Meniere's with a Change in Tinnitus Type

[Avitails]

Hey all,

I'm a newcomer (first post!). I have suffered with tinnitus on and off for a few years. During summer last year I had a particularly bad spike followed by some bonkers vertigo.

A few months and an MRI later my ENT diagnosed me with probable Meniere's and stuck me on betahistine.

I've restricted salt, caffeine and alcohol and can't really say it's made a huge difference to the tinnitus.

The vertigo however has almost completely gone (I only had 2-3 attacks).

Anyways my tinnitus has been up and down but I've mostly managed to keep on top of it, until a few weeks ago.

I had a louder and louder spike that got worse over about 2 weeks and has culminated in a swooshing noise in line with my pulse (pulsatile tinnitus I believe).

This got louder over a few days and tonight suddenly it seems to have stopped and in its place is the loudest tinnitus I've ever had plus my voice seems to be echoing in my own head, like a slap-back delay as if I'm in a tiny shower cubicle or something.

I was wondering if anyone else has experienced anything similar with tinnitus / Meniere's? Any thoughts?

Anyways thanks for listening all,

Avi

 

[Candy]

Sounds as if you hear your own voice from the inside. It can be caused by patulous eustachian tube for example.

In my experience of Meniere's sufferers on another forum their tinnitus fluctuates. For some it sticks around but given that it did go in the past it may do so again? Do you know if your hearing has decreased recently?

Not sure about pulsatile tinnitus turning into subjective tinnitus... one could have gone and the other one come as the origin is very different so not sure how one could lead to the other... unless the whooshing was just a different subjective tinnitus sound... which I have heard of too.

There is a group on Facebook for people with Meniere's and TMJ, that's where I have been reading up on Meniere's a bit...

There will be some Meniere's only groups too...

Sorry I can't be of much help. I hope you find some answers...

 

[Ryan Parker]

Hello there, fellow Meniere's sufferer here. Mine began when I was 34, about 7 years ago now. First, I'll just say I feel for what you are going through. This condition is so disheartening and tinnitus is just one of the fun symptoms that goes hand in hand with the hearing loss MD brings. I would not wish it on my worst enemy and this year has been a hard one for me as it seems to have kicked into high gear.

I take Betahistine daily as well - it is the one thing that seems to calm the vertigo episodes, but I can't say it does much of anything for the tinnitus. I tried doing a steroid injection into the ear a couple months ago, and unfortunately in my case that made both hearing loss and tinnitus worse. I know that method has helped some folks though.

My tinnitus fluctuates wildly. Like you, I've done all the recommended Meniere's stuff (low sodium, cut out caffeine, alcohol, etc.) and nothing seems to have much effect on this symptom. There are times when the tinnitus "spikes" and gets so loud I am literally terrified. Fortunately that usually subsides after a few hours. For me it has just been something I've had to learn to live with, unfortunately. I had my specialists prescribe me anti-anxiety meds this year as it was interfering with my sleep. CBD oil helps with the anxiety it causes some. I've also found some relief at night using the Bose Soundbuds to somewhat mask the sound of my tinnitus, though that is less effective the more hearing I lose. I am told certain hearing aids can help, but I haven't gone there yet.

I hope you are able to find some relief. Hang in there, if there is one thing I've learned with Meniere's, it's that everything changes day to day and you just have to roll with the punches and trust that better days will come.