Worsened Tinnitus, Feeling Scared

[Street Spirit]

Hey Everyone,

So I was doing very well for awhile. T was super low, H was not really bothering me as much, even started thinking of getting a job! Then I got a bad head cold. My T has worsened. It is loud. This is 2 weeks
ago. I try to ignore it but everyday it almost seems like it's getting worse and I don't know what to do. It's a very high pitch, like bad brakes on a car.

Yesterday learning of Craig killing himself has really, really affected me. I was scared for him, when speaking with him, but also scared for me too. Ive had ear pain, bouts of TN, and T. What if I get that bad? I feel so sad he is gone..I can't even believe it tbh..but then I knew it was coming...he suffered soooo greatly. He was tormented. That is the only word for his pain and it broke my heart

I know no one can really give me answers..and I can't really even say 100% the cold worsened my T..but it's worse and I no longer feel it's just a spike.

I am just so sad feel scared..just want the noise out of my ears..out of my head...Well..I want to be feel o.k..I want to know no matter how loud it gets, I won't let it get the best of me.

T is just so hard

 

[jimH]

Lynn,....During my 30 + years with T, I've experienced several spikes that lasted for weeks after becoming sick. My T then returned to its previous lower level base. These occurred after becoming sick with either a head cold or bronchitis. Even after the cold and Bronchitis were gone the spikes continued for a while. Hopefully, yours too will return to that lower level you had before you got that head cold.

 

[jonathanvg]

i had a bad spike aswell after my tripe to rome it went back to its baseline after 3-4 weeks
dont give it fuel to feel you bad it will only make the spike longer or even permanent
goodluck mate

 

[Street Spirit]

Thanks @jonathanvg ...yea I'm trying my best to ignore it. ..I guess Craig's passing brought it right to the forefront. ..

 

[jonathanvg]

Thanks @jonathanvg ...yea I'm trying my best to ignore it. ..I guess Craig's passing brought it right to the forefront. ..

stress damage the inner ear try to relax im haveing tinnitus TTTS and hyperacusis all mild versions but still its annoying me alot of times but i look at my girlfriend then and i know i have to be strong
i can say its get better overtime but very slowly

 

[Jay M]

Think about this for a minute. How many times have you read people saying basically what you've said about a recent spike? People have lived their entire lives with mild to severe T for centuries and rarely complained but some don't always manage. Imagine living during a time when cannon's were fired with no hearing protection? T is the #1 disability claim for US Military and those people continue to live on but for some reason you don't find a lot of military people on Tinnitus forums, if I'm not mistaken. When you do find one they typically have a habituated attitude about it. Like a few have already stated here, it's a spike from a cold, stress and anxiety so get it under control and it'll soon go back down or you'll habituate.

 

[Sound Wave]

Stay strong! I just had a three weeks spike. If it goes up, it REALLY can go also back down.

 

[Blair14]

@Jay M

I agree with the first part of your statement, but one reason you don't find a lot of military people on Tinnitus forums, is if their claim is recognized, I believe they have access to support, I would hope as part of their disability claim. Unlike me, who has been denied twice thru Canadian Veteran Affairs, and I believe part of the reason my T has gotten worse is not being believed or heard, which emotionally set me off and denied based on their definition of not enough hearing loss to warrant actually recognizing mine as a valid claim and getting the help that I need. Instead I have to go through public Mental Health and have been told I have a first appointment with a psychiatrist in May 2015!

 

[Jay M]

@Blair14
Regardless if a veteran has support, considering it's the #1 disability claim, I'd imagine they would communicate with others on forums seeking more info about treatments and additional relief. Why wouldn't they? But for some reason I tend to find there are more musicians, concert and club goers in T forums.

 

[Blair14]

@Jay M

Well perhaps, or they have access to group support otherwise. I do note I know many who have T that just put on a fan and go to sleep. I met a guy the other day who said his T sounded like a jet engine and he thought that was normal. I don't know, I guess some of us can manage some things better than others and this is one thing we commonly struggle with.

 

[billie48]

Hey Lynn. Don't worry and panic so much yet. Stress can aggravate T. That has been proven the case by many members. Hopefully as time goes by, your fear and stress felt from Craig's passing will ease and your stress level will go down. If you have been better before, have faith that it can go back to baseline again. So try to do something relaxing, chat with a friend, go on a trip, try a new hobby or enjoy the old ones, meditate and do stretch exercise, take warm shower, take some meds if needed, get some masking (like I had to do last night, LOL). Take positive actions and don't panic. Don't fall back into the T trap. Positivity will help you relax and it will only help and not hurt. God bless you and protect you, my prayer.

Yes Jay, there are not many war veterans on T support forums. Strange indeed. The one that was on Yuku forum about 5 years ago gave me his wisdom on living with T long term which I am still benefiting. He replied to my post as a newbie, inquiring on how to live with T long term, 'I am a solider and I fight for a living. But when it comes to tinnitus, I have learned to accommodate it and not fighting it.' In other words, acceptance rather than resistance. Accepting the reality of T in my life and willing to live peacefully with it without all the negative emotions has been my guiding post in my T life since reading that wise reply.

Ya, Blair, tell me about our social medicine, the incredible waiting time for seeing a specialist. The first audiology lab I tried to schedule had a waiting time of over a year. LOL.

 

[Blair14]

Hi Billie48,

Yes, I am trying to psychologically fool myself into believing its like a migraine, would I have any control over that? My Pastor said he just had a six week migraine. I guess we have our own crosses to carry. Yes, it was only that I went to the hospital suicidal back about 5 weeks ago that my ENT appointment got moved up from 10 mths, and that was a waste of time. I thought I was going to get some answers, turns out my own speculation is probably just as good.

 

[Lisa88]

Stress and colds are known for causing spikes, Lynn. I have been through death of friends too lately.
Your t will go down to baseline. Just breathe and give it time. You will be OK! x

 

[billie48]

Hi Blair, some of our ENTs are just a laughing stock when it comes to T treatment or advice. My ENT was more available than the audiology lab, but his comment to me when I was in suicidal mode was that my ringing will last a life time and that the only way he could stop my ringing was to shoot me. Gosh! That was like a death sentence to this poor desperate soul in the first few months of immense T sufferings. I was literally in tears leaving his office. Can't the system make ENTs more sensitive to counselling T patients?

 

[Street Spirit]

Thanks everyone!! what a time this is! I am probably gonna take a break from all T boards for awhile and try to focus off it....I sincerely appreciate your help and support. ( as always)

and a side note for @billie48 I was speaking to a TN friend last night who suffers from daily pain and sporatic T and she spoke about acceptance and tbh it made me realize I've been fighting and fearing T and H since it began..so good advice and I am going to try that..

peace all! ✌

 

[Blair14]

Hi Billie,

I have to agree, VERY disappointing and what a thing to say to someone who is suffering looking for help! Go find a bridge to jump off eh?

 

[billie48]

Ya, Lynn, you are doing the wise thing. Get a break from T boards so your focus will be off T (So have pity on us who are staying behind, haha). Try to accept T & H in your life and go live life enjoyably & abundantly. Remember Rose in Titanic? Ya, that is it. Tell T go to hell and try to explore and enjoy a bit of heaven in life. Tell T to take a ticket and wait in line while you are busy living and enjoying the rest of you your life which is not T. Have fun and update us your progress if you can.

 

[jonathanvg]

Ya, Lynn, you are doing the wise thing. Get a break from T boards so your focus will be off T (So have pity on us who are staying behind, haha). Try to accept T & H in your life and go live life enjoyably & abundantly. Remember Rose in Titanic? Ya, that is it. Tell T go to hell and try to explore and enjoy a bit of heaven in life. Tell T to take a ticket and wait in line while you are busy living and enjoying the rest of you your life which is not T. Have fun and update us your progress if you can.

why are you still on the boards if i may ask i read your succes story or do you suffer again ?

 

[Kathi]

ave to agree @billie48--my first ENT was a laughing stock too. He told me that I have minimal age related HF hearing loss and that combined with 'something I was doing caused the tinnitus'. Basically he was saying it was my fault! Then he told me that he couldn't understand why I was so upset at the noise in my head--and that 50% of T cases resolve themselves. I have unilateral tinnitus and he didn't order an MRI--he told me I'd have to learn to live with it. What a heartless moron! My 2nd ENT was much more thorough and although he didn't have any answers other than I am not a candidate for a hearing aid, he at least was empathetic and concerned. He suggested I see my family physician to order tests to rule out an underlying medical reason.

Hi Blair, some of our ENTs are just a laughing stock when it comes to T treatment or advice. My ENT was more available than the audiology lab, but his comment to me when I was in suicidal mode was that my ringing will last a life time and that the only way he could stop my ringing was to shoot me. Gosh! That was like a death sentence to this poor desperate soul in the first few months of immense T sufferings. I was literally in tears leaving his office. Can't the system make ENTs more sensitive to counselling T patients?

 

[billie48]

why are you still on the boards if i may ask i read your succes story or do you suffer again ?

Not sure if your question is addressed to Lynn or me. If it was me, I am in a small way like Dr. Nagler and others who come back to help out the newer sufferers. I was suffering like most every newbie back then and some kind members who have recovered and who are willing to stay behind have given me much help in my recovery. For me, I feel like giving back to the support community and it is also a compassionate service which can help others. People caring and helping strangers all over the world. That works for me. Besides the tinnitus board, I am also now in support forums for anxiety and panic attacks which I had suffered on and off for decades. In the processing of learning how to live with T, I also learn some great strategies, like CBT, mindfulness, acceptance etc. These new life's skills have helped stabilize my anxiety and panic prone brain, so much so that I didn't have anther panic attack since those related to T. There are many more anxiety and panic disorder folks out there who need some hope and reassurances too to help them suffer less. Perhaps the little knowledge and experience I have can help them out. Every one has to decide what gives them value and purpose in life. I respect people's choices what they want to do with life after they get better with T. I make my personal choice which others may not agree or understand. To each their own.

 

[yonkapin]

Sorry to hear Street Spirit, you're going through some rough times indeed.

I'm with @jimH though, I always get crazy spikes when I'm sick. And I mean crazy - I will hear it over almost everything, sometimes I'll have new tones pop up and it drives me nutty, but it's happened every time I get sick so now it's sort of expected, still annoying, but I can deal with it.

The last time I got sick was pretty bad, I had a huge spike for about two weeks and then it took another two or so weeks after I got better for everything to come back down to baseline, my ears were literally rumbling and my TTTS/hyperacusis symptoms also got a lot worse. But everything went back to baseline afterwards.

So try to stay positive! I'm sure things will settle after a bit of time

 

[Valentin]

Think about this for a minute. How many times have you read people saying basically what you've said about a recent spike? People have lived their entire lives with mild to severe T for centuries and rarely complained but some don't always manage. Imagine living during a time when cannon's were fired with no hearing protection? T is the #1 disability claim for US Military and those people continue to live on but for some reason you don't find a lot of military people on Tinnitus forums, if I'm not mistaken. When you do find one they typically have a habituated attitude about it. Like a few have already stated here, it's a spike from a cold, stress and anxiety so get it under control and it'll soon go back down or you'll habituate.

it's because they're tinnitus support groups tell them to not go onto tinnitus forum as part of their 'therapy'...

 

[Jay M]

it's because they're tinnitus support groups tell them to not go onto tinnitus forum as part of their 'therapy'...

And you know this as a fact?

 

[Valentin]

And you know this as a fact?

yes i watched a short documentary maybe it was a link on the ATA's twitter page, the veterans were going to their 'therapy' session and part of the process was shown , unfortunately most of them said their tinnitus agravated over time as conclusion in the video...

 

[Bart]

yes i watched a short documentary maybe it was a link on the ATA's twitter page, the veterans were going to their 'therapy' session and part of the process was shown , unfortunately most of them said their tinnitus agravated over time as conclusion in the video...

Well, I am following TRT at the moment, I just started with it.

But I can tell you that my TRT clinicians does not say that I should stay away from forums.

She says that if I can find comfort in it I should not stay away from it, she only said to not try and read too much of the horror stories that go around.

I just think that most people who have finally habituated to this BS rather not be reminded about it over and over again and just get on with there lives, forget what they had to go through once, very understandable.

That is also why I admire Billie, Dr Nagler and several others who keep coming back just to help people, they deserve all the respect and I thank them for it, there succes stories have been a great help to me.

 

[Valentin]

Well, I am following TRT at the moment, I just started with it.

But I can tell you that my TRT clinicians does not say that I should stay away from forums.

She says that if I can find comfort in it I should not stay away from it, she only said to not try and read too much of the horror stories that go around.

I just think that most people who have finally habituated to this BS rather not be reminded about it over and over again and just get on with there lives, forget what they had to go through once, very understandable.

That is also why I admire Billie, Dr Nagler and several others who keep coming back just to help people, they deserve all the respect and I thank them for it, there succes stories have been a great help to me.

people who habituated should have no issues coming on a board, i see disabled people in wheelchair watching others walking, they don't seem affected.

 

[Bart]

people who habituated should have no issues coming on a board, i see disabled people in wheelchair watching others walking, they don't seem affected.

Disabled people in wheelchairs have no choice or they should completely lock themselves up and never get out, not very realistic and not quite the same as just staying away from T forums or not talk about it.

Since I have T I have heard from several people they have it also yet I know them for years and they never talked about it, they only mentioned it because they heard I was suffering from it and asked if I was ok, they where people I worked with every day.

 

[Valentin]

Disabled people in wheelchairs have no choice or they should completely lock themselves up and never get out, not very realistic and not quite the same as just staying away from T forums or not talk about it.

Since I have T I have heard from several people they have it also yet I know them for years and they never talked about it, they only mentioned it because they heard I was suffering from it and asked if I was ok, they where people I worked with every day.

Most people don't speak about it because of social pressure, hearing things that don"t exist is typically associated with having visions or hallucinations and/or being a weakness, this is why so many people end up having tinnitus while it could have been avoidable.

 

[beemovie]

ave to agree @billie48--my first ENT was a laughing stock too. He told me that I have minimal age related HF hearing loss and that combined with 'something I was doing caused the tinnitus'. Basically he was saying it was my fault! Then he told me that he couldn't understand why I was so upset at the noise in my head--and that 50% of T cases resolve themselves. I have unilateral tinnitus and he didn't order an MRI--he told me I'd have to learn to live with it. What a heartless moron! My 2nd ENT was much more thorough and although he didn't have any answers other than I am not a candidate for a hearing aid, he at least was empathetic and concerned. He suggested I see my family physician to order tests to rule out an underlying medical reason.

Almost every ENT will tell you to live with it because they have not way of fixing it. I went to three ENT and was told by one ENT that if he could help me he would have quit his job already because he would be rich if he knew of a cure. Also, most times an mri will show nothing because there is nothing wrong that will show up on a mri.