Tinnitus Retraining Very Challenging

[RangioraGirl]

I have had Ménière's since Nov 2015. Have found the retraining therapy very Challenging.
I am using resound relief app, but find at night it is not getting anywhere. Mornings is particularly loud and higher pitched. I tried all the sounds. Possibly the beach once more calming. Have tried whist app but this seems to make it worse. I am feeling sick and nauseous most mornings this week. Not a good sign. I will sleep but will wake up often as the tinnitus restarts. I am dispairing that I won't see the end of this.

 

[Michael Leigh]

@RangioraGirl
Since you also have Menieres, I think you would benefit with the help of a Hearing therapist.
Michael

 

[RangioraGirl]

I am currently with Bay Audiology and they still haven't come up with any solutions to my aid problems. It is the right ear that is the problem child. I hear perfectly in the left air, and sounds are normal there. But the left ear seems to not have the sound correct, like I don't hear much in the aid, and if I take it out it doesn't seem like any volume is in it. Maybe because there is no sound the tinnitus has occurred. Although the audiologist says both aids are in the "correct prescription". He made a 3rd setting for the tinnitus, but when I turn it on at night another sound comes in and it's like a pulsing wave. I don't like it and take the aids out.

 

[Michael Leigh]

@RangioraGirl
@glynis is the person I feel can help you. She is a good friend and also has Menieres and tinnitus for some time. She has just come out of hospital today but has been on the forum. I will have a word with her and I'm sure she will be able to give you some advice. I think medication will help you but Glynis will know more.
All the best
Michael

 

[billie48]

Mornings is particularly loud and higher pitched

These spikes at wake up time is called 'awakening response' of the central nervous system, kind of making sure all vital signs are there working, including those high pitch hair cells in the cochlear, lol. This is like a pilot starting a jet, making sure all instruments working. When the CNS can't find those high pitch hair cells working, then the CNS just creates a phantom sound to replace it, and with a vengeance (so much louder). I don't suffer from these morning blasts any more. Used to cave in to them with anxiety and panic. No longer. I have my special technique to help myself which I describe in my success story.

Here is how Dr. Nagler describes the awakening response in more technical/medical detail:

"I have always felt it to be due to the role of the reticular formation in tinnitus perception. The reticular formation is a primitive structure in the brain stem. It's a "vital sign monitor." When you wake up, the RF checks to see whether or not you are alive! It looks for heartbeat, respirations, blood pressure, temperature - basic bodily signs. It does not care whether or not these signs are good or bad - just that they are present. And as far as the RF is concerned, tinnitus is part of "expected" body function in an individual suffering from severe intrusive tinnitus. So when you wake, your RF checks to see whether or not tinnitus is present. And if it doesn't immediately find the tinnitus, the RF seeks it with a vengeance - - especially in the post-nap state, when there has been inadequate REM sleep and when, therefore, the RF is on already "high alert" that something might not be quite right. Theoretically - very theoretically - this RF hyperactivity in seeking tinnitus, which in a person with severe intrusive tinnitus it equates with life, results in temporarily markedly augmented tinnitus perception."

 

[glynis]

@RangioraGirl,
Welcome to Tinnitus Talk.
Menieres can be tough going with all the symptoms and the tinnitus on top and lack of sleep .

The first line of defence is
Betahistine
Proclorperazine
Buccastem
Cinnarazine
Diuretics

Amitryptaline or Nortryptaline can help reduce tinnitus,help sleep and anxiety .
They are depression medications but at a low dose help the symptoms I have mentioned.
I take Nortryptaline as its more tollerated with less side effects.
Sleep great,reduced my tinnitus and stopped my deep drone tinnitus and head tinnitus on 50mg.
I have had menieres over 12 years and fully understand everything it intails and the 3 stages of it.
I have white noise generators and also duel purpose hearing aids to help as needed and 50% high pitch hearing loss in both ears and some low frequency loss also.
I support people with tinnitus and menieres at the Tinnitus Support Group I run with another lady and on Tinnitus Talk and BTA.
Will help you all I can...lots of love glynis x

 

[RangioraGirl]

Thanks Glynis
I have just had a new prescription of Buccastem. I have to take this after food. Over the weekend I was vomitting in the morning after getting up. The thought of food made me sick. Yesterday, I took the Buccastem after eating the lunch and felt a whole lot better, and the day went without the nauseous feeling.
However I am very tired this morning as I had woken up about 3 times last night to put a sound app on to relieve the tinnitus. I am writing a dairy of the medications for a balance therapist I am seeing as my balance has been not right for about a month now.
I was taking 3 Behistamines a day, then reduced that to 1 in morning, 1/2 lunch, 1/2 about 3pm, but then my balance started to go wonky. I visited my GP and he saw a letter from my ENT dr and he said I should be taking 3 a day. So for the past week I have been trying the 3 Behistamines a day.
Tried milk and Saffron strands this morning, and will do that for rest of week.
I also get a lot of clicking noises in my ear, esp at night in the first hour of sleep, then it doesn't happen again.
My ears tend to react to sharper noises so may have a intolerance to certain frequencies. My audiologist was supposed to be looking into the problem with the rehabituation therapy as some sounds seem to aggrivate the tinnitus. So far I don't seem to get any relief. Although I did get a window of say 1/2 last night without any tinnitus so that may be a good sign.

 

[glynis]

I take betahistine 16mg 3 times aday and cinnarazine 15mg and can take up to 6.
For your balance ,stand on a cussion with both feet and see how that feels.
If you find that easy stand on one leg on the cussion and then with the other leg.
You can then try the same with the cussion with your eyes clossed but make sure your not near any danger or have someone with you.
Keep practicing that daily and also walking along a pretend white line one foot in frount of another..
I know how my day will be as its when I wake up the symptoms start....lots of love glynis

 

[RangioraGirl]

How often do you take the behistamine,
I take one 8.15am, 11.00am, and again about 4.00pm or later if all goes well in the day.
What is the cinnarazine for?

 

[glynis]

I take 16mg one tablet 3 times a day.
It has a short life of 4 hours between doses.
Cinnarazine is a antihistamine but the stronger 15mg tablets are for menieres and tinnitus reduction only and states on the instructions...lots of love glynis