and advice. One day at a time, my friend. Give a gander through the success stories section and envision yourself as one of them, that's my current goal.

Best of luck, PM if you need to vent.

 

[glynis]

@Frank .O

The following medications are used in treatment of tinnitus:

• lorazepam or clonazepam (in low doses). ...
• Amitriptyline or nortriptyline (again in low doses). ...

I would ask about Nortryptaline as its more tolerated with milder side effects and can help induce sleep ,calm anxiety and lower tinnitus for some people and at a higher dose help low moods.
A low dose up to 50mg should help and backed up with your counselling...
Its made a massive difference to me and hope you find what works for you...lots of love glynis

 

[glynis]

@Frank .O

You could ask about respiratory physio in helping learn how to manage anxiety through breathing techniques .
This is something I went through to learn how to breath with respiratory problems and not to start to panic with asthma attacks .....might be worth a try for you ....lots of love glynis

 

[Frank .O]

Thanks for all your advice Glynis. I live in Cleveland Ohio where 1/4 of the population abuse scheduled drugs. I'd have a better chance winning lottery than any Dr. prescribing me Lorazepam/Clonazepam. As far as the other ones Amitriptyline etc. I'm already taking Neurontin for burning Neuropathy pain on my arms and legs from Severe Anxiety.
I'm in a bad place right now. Hopeless, and in a loop of vicious anxiety, insomnia, and worsening T and nerve pain. The neve pain I've had on and off for 15 yrs when I'm anxiety ridden. It's a vicious cycle, my life that I once knew is gone in a flash. Sorry for the negativity, it's just soooo... overwhelming my quality of life.
I'm just simply amazed at how little Doctors now a days care for there Patients. I'd bet if I was a Movie Star or Famous Musician with unlimited cash I'd get better attention. Us little people get no such care. The way of the world today I suppose. I'm at a complete loss as to where to go from here. I don't think I can live with this kind of suffering for the rest of my life. I'm only 44. Before this I was as fit as Hugh Jackmon, 3 weeks ago happy and healthy with my whole life ahead of me. I never even knew what Tinnitus was until 2 wks ago. I'd of worne ear protection at work if I knew for one minute such a horrible condition ever existed.

 

[GregCA]

I'd bet if I was a Movie Star or Famous Musician with unlimited cash I'd get better attention.

Unfortunately no - you still wouldn't have any treatment or option for you to help you with your T. The science just isn't there yet, for anyone, no matter how rich or famous.

 

[william adams]

Like you ran loud equipment for many years and no ear protection and woke up one morning with high pitched ringing in my left ear that I can hear over everything but the shower. What helped me most to sleep was ambien. I would take a half a pill and sleep 4 hours and then take the other half and would put me out another 3 to 4 hours. I also was on low doses of xanax but take very little now and have habituated to the sound in my head. I was a wreck when I first got T but you make improvements slowly every month until your mind starts focusing on other things and you dont hear it alot of the time and when you do it doesnt bother much anymore. My life is getting pretty much normal these days so you do improve with time. Rather have T than cancer an d more serious problems.. Also I played nature sounds like birds chirping, babbling brook, ocean waves from youtube to help mask the T to sleep and still do.....

 

[Frank .O]

Thanks William. I wish my Doctor would prescribe me Ambien/Xanax. Where I live there is a big problem with people who abuse prescription meds. I think I need to find a new Doctor. I hope my life gets better like yours did. I pray to God it does, right now it's hard to live each day, not knowing how much sleep I'll get. I think if I got a routine down where I could sleep I'd do ok with this affliction.

 

[Frank .O]

Does anyone know if you can habituate if you have high frequency hearing loss? Also is the rule of thumb the louder the T, or if there is more than one tone, the harder of a time you'll have? I know everyone's different.

 

[Mont]

I have slight high frequency loss. I have been 15 months. Some days still like living in hell. Other days i dont notice it as much. Took me along time to accept it but this is my new reality. I have tried everything nothing changes it for me.