How to Overcome the Fight or Flight Response and Stop Seeing Tinnitus as a Threat?

[all to gain]

And what about Melatonin? Does it help sleep? Any known side effects (I would look myself anyway before taking it)?

 

[boliston]

And what about Melatonin? Does it help sleep? Any known side effects (I would look myself anyway before taking it)?

I think most sleep aids have the potential to cause side effects - for example Valerian helped me get to sleep but it caused anxiety - I'm now giving Lemon Balm a go - no side effects so far after 1 days use although lack of of sleep can make you feel very 'odd' at times and I have been in sleep deficit to some degree since getting tinnitus 4 months ago.

 

[fishbone]

Tinnitus is a mental thing, it has a lot to do with it. It's not always sounds. I was going to make a post on this, but i'll share it in the reply to your post. I use to have really bad hyperacusis when I firs got tinnitus. It was horrible, almost everything caused my ears pain. Then I took the leap of faith and did TRT and it worked for me. it took awhile to make it work but eventually it worked.

about a year ago, I started to fade back into a bit of fear of noise around me, loud cars, shopping carts, people being loud in parking lots. I started to use ear plugs when I was outside (This is not what I have done before, people can do as they please...so I am not suggesting for them to start or stop ). I am mentally strong, but I was letting a bit of noise fear set in (which usually does not happen). All of this had made my ears feel worst, I was over-protecting my ears and it had slowly become a bit obsessive. My hyperacusis had returned, but not as bad as I had it decades ago.

I slowly started to not use my ear plugs as much and my ringing got a bit lower and my hyperacusis got better as well. It's always a must to protect our ears, but over protecting it can possibly lead to fear of noise and hyperacusis.

I wish you the best of luck!

 

[all to gain]

Tinnitus is a mental thing, it has a lot to do with it. It's not always sounds. I was going to make a post on this, but i'll share it in the reply to your post. I use to have really bad hyperacusis when I firs got tinnitus. It was horrible, almost everything caused my ears pain. Then I took the leap of faith and did TRT and it worked for me. it took awhile to make it work but eventually it worked.

about a year ago, I started to fade back into a bit of fear of noise around me, loud cars, shopping carts, people being loud in parking lots. I started to use ear plugs when I was outside (This is not what I have done before, people can do as they please...so I am not suggesting for them to start or stop ). I am mentally strong, but I was letting a bit of noise fear set in (which usually does not happen). All of this had made my ears feel worst, I was over-protecting my ears and it had slowly become a bit obsessive. My hyperacusis had returned, but not as bad as I had it decades ago.

I slowly started to not use my ear plugs as much and my ringing got a bit lower and my hyperacusis got better as well. It's always a must to protect our ears, but over protecting it can possibly lead to fear of noise and hyperacusis.

I wish you the best of luck!

I have a fear of noise already. I've just order ear plugs and ear defenders. I don't go to concerts or bars (unless to eat), and I will wear them on noisy trains and always on aeroplanes, but I have no idea when else I should be using them, if ever.

 

[all to gain]

I was an absolute mess for the first 3 months. Barely slept, constantly checking for my tinnitus, ears burning and they felt full.

8 months in and I have no emotional response other than when i hear it thinking that it's irritating at most.

I'm lucky mine's quite mild and I think if it is most people can habituate to it. Severe tinnitus sufferers I can't speak for.

I have no idea if mine is mild or bad or what. All I know is that it has 100% changed the trajectory of my life. Of all the things to get, it had to be this.

 

[fishbone]

I have a fear of noise already. I've just order ear plugs and ear defenders. I don't go to concerts or bars (unless to eat), and I will wear them on noisy trains and always on aeroplanes, but I have no idea when else I should be using them, if ever.

What you are going through is a natural thing. Your tinnitus is very new and you are still in that WTF is going on moment. I was there too and it took LOTS of support and just having faith in myself to pull through it. You will obviously want to protect your ears in obvious loud spots. I was very scared of lots of noises too and it really go to me.

Life will happen, accidental noises will happen, it's how we act/re-act to them that makes all the difference. I have had dishes break, I have stepped on air packets, I been in the middle of the road rescuing a stray dog with cars honking at me (I love saving animals), I accidentally set my bose speakers to max and a riff from a heavy metal guitar played...many and many accidents happened.

I let what happened become the past and not dwell on it. That dwelling can possibly bring on a spike and keep it going. Protect you ears in obvious spots and just try to reduce your stress and fear that all noises are bad. It takes time, it takes patience and it takes EFFORT!

Wish you the best

 

[all to gain]

I'm an absolute mess today!! Really don't know how much more of this I can take!! Had a horrible night!!

I really don't want to go on to benzos, but my sleep was non-existent last night. Was shouting and swearing.

 

[COYS]

Try not to give up. You're still early into the battle. It does tend to get better for most people.

Good luck mate.

 

[CroakyBat]

I know this sounds bad, but i almost wish I had toes and fingers missing rather than tinnitus.

It's funny, I've been thinking to myself how at this moment in time I would consider sacrificing a foot to get rid of this T for good. And mine is mild! However it's only been 2 months for me since my spike so I am holding out hope that things will get better. The uncertainty of it all is without a doubt the most daunting part. Considering you are only 3 months in, you definitely have room for improvement as well from what I've read on this forum.

 

[all to gain]

It's funny, I've been thinking to myself how at this moment in time I would consider sacrificing a foot to get rid of this T for good. And mine is mild! However it's only been 2 months for me since my spike so I am holding out hope that things will get better. The uncertainty of it all is without a doubt the most daunting part. Considering you are only 3 months in, you definitely have room for improvement as well from what I've read on this forum.

I wish mine was mild. In fact, what am i saying, I wish i didn't have it.

Mine was made worse by an MRI scan, so I don't know if there is room for improvement or not. And my original tinnitus was brought on by medication not noise, so I don't know what bearing that has on things.

 

[eagerUser]

And what about Melatonin? Does it help sleep? Any known side effects (I would look myself anyway before taking it)?

Be careful not to take too much Melatonin. 3mg really helped me. But just as I took 6mg for just one single night ... Oh shoot! I faced severe side effects. But it may not do the same to you. Just be careful and ask your GP/ENT before doing anything.

 

[Lane]

@all to gain -- I'm a BIG believer in nutritional interventions for just about any kind of health condition we may run across. A couple years ago, I ran across a remarkable article on OCD, and how a researcher in Israel discovered that a simple supplement can often dramatically improve OCD symptoms. Here's a link to a remarkable article in case you might want to check it out: -- LISTENING TO INOSITOL: CLINICAL NOTES

I'm sharing this Inositol/OCD link because I think any brain condition that results in OCD can also result in tinnitus. And that successfully treating OCD "may" just improve tinnitus. Insitol supplementation sounds like one of the best possibilities for doing that. -- You may also want to check out THIS POST I made, which describes some other "alternative" type therapies that may be worth considering.

Here's a short paragraph from the above linked post: -- "One techniaque I use myself to help bring balance to the brain--or restore harmony--is to do an energetic technique called, "Balancing the Cortices" (I've done it for years). Here's a couple of relatively short videos on how to do that simple exercise".

Balancing the Cortices Technique --- How to "Tap Out" your Cortices

All the Best...

 

[all to gain]

@all to gain -- I'm a BIG believer in nutritional interventions for just about any kind of health condition we may run across. A couple years ago, I ran across a remarkable article on OCD, and how a researcher in Israel discovered that a simple supplement can often dramatically improve OCD symptoms. Here's a link to a remarkable article in case you might want to check it out: -- LISTENING TO INOSITOL: CLINICAL NOTES

I'm sharing this Inositol/OCD link because I think any brain condition that results in OCD can also result in tinnitus. And that successfully treating OCD "may" just improve tinnitus. Insitol supplementation sounds like one of the best possibilities for doing that. -- You may also want to check out THIS POST I made, which describes some other "alternative" type therapies that may be worth considering.

Here's a short paragraph from the above linked post: -- "One techniaque I use myself to help bring balance to the brain--or restore harmony--is to do an energetic technique called, "Balancing the Cortices" (I've done it for years). Here's a couple of relatively short videos on how to do that simple exercise".

Balancing the Cortices Technique --- How to "Tap Out" your Cortices

All the Best...

Sounds good, but i'm a bit worried by this: "Drug Interactions: As already mentioned, inositol can boost the effects of SSRIs. When adding inositol to an SSRI, be aware that SSRI side effects can emerge, similar to what happens when starting or increasing an SSRI. That means that symptoms such as headaches, nausea, weirder dreams, etc are not due to the inositol but due to the juiced up SSRI, and usually pass within 7-14 days as is the usual cases with SSRI dosage adjustments."

And remember that SSRIs are already said to make tinnitus worse.

What i'm saying is, that i wouldn't want to take both an SSRI and that at the same time. It would be good to come off the SSRI and try it, but i'm vary wary of that over what happened last time.

 

[all to gain]

Try not to give up. You're still early into the battle. It does tend to get better for most people.

Good luck mate.

OK, I will try.

 

[Lane]

What i'm saying is, that i wouldn't want to take both an SSRI and that at the same time. It would be good to come off the SSRI and try it, but i'm vary wary of that over what happened last time.

@all to gain -- I agree, it would be good to come off the SSRI first. And you should be wary of just about anything. Slow and steady... Easy does it...

 

[JudyM]

Mine was made worse by an MRI scan, so I don't know if there is room for improvement or not. And my original tinnitus was brought on by medication not noise, so I don't know what bearing that has on things.

Well mine was made worse from a hearing exam at the ENT's office. I too am 3-4 months into this journey of the tinnitus. I have researched and researched and although I love being on this site searching out ways to deal with this disease (for lack of a better word), I think dwelling on it only makes the noise worse. What I have learned thus far is you must stay busy doing whatever you can to occupy your mind. Go for long walks, work outside. You can't avoid everyday noises but wear earplugs when they n noisy places like many restaurants. The high fidelity musicians earplugs are great for being able to hear conversations but block out background noise...get some if those and join the outside world again. You can not sit and dwell on this thing as it worsens the noises. I do speak from experience as I am exactly where you are now. My sound is excruciating most all the time, day and night and I am turning everything down (tv and radio in car) but I am hopeful my brain will either get better or it will adapt. I can get teary eyes at any moment, it is very difficult and this is certainly not the first problem I have had in life. Life can be difficult but you have to look at those who have suffered much worse experiences and come through the other side. Someone advised you to travel to see your family, I agree totally...you need love in your life and your kids will definitely supply that love. On the plane home wear those noise reducing earphones and maybe take a decongestant on the flight, it should help. Do research all the supplements people are taking for tinnitus...seemed like curcumin is a winner. I'm going to John's Hopkins soon and I'll keep you posted on what they tell me but from my research I am not expecting too much. Hang in there... Don't Despair..it's got to improve!!

 

[all to gain]

Well mine was made worse from a hearing exam at the ENT's office. I too am 3-4 months into this journey of the tinnitus. I have researched and researched and although I love being on this site searching out ways to deal with this disease (for lack of a better word), I think dwelling on it only makes the noise worse. What I have learned thus far is you must stay busy doing whatever you can to occupy your mind. Go for long walks, work outside. You can't avoid everyday noises but wear earplugs when they n noisy places like many restaurants. The high fidelity musicians earplugs are great for being able to hear conversations but block out background noise...get some if those and join the outside world again. You can not sit and dwell on this thing as it worsens the noises. I do speak from experience as I am exactly where you are now. My sound is excruciating most all the time, day and night and I am turning everything down (tv and radio in car) but I am hopeful my brain will either get better or it will adapt. I can get teary eyes at any moment, it is very difficult and this is certainly not the first problem I have had in life. Life can be difficult but you have to look at those who have suffered much worse experiences and come through the other side. Someone advised you to travel to see your family, I agree totally...you need love in your life and your kids will definitely supply that love. On the plane home wear those noise reducing earphones and maybe take a decongestant on the flight, it should help. Do research all the supplements people are taking for tinnitus...seemed like curcumin is a winner. I'm going to John's Hopkins soon and I'll keep you posted on what they tell me but from my research I am not expecting too much. Hang in there... Don't Despair..it's got to improve!!

Hi Judy, thanks for the advice.

I have never faced anything like this in my life.

 

[JohnAdams]

I'm a BIG believer in nutritional interventions for just about any kind of health condition we may run across.

how to regenerate severed limbs?

 

[all to gain]

How the hell do people live with tinnitus for even 1 year never mind 10 or 20 or 30 or 40 years?

Tinnitus must be the work of satan, surely?

 

[all to gain]

I truly feel deeply sorry for all the youngsters out there who have been afflicted with tinnitus.

I can't imagine living life as a 10-year-old or a 15-year-old and having to put up with this.

 

[JasonP]

I've got a weird problem. I have dysautonomia, my pulse is usually higher than most people and my blood pressure fluctuates. I'm trying to build up my core muscles and legs in the hopes that this will lower standing Norepinephrine in me.

Unfortunately, sometimes I get these fight or flight days where I focus on all kinds of health problems including tinnitus. I am thinking some of it could be caused when I vigorously exercise. Anything to prevent this?

It's extremely hard to calm down for me. I have taken beta blockers, Clonodine, and low dose Gabapentin and it's like my body can drift to sleep but then wake up shortly thereafter with a high heart rate. I also can have sensitivity to light where light can be very activating to me. Is it possible that this will go away once I get in better shape? If so, how long would it take?