Snakes & Ladders...

Hello everyone,

This is my analogy of tinnitus, as that's exactly how it's been.... I've had tinnitus since 4th January 2016, I just woke up one morning and it's been there ever since. The first month, I really struggled with it but managed to get my life back on track and cope with it. About a month ago, I started to get a bit of pain and dullness in my ear and went to a specialist Tinnitus clinic where they suctioned a large amount of wax from one of my ears and small amount from the other. Since then I've had a higher pitch in my ears and have been experiencing ear pain and a heightened sensitivity to noise, which to be honest, I'm finding it extremely difficult to cope with.

I spoke to my Doctor and Audiologist and they assured me that the wax removal wouldn't have caused any further damage and it's because effectively I've had a plug taken from my ears and noise will be sharper. I've got myself into such a panic about it all and as a result have started taking panic attacks and have become very worried and depressed at the thought that I'm going to have to live like this every day.... From morning to night, getting through the day is emensley difficult and I'm completely exhausted by it.

Friends and family have been great, but there's only so much you can talk about it before they, understandably, weary. I'm just very, very sad as I feel I have lost all the happiness in my life and have 3 children and a fabulous husband and I really love my life but this has really knocked the wind from my sails.

I'm going to see a CBT Therapist next week in a hope it can lift my worryingly dark mood... I am generally very positive and just can't seem to get my head around it.... There's just NO respite! For every positive story I read, there's 20 negative ones and it just feels desperate that there's no help out there. I appreciate that none of us know how it's going to work out for us, but just to be given some hope and to know that it may get better would help.

Thank you for taking the time to read my story. Any POSITIVE help and reassurance would be so very gratefully appreciated - thank you xxx

 

Do you have hearing loss?

 

Welcome to the forum Vicki14. I can understand your panic and have true empathy to your suffering. T alone is tough to deal with. Add hyperacusis to that and the resulting suffering is tough indeed.

You seem also to have some problem of hyperacusis and that was even tougher to live with as it limits you want you can do or where you can go. I had severe H after bad T and it was tough to please these two new masters of my life. I was in a mess and panic attacks ruled the day and night. I never thought I could recover and have good life again.

But never say never. Today I live a normal and absolutely enjoyable life. I hope you don't lose faith in a bright future. Good life can be back and you can enjoy your sweet family again. If a panic prone person like me with prior issue of PTSD and anxiety/panic disorder can dig out the dark tunnel, have faith that you can too. You just need to learn some great strategies as I had to. I list some of these helpful strategies in my success story. You may want to check it out to see if it is helpful to you. Take good care & God bless.

https://www.tinnitustalk.com/thread...w-i-recovered-from-tinnitus-hyperacusis.3148/

 

Hi Vicki,

I know exactly what you are going trough and it is tough. My ride with T + H started exactly a month before yours did. Don't read the messages I posted, because you will not find very positive things.

But we will get better, we will learn how to live with this. I have three children and a loving husband too and we have to do this for them. We have to make a promise to try and find a way to get through this. I've heard and read so many stories of people recovering. It might take time. It might take a lot of time but we will get there.

Today I was back to work for an hour. And I enjoyed it. This friday we are going to discuss how I'm going to return to work. It might not be the hours I used to be able to work but I noticed this morning it really takes my mind of thing and stops the negative thinking.

 

@Dominic1955 : No, I don't have any hearing loss, luckily x

@hartje5 : Thanks for your reply! I couldn't agree with you more! I think we just need LOTS of patience and positivity!! How's being back at work? I work in a school and although it's loud, I enjoy the distraction xx

@billie48 : One word can only describe you; 'Angel'...!! THANK YOU SO MUCH for your immensely encouraging, positive post. Thanks to you, I had a good day today where I felt much better and the T quitter due to my reduced anxiety. I also read, verbatim the link to your other post and it made me feel so elated to see how you've come through this with such a positive spirit!!! Please keep continuing to inspire others as you truly are a god send. Thank you so, so much!!!! Xxx

 

I do believe people without hearing loss do better, what do you think Billie ?

 

@Vicki14 I like being at work. I do get very tired because of all the meds I'm taking. It's so nice to be around positive people. What I mustn't do is compare my situation now to that of half a year ago. That really makes me very sad. So I try not to. I work in a school too!

@Dominic1955 I don't think it will help anybody if you keep on telling people without hearing loss their T isn't as bad as yours. You don't know. You can't know. Why do you keep on doing that? Please stop.

 

I think that the intensity it tinnitus is the same in both groups but the chance of recovery is much better ! The success story ( I have read all) seems more frequent in people with minimal ( high frequency) or no hearing loss. Few have recovered with severe hearing loss from damage to the auditory system. Sorry if I made you feel that your Tinnitus is not severe
Dominic

 

Although T suffering is a highly individual thing, hearing loss is a known cause for T for some people, myself included. That means that our T will likely stay as long as the hearing of the lost frequencies is not restored. But how do we grow back the dead hair cells? Perhaps stem cells but even that may not guarantee result. So, in my case at least, the best approach is positivity which tends to reduce T due to reduce stress and anxiety. Keep our hope high though for some future treatments as the big pharmas may catch up with T.

 

Thank you @Vicki14 for the kind words. I have been helped by kind members in my days of T darkness. So it is nice to return in kind and there is nothing better to hear some positive updates from new members who have been benefited by the collective effort of all the contributing members. I hope you find comfort and hope here on TT and may the loving God speaks peace to you in your time of T darkness. Hopefully you will be on the way to habituate to T soon.

 

@Dominic1955 - There is hope, there truly is. As much for people with more severe hearing loss as those with minimal hearing loss.

I personally know three people with severe hearing loss who have recovered. My husband has been deaf from an explosion for an entire week with extreme tinnitus and considerable hearing loss. Has (sometimes even very loud pulsating) tinnitus now, but has completely habituated. He doesn't give a damn about the noise and subsequently doesn't suffer and never has. How he did that right from the start is beyond me. He says he was just so happy he could hear again and considered T. to be proof that his hearing was in the proces of healing. A good friend of ours who has SSHL, is completely deaf in one ear with loud tinnitus. He told me that the moment his depression subsided, he could handle the tinnitus. He says he 'befriended' his T. and is only bothered by it when he has the flue or a cold. My mother, has severe hearing loss and T, she completely habituated. Only hears it when she speaks to me .

We will get there too. I have to believe that even if it's very very hard to do so right now.

 

Hello Vickie,

Sorry to hear what you are going through, but hang on, it will get better. Its nice ot hear you dont have hearing loss...do you have idea why this T set in ? any guesses ? Any jaw trouble or neck trouble ?

Also I was having constant panic attacks and lack of concentration till I took anti anxeity meds and was able to get a bit back on track and work as well....so do suggest you see your doc and ask for some if you need to...or think your panic and anxeity is getting out of hand. T is a difficult thing to tame...mine goes up and down all the time...Hope everything goes well for you, please dont feel bad....this site has been a wonderful resource for me...there are wonderful people here! I have been able to get more help from here than the 13 doctors I have seen regarding this.

Mita

 

You need to do DPOAE, this will reveal if you have hearing loss.