I did abruptly stop them after 4 years of use.
The way I would describe mine is both my ears have an epileptic fit of loud fizzing when exposed to a constant sound, which only needs to be 30 dB too. I'm 11 months in.
Everything I kept quoted above is very similar to me, 19 months in now to the reactive and hissing part, along with a rumbling hum I have had for 20 years. Joy of life ruined, music ruined, audiobooks ruined, doing hobbies I used to enjoy ruined.
Music soothed my mind and calmed me better than any drug could. To have that taken away is so cruel, especially not being able to wear any type of headphones.
It can be worth experimenting with a few speaker types. I eventually invested in a pair of near-filed monitors like these. The sound is much less intrusive to hyperacuse-y ears than laptop speakers for example (even expensive MacBook Pro ones) that were driving me crackers.
Thanks @UKBloke for the recommendation of some quality speakers
I do still listen to music, just at a much lower level than my pre-tinnitus days. But not on my headphones anymore 
I just loved my headphones and being in my own world. It helped me destress.
Actually, no. My reactive tinnitus is off the roof. I went to see an otologist that specializes in hyperacusis and reactive tinnitus. I don't know what all the fuss is about the use of the "reactive" term. Doctors are using it to describe the type of tinnitus I have. Anyway, my tinnitus is a category 4, level 10. So, it's bad. The only thing that got better is my hyperacusis. I did sound therapy, though.
@Aline Mohymont, I'm almost 1 year in with tinnitus, pain hyperacusis for 5-6 months. Loudness hyperacusis almost back to normal (80-90%). Reactive tinnitus the same or slightly worse but unstable with debilitating days and bearable days. Waking up is depressing, although I sleep 6-7 hours on 30 mg Mirtazapine.
Hey @Aline Mohymont, so the sound therapy you did didn't help the reactivity at all? Others on the forum have said their reactivity improved as their hyperacusis improved.
Not in my case. But then I am a really severe case.
So yeah, audiologists keep saying if you treat the loudness hyperacusis, your reactivity will go away. That may be the case with some but not all as you see on this thread. @Brian Newman did sound therapy and improved his LDLs until he developed noxacusis. I did sound therapy and improved my LDLs but my reactivity is worsened big time.
Thanks for the feedback, @Wrfortiscue. I did not dive into the TRT at this time. I told her I'd let her know if I was interested in the future.
You can try some sounds at the lowest volume and see how you do. Brown, white, pink, violet noise, etc.
Hey @TinniGone, I am on a very small dose of Ativan in the evening which helped the reactivity more at first, now not so much. Do you feel like the muscle relaxer was a notable game changer with regards to the reactivity when taken with the Xanax?
Most likely yes. It is tough to tell to what extent it helped my recovery but for sure it played a role. I took one Mydocalm pill every night (best to be taken in the evening). It must be taken under the guidance of a doctor.
Mine is 91.1. I don't know how many points. But it is the worst case my audiologist, who specializes in the worst cases, has seen.
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