Spike to Follow???

[elizabethab]

I have been dealing with high frequency tinnitus now for about 6 weeks....my husband just popped a balloon really close to my ear-I felt deaf for a minute and now my constant high frequency hum seems to have stopped. I am terrified that it is just the calm before the storm-and a spike is about to happen. Could I just be feeling really anxious for nothing? Or should I prepare myself for the fact that it will get bad with certainty? I hate feeling this anxious about it-I wish I could just continue with my life normally without worrying about every little exposure to noise....
Anyone else have a loud noise next to the affected ear with no noticeable effects? My original T has no known cause btw-never figured out why it started 6 weeks ago-just some stuffiness in my ear and BAM. You have tinnitus...

 

[Michael Leigh]

Could I just be feeling really anxious for nothing? Or should I prepare myself for the fact that it will get bad with certainty?

elizabethab. The onset of tinnitus can often bring with it mixed emotions which you are experiencing at the moment. Try not to worry and carry on as normal. The tinnitus most probably will go in time. Since you are new to tinnitus and it's likely to be temporary, just try to avoid quiet rooms and surroundings especially at night. Have some low level non intrusive music such as classical playing in the background as you drift off to sleep. Ideally, I'd recommend a sound machine but I feel your T will go. Try not to listen to any audio through headphones for the moment even at low volume. It's not advisable to try and totally mask the tinnitus with sound. Please click on the link below as the you mind find the article helpful.

All the best
Michael

https://www.tinnitustalk.com/threads/sound-machines-and-tinnitus.12072/

 

[glynis]

Hi Elisabethab,
Try to stay positive and hope no long term damage has been caused .
Try not to worry as stress and anxiety can bring on tinnitus .
Glad to hear your doing ok ....lots of love glynis

 

[joseph Ghass]

When it comes to T, expect the unexpected. It is so unpredictable that the best way to deal with it is to stop following it.

 

[Bart]

I had things like that happen countless times since my t started, sometimes it spiked, sometimes not, with tinnitus noone really knows, what I do know though is that worrying about it is not good and will increase the chance of your t spiking as you tend to start monitoring your t subconsciously.

I know it is easier said than done but just try to relax and keep your mind busy with other things.

 

[Natalie Roberts]

I'm new to this too, about 5 weeks in. I've experienced ups and downs and even a few great days where I didn't notice the t at all (magical to hear SILENCE). I am also finding myself better able to cope with it most days as time goes on. They aren't sure what caused mine either but say it is probably pregnancy related or hearing loss but I'm banking on pregnancy related. I am also terrified of being around loud noises. I use ear plugs to vacuum now and even when I give my young children a bath (they scream and it is amplified by the bathroom). When the cleaning lady comes in at work I leave the room because I'm so afraid of the noise of the vacuum. I totally understand the anxiety.. I haven't noticed a spike from anything yet (except maybe acupuncture but it was followed by a dramatic decrease for me for one day). I'm so afraid anything I do/eat or take will cause a spike and it really sucks having to live our lives that way.. I am trying very hard to just ignore it and try not to focus on it and anytime I'm particularly anxious I do my mindful meditation which I find particularly helpful at controlling the panic. I can message you the instructions if you want.

*huge* you're not alone. Hopefully this will go away for both of us!

 

[Gosia]

Hi Elizabeth. When did the balloon pop ? Most of the times, the spike appears right after, if it's meant to appear, but sometimes it can take a day or two. If it will or not nobody really can tell you, cause we never know, there's no way to know. But hey, usually it doesn't. I'm afraid freaking out about loud noises will be part of us forever and sometimes it will be exaggerated and other times reasonable and justified. At least we'll save more hearing cells than others Unfortunately , as long as we live among other humans and their noisy inventions, we will be exposed to unexpected loud noise. When it happens I pop some NAC, magnesium, vit c and B..and you can try to avoid any noise for a day or two , if possible. If after that time there's no spike, you can be pretty sure you'll be ok. But the damage to ears is cumulative, so avoiding loud noise is a must. Hubby must learn that popping things around you should not take place . Let us know.

 

[elizabethab]

Hi Guys! No spike So for that I am happy. My husband is very sorry-he is walking on eggshells over this, I told him it is okay
Another question-I have been taking Xanax for anxiety for the past month-but Xanax is a drug that scares me. My GP, ENT, and therapist all think I have anxiety issues that don't just stem from the T, and would like me to try Zoloft (they know I worry about being addicted to Xanax, even though it is a .25 mg dose twice a day).

IS Zoloft something I should worry about taking?? I am nervous to take anything that may make this worse, but my anxiety about everything is worse too, and I refuse to take more Xanax; it scares me. Is Zoloft as bad? I have read differing opinions...

 

[Natalie Roberts]

IS Zoloft something I should worry about taking?? I am nervous to take anything that may make this worse, but my anxiety about everything is worse too, and I refuse to take more Xanax; it scares me. Is Zoloft as bad? I have read differing opinions...

My dr wanted me to try zoloft for depression/anxiety and to help me cope as well. She didn't know if it would cause issues. From other posts I've read here it does for some people and for others it does not. But I think if you are really suffereing from anxiety/depression the benefits of the medication would outweigh the risk that it *may possibly* cause a spike in your T. If it did, I assume you could just stop taking it and try a different medication instead but I don't know for sure. Instead of using medication (I'm pregnant) i've been seeing a psychotherapist who is teaching me mindful meditation techniques which has helped my anxiety so much. It takes practice but I can tell you in the 4 weeks I've been seeing her (1 closed session, 1 group session a week) I've had great reduction in anxiety to where I feel I don't need the medication all the time. Maybe that could also work for you?