My Tinnitus Story

[Ben In SD]

Hi,

About two weeks ago I noticed a ringing (high pitch frequency) in my ear. Nothing crazy, but it was enough for me to notice it. As the week went on, it progressively got worse. After two weeks, the ringing moved to both of my ears and was much louder. I haven't been to a concert, I'm not on any medications, and I'm at a loss as to how this has happened.

I've scheduled a doctor's appointment for tomorrow and my wife is actually taking me to the ER this morning. I also have a hearing test scheduled with an ENT next week. Hopefully, I can find some answers as to why this has happened.

I'm doing my best to stay positive, but to be honest it has been pretty aggravating and upsetting. Mostly, I'm scared. I'm scared that I'm going to have to deal with this for the rest of my life. I'm only 36 and the thought of ringing in my ears for another 30 years is unsettling.

My family has been great, but with a pregnant wife that's about to give birth, this has been an unexpected challenge, to say the least. I guess I'm just joining this support group to vent and to hopefully find some answers or ways to cope with tinnitus.

Thanks,

Ben

 

[fishbone]

Hi,

About two weeks ago I noticed a ringing (high pitch frequency) in my ear. Nothing crazy, but it was enough for me to notice it. As the week went on, it progressively got worse. After two weeks, the ringing moved to both of my ears and was much louder. I haven't been to a concert, I'm not on any medications, and I'm at a loss as to how this has happened.

I've scheduled a doctor's appointment for tomorrow and my wife is actually taking me to the ER this morning. I also have a hearing test scheduled with an ENT next week. Hopefully, I can find some answers as to why this has happened.

I'm doing my best to stay positive, but to be honest it has been pretty aggravating and upsetting. Mostly, I'm scared. I'm scared that I'm going to have to deal with this for the rest of my life. I'm only 36 and the thought of ringing in my ears for another 30 years is unsettling.

My family has been great, but with a pregnant wife that's about to give birth, this has been an unexpected challenge, to say the least. I guess I'm just joining this support group to vent and to hopefully find some answers or ways to cope with tinnitus.

Thanks,

Ben

Welcome!

Tinnitus is a shock to all, it's odd to have noises in our heads 24-7. Even though it is a bit scary, don't dwell on the future and the WHAT IFs....No need for that, worrying about your future, will not get you ahead TODAY. Just take it easy, go see your doc and see what they say.

It's scary at first, but in time you can manage this issue...

Take care

 

[Kolisar]

Hi @Ben In SD , and welcome.

I guess I'm just joining this support group to vent and to hopefully find some answers or ways to cope with tinnitus.

You came to the right place. I do not have the links handy, but search for posts created by @Michael Leigh. He has a number that contain a LOT of great information. You will be glad you searched for and read them. They will help.

And, more importantly, Congratulations on the soon to arrive baby!

I'm doing my best to stay positive, but to be honest it has been pretty aggravating and upsetting. Mostly, I'm scared. I'm scared that I'm going to have to deal with this for the rest of my life. I'm only 36 and the thought of ringing in my ears for another 30 years is unsettling.

Staying positive is important. And it is very aggravating and upsetting. And, many are frightened by it. I cannot say with certainty that it will ever go away, but I can say that whatever happens, you will be able to handle it. Some of us have been dealing with it for a very long time. I constantly feel I have absolutely no strength left to deal with the constant, unrelenting ringing, and the inability to understand conversations, etc.., but I carry on. We all do. Especially when you have a family. You will find the strength because they will need you. I don't know where it comes from, but it always seems to be there when you need it.

And, when you need to vent, you have a forum here filled with caring, kind, sympathetic, and compassionate people who, despite their own struggles with tinnitus, are willing to give their time and offer support to others, even while they themselves are suffering.

People are here pretty much 24/7, so you will always have someone who will listen. It may take w while to get a response, but you will get one, and it will provide support and comfort because we understand what you are going through.

I wish you the best, and I hope that you find everything you need here. Please keep us updated on your progress.

 

[Ben In SD]

Thank you, both for the encouragement. It really means a lot.

So, I've returned from a full day at the ER. Although I didn't find any answers, it's good to know that I have a clean bill of health. The doctor officially diagnosed me with tinnitus and I have to admit that it was tough to take. However, seeing seriously injured and deceased people come into the ER today gave me a ton of perspective. I'm still here.

@Kolisar I'm going to take a look at the posts created by Michael Leigh. I can use all the information I can get. Right now I'm mostly struggling with sleep and the fact that this could be permanent. Other than that, I'm taking it one day at a time.

I'm not going to lie, I broke down with my wife a couple of times and my mom is pretty concerned. But I'm determined to not let this control my life. Thanks again for the encouraging words. It really helped.

I have an appointment with my primary care physician tomorrow. Hopefully, he can point me in the right direction towards getting some "normal" sleep again.

Take care,

Ben

 

[Bill Bauer]

Don't expect to get a lot of help from your doctor.

If they uncover some hearing loss, then this is what must have caused your T. Make sure you get a prescription for prednisone:
http://www.masseyeandear.org/for-pa...ation/diseases-and-conditions/sudden-deafness

Keep in mind that for most people, T fades or disappears within the first 3-6-18 months. Also check out
https://www.tinnitustalk.com/threads/spontaneous-recovery-stats-over-70-recover-3-studies.21441/
The T you have now is most likely Not the T that you will end up in the long run, should you be one of the unfortunate people for whom it doesn't fade within the first 2 years.

 

[Bill Bauer]

I'm not going to lie, I broke down with my wife a couple of times and my mom is pretty concerned.

Before T, I cried only once as an adult - when my dad was diagnosed with brain cancer when I was 15. After I got T, I would weep uncontrollably every single day for more than a month. It is a stage, you will most likely get over it (because your T will become more bearable).

 

[Kolisar]

The T you have now is most likely Not the T that you will end up in the long run, should you be one of the unfortunate people for whom it doesn't fade within the first 2 years.

As one of those "unfortunate people", I concur.

 

[Ben In SD]

Thanks @Bill Bauer. I'm the same way. I haven't gotten that emotional in a very long time. So much that it frightened my mom and my wife. I actually feel a lot better though. Today was rough, but I'm determined to accept this and adjust accordingly.

That's good to hear that there is a possibility that this will go away or even lessen. Right now it's the lack of sleep that affecting me the most. I'm just going to keep trying things until I find something that works.

Thanks again!

 

[Kolisar]

I'm not going to lie, I broke down with my wife a couple of times and my mom is pretty concerned.

After I got T, I would weep uncontrollably every single day for more than a month.

Yup, happens to a lot of us. And, @Ben In SD, I'm glad you did. I suppressed my emotions for many, many years. It is not healthy. Pushing the emotions down seems (at least in my case) to cause much more harm than dealing with them.

 

[Bill Bauer]

Right now it's the lack of sleep that affecting me the most.

During my acute stage I used amitriptyline (10 mg pills) as a sleeping aid. It is non-addictive, and I didn't feel drowsy the next morning. It allowed me to sleep, even when my T was loud.

I recommend that you also try sound enrichment. This gives you something else to listen to, besides your T. You can use your pc https://mynoise.net/
or a smartphone, or you can buy a sound machine
https://www.amazon.com/Cherry-Koala-Concentration-Relaxation-Sufferers/dp/B01FRW2WBA
or even
https://www.amazon.com/Sound-Oasis-S-5000-Deluxe-Therapy/dp/B018KUVEOM

Cricket sounds help a lot when your t is a high-pitch tone.

 

[Ben In SD]

Well, my doctor had to reschedule my appointment to next week. I also have an appointment with an ENT next week, so hopefully I'll get my hearing tested.

Right now, I'm just taking things one day at a time. I was actually able to get some sleep last night, but nothing like I'm used to. Plus, since I've given up caffeine, my body is not happy with me. Lol.

Anyways, this forum has been a huge help and has also helped me stay positive during the initial stage of figuring this thing out. Thanks again.

 

[Candy]

Sleep as much as you can, use an app or whatever you need to do. The first few months are hard, it's a rollercoaster and none of us had this thing on their radar. Then one day BANG, it takes over. In the beginning you are scared, angry, furious about the timing (don't get me started on that one) but time heals all those emotions. What you are then left with is the irritation, but then you can just deal with that and develop a toolkit, it's s process. Some people are more successful than others but most habituate. I'm getting hints of habituation 14 months in but not there yet, mainly due to the volume variations, that's why am still here but I did indulge my anger and anxiety too much by taking sickness leave and lying in bed terrified, such sad days. It's not terrifying once you get to know it, just annoying...stay strong and enjoy the pregnancy. Kids are a great distraction...one foot in front of the other, one day at a time. Work helps too...

 

[Ben In SD]

Thanks Cindy. Last night was rough. Got four hours of sleep. My body is so used to getting 8+ hours of sleep every night that this has been really hard to deal with. My ears seem to have gotten louder and I've been slowly getting more and more depressed.

I'm thankful for my family. Without them, I don't know what I would do. They are definitely my motivation for overcoming this stage of T, but I'm just so tired. I'm scared. I'm sad. I'm just at a loss as to why this happened. My life was perfect and now...

I'm doing my best to stay positive. Every time a dark thought tries to enter my head, I think of my daughter. I can't imagine leaving her, but I also know that right now I can't be the best dad I can be. It breaks my heart and I break down just thinking about it.

One day at a time, right?

 

[w-drak]

Ben both me and you we are in acute stage. In this very moment I am trying to be as positive as possible (since it is evening and rough time will be in couple hours). Acute means we have high chance, right? Right?
Timing for me: dealing with bad health problems, after three years first improvements last month. Week before it happened to me, my GF and me first talked about a baby... (with my ongoing problems before it would be hard).

 

[Ben In SD]

I was able to schedule a hearing test tomorrow morning. Going to focus on trying to get some sleep and hopefully have some better news tomorrow.

 

[Aaron44126]

@Ben In SD
I wanted to thank you for the encouraging messages that you've left in my introduction thread.

You're lucky to be getting into an ENT soon... I called all around but the soonest anyone around here has any openings is mid/late September. I'm on a cancellation waiting list so maybe I'll get in sooner.

I didn't realize that you were expecting a baby soon! Is this your first? You mentioned a daughter, so maybe this is your second?

I have two daughters, one 4 years and one 11 months, so I share your frustration regarding being the "best dad you can be". It was really tough for the first few days after I realized this was a serious issue (around last weekend). They're the big reasons that I keep going every day and try not to let myself wallow in misery.

 

[Ben In SD]

@Aaron44126 It's tough right? But we gotta do what we gotta do. I made a promise to my daughter when she was first born that I would always be there for her, and I'm determined to keep that promise. I also have a son on the way, and he's getting that same promise.

In regards to your ENT, keep bugging them or try https://www.ata.org and click on the Find A Provider button. I was getting the run around from other ENT's, but these doctors were able to get me into an Audiologist this morning. I had my hearing test and I'm getting a referral to see their ENT this week.

Unfortunately, it looks like I have progressive hearing loss. But the bright side is that I feel like I'm starting to get some answers as to why this is happening. The audiologist recommended that I get the tinnitus masking hearing aids and wrote a recommendation for a prescription to the ENT. At 36, that's not how I envisioned my life going, but hopefully this is a step in the right direction towards managing this thing.

Keep your head up and keep me posted on the sleeping headband....curious to see if it helps.

 

[Aaron44126]

Sad to hear about your hearing. I hope that the masking hearing aids help. I checked the ATA site and they don't have any providers listed for my area...

 

[Ben In SD]

Just a quick update. I've read a lot about the power of turmeric paste and it's health benefits towards tinnitus. I'm going to give it a shot tonight, but here are the videos I used for the recipe.

This video I used for the paste because it included ground pepper. Supposedly helps with it getting into the bloodstream.

And this video I used for the milk.

Bottoms up!

 

[Greg Sacramento]

Ben: have you had any dental work done before T set in. Any heavy lifting. Done a lot of bending. Came in connect with any chemicals. Live near any electrical power sources. Have you moved recently. Does your neck, jaw and back feel OK. Grind your teeth. Stressful event. There are check lists of hundreds of things here and on the net that could cause tinnitus other than noise and medications. These are questions to ask yourself.

I wish you the best.

 

[jer]

I would like to tell you what I tell pretty much everyone on here who is new. Here it goes.

Well, now that you have some tinnitus (there is a very good chance it will go away, or end up being much more bearable). unfortunately you will have to adjust your life to accommodate it. Since you don't know how you got it, you need to be extra careful. Having anxiety and thus stress can be a trigger. so is medicine and sound exposure.

I would recommend you do the following:

1: stay away from clubs, loud bars and concerts at least for a WHILE. Your ears need rest, and loads of it to try and see if it can mitigate the damage itself.
2: stay away from headphones. Especially the in ear buds, but also the ones that go over your head. That is way too much loud volume so close to your eardrum.
3: be very careful with ototoxic medicine. This is a certain class of medicine that causes a lot of hearing problems. A lot of doctors are unaware what is or isent it. So always also check with the pharmacy, and also do your own research. If you feel your ringing increases a lot after taking medicine even though everyone says it's okay, you should probably stop and check with your doctor to see for a better replacement.
4: be careful with others harmful things that can cause us problems. I.e. Sonic ear cleanings at the dentist, ear wax removal at the ENT that is not done manually, planes can alsocause some people harm (wear some construction headphones).

 

[Greg Sacramento]

To get tinnitus at a young age, the list of causes drops way down. A MRI or CT of your ears may be helpful. The ER would had check for ear wax. Finding out if you have a hearing loss would be helpful. If you felt fine otherwise before onset; medically with no other health conditions or pain physically, dental and with no grinding of teeth or sore teeth and was stress free before T, then the problem could be environmental such as chemicals or electrical currents. Having moved to a different home may provide clues. Knowing if any of your neighbors have tinnitus could provide clues.

Genetics - family history of tinnitus may offer a clue. A past head injury or a physical trauma or accident that happened years ago could now be a reason. A low pitch sound that you come across could cause T. Many times it's not just one noise event, but a series of several noise events where a new not so loud exposure would finally break the camel's back. Medications as a child could have caused ear damage. It's different to examine your entire life for reasons, but many times it's a buildup of things thru the path of life that little by little effect your ears.

 

[Ben In SD]

Just an update:

My tinnitus is still there. Both ears, super loud, and high frequency....but

1. I have an amazing family.
2. I have a beautiful wife and daughter (son on the way).
3. I have a great job that I really enjoy.
4. I'm perfectly healthy other than this little wrinkle.
5. I can sleep through the night now (thanks to the SoundPillow).
6. I can still do everything that I used to do (just a little differently).
7. I'm kind of habituating.
8. I'm happy.
9. I don't worry about the future. I live in the now.
10. I love my life.

Just thought I'd share because when this first started, I was in a pretty dark place. However, as time went on, I learned that I can't control what happens to me, but I can control how I react to it. A big part of dealing with innitus is mental. I've learned that if you focus on the positive, things tend to get a lot better.

Even after going to multiple doctors, ENTs, audiologists, and receiving nothing but bad news (telling me there's nothing they can do). Even after all of that, I'm in a really good place.

 

[Ben In SD]

I found this website to be very informative and helpful. Just passing it along. http://tinnitusresearch.org/

 

[Nike]

Hi Ben,

The early stage of Tinnitus is usually unnerving. You have to believe that you will get better and dismiss any thought that it is lifelong. I was in that same position 4 months ago but I got my life back. The healing is slow but you will definitely get over it. Stay away from stimulants and eat healthy. Above all, pray. Wish you the best

 

[Ben In SD]

Another quick update.

Life is great! My T is still loud as ever, but I'm learning to live with it. It's weird, but there are times when I don't even notice it. Another thing that's strange is that when the ringing first started, I couldn't sleep. Like at all. That was my biggest challenge. I was trying everything under the sun to go to sleep. I was masking the sound, I was taking different medications, and I was only sleeping around 2 to 3 hours a night. I would literally go a week with about 8 total hours of sleep.

However, now I can honestly go to sleep without any assistance. Well...I drink a cup of herbal tea before bed, but I no longer need any medication or white noise machines to go to sleep. I can actually fall asleep to the ringing in my head and I sleep for 8+ hours a night. And trust me, the ringing is loud. I can hear it when I drive on the freeway. But I've conditioned myself to fall asleep to it. So weird.

Finally, I've accepted the fact that this might be something I have to deal with for the rest of my life. Since I've accepted it, I've noticed a significant decrease in my stress and I feel like I've taken my life back. Instead of viewing everything through the "Tinnitus lens", I've started to take control and tell tinnitus that I'm not going to let it take over. And guess what, I'm beginning to feel like my old self. It's a process, and I still have to make adjustments in my life in order to protect my hearing, but for anyone reading this...it does get better.

 

[Daffodil]

Hello Ben in SD.
I have been following your post since you first posted as my loud tinnitus started around the same time as yours.
I am older than you (not ancient yet)!! But I have 2 lovely young grandchildren who mean the world to me and the thought that the joy of their company had been taken away from me was unbelievably heartbreaking
Well, I have to say, Like you in a similar space of time I feel I am coping to some extent. Today we took our grandchildren out and had a lovely day, ears going beset know, BUT, I am no longer afraid of it and just think, children whilst suffering tinnitus far better than not coping with children at all.
I have been so impressed with your attitude and the way you have decided to address your tinnitus, I really have no doubt that this helps more than we fully understand and that success builds upon success. It is not always easy but as we have days where we cope well we are able to use these to give us more strength and sense of being positive.
As my granddaughter said to me when I was using masking hearing aids, 'I love your big earrings grandma'!
Your children will make you laugh and as we know laughter is the best medicine.
All the best to yourself and your family.xx