One of the Worst Things About Suffering from Tinnitus...

[Philip83]

...is that you don't get any god damn CREDIT for the SUPER HARD work that you're putting in, on top of everything else life throws at you, everyday. This might sound selfish and self righteous, but I can't help to think about it sometimes when I'm at a dinner, at work meeting, etc. If people would just understand how much agony, energy and effort we have to put in just to get through the day, they would (and should) give us so much more credit for it. It would have been fair, and it would also make the suffering at least somewhat easier I think.

I know pity will not lower our tinnitus, but I'm also so sick of hearing things like being asked why I'm wearing earplugs, or "tinnitus, what's that?", and fighting to survive everyday without getting even as much as a pat on the back for all my efforts. A simple "good job today, man", would have been nice every now and then. This is such a lonely condition...

Sorry, just had to get these thoughts out. Rant over!

 

[Foncky]

Don't forget that maybe, some people around you are suffering from something you don't see, and they would love the support you can't give them.

People are not responsible for our condition, they owe us nothing.

 

[Julien87]

I think they simply can't understand what it is when they're not in this situation. I'm sure most of them don't even think we can fear an aggravation of our symptoms. They just don't know what it is to live with this.

 

[Lex]

That's the thing with invisible illnesses, not just T. You don't look sick so you don't get special treatment.

 

[Lorac]

For me, the best thing about finding this forum was realizing that there are others in the world who live with what I live with. People can't tell by looking at me that I have this obstacle in my life. If I mention tinnitus, they have either never heard of it or they think that my tinnitus is like theirs (just a little ringing now and then). I agree with @Foncky ....having an invisible illness has made me aware that plenty of other people likely have invisible illnesses.

 

[Philip83]

I really want to stress that my intention is not to blame or in anyway demonise others for not seeing/understanding or not thinking that they would if they could! I just wanted to comment on that tinnitus, and indeed invisible illnesses in general, are horrible in this way.

 

[MikeL1972]

Hi Philip,

I get what you are trying to say, but you also have to remember that nobody owes you nothing (substitute "anything" for "nothing" if you want to be grammatically correct) in this world.

Everyone has some kind of problem to some degree. Financial problems, health problems (of all sorts), social problems, etc. It is *how* we deal with the problem(s) that makes us stronger than we thought possible. That is really what life is about. You do not become old without going through the "meat grinder" of life.

 

[Zechariah]

Hi, So @Philip83 , can I assume based on this venting that your LLLT with lucky laser hasn't helped (It's been 2 months)?

 

[Philip83]

Hi, So @Philip83 , can I assume based on this venting that your LLLT with lucky laser hasn't helped (It's been 2 months)?

That is correct.. I've been travelling a lot and been pretty busy, so haven't stuck to a super rigid schedule with it. But I've done maybe 10-15 sessions a 20min x 2 with 808nm and 650nm, with no noticeable results to my hearing or tinnitus.

 

[Zechariah]

That is correct.. I've been travelling a lot and been pretty busy, so haven't stuck to a super rigid schedule with it. But I've done maybe 10-15 sessions a 20min x 2 with 808nm and 650nm, with no noticeable results to my hearing or tinnitus.

Sad to hear, if the laser isn't cone shaped (spread instead of straight beam) it may be hard to hit cochlea so maybe some adjustment on position could help.

 

[derpytia]

@Philip83 Well, if it means anything coming from me:

I'm super dooper proud of you for continuing on with this crappy T thing while doing real life at the same time! You are a T warrior and I hope that over time it gets easier (at least a little)!

 

[Jake007]

...is that you don't get any god damn CREDIT for the SUPER HARD work that you're putting in, on top of everything else life throws at you, everyday. This might sound selfish and self righteous, but I can't help to think about it sometimes when I'm at a dinner, at work meeting, etc. If people would just understand how much agony, energy and effort we have to put in just to get through the day, they would (and should) give us so much more credit for it. It would have been fair, and it would also make the suffering at least somewhat easier I think.

I know pity will not lower our tinnitus, but I'm also so sick of hearing things like being asked why I'm wearing earplugs, or "tinnitus, what's that?", and fighting to survive everyday without getting even as much as a pat on the back for all my efforts. A simple "good job today, man", would have been nice every now and then. This is such a lonely condition...

Sorry, just had to get these thoughts out. Rant over!

I couldn't agree more