Struggling to Cope

[Believin' Steven]

Hello again. I'm really struggling to cope.

The high pitched bullshit is so bad that when I sleep even with ambient sounds it takes over jolts me out of whatever pre sleep state I was in.

I decreased my Ativan in a hope to slowly taper, so I know the days of shit quality sleep I do get are numbered, and eventually it'll reach the full blown insomnia it was in the first week.

I really wish it was a lower pitch. As the time before sleep wears on the ringing permeates itself throughout my brain and it's get stuck in the middle of my head.

I honestly don't know how to deal with this. Saw a therapist today but she was against any prescriptions such as amitriptyline and just tried to teach me how to deal with the anxiety.

But it's not as easy as that and no doctor seems to understand.

Just looking for people with similar T who have coped. This is destroying my life and my will to live is waning.

 

[Samantha R]

@Believin' Steven
I am so sorry to hear how you are struggling.
High pitch tinnitus is hard to deal with because it's difficult to mask.
One forum member, @billie48, describes his tinnitus as ultra high pitch, like a dog whistle.
You should read his success story - very inspiring, a true example of habituation to what sounds like screaming, high pitch tinnitus.
Time is your friend in this journey, it's going to get easier but it will take time.
Personally for sleep I take a very low dose of Mirtazapine (7.5 mg).
This works really well for me.
I think doctors need to be open minded when it comes to treating patients for tinnitus.
There are studies that show amitriptyline can help reduce the volume for some people and also acts as a sleep aid and AD.
So, if you want to try something out, then you could take the research to your doctor and discuss.
But things get better with time.
They have for a lot of people on here too.

 

[Ed209]

@Believin' Steven, I agree with @Samantha R; billie48 was the first to offer me help on this forum, and his success story should help inspire you. I too have really high pitch tinnitus, that's difficult to mask. I also have some mid frequency tones, and a low drone in my left ear. Underneath all of this are various hissing sounds, so my head is a cocophony of noise. I know exactly how it feels to be desperately depressed; it's an awful place to be. I never saw anyway out either, and I'd lived with a milder form of T for 14 years. The impact really is devastating, but please don't lose hope. Here I am now, 2 years on from my T going insane, and I feel so much better about it. In fact, it's no longer a big problem in my life even though it's still there. I've learned over time that a lot is down to how we react to the sound, and how this can change our behaviour if we allow it. It takes time to come to terms with, but I believe you will get there like so many of us have.

Try not to think negatively; just ignore the doom and gloom of your mind. Instead look outwardly, and set yourself new goals. Take up those hobbies that you always wanted to but never got round to (playing an instrument, photography, art, fishing etc). Also, try to stay active. If you don't like the gym then even taking a walk in the mornings and evenings can help significantly in clearly your thoughts, and helping keep your endorphins up. It'll keep you on a positive track.

I wish you well. Take it easy and let time do its thing.

 

[light rain]

I'll add it can be a rollercoaster of emotions too trying to deal with it. When that happens the downs seem so depressing. I felt pretty good a couple of days ago - still heard the T but my anxiety was diminished. Then I hit a snag yesterday and felt a big drop in mood and those feelings just waiting to pounce (depression, anxiety, fear). Its too hot here to take a walk which I normally do but realized ruminating was a fast track to having depression stick around. I know many times the last thing you want to do is exercise or some hobby but it often can help. I battled depression/anxiety for many years and always scoffed at that advice thinking it quite frankly nonsense. Even now that I know what to do sometimes I still don't want to do it but make myself.
And if one therapist doesn't work try another if you can. Or feel more confident to assert your wants - in lots of places therapy is supposed to be patient centered. Doesn't mean you just order the drugs you want but the therapist is supposed to work with you and consider your goals not just bark orders about their perfect worldview.

 

[billie48]

Just looking for people with similar T who have coped.

Thank you both for the kind words, @Samantha R & @Ed209. And yes Steven I truly understand and have empathy for your pain and suffering with the high pitch T. As Samantha & Ed mentioned, I do have have the really high pitched T, the dog whistle dentist drill type, one that I could hear it above the jet noise during flights and above the raging rapids in the wild salmon rivers that I fish. On top of that, I also had severe hyperacusis to add to the misery. Worse, I also have been a victim of PTSD and anxiety/panic disorder prior to the sudden arrival of T & H. So you can image how my already weakened nerves reacted to the sudden T & H. These two alien torturous monsters just opened the floodgate of hell of relentless anxiety & panic attacks on auto mode, from the minute I woke up with the T screaming at ultra high pitch. Instantly I had to reach for the meds, Ativan, Prozac, just to help moderate the extremes of those mental attacks, just to survive each long, dark days. Of course, depression and sleeplessness set in and I had to depend on pills just to hang on, praying that the meds can stop the relentless and harsh mental storms. I never thought I could survive these unbearble and unlivable sufferings. The tired, over-stressed and exhausted mind also dangled out dark thoughts with the big 'S' word as it saw no way out of the dark tunnel of intense sufferings. I never thought I could recover from such condition. But never say never. Thanks God, I am now living a normal, productive, and absolutely enjoyable life these days. I wrote my success story like others did and in it I listed some helpful strategies that have helped turn around my suffering. If you wish to know them, for brevity I include the link below. You may want to read as many success stories as you can to give you hope, and to learn as well as apply some helpful strategies shared by kind members. Don't despair. Good life can still be back. Have hope and believe it. Take good care. God bless.

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