Introducing Myself...

[TeaBird]

Hello, I'm a soon-t0-be 65yo woman who's had problems with tinnitus since I developed Meniere's Syndrome when I was ten. The dizziness finally went away, but the tinnitus didn't. For some years, in my teens and twenties, it wasn't all that bad, but in my thirties, as my inflammatory arthritis and other problems ramped up, so did the ringing in my ears.

By my late forties, the problem was bad enough that I went to see an ear specialist about it. It was one of the stranger interactions I've ever had, and not very helpful. My father and brother both developed hearing problems in mid-life. On-line tests place me in the bottom 20% of people my age for hearing, but do not judge me to be deaf. Since I started out with much better-than-average hearing, I notice the decline more than an objective test might.

And of course, some days I have trouble hearing my wife because the screaming in my ears is so loud. I was using a tone generator to try to match what I hear, and my wife said, "Turn that off! That's unbearable!" I explained that it's pretty much what I listen to, day in and day out.

Most recently I've been experimenting with notched white noise, and even though my tone value seems to keep changing (or I'm lousy and sussing out the "right" one), it has helped a bit.

 

[glynis]

@TeaBird,
I understand how loud your tinnitus is as I have Meniere's also for over 14 years.
I have hearing aids with maskers but I do try cope without them.
love glynis

 

[Jemina]

@TeaBird
I don't have Menieres but I also have very loud tinnitus.

This site gives lots of support and great advice, remember that you are not alone. Best of luck and welcome to the forum

 

[John CC]

Hello Teabird As I read your post, I could help but think about how strong and resilent you have been throughout your ordeals. As unfortunate as it is, growing old is not for the faint of heart, but I could feel through your words that you have lots of heart. With time and experimenting with your tone generator, hopefully you will find a new tone, or sound that may be a little less intrusive for your wife, and works for you. I am new to tinnitus, just over a month or so, and I have been experimenting with different tinnitus sound therapy websites. I have found that some of them just seem to work better for me than others. Some advice that I have recieved is the observations that if your T. is high the sound of crickets is useful. There are some tinnitus sound therapy sites that have crickets (find the nature one's, the two I use have butterflys on them if that helps). However, as much as I wish I could give you more saige advice about do this, or this will mask your t. better than this, owing to my lack of experience with tinnitus, that is not where I am. Fortunately this site is repleat with those who possess such greater insights than I.

Best of luck, and I feel that your continued resilience will help you, and your wife, get through this ordeal.
JohnCC