TIRED but Plugging On

[AnnieM]

I've had tinnitus for a decade or more. It's been a royal annoyance and while I'm mostly past the original panic (not entirely!), it still bothers me - I've never, ever fully habituated to it. Part of the reason for that is that I don't hear the same sound all the time - I hear a whole plethora of noises off and on, sometimes out of one ear, the other, or both (and sometimes a different noise in each ear). I'll say one thing for my version of T - it's a variety pack. The noises have changed constantly over the past decade, with very few repeats. I can change the pitch and speed of some of the noises by yawning, moving my jaw, etc. I can't sleep in a room with a window A/C unit, sometimes the sound of the vacuum cleaner is hell and sometimes it's not, and what triggers it (in terms of spikes) varies too from day to day. Changing my diet has done zilch. Caffeine doesn't affect it (or the lack of same).

Right now, the noise du jour is a jangling in my left ear not unlike the jingle bells they use for cat collars. It sounds off the most when I move; if I sit still or when I lay down to sleep, it stops for a bit. It's a damn loud jangle and I can hear it over almost everything except the shower. I am going to an endodontist on Tuesday because I also have a dull, on-again, off-again toothache on that side - I don't know if that's connected or not, though I will probably find out if it turns out I need a root canal. Already had a crown on that tooth put on it four years ago.

That damn jangling noise has me in almost the same fight/flight response as my early days of tinnitus. If I knew of any good doctors in Pittsburgh that actually did work with tinnitus patients beyond the "Let's get you a set of $1200 in-ear maskers that your insurance won't pay for" (did that and had to return them as the maskers spiked my T through the damn roof) I would go see them. I doubt there's anything new in my area that could be done, but it'd be nice to have a doctor prescribe something calming without me having to explain 10 years worth of irritation to a GP who looks at me like I'm trying to become an opioid addict and give me a week's worth of some form of mental drug (and expect everything to be just dandy and fixed after I take it, so that I don't ever come back and ask for more). All they can offer is the "retraining" and masking and here, take about 10 bottles of lipoflavinoids and if these aren't enough for you, too bad.

I don't mean to be a downer but today I'm in a bad mood, I'm stressed and irritated, and I just had to vent for a while. My significant other is hugely supportive of me, which is a real plus - but I think he's heard me crab about this enough for a while (grin).

Anybody here have any real results from over the counter meds in terms of relaxation? St. John's wort does nothing for me. I don't do toxic so lithium oxalate is probably out.

On the up side, I'm going to go get my car from the shop - heat shield in front was rattling and for once a car repair cost me less than $500, LOL. So that's something I can be cheerful about. And I've been listening to my laptop purr at me all day (https://purrli.com/) and that's just tickled me no end. I found out about that page from here - I can't remember who posted it but thanks

 

[Danjfoley]

Did you ever find a doctor who would help? Mine is out of control loud, and the 3 ENTs I have seen, along with an audiologist say there is nothing they can do. They have offered me hearing aids which do help for my hearing lose but do nothing for the tinnitus. I want to see a doctor who cares, who would actually order MRI tests, see if maybe i have TMJ issues - I grind my teeth at night, use a hearing aid.

I don't know who to see next.