Tinnitus: when did you get it/did it get better?

[[Sw...]]

As positively as we can, let’s talk tinnitus. 
I have it, have had it, for 5 years. However it improved A LOT (to the point I hardly cared about it) and got worse recently on my third Klonopin withdrawal.

Even though I have experienced it bad and then improve in the past I need some reassurance.

Whose tinnitus started in withdrawal or during a taper and got better? 
 

any *helpful* feedback would be appreciated! 

[[me...]]

Hi I have tinnitus that's how I knew I had to get off clonazapam.   I hope it goes when I'm off it.ive only just started tapering 

[[Sw...]]

Hi @[me...] thank you for posting . When did you start having tinnitus, and/or other symptoms? Did it begin while using as prescribed or during a taper? 

[[Br...]]

I started experiencing tinnitus for the first time in my life during withdrawal.  It was louder & more intense in the first year and gradually faded to nothing 3 years post jump.  In that third year it mostly occurred when I was fatigued or stressed.  I haven't had it in months and I'm coming up on 4 years since jumping.  For me, tinnitus was one of the last symptoms to go, but it eventually did.

[[Sw...]]

@[Br...] thank you for sharing. Was it a distressing symptom in the beginning?

[[Br...]]

28 minutes ago, [[S...] said:

@[Br...] thank you for sharing. Was it a distressing symptom in the beginning?

Yes, absolutely.  I worried it would never go away.  In my experience, stressors of all kinds made symptoms worse, more intense and more distressing. So from that point of view it makes complete sense that you've had an intensification of this symptom with a third withdrawal from Klonopin.  I hope it fades quickly.  Stay strong.  You'll get through this.

[[or...]]

I got tinnitus when I started tapering valium -- 6 years ago. It was loud and very distressing. It remained about the same during my 3 years taper, but since, it has lessened in severity. I would say it's 50 % of what it was. And perhaps because I've had it for so long, I don't really notice it. I listen to music while I'm driving. Don't notice it. I stream movies. Don't notice it. I read. Nope. I write. Nope. I design book covers. Nope. I notice it now because I'm talking about it. I hope it lessens even more, but if it doesn't, oh well, I can live with it. 

[[Sw...]]

Thank you @[Br...] and @[or...]

I really value your input. I relate to you both, and mine was a LOT better until I reinstated in June. Huge regret.

I heard it but only if I chose too, and could ignore it if I wanted. But now it’s very obvious and my brain is interested in it. I just call the tinnitus sparkles and try to tell sparkles it’s fine to join me for my day but I find her rather annoying. 
 

I believe in my heart it will get better! It did before!

Im glad you’ve both seen improvement 

[[be...]]

7 hours ago, [[S...] said:

Thank you @[Br...] and @[or...]

I really value your input. I relate to you both, and mine was a LOT better until I reinstated in June. Huge regret.

I heard it but only if I chose too, and could ignore it if I wanted. But now it’s very obvious and my brain is interested in it. I just call the tinnitus sparkles and try to tell sparkles it’s fine to join me for my day but I find her rather annoying. 
 

I believe in my heart it will get better! It did before!

Im glad you’ve both seen improvement 

Love that you named your "T" sparkles, and that you have "Hope", even if it is very hard at times, it will get better. Just keep talking and believing....Stay Strong.

💖Peace and Healing.

[[Sw...]]

Thank you @[be...] I will be so glad when this is finished but truth is I (I hate even  to say what I’m about to say) almost needed this… I needed life to change. I was not getting better in my life. It was a good life but i was living without gratitude, without dealing with my body and trauma, ignoring myself. An anxious wreck .
 

I pray to God and believe this will make me so much more the woman I want to be. for my husband and daughter. It’s a journey… one of deep suffering and deep strengthening. 

[[be...]]

1 hour ago, [[S...] said:

Thank you @[be...] I will be so glad when this is finished but truth is I (I hate even  to say what I’m about to say) almost needed this… I needed life to change. I was not getting better in my life. It was a good life but i was living without gratitude, without dealing with my body and trauma, ignoring myself. An anxious wreck .
 

I pray to God and believe this will make me so much more the woman I want to be. for my husband and daughter. It’s a journey… one of deep suffering and deep strengthening. 

What you just said and thinking is Priceless, it is when we are at our wits end, that if we hold on, we learn....Gratitude, Hope and Time are everything...and a big dose of Patience.

[[Al...]]

Im down to 1 mg in my taper today and my Tinnitus is really roaring.  I hold on to the hope that it will subside after I jump off.  It waxes and wanes and seems to be the worst on day 3 then drops off.  Baffling I tell you.  It started a year and a half ago when I developed tolerance withdrawal I believe and has continued through ...  I hope others can chime in and offer reassurance that it will probably subside upon jumping.

[[be...]]

25 minutes ago, [[A...] said:

Im down to 1 mg in my taper today and my Tinnitus is really roaring.  I hold on to the hope that it will subside after I jump off.  It waxes and wanes and seems to be the worst on day 3 then drops off.  Baffling I tell you.  It started a year and a half ago when I developed tolerance withdrawal I believe and has continued through ...  I hope others can chime in and offer reassurance that it will probably subside upon jumping.

I think it will resolve once you walk off, it seems that there are many that are plagued with Tinnitus during wd. A mighty uncomfortable cross to bear, but you have Hope and that is everything, just bide your time and know that this too shall pass. Everything takes time and more time. Stay Strong. 💖Peace and Healing.

[[Be...]]

I had tinnitus on and off during taper, it wasn't too bad/ After I jumped using NAD+ as an assist (2.75 mg of diazepam was my last dose), I got immediately thrown into acute. That's when tinnitus really hit me. I'm 5 months post jump now, and it's only noticeable when it's quiet, like at night in bed. I'm jamming music all day long anyway. Mine has subsided gradually as the months have gone by. I'm doing weekly iontophoresis NAD+ now, just 400 mg doses. It's been helping with the last hurdle of healing. Hyperacusis bothered me during tapering far more than tinnitus. Now it's the opposite. But the tinnitus is far less bothersome than it was during acute and early post-acute. I'm mostly unaware of it now, and it's not perceptible when watching TV or listening to music. I think it's gone, then lie down at night, and yeah, can still hear soft bells chiming. I don't miss the hyperacusis though, while I learned to manage the tinnitus.

 

Alycat; 1mg, you are getting close. You might be going through acute while tapering off that last bit. Many do, Once you hit post-acute, thing do subside.  I'm trying to be patient with the process of healing and recovery. Windows are longer, waves less intense. But I jumped at 2.75 mg, so not surprising my acute was pretty intense, though it only lasted about a month. Many who microtaper step off and go right into post-acute. The healing really happens there. 

[[Al...]]

15 hours ago, [[b...] said:

I think it will resolve once you walk off, it seems that there are many that are plagued with Tinnitus during wd. A mighty uncomfortable cross to bear, but you have Hope and that is everything, just bide your time and know that this too shall pass. Everything takes time and more time. Stay Strong. 💖Peace and Healing.

Thank you for the heart felt response.  I have hope for us all to find peace.

[[Al...]]

On 17/09/2023 at 20:33, [[B...] said:

I had tinnitus on and off during taper, it wasn't too bad/ After I jumped using NAD+ as an assist (2.75 mg of diazepam was my last dose), I got immediately thrown into acute. That's when tinnitus really hit me. I'm 5 months post jump now, and it's only noticeable when it's quiet, like at night in bed. I'm jamming music all day long anyway. Mine has subsided gradually as the months have gone by. I'm doing weekly iontophoresis NAD+ now, just 400 mg doses. It's been helping with the last hurdle of healing. Hyperacusis bothered me during tapering far more than tinnitus. Now it's the opposite. But the tinnitus is far less bothersome than it was during acute and early post-acute. I'm mostly unaware of it now, and it's not perceptible when watching TV or listening to music. I think it's gone, then lie down at night, and yeah, can still hear soft bells chiming. I don't miss the hyperacusis though, while I learned to manage the tinnitus.

Alycat; 1mg, you are getting close. You might be going through acute while tapering off that last bit. Many do, Once you hit post-acute, thing do subside.  I'm trying to be patient with the process of healing and recovery. Windows are longer, waves less intense. But I jumped at 2.75 mg, so not surprising my acute was pretty intense, though it only lasted about a month. Many who microtaper step off and go right into post-acute. The healing really happens there. 

Trying to respond.  Computer crashed.

Update.  Im going to hold at this dose for a week.  Last nite I fell asleep for like 15 minutes with roaring tinnitus and awoke and it was totally GONE!  I mean ... what does that lol.  Im trying to develop a sense of humor instead of fretting about causes etc.  Did I work too hard, did I eat something, was it histamines whatever.   I know I could likely jump but I want to avoid any possible repercussions.  I wonder if I'll still have post-acute withdrawal?  But thanks for the advice and support.  Ill be following up here.

Peace all,

ALycat

Edited September 19, 2023 by [Al...]

[[Be...]]

On 18/09/2023 at 19:27, [[A...] said:

 I know I could likely jump but I want to avoid any possible repercussions.  I wonder if I'll still have post-acute withdrawal?  But thanks for the advice and support.  Ill be following up here.

Peace all,

ALycat

You could jump, but most do better jumping at .5, or even better, at .25 mg. The lower you taper down to, the less likely you'll have acute, or acute will be less-intense or short-lived. Post-acute with waves and windows will still await you. People who tapered down to zero said they had gone through acute while tapering off the remainder. But they did a long, slow, taper. Some jump at .25 mg, and do pretty well. Acute isn't too intense. Mine was intense because I did NAD+, it seems everybody who went the NAD+ route had pretty intense acute. I feel much better 5 months into post-acute, then I did slogging through a micro-taper. 

[[ei...]]

Took low dose Xanax for 4-5 months. Last dose May 20 of crumbs.

 

Do you guys think I might recover from tinnitus faster? I am also jump off my AD

[[Al...]]

8 hours ago, [[B...] said:

You could jump, but most do better jumping at .5, or even better, at .25 mg. The lower you taper down to, the less likely you'll have acute, or acute will be less-intense or short-lived. Post-acute with waves and windows will still await you. People who tapered down to zero said they had gone through acute while tapering off the remainder. But they did a long, slow, taper. Some jump at .25 mg, and do pretty well. Acute isn't too intense. Mine was intense because I did NAD+, it seems everybody who went the NAD+ route had pretty intense acute. I feel much better 5 months into post-acute, then I did slogging through a micro-taper. 

I like that advice.  Ill taper down to .1 mg. Thanks BL   I miss the Under 3 mg. group.  Hope everyone is doing ok.

[[Sw...]]

@[Al...] when did your tinnitus begin? Is it completely gone now?

[[Sw...]]

@[Be...] I have done nad+ iv a few times and felt great but it ramped up my symptoms and I’m not sure why. 
I had planned to do it again (high doses IV) once I am under .25 mg. 
what was your experience like ?

Edited September 20, 2023 by [Sw...]

[[Be...]]

4 hours ago, [[A...] said:

I like that advice.  Ill taper down to .1 mg. Thanks BL   I miss the Under 3 mg. group.  Hope everyone is doing ok.

Quite a few did well micro-tapering all the way down. Joeb is one who jumped at .25, and had acute and post-acute. Last I saw a post from him, he was in post-acute windows and waves. 

 

I was wondering if somebody started a new under 3 mg thread in this new format? Somebody at 3 mg or under should. If I was still tapering, I would. If I didn't choose NAD+ as an option, I'd still be there. I think if somebody starts a new thread, the other under 3's will come. 

[[Be...]]

11 hours ago, [[e...] said:

Took low dose Xanax for 4-5 months. Last dose May 20 of crumbs.

Do you guys think I might recover from tinnitus faster? I am also jump off my AD

It depends on how high a dose you were at when you jumped. Crumbs of Xanax = how many mg. I'm not the best gauge because I jumped from a still fairly high dose of diazepam using NAD+ as an assist. We NAD+ people recover differently, more intense at first, but faster overall. The c/t folks are at a whole other end of the spectrum. Slow and steady taper people are the best gauge, from what I have observed, they typically recover by 12 months, some recover sooner. I've seen 9 - 10 months. I do know that things cycle with windows and waves. Tinnitus may go away, and return during a wave. Mine has been cycling in intensity during post-acute, which is part of the recovery process. But overall, it has gradually subsided. I just try to drown it out with music or TV.  

Did you taper off the AD as well? 

[[Be...]]

3 hours ago, [[S...] said:

@[Be...] I have done nad+ iv a few times and felt great but it ramped up my symptoms and I’m not sure why. 
I had planned to do it again (high doses IV) once I am under .25 mg. 
what was your experience like ?

You feel great with NAD+, but you feel like crap initially following the conclusion of the sessions. It knocks down that glutamate excitotoxicity, that's why you feel so great. My symptoms were far worse after I jumped using NAD+, but the recovery is accelerated. I had symptoms I never had during taper, acute was very intense those first 2 weeks. That's the brain trying to balance itself out, the healing is going on. I started a whole thread on my experience, which is in the Alternative Treatments group. I put the good, the bad, and the ugly, in there. https://benzobuddies.org/topic/267791-nad-iontophoresis-for-benzo-detox-a-journal/

If I were you, I'd do NAD+ to jump off that .25. You are low enough to jump now, if you want. NAD+ would probably make it easier, and assist with a faster recovery. I'm actually doing weekly 400 mg iontophoresis NAD+ to help me get over this last hurdle. Was doing pretty good, but a wave came in and knocked me back a bit. 

[[Al...]]

6 hours ago, [[S...] said:

@[Al...] when did your tinnitus begin? Is it completely gone now?

My tinnitus started two years ago and it took me 3 months to figure out that I was in tolerance wd.  My doctors had NO clue what was causing it.  I was even talked into buying hearing aids for thousands of dollars. I tried acupuncture, diets, craniosacral massage and everything I could try.  I was taking tem to sleep and the occasional Xanax.  I now believe it was the x that caused the t but who knows.  I found a pdoc at Uni that started deprescribing and combined the T and X to 15 mg V.  Ive been tapering for about 1.5 years and Im down to 1 mg. T has been a constant up and down.  Im hopeful it  will dissipate when Im over the wd of the taper.  Good luck to you SS.