Hi, I'm Sarah...

[SarahR]

Hi

I'm Sarah and I've had tinnitus almost a month, but I've only recently passed from the denial stage.

My T started after I ran a half marathon and has so many possible causes, with the main ones probably being running with music through earbuds (either due to the music itself or due the 'suction' effect of the buds) or maybe just the running itself.

My T is a constant high pitched sound, in both ears, and although it isn't loud enough to not be able to mask it is awful at night when it's all to easy to let it take over.

I've found this site really useful, and I finally feel ready to start dealing with this properly and I know everyone here actually understands what this is actually like.

 

[Golly]

Welcome @SarahR;

This is a great site with great members. You'll find an enormous wealth of information and compassion at TT. Know that you are not alone and that, in time, you will feel better.

-Golly

 

[nills]

HI Sara,

Welcome, I would suggest to try everything possible in these first months because this is still a stage where you may find benefit from things that won`t help you in a couple of years (if it ever would go that way) ... I`m thinking of the pressure tank and trying to get into clinical trials for am-101 ... Anyway ... all of us are still here and smiling with hope for a cure so you are in good company

x

 

[yonkapin]

Welcome! I started running half marathons to help deal with my T, well I actually started doing a bunch of stuff to get healthier once it happened, sucks you got it after running one. Hopefully it's just temporary at the moment!

 

[Cher69]

Hi Sarah - well done on coping with the first month - you sound like you've actually coped well - during my first few weeks and months I crumpled ! What you describe sounds like my T - the night times can be so hard the T get louder in the quiet of night - so if you can try things to help with sleep Im sure that will give you a huge boost to dealing with this.

Someone on here recommended to me Valerian a herbal tablet for sleep - I'm taking that now and its helped although I still have restless nights I do have good nights and my T reacts to the bad nights by being loud and annoying but on the good nights I still wake but my T isn't the same and I drift back off.

Try now lots of relaxation ideas - take 30 mins a day to have some 'me' time and listen to something to calm you, I use some guided relaxation apps on my phone that talk me though breathing and relaxation - they have helped me so much - I use ' Andrew Johnsons relax - there is a free one on the web to try then he has others you pay for stress, anxiety, panic, sleep all sorts - I really like his voice that's the key the voice has to be soothing to you - I have a few on my phone I use all by him.

I would also now try a herbal sleeping remedy to help you through the night.

I hope you can still enjoy your running - my T robbed me of so much energy and the lack of sleep I stopped my gym routines so do try and keep up the running if you can - Ive started back at the gym last week.

Keep us posted how you are doing - Cher x

 

[SarahR]

Thanks guys, it's really good to know there's a place where any venting isn't treated as 'over-reacting' - everyone's in the same boat and can at least comprehend any problems even if they haven't encountered them personally.

I'm waiting on a refferal to an audiologist (NHS so may take a while!) and have read about HBOT, although I don't think this would be suitable in my case as I'm feeling my right ear needs to pop all the time anyway.

I haven't kept up the exercise - up to now I've been very wary that this may cause more damage. I am thinking that I'll ease my way back into it at the gym, starting with non-bouncy exercise and wearing over ear protectors (again, I've tried musicians earplugs and they definately seemed to increase my tinnitus and perhaps cause the pressure feeling in my right ear). Can anyone recommend and ear protectors that look like headphones? As a 23 year old I have a feeling I'll get sick of explaining to people who don't understand

Thanks again!

 

[yonkapin]

I don't think exercise would've caused tinnitus in your case, definitely not the running anyhow. The main culprit could possibly have been the music/headphones, but who knows - tinnitus is random as hell. Don't be afraid to get back into the habit of exercise though, it'd be the best thing for you at the moment. Only thing in terms of physical activity that I can think that would mess with something like tinnitus could possible be repeated head trauma (so boxing, etc) - anything else is pretty sensible! You may also experience a temporary spike after heavy cardio sessions but this is common so don't stress!

Re: ear plugs, get a decent pair of custom fit musicians ear plugs from your audiologist when you see them. Ask for ones with interchangeable filters (they usually come with -10, -15 and -25db attentuation) and you can switch those in and out depending on where you go. BUT, note that you really shouldn't be over protecting your ears either, so unless your gym is uncomfortably loud then try to do with out, save the ear plugs for things like movies, bars, clubs, etc.

Since you've just gotten tinnitus, I would go and ask your GP for a short course of high dose prednisone. It's a shot in the dark, but if you're tinnitus was brought on by some sort of trauma to the ear, early treatment with prednisone can limit damage done to the ear and can help some people with their tinnitus/hearing, timing is key though - the earlier the better. Good luck!

 

[SarahR]

I have been to my GP twice and seen 2 different doctors, but neither would prescribe the prednisone even after I mentioned it. The first time was after 2 days and I was told 'it's likely if it hasn't gone by now you're stuck with this' and the second time over 3 weeks later was told 'the noise is likely to stop soon' Does anyone have any experience of actually getting prescribed thison the NHS?

I do feel I knew from very early on that this was not likely to go, just sort of a feeling inside of me. Don't get me wrong I hoped, and still do, that it may stop but now I'm more concentrating on how to manage with it instead.

Oh, and as for my gym the place was always super loud, to th point I know I've came out and complained to my gym buddy and that was before any tinnitus. The gym is the only dayto day place I'd be concerned about noise at the moment, apart from possibly the Metro I get to work.

 

[Cher69]

No doc has ever mentioned prednisone to me either not sure if it would help I believe mine is completely stress related I think !!

I hope your finding things to help you at night I have been reading about routines and all that stuff - but the one thing that I think is good advice - is ONLY go to bed when your really really tired and yawning that feeling like you could drop off at any moment! So you hopefully limit the time to fall asleep when in bed.

That's a reason why it is supported to keep up with exercise so your tired at the end of the day even though I've not been uptown usually gym routines I walk my dog every day twice a day if hubby at work for 3 to 4 miles each walk so I get plenty of fresh air

Just some ideas to help you sleep x

 

[yonkapin]

I have been to my GP twice and seen 2 different doctors, but neither would prescribe the prednisone even after I mentioned it. The first time was after 2 days and I was told 'it's likely if it hasn't gone by now you're stuck with this' and the second time over 3 weeks later was told 'the noise is likely to stop soon' Does anyone have any experience of actually getting prescribed thison the NHS?

Oh that sucks, I don't know how the NHS works but do try find someone who may be willing to try, prednisone can carry some side effects but if there's even the remote chance it might happen to reduce any trauma, it's something worth pursuing, take in a couple studies if you need to.

Oh, and as for my gym the place was always super loud, to th point I know I've came out and complained to my gym buddy and that was before any tinnitus. The gym is the only dayto day place I'd be concerned about noise at the moment, apart from possibly the Metro I get to work.

Oh fair enough, yeah check out some custom fits with multiple filters, they provide the best frequency response so sounds aren't so muffled.

 

[SarahR]

I've been looking at custom fit ear plugs andthe best site I've found seems to be http://www.acscustom.com/uk/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=139&Itemid=44 . I'm abit confused at the differences between the ACS and ER series to be honest? I'd quite like the cord between them (I guess I'd be nervous about dropping a plug at the price they are) and that only seems to be an option with the ACS.

Does anyone have any suggestions on this?

And Cher, in respect of my sleeping I'm reliably told by my husband I'm doing fine! This is reliably backed up by the fact the audiobook I've had on is only about 3 hours in and I've had it on about a fortnight! That said, I've cut out caffeine mainly (bar a small amount of chocolate) which is probably helping. It's a shame that my entire evening seemsto be a build up of anxiety towards sleep time and my tinnitus being at it's worst when I have the evidence that I'm falling asleep as quickly as ever!

Thanks to everyone for being so supportive, is forum reallydoes seem to be something special