(DANG IT...) into a deep bicep vein, and got a three liter fill up along with a bunch of other stuff. The tinnitus had worsened, but it wasn't until everything normalized I knew something was very wrong. Noises in the higher end like a cup on formica caused SERIOUS discomfort, even my own voice gave me rushes like being drunkenly dizzy. I thought it was due to whatever was jacking the glucose up. But in the next 30 hours all that was stabilized with meds. The tinnitus was still there, but the noise sensitivity was a tiny bit less. Being a personable old cuss, the doc and I had a good conversation. After my vitals normalized so quickly, the first thing the doc asked about the sensitivity was had I had any trauma to the base of the skull or injury similar. I told him about the truck toasting my car in April of that year and both the trauma and whiplash. He told me about hyperacusis AND its relation to tinnitus especially with those injuries. Though offered meds for pain in the liver area, I declined...and said I'd prefer to get the heck out of there. I told him about getting off a major opiate regimen, and quitting clonazepam the year before. I had some tinnitus from quitting the last of the benzo's (2mg a day from 40 years at 8 mg) but that began to fade after about seven months.
When I got to the bat cave, in the hills where it was quiet, it was far more noticeable, and grew much worse, though the tinnitus remained a background noise, and quickly grew until the high end sounds were insane! Just the noise from going to the bathroom was horrible. A shower? No way. Unless you're fond of sticking an ice pick into your ear! Dishes? No way! It has been getting somewhat better, but ANY high frequency noise is really hard to handle.
I wanted to tell you no you're not crazy, and yes it CAN be caused by head injuries and whiplash. More so if they happen at the same time. A couple things I have learned...wearing soft earplugs AND getting some exercise helps (mine gets worse if I stay lying down) keeping well hydrated helps too. The earplugs and avoiding the dysphonic tones that trigger your particular hyperacusia area a MUST! I'm sure there are a number of treatments I will be going through, and though I can understand the suicidal feelings (I can't TAKE this!) it is important to keep in mind emotions play a big role. Not that you have those, but if you feel down, you HAVE to find some way to "feel" better.
I don't know enough yet to talk about that aspect, but for me, knowing there IS hope, and I wasn't crazy helped a lot! The other stuff is what I've learned since. We're on a rough road, G, but dammit, we have to keep working at it. And thank God its not the genetic kind which is a much harder thing to overcome. I'll try to keep you posted. Thanks all.
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