So I Spiked My Tinnitus, Stupid... (Took Ecstasy)

[JurgenG]

I've been so careful, even obsessed with sound, as many of you.
But I didn't want to skip a festival with friends this year, I told myself that I would stay at the camping and at the calm areas. Which I did.

Except for the first night, we went to the main-stage wich was far from loud from where we were. (guess around 95)

I had my muffs and my premold plugs, so together min 25 to 30 dB.
(I could even hear my mild T through some of the more quiet parts)

Then my friend offered me some XTC, which was something I only use there (once a year), and I never had any dramatic problems with it, so I felt I could take it.

The problem is that I reacted a bit strong on it, and only recall bits and bytes of the 3 hours we were there.

This is was frightens me the most, since I have no idea if it wasn't too loud.
Yes in hindsight it was stupid, but it has been a hard year, and never expected to "lose control".

Apparently I was still heavily focussed on my ears; so it's not like I ran around unprotected.

Anyway, when I came back to my tent I heard my ears peak a lot, the classic "ieeee" which I had before when I was in loud places, the one I am trying to avoid.

The peak settled rather quickly, but my T is still going up and down.
I just hope the peak is due the drugs and not the noise, but I can't tell..

I feel like I just have ruined any prospect on healing, I am a damn idiot..

 

[JurgenG]

Now I discovered this study..
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3748725/

Also does a T-spike, that sounds different from your baseline, automatically mean extra damage?
The T sounded exactly as I sometimes got after a too loud party. (Pre-T period.)

I must sound like the dumbest person alive now.

 

[Melike]

I think you should calm down a bit and please stop researching. Every possible thing will seem like absolute reality. I believe it is not a permanent spike but you need to relax and give it time to see any improvement.

 

[Vidarr]

Hey Jurgen, there is no way of knowing what happened during that time, so at this point there isn't much you or any of us can do to help. But isn't that always the point? Everytime I have some exposure to loud noise and start panicking or overthinking all the possibilities of how it will affect my T, I stop and think - does any of this over analyzing or worrying help at this point? The damage (whether it happened or not in your case) is done so the only thing you can do is move forward.

If you had plugs and muffs on you are most likely fine. I personally cut out all concerts after I developed T but we are all different.

Hope you are feeling better.

 

[Julien87]

If you kept your double protection during these 3 hours I really doubt the noise could make damage to your ears, wherever you went, even closer to the stage

 

[glynis]

Any medication or drugs effecting the brain can cause spikes and behaviour changes and mood changes.
Just stay as calm as you can and Im sure it will settle...
If you go next year maybe keep off the XTC.
Love glynis

 

[JurgenG]

Thanks for all the replies thus far. My spike did go down, but I "feel" that it's still a bit unstable. And I wonder if I did any damage by this act..

I will of course leave XTC out my diet for ever, that's for sure.
I took it because I read a few positive stories about this and T..

The fact that I am not sure how loud it really was or wether I was safe all the time really bothers me as well, I need to relay on my friends to confirm that. But I know that I removed my peltor at the end and my earplug fell out, so it must have loosened a little, shouldn't really happen with a premold I guess.. But still I think it should've been enough protection. Since it was actually not that loud when I was still thinking clear.

Stupid, that's all I can say, but of course I didn't except to be so "from the planet" after half a tablet.
Let's just hope that it was only a spike and that no new damage has formed, or hope that it's a spike because of the drug.

After this I stayed on the festival but only on the camping and relax area's (with plugs.).

 

[Bill Bauer]

If you kept your double protection during these 3 hours I really doubt the noise could make damage to your ears, wherever you went, even closer to the stage

Then what do you make of this:

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/

I could go on and on and on (provide links to more horror stories where people found out the hard way that it was a bad idea to rely on earplugs), but you get the idea.

 

[Julien87]

Yeah you could go on and go on but it's not relevant anyway so don't waste your time. It would be relevant if you had one story about someone wearing a DOUBLE protection.

 

[JurgenG]

Yeah you could go on and go on but it's not relevant anyway. It would be relevant if you had one story about someone wearing a DOUBLE protection.

I have to add that my premolds were only -15 dB and the muffs -25 but it didn't really feel loud at all. (When I was still sober.)

 

[maltese]

Then what do you make of this:

Totally not relevant to this situation

You'll be fine @JurgenG , chill out now, but without ecstasy. And watch this

 

[Bill Bauer]

It would be relevant if you had one story about someone wearing a DOUBLE protection.

Double protection just adds 5dB to the NRR of the method with the highest NRR. In his case, NRRs were 15dB and 25dB, so the total protection was 30dB. This is less than NRR of Peltor muffs.

 

[Jomo]

there is actually a study going on that says ecstasy lowers T..go check the research forum.

 

[JurgenG]

there is actually a study going on that says ecstasy lowers T..go check the research forum.

Well that's the one I followed, it's not for everyone the same. So it's a no-go anymore for me.
I posted a study that it could enhance NIHL for instance.

But most likely it was just my sense going high-wire, some people actually have spikes because of it.

 

[j4ck100]

I really don't think XTC will have had any effect. Your mind is racing and you are permanently trying to assess the level of your T, and it's probably the anxiety and stress of you thinking that it's got worse that is making it worse, it's a vicious spiral! Just chill man, it will settle down no doubt.

 

[JurgenG]

I really don't think XTC will have had any effect. Your mind is racing and you are permanently trying to assess the level of your T, and it's probably the anxiety and stress of you thinking that it's got worse that is making it worse, it's a vicious spiral! Just chill man, it will settle down no doubt.

Yeah that might be the case now, but when I went to sleep right afterwards I heard the Classic "ieeee" sound, so I guess noise must have contributed?
How are my ears so damn sensitive.

 

[Samir]

Hi Jurgen!

I'm sorry you had to go through all this. But as others have told you, you need to try to calm down. I don't think you have damaged your ears by this one event. You had your ear plugs, and even ear muffs on top of that. That's plenty of protection. Much more than the average festival or concert visitor would ever think of.

I think this was an adverse effect of the drug. Plus, you were worried about your hearing and your tinnitus before even taking the drug. The drug may have exacerbated this fear you had. I think this has everything to do with the brain and your mindset, and nothing or very little to do with the ears.

Try not to worry too much. You have done more than what most people would do to protect those tiny hair cells in your ears. I don't think you have damaged them anymore than they already were, if at all. Frankly, the more I think about this, the more I believe that tinnitus is a brain problem than an ear problem.

I hope you will feel better soon.

 

[Raphael7713]

I have taken extacy and I got a tiny spike which then calmed down and disappeared.

 

[Christophe_85]

Now I discovered this study..
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3748725/

Also does a T-spike, that sounds different from your baseline, automatically mean extra damage?
The T sounded exactly as I sometimes got after a too loud party. (Pre-T period.)

I must sound like the dumbest person alive now.

Hey man,

You know when I just had my T, back in November 2015, I went to a restaurant with one of my best friend like 2 months later and was expecting to do a soft evening...

But he convinced me to take a drink in a bar, which was quite calm (music not loud and not a lot of people at first).

Then after 1, 2, 3, 4.... 5 glasses of Rhum with Coke I was feeling quite alright, happy and everything !

We left the bar and walked a bit, then we reached a place where there were some Night Clubs and I proposed to go inside one...

I didn't have any protection whatsoever, I just totally ignored my T and ear condition ! I wanted to feel normal again !

Sound was very loud, I remember hearing it very loud in my ears, almost painful, and then I think I got used to and we stayed at least one hour inside...

But when I got out my ears were ringing like crazy ! I was still drunk so I wasn't so worried about it...

It was the next morning that was really bad ! I took an appointment with an ENT and then went to the emergency to get some relax meds...

-------

Sorry for the long text but I wanted to show you that we can all make bad, very bad, mistakes regarding to our T...

Because I think ALL MY LIFE I will regret this night of January 2nd, 2016 !!!

Sometimes I am scared that my T and H could increase even in the future because of this past event !

But what is done is done, and we cannot go back !!!

We have to keep going and try to improve other parts of our lives...

I really wish you well man !

Peace !

Christophe

 

[Raphael7713]

And everyone that has taken xtc also knows u bite a lot harder thats why u chew on gum to relieve ur jaws. That can also be a factor.

 

[JurgenG]

And everyone that has taken xtc also knows u bite a lot harder thats why u chew on gum to relieve ur jaws. That can also be a factor.

My jaw does hurt a bit, especially on the place where it "locks" with the ear.
can that be the sign of temporary spike?

Thanks for all other replies as well, I'll check them tomorrow, I need to get some sleep asap now.

 

[Raphael7713]

My jaw does hurt a bit, especially on the place where it "locks" with the ear.
can that be the sign of temporary spike?

Thanks for all other replies as well, I'll check them tomorrow, I need to get some sleep asap now.

When you take xtc 90% of the case you go around bite ur teeth without you even noticing it. This is why most people chew on 2-3 chewing gum so the tension doesn't get to hard. Give it a couple of days, it will disappear. You are now probably stresed and anxious which doesnt help.

 

[JurgenG]

Hi Jurgen!

I'm sorry you had to go through all this. But as others have told you, you need to try to calm down. I don't think you have damaged your ears by this one event. You had your ear plugs, and even ear muffs on top of that. That's plenty of protection. Much more than the average festival or concert visitor would ever think of.

I think this was an adverse effect of the drug. Plus, you were worried about your hearing and your tinnitus before even taking the drug. The drug may have exacerbated this fear you had. I think this has everything to do with the brain and your mindset, and nothing or very little to do with the ears.

Try not to worry too much. You have done more than what most people would do to protect those tiny hair cells in your ears. I don't think you have damaged them anymore than they already were, if at all. Frankly, the more I think about this, the more I believe that tinnitus is a brain problem than an ear problem.

I hope you will feel better soon.

Yeah but the muffs were slim ones, and my premolds only -15 dB, but the volume was really doable so I didn't feel like I should have gone higher. But of course, after a while the drugs kicked in and I don't know if I would have stayed in a normal condition. Probably not because my fear would have gotten a hold of me.

My initial spike really settled after a couple hours, (the Ieeee-sound) my normal T (a hiss) is a bit more profound, but getting more quiet I think.

I just hope if it was due to the sound, that it just spiked my T, but not really made any new damage.
Worst case I don't think I was exposed to anything above 75 dB, so it should not damage the haircells I guess.

But T is more complicated than this, we know.

Hey man,

You know when I just had my T, back in November 2015, I went to a restaurant with one of my best friend like 2 months later and was expecting to do a soft evening...

But he convinced me to take a drink in a bar, which was quite calm (music not loud and not a lot of people at first).

Then after 1, 2, 3, 4.... 5 glasses of Rhum with Coke I was feeling quite alright, happy and everything !

We left the bar and walked a bit, then we reached a place where there were some Night Clubs and I proposed to go inside one...

I didn't have any protection whatsoever, I just totally ignored my T and ear condition ! I wanted to feel normal again !

Sound was very loud, I remember hearing it very loud in my ears, almost painful, and then I think I got used to and we stayed at least one hour inside...

But when I got out my ears were ringing like crazy ! I was still drunk so I wasn't so worried about it...

It was the next morning that was really bad ! I took an appointment with an ENT and then went to the emergency to get some relax meds...

-------

Sorry for the long text but I wanted to show you that we can all make bad, very bad, mistakes regarding to our T...

Because I think ALL MY LIFE I will regret this night of January 2nd, 2016 !!!

Sometimes I am scared that my T and H could increase even in the future because of this past event !

But what is done is done, and we cannot go back !!!

We have to keep going and try to improve other parts of our lives...

I really wish you well man !

Peace !

Christophe

Hey Christophe,

Thanks for sharing. Sounds terrible man, hope you don't have to blame yourself too much for this.
Sometimes we do things we regret, if only we know in advance ofcourse.. :/

How did your T sound in the morning and when did you already an increase of your T? When you left the club?
How did it settle after a while?

When you take xtc 90% of the case you go around bite ur teeth without you even noticing it. This is why most people chew on 2-3 chewing gum so the tension doesn't get to hard. Give it a couple of days, it will disappear. You are now probably stresed and anxious which doesnt help.

The pain is going bit by bit, so I hope the pressure might have had to do something with it.
It's also the "good ear" that is louder, that was connected to the jaw point that hurts.

My stress is also a bit lower. I am only left with regret now.

I do feel a bit vertigo-like. When I walk it's just a tad bit more unstable than usual. I wonder if it's all related..

 

[Lakeside]

Hello Jurgen, how have you been feeling? Same thing happened to me 2 weeks ago, had previous tinnitus and it spiked like crazy after mdma usage it was my 2nd time. Any news?

 

[Citizen]

Hey guys, sorry for being absent. Here is a link you might find interesting.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3748725/

My tinnitus is still present but I don't really have time to focus on it since I work hard.

 

[Rohit Saluja]

I feel like I just have ruined any prospect on healing, I am a damn idiot..

It happens to all, don't have regrets.