My Life Is Ruined

[Albert Savage]

Not to sound insensitive to what you are going through, but it really could be worse. While I personally have never been pregnant, my Lovely Bride of almost 42 years has and we raised a beautiful and brilliant daughter. But, I have lived with T since my hearing was damaged due to being a little too close to an explosion in 1972. Since your T is not due to trauma, you probably have a good chance that it will eventually go away on its own. Hang in there and just enjoy that bundle of joy you have.

 

[Lilyboo]

Hi Karen

thank you for your post. I've been a bit down and upset over the last few days hence the reason why I haven't replied sooner. Just going through the T motions I suppose like everyone else. I'm trying to ignore it and be strong but it's so hard.

Just a couple of questions Karen
1) when did the ringing start for your daughter?

2) was she stressed at the time?

3) did have a cold, flu or sinus infection?

4) did she take anything to make the ringing go away?

5) has it completely gone or can she still hear it if she listens for it?

6) how long did it take to completely go?

So sorry for all the questions but I'm beginning to get desperate.

Thanks lily

 

[Karen]

Hi, @Lilyboo.

Please don't get desperate; things will probably improve for you, especially if you can find a way to focus outside yourself -- more on your newborn, and less on listening for the tinnitus.

To answer your questions:

1. The ringing started for my daughter when she was in the middle of her pregnancy, around maybe the 5th month.
2. Was she stressed? I don't know for sure, but she has a high-stress job, so yes, she probably was.
3. Did he have a cold, flu, or sinus infection? It's possible. She gets colds a lot, and also does have sinus problems.
4. Did she take anything to make the ringing go away? Not as far as I know.
5. Has it completely gone, or can she still hear it when she listens for it? I think it's pretty much gone, but I believe she may be able to still hear it in a quiet room.
6. How long did it take to go away? It was within the first 6 months after her son was born that it went away.

So, please try to hang in there, and see if things start to improve, now that your baby has arrived. If it doesn't, then you might want to see a doctor.

And a question for you: Do you know if you had any fluid buildup in your body during your pregnancy? It's possible that, as you begin to get back to your normal weight again, that the fluid will leave your body, and the tinnitus will subside. Please Google benign intracranial hypertension when you have a chance, to see if any of the symptoms sound like yours.

Good luck, and I hope you're feeling better today. Enjoy your beautiful new baby!!!

Hugs,
Karen

 

[LovesToTeach]

@Lilyboo , your post gave me goosebumps. You just wrote my story!

I got tinnitus when I was 30 weeks pregnant and had a mild head cold. I'm also 31 like you. Really. This was 12/21/14. I had a baby girl on 2/27 of this year. I saw two ENTs in January, and both were worthless. One handed me a brochure on t and said, "Good luck."

My OB was actually the one who knew anything about t and pregnancy. He's of the opinion that fluid retention can damage the inner ear (specifically hair cells), and that it takes time for this damage to heal. I asked at my 6 wk PP visit how long it takes for t to go away post pregnancy. He said up to 6 months; past that, it's probably permanent. My daughter is now 7 weeks old so like you I am doing the wait-and-see countdown. I'm trying to relax about it and basically pretend the t will be permanent so that I can still try to habituate. I have read @Karen 's daughter's story many times on different threads and I pray that my t also goes every day. I haven't tried any supplements/meds as I am breastfeeding, and going down the hobbit hole of messing with that stuff seems less important to me than making sure my daughter gets what she needs.
So far my t is as loud as ever, as I could hear it over some of my MRI noises, though not nearly as high pitched as when it started. I had a dog whistle in my head! Now, I have crickets/water draining in one ear, a hiss/pure tone in the other, and a head hum when it is quiet. As my OB said - "Oh, the things we do for our children!" I suppose we need to focus on our beautiful blessings! I would go to hell and back for my baby. I can endure this another day.

 

[Rog]

@Lilyboo I know you will be alright. Tinnitus robbed 5 months of my life with pure misery. But today I am back to my life more grateful then I ever been. Please be kind to yourself and the time you heal you...
God bless!!

 

[Lilyboo]

@Lilyboo , your post gave me goosebumps. You just wrote my story!

I got tinnitus when I was 30 weeks pregnant and had a mild head cold. I'm also 31 like you. Really. This was 12/21/14. I had a baby girl on 2/27 of this year. I saw two ENTs in January, and both were worthless. One handed me a brochure on t and said, "Good luck."

Hi lovestoteach
Could we be anymore similar??? I have just read my own story reading your post!

I'm so sorry your going through this as I wouldn't wish it on anyone but at the same time it has given me so much comfort. Finally I have spoken to someone who knows exactly what I'm going through. I have contacted so many women on baby centre website who have had pregnancy tinnitus. But I find that they post when they are going through it but then ever update or respond to say if it has gone. It's so frustrating. I also think it's interesting what your OB said, it makes sense really. I was told that hormones (progesterone) makes your mucus membranes swell and that puts pressure on the ear drum etc which in turn produces tinnitus.

The waiting game is awful. I think that's why I'm becoming more depressed with time as I keep expecting it to be gone. Every morning when I wake up and it's still there that dreaded anxiety feeling goes into overdrive. I think I'm also in shock that this has happened to me. I've shed a lot of tears this week.

I, like you found the 3 ENT consultants to be a waste of time. They see your pregnant or that you have recently had a baby and straight away say it's hormones! I was only sent for an MRI because I insisted. One ENT even told a joke in the room in front of me & my family whilst I'm sitting in the opposite chair sobbing my heart out!!!!

Do you have any hearing loss? Have you had your MRI results?

Your daughter is beautiful by the way, congratulations.

 

[Lilyboo]

@LovesToTeach

 

[Kopesy]

First of all.. Congratulations on the birth of your little one!

I know how you feel about your life being ruined & not believing it's happening to you. The thought of forever is terrifying & the nhs is quick to look the other way when you mention the word "tinnitus"

It does get better & I have heard of women aquiring T from pregnancy. The good thing is, without sounding weird is at least you have a possible reason for your onset; knowing the cause is half the battle!

I know your sinuses can definitely affect T or perhaps make it worse. I had rhinitis a few months back after the second time of asking an ENT to check, it's worth getting it seen to. Do you have any allergies that you know of?

The stress of having a baby on the body is a great deal & maybe the body just needs a while longer to 'compose' itself once again. Try Yoga & a neti pot* (*I've heard some have found this to make their T worse, I have not & found it to help with tension in my sinuses) There's also a thread on Cats Claw, a herbalistic treatment I myself am using that might be of some help..

https://www.tinnitustalk.com/threads/cats-claw-uncaria-tomentosa.8624/page-7#post-108235

All the best & enjoy your little one as much as you can, they don't always stay that cute after all

 

[LovesToTeach]

@Lilyboo - I have read those same forums! I wish the ladies there would have come back to tell the end result! A few women on my What to Expect board developed t during pregnancy as well. I will check in with them again soon. I think this is a more common phenomenon than we think!

It's amazing to have contact with someone in my boat. I am sorry for both of us! Your statement about the effect of hormones makes tons of sense. My ears snap, crackle, and pop when I talk, yawn, swallow, etc., so I do think there is a pressure/tube problem making things worse.

I talked to my grandparents about my t today as they were babysitting my daughter. My grandpa revealed that he's had tinnitus for nearly his whole life, which I hadn't known! He also has about 50% hearing loss. I asked if he was used to it, and he told me yes, not only was he perfectly happy - he would get bored if his sounds weren't there anymore! A different way to look at it, I guess! My grandma actually got t around the time I did due to allergies, but she hasn't said anything about it. She just brushed it off really! So how is it that she's handling it so much better than me? I have been thinking about that all day. My grandparents are extremely happy people, and they have t... I am hopeful for the same!

Take care. All will be well for us one way or another! (And thanks for the compliment - I'm rather partial to her myself!)

 

[Lilyboo]

@LovesToTeach

Hey there,

I've spoken to a woman who was the same situation as us and her tinnitus took 10 weeks pp to go. On hearing this I was delighted. I started the 10 week pp countdown thinking mine would go at that time. When it didn't, I ended back to the dark place I had worked so hard to get out of. Another women said almost a year, another women said 6 weeks, another 2 weeks, another said immediately on delivery. I think it also depends on anxiety and the amount of stress you have in your life at that time. I'm going to have acupuncture and try and relax as much as possible.

It's also interesting what you say about your grandparents. My mum has severe tinnitus. She has hearing loss from a procedure on ear when she was 5 years old. My mum never ever complains with it apart from when she is stressed. She says she has about 4 different sounds at once, the river, crickets, screeching and almost like a musical sound. She lives her life to the full. She goes on holidays, she goes to bars, restaurants etc at the weekend. She says she is used to hers now. Since I have been experiencing this I have wanted to be with her all the time because she knows what I'm going through.

I'm trying to remain as calm and as positive as I can. It's the best chance we have of it going. Again thank you so much for the articles.

 

[LovesToTeach]

It's actually really encouraging to hear that you have met so many women in the same situation as us! I have only met one, and hers left about a month pp. so I guess there is still hope!

I forgot to say last time that I have no measurable hearing loss, and my MRI was normal. So I have that going for me!

Acupuncture has helped me with stress a lot, I recommend it highly! I think it helped me get pregnant in the first place.

I am sorry that your mum has this too, but what a blessing it must be to have someone so close who knows what you are going through!

Hope we both get some silence back soon. Again, I'm so very glad to have talked to you!

Out of curiosity - what does your t sound like?

 

[Lilyboo]

Hi @LovesToTeach

I'm the same as you I have no hearing loss and I had an MRI. The sound I hear is my heartbeat but only when I lay on my left side. My other sound is like an electrical whine in my right ear. Sometimes I feel like j have noises coming from the back of my head like a cricket. Apparently I have very mild T! I need to be in silence to hear it. But when I am in silence it seems so loud.

I just can't believe this has happened to me. It's such a shock. I suppose everyone feels that's way. I actually can't believe I have signed up to tinnitus talk and I'm talking about this awful condition that I never in a million years thought we happen to me.

I'm still convinced my is my sinuses! I had my first ever sinus infection at 5 months pregnant. It put me in bed for 8 days. I never recovered from it. It was not long after this that the heart beat in the ear started, however at that time I had no idea it was a form of tinnitus.

I've spoken to many women over the last few months. One women 6 years on still has hers but said it no longer plays a part in her life. Another 2 years on still has hers, she said the same it no longer plays a part in her life. If mine is for life i honestly don't know how I will get to that stage. Right now I have to take one day at a time, and pray for the best outcome.

 

[LovesToTeach]

@Lilyboo - so you have plenty of sounds, just like me! I won't tell you that you are lucky it is mild - t is no joke, no matter how quiet it is.

I truly hope I can at least get used to it as well. Right now it triggers daily migraines for me. As I'm typing this I have yet another aura in my left field of vision. I used to get one migraine a year - now they are daily. Luckily they are not severe! However, I have also been told that migraines also peak after delivery - hoping they calm down too!

Sounds like your sinuses are a likely culprit. I think mine are too - I was diagnosed with pregnancy rhinitis and my nose is still super runny almost 8 weeks out. Maybe I should try Sudafed or something. As for your heartbeat sound, I've never had that one, and I had Idiopathic Intracranial Hypertension for years before I lost a bunch of weight. It's something that can be triggered by pregnancy hormones - do you get headaches? It causes pulsatile tinnitus (but never did for me).

Taking things a day at a time is all we can do! At the very least, maybe we will stop caring about the sounds one day. It sounds possible! Just sucks right now.

I am struggling to stay optimistic. I just keep thinking - it will get better. And until it does, thank goodness for TT! I've met so many kind people fighting this fight (like you!). At least we are not alone!

 

[Jessikweh]

If you haven't already, get multiple opinions first. Doctors, audiologists, ENTs, etc. Make sure to get a head scan as well. A large majority of the time tinnitus is caused by something obvious (it's rare that it doesn't have a noticeable cause). I got tinnitus at 18 & it's been there ever since, but trust me - it will only ruin your life if you let it. It's frustrating, scary, upsetting, but it doesn't have control over your life. That's the one thing you can control! Try purchasing an in-ear white noise maker. It won't cure the problem but it will definitely make it bearable

 

[Maple]

All they do is an hearing test and then basically get outta my office!

Mine didn't even do a hearing test. Told me to avoid sodium (which I already do) and sent me on my way. Gotta nice fat bill for the advice.

 

[DarthRaspberry]

Lilyboo, I can tell you that my T was definitely caused by a virus--an adenovirus that had also caused pink eye. I had hearing loss that I think has improved but the T is still here. It has been a few weeks and I'm still on steroids for it. The first week was very tough. All I can say is try to accept it as your present reality as much as you can so you can focus on your beautiful baby.