Tinnitus Spike After Being Exposed to Fighter Jets / Period of Stress

[SwopeSnopeStope]

Hello,

I'm a 22-year-old French young man who's been struck with tinnitus since about 2013. At the time, me and my parents went to see some specialists (ear and nose, all that) who didn't really do anything. I progressively accommodated to the sound until around 2017 - 18, where I felt a real increase - we've done some MRI's and all that, they showed I had a little hearing deficit on the left hear, but we didn't go further as I happened to accommodate with the sound, and took care of noises and all that. That wasn't until this last month, where everything aggravated.

There's two things.

First thing: I've made mistakes in my exams attendance and it momentarily screwed up my graduation. I had to sort it out and it was a big ass stressful situation, especially since I didn't tell my mother as I didn't want her to panic.

Second thing: We went to our yearly national parade on the 14th of July, and I completely forgot fighter jets were involved in the thing. I didn't cover my ears in time, which I'll forever regret, and now I'm here with a huge ringing with underlying screeching in my left ear. I almost don't sleep anymore. I'm also way more sensitive to environmental noises. Suicidal thoughts are having the time of their life.

So, could anyone tell me what medications and/or tricks I should use to sleep? I'm incredibly nervous and can't think of anything else. Also, you have to know that I'm subject to anxiety and OCD - for example, I used to recite a mantra each time i went to bed saying "I don't wanna be an insomniac" repeatedly, among other rituals - which clearly doesn't improve the situation. I swear my legs are shaking when I'm getting too immersed in the struggle.

Also, could people who experience severe tinnitus like that (between 7 and 10, I'd say) tell me if they manage to cope just a little bit? Sleep just a little bit? Live just a little bit (and I know my future doesn't look too bright, just want to know if you can at least do some work and minor stuff, maybe have a slight breathe of satisfaction each day)?

I'm going to a specialist who sells nature ambiance sound boxes. Is it even worth a try?

I'll try to answer every question but, since my English lacks refinement, you might not understand everything I've got to say. Anyway, have a good day and I hope to read you soon.

 

[Derek26]

I'm very sorry to hear that you are struggling like this. It is a massive battle, especially when it gets louder due to environmental sounds.

I suffer with the same problems. As we all know, in time the anxiety, fear and insomnia dissipates but it's to get through that struggle. Sleeping with headphones at low volume and finding a tinnitus masker on YouTube helps me. I take sleeping medication and Ativan to try and stay calm.

Maybe your doctor could suggest a medication that will help you calm and sleep. Not fun I know. But this noise can be extremely intrusive and difficult to live with, especially when sound sensitivity kicks in. just know that you are not alone.

 

[SwopeSnopeStope]

Thanks my dude. Really appreciate the answer. Have a nice day.

 

[Juan]

So, could anyone tell me what medications and/or tricks I should use to sleep?

I think if you exercise in the afternoon and then go home, have a shower, put on some quiet music, read a bit (not computer or screens, just a book), you will be able to sleep.

Of course do not have coffee or tea or anything that can prevent you from sleeping.

 

[SwopeSnopeStope]

Thanks for the answer Juan.

 

[Derek26]

You doing better?

 

[Matchbox]

A steroid trial might be a good idea for a week, then tapering off to see if that sets the volume back lower.

Otherwise just sleeping in silence seems to work for some people (with ringing I know it's piercing but it can be done, I did before I got worse and it DID help back then).

 

[SwopeSnopeStope]

You doing better?

I took some meds (benzodiazepines) to cope. It had effect but now that I ceased taking them, am back to baseline. Sorry for the late news.

 

[SwopeSnopeStope]

A steroid trial might be a good idea for a week, then tapering off to see if that sets the volume back lower.

Otherwise just sleeping in silence seems to work for some people (with ringing I know it's piercing but it can be done, I did before I got worse and it DID help back then).

Steroids? I'll try looking into it. Thanks for the tip!

 

[Matchbox]

Steroids? I'll try looking into it. Thanks for the tip!

Don't go crazy with them. You can get worse using them too long or tapering too fast.

 

[SwopeSnopeStope]

Don't go crazy with them. You can get worse using them too long or tapering too fast.

Good call. Thanks for the advice.

 

[Nick116]

If the tinnitus is bothering you during the day and even at night, I've found bone conducting headphones help. They are really comfortable to wear and you can play all sorts of music or masking sounds while still listening to the ambient environment. It works for my tinnitus very well - I listen to crickets when it gets bad.

You can even have them near your ear at night on a gentle volume which I find helps.

Here's the UK link, I'm not sure where to find these in France though they must sell them, maybe on Amazon?

https://aftershokz.co.uk/products/air

Good luck

 

[SwopeSnopeStope]

@Nick116, thanks a lot Nick! Hoping the best for you as well.

 

[Jdwg]

Mirtazapine helps me sleep, either 15 or 30 mg just before bed.

 

[SwopeSnopeStope]

@Jdwg, good call. I'll check that too. Have a nice day!

 

[Jdwg]

@Jdwg, good call. I'll check that too. Have a nice day!

No problem. Please do be wary of any potential side effects. On my side I haven't noticed any issues and it has helped me through some tough times.

 

[SwopeSnopeStope]

Okay, so, I'm back after two years. I'll say it: my tinnitus got better, not necessarily quieter, but my brain seems to filter it quite fine.

But right now I'm going through a big depression, one that tops ten years of non-stop self-loathing and fear of the unknown, and I realize my tinnitus was caused by an unhealthy - really unhealthy - family climate and OCD-prone education that led to me focusing on every little thing that could potentially harm my mind.

I just want to tell people, especially those with kids, one little thing: don't be too harsh on them, because at one point their mind, brain or body might break or dissociate or simply release pressure through any means necessary.

Sometimes tinnitus is "only" - quotation marks to be accounted for - a part of a wider problem, the cruelest hint given by your mind to point out how things around you don't work anymore, or never did in the first place.

Now, not only am I left with tinnitus for the rest of my life, with a permanent risk of hard spikes (though I'm thankful it got better), but I'm pretty sure my mind was dumbed down, stiffened by rigid, frigid, merciless parents who didn't want to address their personal problems and traumas and thus gave all of them to me plus a scoop of extra worries. Don't fuck up your child's potential, don't make him/her a ground for curses such as tinnitus or depression. Life is complicated enough. Please don't do that.

We're going through family therapy these days, which is - at least - a good starting point. I recommend everyone who'll (maybe) read this and did not do so yet to seek help from professionals, especially psychotherapists and sophrologists. I think it helped me realize things way faster than on my own.

I'm thankful to all the people who lent me a helping hand two years ago, at one of my lowest points in life: so @Jdwg, @Nick116, @Matchbox, @Derek26, @Juan, among all the others, I wish you the very best in life.