My intro - newbie from Aus

[Amelia]

Hi all,

I have posted previously in a few areas but thought it would be nice to introduce myself properly as it looks like ill be sticking around.

I'm a 30 year old Aussie who has had high pitched T in both ears for 3 weeks now. Seemed to come out of the blue one night after using a nasal flush for sinisitus (which is been dealing with for 6 months but felt like it was clearing). My MRI and bloods have come back clear but still waiting on my hearing test and ENT appointment but I'm assuming they will run a blank too. Unfortunately the waiting times for ENT's here in Aus are quite lengthy so it's still quite a few weeks away.

I do think that stress has been a huge contributing factor in this and I'm hoping if I get that under control it will help to lessen the T. It's been a rough year. Although if my hearing test shows a loss I'm willing to bet its from my kids - my pair have pipes on them like you wouldn't believe - my girl has the most unbelievable high pitched scream/cry and my son is starting to perfect his!

I'm not exactly new to T which is why I think this has hit me so hard - my father suffers badly so I don't really have any point of reference with this except a father who has declining hearing and raging T (and not coping well at all with it) I'm petrified that's my future

I know soon ill need to face this head on and accept it but its hard. I can't wrap my head around the fact that I won't ever know what it's like to lay in a quiet room again or have a quick nap when my babies are asleep. I'm mourning my "quiet life" and not looking forward to the prospect of being in quiet situations.

Anyway, that was more lengthy that I'd imagined and thanks if you got to the end of this. Looking forward to getting to know you all a lot more and learning from you all!

A x

 

[erik]

Amelia, 3 weeks is not a long time. It could very easily go away. It is not really considered chronic under 6 months and some think that extends out to the first year.

Stress most certainly be a contributing factor to your tinnitus as well as what is making it seemingly worse. Though you cannot really do anything about the T right now, but you can do things about your stress. As difficult as it may seem, try to de-stress when you can. I went to CBT counseling for 18 weeks to learn about how to challenge my negative thoughts and thinking. I began to exercise again. I also volunteered and delivered meals to the needy. All this things were extremely tough for me because T was new and it gave me high anxiety. I was battling this awful noise and I really didn't want to do anything. But doing these things made me realize I still had control over my life.

Try not to be so hard on yourself about accepting this now. This may not be permanent condition for you. Even if it is, most everyone who has had T at least a year will tell you it gets much better. Your body will adapt to it, your brain will adapt to the noise and you will notice it less as time goes on. First just a little bit here and there but that increases with time. Even with the noise, I can watch a movie on TV or read a book and when I am doing these things and paying attention to them, I don't hear my T unless I begin to think about it for some reason or another.

This is a good forum. We understand your pain. We share in your pain. Though you don't know us and we don't know you, you are not alone.

Tinnitus is a struggle but that struggle does turn around. Tinnitus is a challenge which really shows us that we are stronger than we think. I know you are already strong-- You have a pair of children.

 

[Amelia]

@erik - thank you so much for your words. They really perked me up especially the fact you are able to read, watch movies etc in relative peace!
And your comment about not letting T control your life really resonates with me. While at the moment I can't really see out of the fog, every time I read about someone turning things around it helps plant that little seed in my mind that eventually I can do it too

 

[Sherri786]

Hello Amelia, there's a bunch of replies to your original post, hope you've seen those.

Best wishes and take care.

 

[Amelia]

Thanks @Sherri786 , I have seen those and will get back to that thread when I'm feeling a little stronger x

 

[Sherri786]

Ok sure Amelia, hope you've been feeling better xox