Please Somebody... Crying Hysterically... My Hyperacusis Seems to Have Gotten Worse

[Raphael7713]

But T and especially my H is the absolute reason for my depression, anxiety and stress. Im hoping it will be better in time. Right now i just feel like isolating myself mainly because of the H and it just feeds my depression

I know..but it's hwo you react to your T. You will learn this in time. It becomes a bad circle.

 

[TheDanishGirl]

Even om my "good" days i feel anxious about the t and h and i think that is why i have these meltdowns where i am crying hysterically and shaking. My body and mind is so stressed and at some point it just becomes too much.

 

[Raphael7713]

Trust me when I say that anxiety/stress and the depression is a bigger villain than the T. I know that the T causes these 3 emotions...but like I said, if you can controll them you controll your T, if you don't control these emotions they will controll you.

 

[Raphael7713]

And you've only had this for two months so it's normal you feel this way, it's still "new" to you. I really want to read your comments in 6 months time, I am sure we will see you with another mentality and joy.

 

[TheDanishGirl]

Im so scared....im tired off being scared all day everyday

 

[Michael Leigh]

Im so scared....im tired off being scared all day everyday

HI @TheDanishGirl
As @Raphael7713 rightly says you will improve. Try to persevere although I know it isn't easy. If you are able to get some counselling with an Audiologist or Hearing Therapist whose trained in the management and treatment of tinnitus it can be helpful.

Michael

 

[Samantha R]

@TheDanishGirl
It's hard for sure, and I'm so sorry. I can sense the pain and fear in all your posts and my heart is breaking for you.
I do want you to know that it does get better. I'm just over a year in, and I certainly don't feel the same about my tinnitus as I used to.
In fact, it has somewhat stabilised. However, last night for the first time in a while, I had a "spike". I used to get these EVERY night when I'd wake up and struggled badly to get back to sleep.
I knew this spike would go down if I could just go back to sleep. So I did. I could never do this in the beginning, I'd be reluctantly popping a benzo to get me through.
Now I don't even use Remeron anymore for sleeping, and I'm able to just use a herbal remedy to aid my sleep.
I never thought I'd get to that point, but I have.
You will too. Hyperacusis most often improves (from what I've read).
Do what you can to get you through this initial crisis, you will get to a better place. You may benefit from some medication at this time (if you are not already on some).
What helped me the most was just getting on with life the best I can.
Take care and stay in touch,
Sam.

 

[Ambassador]

"What helped me the most was just getting on with life the best I can."

Without a doubt the best advice and as far as I am concerned the only real solution and it's something we all have the ability to do.

 

[Pomme]

@TheDanishGirl I know this will be little consolation but you are not alone in dealing with this. I am also struggling to deal with Hyperacusis but I've pushed myself to go to the supermarket this morning, some gardening outside, washing, bit of reading. My ears are humming at the moment but I keep myself busy. Try and get outside even with earplugs and get to a park , get some exercise, do something. I'm sure you can do it. Everyone here wants you to get through this and you will.

 

[Michael Leigh]

"What helped me the most was just getting on with life the best I can."
Without a doubt the best advice and as far as I am concerned the only real solution and it's something we all have the ability to do.

I agree with you @Ambassador, that the best way to deal with tinnitus and hyperacusis is to try and get along with life the best that we can. Unfortunately this is easier said than done for people that find tinnitus intrusive and debilitating. If hyperacusis is also present one can find it quite an ordeal. Whilst the support and sympathy given to @Sandra on this thread is good to see and hopefully be of benefit. People like her that find T & H difficult to manage may need additional help in the manner that I've described (if they can get it) which is counselling with a Hearing Therapist or Audiologist trained in tinnitus management. Tinnitus and Hyperacusis has a direct impact on our emotional wellbeing and therefore an integral part of mental health and cannot be separated from it. https://www.tinnitustalk.com/threads/tinnitus-and-mental-health.21978/

Michael

 

[chef]

But T and especially my H is the absolute reason for my depression, anxiety and stress.

Sandra, something to ponder, and im saying this just for consideration. I have gone through much depression and anxiety through my T. I have struggled with some level of anxiety for my entire adult life. I have no clue as to what H is like in your situation. One thing I have learned for myself is that you cannot control the things life gives you, the ONLY thing you have control over is the way you respond to them. I get it that you could be a happy go lucky person without this, but I do question that this is what is causing it. You give it the power to have it, and need to stop the cycle. Im not saying it is easy in any way, much easier to say. Just maybe think of this as you are struggling.

 

[Marc22]

Hi TheDanishGirl:

I am totally sympathetic.

I have found over the years (21 years with h. ) that h. improves most of the time from a setback, but over a long time period, if you protect yourself. It can be hell , no question, while you are waiting to improve. What gave me hope about you was you saying that turning a magazine page only hurt you a "bit". If so ,you should improve slowly to a better condition. A few weeks ago, turning the page of a paper hurt A LOT, and I am much better. Keep away from all heavy noises.

I have found that taking 2mg of a tranquiliser called CLONAZEPAM helps my h. temporarily when it is bad , as it was yesterday. I then got better for a few hours, which always gave me hope that I would get better. Even if one knows intellectually that one can get better, you have to experience it , even for a few hours, for your mood to perhaps improve. That is what I have found. That drug blasted away the hell of the page turning mentioned in the last paragraph, and I felt better PERMANENTLY from that extreme, but not all h. of course. I cannot guarantee that will happen to you.

Take care.

Marco

 

[TheDanishGirl]

Hi TheDanishGirl:

I am totally sympathetic.

I have found over the years (21 years with h. ) that h. improves most of the time from a setback, but over a long time period, if you protect yourself. It can be hell , no question, while you are waiting to improve. What gave me hope about you was you saying that turning a magazine page only hurt you a "bit". If so ,you should improve slowly to a better condition. A few weeks ago, turning the page of a paper hurt A LOT, and I am much better. Keep away from all heavy noises.

I have found that taking 2mg of a tranquiliser called CLONAZEPAM helps my h. temporarily when it is bad , as it was yesterday. I then got better for a few hours, which always gave me hope that I would get better. Even if one knows intellectually that one can get better, you have to experience it , even for a few hours, for your mood to perhaps improve. That is what I have found. That drug blasted away the hell of the page turning mentioned in the last paragraph, and I felt better PERMANENTLY from that extreme, but not all h. of course. I cannot guarantee that will happen to you.

Take care.

Marco

But Clonazepam is a benzo right? i am actually tapering off them at the moment and don't want to use them on a regular basis anymore.

my sensitivity has gone down a bit, but i have noticed that it usually improves as the day goes on, it is worst when i wake up and a couple hours thereafter, but in the evening it is better. luckily i don't have any problems with outside noises like wind in the tress, the noise of the city, cars going by, birds chirping. it is certain noises or maybe frequencies that triggers it.

 

[Marc22]

Sandra:

Yes, clonazepam is a benzo. So it looks that that class of drug is not helping your hyperacusis. With me ,it helps a lot.

Yes my h. too improves as the day goes on. Thankfull! If birds chirping don't bother you, then you do not have a bad case. You should really improve, I beleive. And your stress should go down.

Marco

 

[Michael Leigh]

@TheDanishGirl
I was prescribed Clonazepam in 2010 because my tinnitus was very severe and used it as advised by my ENT consultant and monitored by my GP. I only take it now when my tinnitus reaches very severe levels and just for a brief period. Typically a maximum of up to 3 days. This drug does't help everyone with tinnitus. I advise you again to only follow the advice of your doctor/s on tapering off this drug as you don't want to risk a relapse or resurgence in your tinnitus. Clonazepam effectiveness in reducing tinnitus will be different for each person if it's going to work at all. In my case it reduces it to complete silence. However, my tinnitus is variable from: complete silence, mild, moderate and severe. It no longer reaches extreme severe levels that would last for days.

Take your time please do not try to rush things. Some people think because they've turned a corner it's now plain sailing a head and nothing can go wrong. This is not always the case. Be patient and take each day as it comes and don't look for too much.

Clonazepam is not likely to help hyperacusis as this is a physical problem. Using sound enrichment will treat it and often cure the condition with time.

Michael

 

[Tommi_boi]

It will get better, but do try chill out a little, unforunatley, as people say, stress can have an impact on it .

It won't be doom and gloom forever so for now, have a glass of wine or something and take each days as it comes. If I have a hard day, a couple beers always helps me,

H has a much better chance of improving , you just need to give it time

 

[Marc22]

Hi again Sandra KD:

I am a little confused about your case. Here are some questions:

-are you new to hyperacusis? I ask this, because when I was new, I totally flipped out psychologically, even though in retrospect I had a mild case of hyperacusis. I wonder if that is what is happenning to you. I ended up in the psych ward 3 times, for acute panic attacks and acute suicidal depression, and lost 20 kg.. Then I adjusted psychologically. Now, with more experience with such mild h. , that would never bother me. In fact it would be a godsend compared to my bad days with h. these days, like today.I ask this because if birds chirping, and wind thru trees does not bother you, then your case is mild. I am not saying your psychological reactions are not justified; it's just they may be exagerated for now as a result of the novelty of h. My exagerated reactions calmed down after a few months.

You refer to other "noises and frequencies that triggers" that bother you. What exactly are those?

TO MICHAEL H.:

Clonazepam only helps me temporarily, as I clearly explained (it's not a cure). Don't negate that important fact by writing
" clonazepam is not likely to help hyperacusis as this is a physical problem", which implies it can never be helpful to me or others in any way. And I am one of the people who don't get addicted to it.Others may have to worry about that, admitedly.


Marco

 

[Michael Leigh]

@Marc22
If you choose to take what I write personally that is your choice I wasn't corresponding with you. Furthermore, please don't instruct or direct me on what to write when I am addressing someone. Your account on clonazepam and hyperacusis I do not agree with but that is your choice. Again, I was not addressing you and will not be in future as I abhor bad manners and impertinence.

Michael

 

[Marc22]

To Michael Leigh:

When you address someone on a public forum such as this one a matter which may be pertinent to a lot of other people, then I and others have the right to criticise any such matter if we deem it necessary. If you find that to be bad manners and impertinent, which it is not obviously, then tough luck. I will not refrain in the future to criticise you and any others if their public opinions on vital matters are erroneous in my opinion.

If you want to address someone privately, then do it privately.

Marco

 

[Mkc28]

@TheDanishGirl, I'm not sure if I know what hyperacusis is after reading this thread, but I notice you cut your clonazepam down from 1.5 mgs to 1 mg a day. That's alot. If you don't feel better in a few days I would up it .25 mgs to 1.25 mgs and see if that helps. Then in 14 days cut it .25 mgs and if you don't feel right up it .125 mgs. I think dropping only .125 mgs every 14 days is way better on your brain than .25 mgs. But just my opinion. And jumping off at .125 mgs is so much better than jumping off at .25 mgs especially if you are having trouble coping with pain.

 

[TheDanishGirl]

@TheDanishGirl, I'm not sure if I know what hyperacusis is after reading this thread, but I notice you cut your clonazepam down from 1.5 mgs to 1 mg a day. That's alot. If you don't feel better in a few days I would up it .25 mgs to 1.25 mgs and see if that helps. Then in 14 days cut it .25 mgs and if you don't feel right up it .125 mgs. I think dropping only .125 mgs every 14 days is way better on your brain than .25 mgs. But just my opinion. And jumping off at .125 mgs is so much better than jumping off at .25 mgs especially if you are having trouble coping with pain.

Im not sure i understand

The benzo im taking, 1 pill is 15 mg and i have taken a half pill 3 times a day adding up to 22.5 mg a day, now i only take two halfs which is 15 mg total, so i have gone down 7.5 mg

 

[Mkc28]

@TheDanishGirl, OH! Just going by what you said "5 days ago i went from taking 0.5 pill 3 times a day, to taking 0.5 pill only 2 times a day. I know that maybe I should have only gone down 0.25 pill but I just went with only taking the dose 3 times a day till 2 times a day."

So 0.5 pills 3 times a day is 1.5 and minus .05 would be 1.0. So I guess what I said doesn't matter because I have no idea what dose you are on.

 

[Mkc28]

@TheDanishGirl, if you are taking 15 mgs instead of 1.5 mgs, that's alot of mgs! Just be careful!!

 

[TheDanishGirl]

@TheDanishGirl, if you are taking 15 mgs instead of 1.5 mgs, that's alot of mgs! Just be careful!!

It is the lowest dose they come in. One pill is 15 mg oxazepam and it can be divided in two which would then be 7.5 mg each.

I dont know if mg means something else in the states or UK.

1.5 mg would have absolutely no effect with these (oxazepam)

 

[Jake007]

Im not sure i understand

The benzo im taking, 1 pill is 15 mg and i have taken a half pill 3 times a day adding up to 22.5 mg a day, now i only take two halfs which is 15 mg total, so i have gone down 7.5 mg

What pill are you taking?

 

[TheDanishGirl]

What pill are you taking?

Oxazepam (named Oxapax in my country)

 

[Jake007]

Oxazepam (named Oxapax in my country)

Be careful coming down off of it please

 

[TheDanishGirl]

Be careful coming down off of it please

Of course....i will do it very slowly from now on.

Just googled the difference between clonazapam and oxazepam. 30 mg of oxazepam equals to 1 mg clonazapam and oxazepam has 14 hour less half live.

 

[Mkc28]

@TheDanishGirl, you and Marc22 were talking about clonazepan and I thought that's what you were taking. But I couldn't imagine you or anyone else taking 22 mgs of clonazepam so I thought it had to be another benzo!