New Years Eve in Germany — Terrified

[Dana]

What happened to you? And what about the walls, don't they let stuff through as well?

"What happend to you?" as in "have you gone crazy?"
I do not understand, please explain.

No, the walls do not let stuff go through as well. There isn't even room for a comparison here.

I just suggested to do something about the window. The window must be rather small and padding it with something may be a good idea.

My ears were seriously damaged because of a unexpected firecracker on New Year's Eve, which exploded very close to me and since then i have much worse tinnitus and aural fullness. Not fun.

I do not think that taking measures to prevent hearing those loud and sudden noises is ridiculous, but a responsible attitude to protect one's health.

 

[LisaCuddy]

If you have a car, you could go for a drive and come home at around 2 am...

Depending on where you live, that may not be late enough to avoid all bangs. Also, isn't a car less insulated than a house? What if someone hit the car with a firework? I think it's safer staying at home.

 

[MatthijsDJ]

One advise, buy good earplugs. A Dutch test on television showed that earp protection for events with loud music are the best for fireworks. Buy some good ones so that you also can use it for other events.

Put these things in your ear and go outside at 00:00 and enjoy the fireworks. Don't let T prevent you from doing things; however take actions that prevent more ear damage.

That is how I beated H and T

 

[lifeisover]

One advise, buy good earplugs. A Dutch test on television showed that earp protection for events with loud music are the best for fireworks. Buy some good ones so that you also can use it for other events.

Put these things in your ear and go outside at 00:00 and enjoy the fireworks. Don't let T prevent you from doing things; however take actions that prevent more ear damage.

That is how I beated H and T

I don't care about fireworks at all. I don't know if it will be enough if I hide in the basement with foam earplugs (normal ones....)

 

[Bill Bauer]

go outside at 00:00 and enjoy the fireworks. Don't let T prevent you from doing things

Interesting advice.

I am curious, what do you make of posts like
https://www.tinnitustalk.com/threads/i-ruined-my-recovery.25514/
https://www.tinnitustalk.com/threads/earplugs-muffs-give-very-little-protection.21737/

https://www.tinnitustalk.com/threads/tinnitus-much-worse-after-club-despite-wearing-solid-35-db-custom-earplugs-—-im-at-my-wits-end.15744/#post-186018

https://www.tinnitustalk.com/threads/bad-spike-not-subsiding-after-loud-bar-—-despite-wearing-properly-inserted-earplugs.20675/#post-239000

https://www.tinnitustalk.com/thread...t-an-acoustic-trauma-shock.18964/#post-219363

https://www.tinnitustalk.com/thread...le-in-real-life-situations.19067/#post-220314

https://www.tinnitustalk.com/threads/33-decibel-earplug-not-protecting-from-sound.22151/

" iwholovemusic " had a spike for about 2 years after loud event . I remember he had posted this about 2-3 years ago .
He was also wearing ear plugs and ear muffs !

It's been passed 3 month mark and I still have this annoying spike, the ear pain is gone but the spike remained. ...Yes. I have Noise induced T. My spike was due to going out to a bar/day drinking/brewery/lots of alcohol. Since that day my T has been screaming....No live loud music, just a restaurant and a lot of people in it.

Your advice is to just ignore posts like that (despite the fact that we get multiple horror stories like that posted here every week), right?

 

[Autumnly]

If I were to go outside even with hearing protection at midnight, I'd definitely get a spike and probably worsen my tinnitus. NYE is crazy here. I know I've been overprotecting my ears those last couple of months and I know that anxiety and stress will not benefit me, but I just don't know if I could cope if my tinnitus became worse again as it's already bad. Also, I built a fort inside my bathroom and it's actually quite cozy.

 

[Bill Bauer]

That is how I beated H and T

In addition to beating T, you also want to ensure that your T doesn't return...

2017 I was living free finasteride and "free" Tinnitus, only audible in quiet rooms. 3 years with low T so I was feeling less paranoid about it. These forums, the ENTS, all things from the dark past for me.

24 october 2017: The worst decision I took in my life. I wanted a night of fun. Bought Ear Peace HD ear plugs and went to a Gene Simmons Show in a small nightclub. The volume was loud, but I thought "I am wearing ear plugs, I am protected". 24 hs after the show, T came back and worse than ever. I hear it 24/7. Bad days are severe, good days are torelable...but now 50 days after the show I am feeling hopeless about real improvements. Maybe I lost my chance to have a low T life.

 

[Bill Bauer]

My plan now is to hide in the basement, but it has a window.

You could place a mattress against that window. If it is small enough to be covered by several pillows, you could stuff those pillows there, and then place a mattress (or two) on top of that. Build a fort like

I built a fort inside my bathroom and it's actually quite cozy.

 

[lifeisover]

I'm currently placing big pieces of an old cut up foam mattress outside of the windows (there are "holes" in front of the basement windows that can be filled), but I'm really worried it won't be enough and wonder if I should go upstairs instead. There are no rooms without windows so it's scary.

 

[lifeisover]

I'm really not sure if I should go out of town instead, I don't know anywhere specific so it would be uncertain but I'm not sure if thebasement will be safe..

 

[Elfin]

Just close the windows and wear plugs and earmuffs. You will be fine

 

[Bill Bauer]

I'm really not sure if I should go out of town instead, I don't know anywhere specific so it would be uncertain but I'm not sure if thebasement will be safe..

I was going to suggest that you drive to a remote hotel and spend a night there, but then I realized that they might have fireworks there too...

 

[Autumnly]

I'm also still wondering whether I should stay inside or drive somewhere... But I just don't know where I should drive to and I wouldn't feel as safe in my car as I would in my apartment. Couldn't find a remote hotel, the ones near me don't have their own fireworks but people living in the same area will shoot fireworks. So, I'm just gonna have to see how this NYE will go while staying inside. And if my tinnitus gets worse... well, then I'll have a whole year to come up with a better plan.

 

[Bill Bauer]

In many parts of Canada, if you drive north for 100 or 200 km, there will be very few people within a 90 or 190 km radius of you.

 

[lifeisover]

Well that's Canada for you... one of the least densely populated countries

 

[lifeisover]

I'm also still wondering whether I should stay inside or drive somewhere... But I just don't know where I should drive to and I wouldn't feel as safe in my car as I would in my apartment. Couldn't find a remote hotel, the ones near me don't have their own fireworks but people living in the same area will shoot fireworks. So, I'm just gonna have to see how this NYE will go while staying inside. And if my tinnitus gets worse... well, then I'll have a whole year to come up with a better plan.

You could drive towards some nature park areas close to you

 

[lifeisover]

Guys I will not be able to leave this place. I was supposed to drive away to a remote area but it doesnt work out cause I was let down by someone, and now I fear it's too late and too dangerous to go outside. I am so scared I don't think I will survive today. I wanted to die for a long time due to how tinnitus destroyed everything for me and I start to feel like tonight is a good time. I cannot bear having to endure the fireworks everywhere. I want to be gone finally. I was never strong enough for tinnitus

 

[Autumnly]

I'm so sorry to hear that you were let down by that person! I honestly think you're gonna be okay at home. Yes, I'm also scared - but that's because my tinnitus is already loud. If you've put a mattress or pillows in front of the window and also wear ear plugs and ear muffs then I think you're going to be okay! Endure the fireworks and see how you feel tomorrow (which, of course, is easier said than done). I'm also terrified. I don't know if my tinnitus is going to get worse, but I can't say with absolute certainty that it will, so I will endure the fireworks and see if my tinnitus actually gets worse. I'm so sorry you're feeling like this! I understand your fear and exhaustion.

 

[Tweaker]

Guys I will not be able to leave this place. I was supposed to drive away to a remote area but it doesnt work out cause I was let down by someone, and now I fear it's too late and too dangerous to go outside. I am so scared I don't think I will survive today. I wanted to die for a long time due to how tinnitus destroyed everything for me and I start to feel like tonight is a good time. I cannot bear having to endure the fireworks everywhere. I want to be gone finally. I was never strong enough for tinnitus

I think you are working yourself up into a bad state. This may be clouding your judgement. Being indoors with windows closed and wearing ear protection seems sufficient. I live in fairly built up community and I expect lots of fireworks nearby as usual. I only ever close the windows without ear protection and i have not had a problem being indoors.

 

[Elfin]

you will be fine with dual protection and windows shut etc. take some videos so we can see what it is like. reckon you are going to be ok though. presumably the fireworks arent going off right outside your window, as in on the otherside of the glass.

 

[Sam Bridge]

Just close the windows and wear plugs and earmuffs. You will be fine

Are you serious? Plugs and muffs inside?

 

[Flamingo1]

Let us know how you hold up!

 

[Autumnly]

Are you serious? Plugs and muffs inside?

I don't know what NYE is like where you live but it can get pretty loud in Germany (depending on where you live). Maybe plugs and ear muffs aren't necessary... for me they are. My direct neighbors are already shooting fireworks.
Edit: I'm sorry, I just think you could have worded that a bit more nicely. "Don't worry, plugs and muffs should definitely give you enough protection." But "are you serious?" sounds belittling to me. He's obviously terrified.

 

[Bill Bauer]

Are you serious? Plugs and muffs inside?

It sounds like you haven't read all of the posts in this thread.

I can see how plugs and muffs inside might not be enough if serious fireworks are being deployed right next to one's window.

 

[Elfin]

Are you serious? Plugs and muffs inside?

Seems extreme, yeh. I was more making the point that with this protection you will be fine, rather than feeling the need to drive for hours to a wooded area.

Also, don't see why fireworks would go off on the other side of the glass, surely they would be fired upwards, thus taking a lot of the noise.

 

[Avocado]

Hey, I just had to write something because it sounded like you were thinking about suicide. Please hold on one more night. This is probably the worst night of the year for us who have T and or H but then we have a whole year in front of us that is free from fireworks. That means more time and more chances to find ways to make T less loud or find ways to make it easier to live with it, more time to find something in life to enjoy that T can't destroy I have read of people in this forum who got rid of T after 40 years because they took some obscure vitamin in a certain enzymatic form. Others lost it after decades because they tried something new or just by accident. There is always some hope. You won't find out what works for you if you are not here.

Tonight, I want you to think of all the people who have tinnitus as a family scattered around the globe but united in the experience we share tonight on NYE. We might feel disconnected and isolated from the other people who enjoy firecrackers the louder the better. We might be scared and don't want fireworks to worsen our condition. We all get that. But we will get through this night. Whatever we need to do. Be it mattresses in windows or earplugs or earmuffs or all of the above. I myself won't go outside tonight either because I made that mistake (unprotected) last NYE which caused a spike and I don't want to start the new year worrying about having worsened my T. I will stay under my cozy heat blanket and listen to my favourite audio book.

I don't know how badly your ears react to loud sounds, you are the expert of your own ears, but I think with the precautions that you have taken (foam on the windows, earplugs and earmuffs), you should be pretty safe. I am German, I know German NYE.

PM me if you want. I'd love to hear from you. Or let your tinnitus family know how you are doing in this thread. Either way, I am sending you hugs!
Avocado

 

[Bill Bauer]

How did it go?!

 

[AZeurotuner]

How did it go?!

Hasn't been seen on the forums since 7:29am, kind of worrisome, hope he's ok.

 

[Codaz]

Lol you are inside, wearing muffs but still afraid? Come on..

I was wearing muffs, inside and still scared. It's not weird if you are in mental disturbance. I totally understand it.
It's easier to turn an oil tanker than to overcome anxiety or regain self trust and self confidence so please don't judge or say something is ridiculous.

 

[sjtinguy]

Hasn't been seen on the forums since 7:29am, kind of worrisome, hope he's ok.

it's 3am in germany, hopefully he's sleeping soundly