New Onset Tinnitus in Pregnancy, I Need Hope.

[Natalie Roberts]

I am 29 weeks pregnant and since just before Halloween I started noticing a very high pitched ringing.. Its been almost 2 weeks and it comes and goes but is mostly "on". It seems to get worse when I am around loud noises, like the television or radio in my car. I prefer quiet/silence as the ringing or buzzing sound isn't so noticable. My mind seems to be obsessing on this new symptom, as it usually does with any new ailment. I'm really struggling with anxiety/depression that accompanies this. I was already having a very difficult pregnancy, physically and emotionally and now this new symptom has manifested. I'm exhausted, not sleeping and increasingly depressed. I have gone for an audiogram and have an appointment with an ENT scheduled for later this week. I've also scheduled an appointment with my OBGYN but I could just use some support or if anyone else has ever been through this in pregnancy, specifically some hope?

 

[linearb]

I've read a number of reports over the years of people developing tinnitus during pregnancy, and then generally having it go away on its own afterwards.

 

[glynis]

Hi Natalie,
Like linearb says it is quite common to get tinnitus during pregnancy hormone related and water retention .
The unwanted emotions that come with it can be hard on top of loosing sleep.
Rest as much as you can and do everything you can to reduce stress and ask your doctor for talking therapy as it will help.

Some people find using hearing aids temporary can help .
If you have a mp3 or phone with apps etc,
You can download natural sounds a relaxation music to listen too for a few hours a day but keep it very low if using earphones .
Have a word with your midwife also who can help support you through your pregnancy and advise you on ways to sleep better and might suggest something that would be ok to take .
Their is also some free sounds to download on hear like white noise.....Take care,lots of love glynis

 

[Antoinette]

Hi there, I just saw a article about a Girl who got T durning her pregnancy on the BTA (British T Website). You should have a read.

 

[Natalie Roberts]

I really appreciate everyone's reply. It ha sheen a long two weeks and I've been having panic attacks because of the ringing.. I broke down and made an appointment with my OB to possibly get anxiety medication to help me cope with everything since this pregnancy has been one unsettling symptom after another and I'm at my breaking point. I just needed some support from someone who understands! I'm sure my ENT appointment will not be conclusive to a quick fix but I am still hoping maybe it can be easily corrected although early results from my audio gram showed slight hearing loss in the upper ranges. I'm only 30, so I'm really trying to be positive that this condition will resolve or at least become more managable on its own after pregnancy (sooner the better).

 

[linearb]

be really careful with "anti-anxiety" medications. There's literally nothing in that class that I'd be comfortable with a pregnant relative taking -- neo-natal exposure to something like a benzo or SSRI sounds terrifying to me.

 

[Natalie Roberts]

Trust me, I have suffered from anxiety my whole life and especially during this pregnancy. I have been off medication the past 3 years but it's flaired up so bad during this pregnancy. My dr has offered medication several times as has the perinatologist that I see but I've refused. I have less then 11 weeks to go, and I've been so strong until this new symptom of ringing in my ears started. I'm literally a mess. I cry all the time, I'm not eating or gaining weight, I obsess about every symptom and it's not healthy either. My dr is pretty conservative about medications but I think at this point she would feel the benefits of the medications for me outweigh the risk to the fetus . I am really struggling in making this decision. I've also been seeing a counselor and start group therapy and meditation classes this Wednesday. Before the ringing started I was dealing with unidentified chest pain (been going on 10 weeks) as well as heart palpitations and issues with my placenta. It's been a really hard pregnancy and I'm just trying to make it through as mentally and physically healthy as I can.

 

[Natalie Roberts]

Also, the one ENT I spoke with said stress could be making the ringing worse.. Anyone heard that? I'm really new to this..

 

[glynis]

Hi Natalie,
You have done well this far now is the time to think about your needs to get you in a better place emotionally and physically and sleeping better ready for your little boundle of joy .
Make sure you take rests through the day and put some relaxation music on .
Pamper yourself and some nice treats too.
Do you have any other children Natalie ?....lots of love glynis

 

[Natalie Roberts]

I have 2 other children, a 5 year old and a 2 year old. I work full time.. My mother also passed away in January and this pregnancy was completely unexpected. I have been under a tremendous amount of stress this year and I think that's what all my physical symptoms are manifesting. I'm just so exhausted and scared this new ringing will not go away. I literally have panic attacks that it will get worse or I won't be able to deal with it. I feel so weak.

 

[Onnie]

Hi natalie, i am very sorry that this is happening to you. Especially during a pregnancy.

Maybe you could talk to your employer about working less or maybe not at all. Offcourse i dont know anything about your (financial) situation and how these things are arranged in the country you live in, but i would certainly look into reducing any sort of stress factors.

 

[Natalie Roberts]

Thank you Onnie. My dr actually just put me on restrictions of no overtime during the pregnancy so I'll be working 40 hours instead of 50+. I am also trying to find a yoga class to help.. I feel so defeated. ;,(

 

[glynis]

Aww duck xxx.
I totally understand how you are feeling and still greeving for your mum and a busy mum and full time work .
I'm glad you are going have talking therapy as its nice talk things through .

Make sure you get family help out to give you some time to relax and help with housework as not sleeping will wear you out .
Try not worry on your sound as It as every chance of going as your hormones start to settle after baby is born.
I'm on the British Tinnitus Association and help on their too and we have a advice line.
You have lots going on and the more rest time you get the better .
Feet up and family hugs on the sofa with your children and try not worry about your sound .
Blood pressure and anxiety feeds tinnitus and hormones and water retention .

If you did not have tinnitus with your other pregnancies it could be more due to anxiety .
Get as much help as you can and if you can have meds to help I'm sure your doctor would only give you what's safe to take .

Keep posting for support and keep warm and relax ...Take care duck, lots of love glynis

 

[Natalie Roberts]

Thank you very much Gylnis. The thing im struggling most with is when I try to relax, say watching television on the couch the noise seems much worse. It's like televisions or the car stereo aggravate it and cause it to be more pronounced if that makes sense? I would love to be able to just sit down and relax but how do you turn 'off' the sound? It seems better when I'm busy and running around like crazy because I have less time to sit and obsess about it. I don't know.

 

[glynis]

Tinnitus can come with Hyperacusis which means your ears can be sensitive to certain sounds and aggravate tinnitus .
You are doing well keeping busy take your mind off your sound so try keep distracted but try keep relaxed and try off load stress....lots of love glynis

 

[billie48]

Sorry to hear about your struggle, Natalie. You ask if stress and anxiety can make T worse. Yes, these are bad for T. So while we can't do anything to T, we can cut off the fuel needed to aggravate T. So do what you can to relax yourself. Only you know what activities will help. Perhaps try some abdominal breathing (youtube it) to manage anxiety and read some books. You can try low volume masking such that you still have some masking to distract from T but not loud enough to cause discomfort. That was what I had to do a few years back with ultra high pitch dog whistle T and severe, full-blown H that even my wife's soft voice hurt. I masked all day but only as much as my H could allow me. Anything is better than hearing my T screaming like 10 times the pitch of a dentist drill.

You do have some symptoms of sound reactive T or some level of hyperacusis. I think many members here have gone through that phase of new T when it behaves like that. The H element will slowly fade over time and you shouldn't have to deal with the sound-reactive nature of T for ever. Your T is so new that you can't rule out it will fade or disappear. Even if it stays, your brain can get hardened to its stimulus over time. You won't always react to T as now, your most difficult suffering phase of a new T.

That is something I learn from my T & H journey. I am someone with anxiety and panic disorder for decades prior to T & H. My panic prone brain just had no chance against T & H. It caved into a mental and physical mess every morning when the loud T woke me up. No amount of will power could stop the panic attack. I had to survive on meds daily and prayed that they continued to work. I made the mistake thinking that I would react the same way to T the rest of my life, and I suffered relentless anxiety and panic attacks for thinking this way. But now the brain doesn't give a dime to the same T sound. It happened over time as I keep positive and repeatedly tell my brain that T is harmless if annoying, and that I would get used to it over time. And so I did. I am not alone. Many members can tell you the same. Nowadays I live a normal and absolutely enjoyable life and wrote my success story 'From Darkness to Light...'. Hope you will read up as many success stories as you can to calm your nerve and to learn some insights how to get better. Take care & God bless.

 

[Natalie Roberts]

Billie,
Thank you. Your post really seemed to click with me. I will try that way of thinking as well as working with my therapist to manage this new symptom and try to control my anxiety.. Trying to focus on the fact that it won't be this annoying forever is a positive thought and hopefully after pregnancy the symptoms will subside.. I will work on this.. Thank you again everyone for taking the time to reply. It is distressing experiencing this for the first time and assuming I will never 'hear normally' again or being concerned I will never be able to watch television or enjoy the radio again.. So I will work hard on not letting the anxiety get the best of me..

 

[Natalie Roberts]

Woke up to terrible anxiety this morning because of the ringing. I'm trying so hard to be positive that this will all fade since the noise is so new to me I know I shouldn't let my mind get the best of me but its hard. I appreciate everyone's support so much.

 

[attheedgeofscience]

@Natalie Roberts I don't have much of an opinion on the subject except that it has been discussed a number of times on this board. In addition, one of the more famous cases is Susanna Reid:

• www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-2937352/Susanna-Reid-reveals-distress-10-year-battle-debilitating-condition-tinnitus.html
  
• www.amplifon.co.uk/about-amplifon/latest-amplifon-news/susanna-reid-opens-up-about-her-distress-at-developing-tinnitus

Lastly, you can also open a question with the Doctor's Corner if you wish (Dr. Ancill):

www.tinnitustalk.com/forums/doctors-corner.58

 

[Natalie Roberts]

Thank you

 

[devonlee]

I'm wondering if anyone knows about tinnitus spiking at the very early stages of pregnancy.
I just found out that I'm pregnant (YAY!) and since I found out, my tinnitus has been so much louder (BOO ).
I've cut down my caffeine, I'm not drinking, I'm sleeping decently well, I'm not stressed so I don't really understand the spike. Still another month to go before I see my ENT. I don't have high hopes though.

 

[Fernando81]

Hello Natalie, god bless you!!
You are so strong!! I admire you.
How are you doing?

 

[Natalie Roberts]

I

I'm wondering if anyone knows about tinnitus spiking at the very early stages of pregnancy.
I just found out that I'm pregnant (YAY!) and since I found out, my tinnitus has been so much louder (BOO ).
I've cut down my caffeine, I'm not drinking, I'm sleeping decently well, I'm not stressed so I don't really understand the spike. Still another month to go before I see my ENT. I don't have high hopes though.

I honestly think it has to do with hormones! whenever I start my period my T rages for a few days too.

 

[Natalie Roberts]

Hello Natalie, god bless you!!
You are so strong!! I admire you.
How are you doing?

Thank you! I am doing pretty well right now. It comes and goes and dealing with other medical issues but am pretty good about not letting my T cause such a strong emotional reaction anymore!

 

[devonlee]

@Natalie Roberts That totally makes sense. I never noticed with my period but maybe I just thought it was a particularly bad day instead of associating with my period.