Who has had improved tinnitus? We need a positive master thread

[[Th...]]

Ive been feeling a bit better this past week physically, getting some energy back, less scatterbrained. Hyperacusis is really starting to improve, things are not so loud. Ear pressure is a lot less these days, Eustachian tubes seem to now be functioning as they should.  T windows are still coming at the same rate, once or twice a week I get 24 hours where the T is fairly quiet, quite tolerable. On the days in between, my T is still ringing, drilling and hissing. Annoying but I and dealing with it. 

[[Sw...]]

Just wanted to stop in and post as it’s been a few weeks. I’m 21 weeks off of benzos now (5 months). I had an awesome 2 week window. It wasn’t consistent but there were more good days than bad days in the two weeks. Enough so I wasn’t on here. 
 

My tinnitus is changing, and I generally see changes as improvement so I’ll say it’s improving. My mood has been good, I had a lot of energy, I was able to do a lot of nesting/cleaning/organizing for my baby. I even had a pretty solid time frame where I had stable emotions. I enjoyed being outdoors and spent time doing fun activities with my daughter and family. On Friday I started to decline and today (Tuesday) here I am.

I feel totally burnt out. My body just gets beat down with stress and then I feel neck pain/stiffness, teeth pain, headaches, nausea, sweaty/hot but no fever, tired but can’t sleep, sore throat. It’s so annoying! I really don’t know if this is benzo related, stress related, viral infection or chronic illness flare up. There’s no way to know except keep moving forward and tracking symptoms. 
 

If I had to give a percentage of how healed I am relative to how healthy I felt before I would say I am 50% of my potential. If I gain percentage points on a monthly basis I would say I am doing good! 
 

I hope you’re all doing well and pushing through. Love, SS 

 

[[Sw...]]

On 15/04/2024 at 16:04, [[T...] said:

Ive been feeling a bit better this past week physically, getting some energy back, less scatterbrained. Hyperacusis is really starting to improve, things are not so loud. Ear pressure is a lot less these days, Eustachian tubes seem to now be functioning as they should.  T windows are still coming at the same rate, once or twice a week I get 24 hours where the T is fairly quiet, quite tolerable. On the days in between, my T is still ringing, drilling and hissing. Annoying but I and dealing with it. 

hey there! I have messed up ET’s from a bad ear/throat infection. But noticed benzo made it worse! And particularly withdrawal. Do your ears pop? Or feel muffled?

glad you’re seeing improvements that’s awesome! My sound sensitivity used to be so bad now I don’t have it at all!

 

 

[[Sw...]]

On 14/04/2024 at 19:01, [[K...] said:

Most my SXs are waning and having some pretty good days at 9 weeks off....except the T which ramps whenever it wants too...no rhyme or reason.  Hate it  ugh

You’re doing great for 9 weeks! I have high hopes for you. Just keep reminding yourself it’s going to get better. Don’t ever believe you’re “stuck” this way. The body will follow the mind!

[[Th...]]

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

hey there! I have messed up ET’s from a bad ear/throat infection. But noticed benzo made it worse! And particularly withdrawal. Do your ears pop? Or feel muffled?

glad you’re seeing improvements that’s awesome! My sound sensitivity used to be so bad now I don’t have it at all!

Since writing my last comment, I feel like I've slid back a bit in some ways, others are continuing to improve. My mood continues to improve which is good because the depression since tapering and the acute phase after jumping has been brutal on my mind. My T has given me less windows these past 2 weeks, however it seems more quiet when it is ringing, drilling and hissing. Not quite as oscillating.

I went through a phase during my 3rd month where my ears popped when I swallowed, it drove me nuts! Thankfully I believe I am past that.

Muffled, yes. Do you feel a pressure in the inner ear? I have pressure which has improved since the acute withdrawal phase but its not gone yet. Some days my ear (the left one only) feels full, like there is inflammation and pressure and sounds are muffled.  Very annoying. 

Glad your Hyperacusis is gone! Mine is much better, sounds aren't quite as loud and I can tolerate more noise. 

Well you are giving me hope! I am right behind you at week 18 and I hope when I get to week 21, I will feel as good as you do! ♥️

[[Sw...]]

@[Th...] your T sounds a lot like mine… do you have multiple noises that just rotate center stage? Sometimes it’s a deep ring, sometimes a hiss, sometimes quiet, sometimes it’s like sparks/electricity. Forgive me if I already asked you this question. 
 

mine oscillates! But the prominent tone, or most obvious tone, has been tolerable and improved the past two weeks. Today is just a crappy day where everything’s in a wave. 
 

I am sure you’ll keep trending to success. It’s so hard when we’re up and down all the time and we begin to think we’re out of the woods only to be back in the woods and then feel lost in the woods :-p

BUT the truth is it’s all getting better all the time. Clint to that whenever you feel a tough wave. 

[[Th...]]

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

@[Th...] your T sounds a lot like mine… do you have multiple noises that just rotate center stage? Sometimes it’s a deep ring, sometimes a hiss, sometimes quiet, sometimes it’s like sparks/electricity. Forgive me if I already asked you this question. 
 

mine oscillates! But the prominent tone, or most obvious tone, has been tolerable and improved the past two weeks. Today is just a crappy day where everything’s in a wave. 
 

I am sure you’ll keep trending to success. It’s so hard when we’re up and down all the time and we begin to think we’re out of the woods only to be back in the woods and then feel lost in the woods :-p

BUT the truth is it’s all getting better all the time. Clint to that whenever you feel a tough wave. 

@[Sw...] I think we can officially be T buddies, 😂 I believe we have the exact same symptoms going on! 😁 Now you had me thinking about the popping and now I hear it a bit in my left ear. 😄 When it was really popping, it was incredibly loud, as if something was in my ear or something was broken in there! Thankfully the pop is way more quiet now. 

Yes, the sounds vary from ringing, hissing drilling, and yes some days one is more prominent than the other. Is your oscillation better? Mine isn't as loud as it used to be but its a very high Eeee Eeeee Eeeee..... around and around! Gah! Do you have ringing in both ears? Mine is mainly in my left but the right will hiss from time to time too. 

Well lets keep exchanging T troubles, help each other through this, maybe one day we can both close this chapter on ringing ears! ♥️

 

[[Sw...]]

@[Th...] it sounds like we are both benzo buddies and t buddies. Yes I get you mine is exactly the same and MOSTLY in my right ear but 25% in my left. Aghhhhh.
 

Honestly ours sounds identical. I don’t understand it. But this happened to me before and it got a lot better in time by which it was just a steady eeee that was not audible unless I was sitting still. I considered myself healed.
 

 I should have never taken benzos again after being off them for a year or so. I didn’t realize how much progress I had made. Now I’m back at square one but with WAY more tools to fight the battle. 

 

Today I feel like I’m stuck this way forever. The wave has grabbed my ankles and pulled me into the ocean of hopelessness. Just need to keep pushing through the lies. If only we were good at accepting healing will happen and being patient. 

[[Al...]]

I was doing ok until I went to get my hair cut/styled yesterday.  I came out of the salon and my T spiked and has stayed elevated since then.  Almost no sleep last nite.  Im starting to worry that there is something else going on. Neurologists, audiologists and psychiatrists have found nothing but give me no insights other than "you have tinnitus and there is no cure".  Im 6 months off now and I hoped I would see more improvement.  Am I being unrealistic? SS Im with you and thinking I'll have this forever.  I see the waves of hopelessness just as you do.  

Praying for peace and mercy for all of us here.

[[PE...]]

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

I was doing ok until I went to get my hair cut/styled yesterday.  I came out of the salon and my T spiked and has stayed elevated since then.  Almost no sleep last nite.  Im starting to worry that there is something else going on. Neurologists, audiologists and psychiatrists have found nothing but give me no insights other than "you have tinnitus and there is no cure".  Im 6 months off now and I hoped I would see more improvement.  Am I being unrealistic? SS Im with you and thinking I'll have this forever.  I see the waves of hopelessness just as you do.  

Praying for peace and mercy for all of us here.

Tinnitus is one of the longest last symptoms from what I read

I'm like you. Or one month ahead

[[Al...]]

32 minutes ago, [[P...] said:

Tinnitus is one of the longest last symptoms from what I read

I'm like you. Or one month ahead

Youre 7 months off and still having bad tinnitus?  Im not alone?

[[PE...]]

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

Youre 7 months off and still having bad tinnitus?  Im not alone?

Oh no you are not alone!

My is better but still there.

[[Sw...]]

@[Al...] I remember when I first got tinnitus and it was bad and salons, swimming, loud places would all spike my T. Ultimately it got to a point that my T literally did not bother me at all, was very improved, and at times I thought I even enjoyed the hum of it in a quiet room. It took time to get there but I did get there. 
 

taking benzos again and CT for two weeks before slow taper is what made my tinnitus bad again. It’s true when people say it takes the longest to heal. It takes time BUT it always (I swear 95% at least from all I’ve read) gets better. 
 

I know it’s uncomfortable and keeping you in a cycle of stress. I have been there. God is asking us to lean on him in this hard time, to give this struggle to him, and trust he has good plans. I believe it will get better for you. I know it’s scary to think it could take a year but one year is nothing and you’ll be so appreciative of peace once you’re through this hard time!

[[Th...]]

 

[[Th...]]

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

@[Th...] it sounds like we are both benzo buddies and t buddies. Yes I get you mine is exactly the same and MOSTLY in my right ear but 25% in my left. Aghhhhh.
 

Honestly ours sounds identical. I don’t understand it. But this happened to me before and it got a lot better in time by which it was just a steady eeee that was not audible unless I was sitting still. I considered myself healed.
 

 I should have never taken benzos again after being off them for a year or so. I didn’t realize how much progress I had made. Now I’m back at square one but with WAY more tools to fight the battle. 

Today I feel like I’m stuck this way forever. The wave has grabbed my ankles and pulled me into the ocean of hopelessness. Just need to keep pushing through the lies. If only we were good at accepting healing will happen and being patient. 

How long did it take for the T to disappear the first go around with Benzos? I don't know if I can live through a year of this maddening T! 🤣

[[Sw...]]

@[Th...] it’s hard for me to remember exactly because it was very gradual. It never fully went away it just became so easy and wasn’t intrusive that I didn’t notice it unless I was alone doing nothing. I suppose the first time was about 6-12 months after tapering that it really improved. 
 

how are you doing?

[[Le...]]

check out my tinnitus thread. i have made some great progress. 

[[Sw...]]

Hey @[Le...] I sure will!

[[Sw...]]

Hey everyone of my benzo buddies and tinnitus buddies! Happy Tuesday! I feel my baby kicking in my belly as I sit on the couch (in “silence” -gasp!) and reflect on the past week. 
 

Well wouldn’t ya know I had to get a root canal last Thursday! Remember I came on and said I was just feeling like garbage. Well that was a huge issue. I had a ton of pain, fatigue and other crap from my decayed tooth! I feel MUCH BETTER physically and what an exhilarating thing to overcome the fear of root canals.

The past 5 days was actually really good. I did have a week long emotional burnout that felt like my nervous system was just zapped. I’d be happy then sad then mad. I’d be triggered so easily. I would get stuck in freeze mode, but I have a lot of childhood trauma that I’ve repressed until this past year so it just hits me and I don’t necessarily think it’s benzodiazepine withdrawal. 
 

I have a really supportive husband and church. Thank God it’s really been my everything to have my faith community and marriage. 
 

My tinnitus was it’s BEST it’s probably ever been on Saturday. What a sweet day of rest for my brain that was. And ya know it was really a mixed week of good morning, loud afternoon, good evening, or a neutral day, or a full day of ease. I am noticing today it’s ROUGH. So I guess another wave. 
 

Would love to hear how others are doing. 
 

@[Al...] @[Kh...] @[PE...] @[Th...] and I know there are others I just don’t remember so definitely if you post ask another to add an update. 
 

 

Edited April 30 by [Sw...]

[[PE...]]

Hi @[Sw...] . So nice to read you had 5 good days. I don't think of my tinnitus more than a couple of times a day. It's just a low noise sound. It went up for a couple of days last month when i stopped taking Quetapine, well almoust i take around 30-50mg at bedtime. 

Congratulations on having a supporting husband and a good church community. 

Take care.

 

[[Sw...]]

@[PE...] that’s great seems like you’ve overcome it! It’s good people will be able to see your progress/success through this thread. 
 

be well !!

[[Th...]]

@[Sw...] thanks for the tag! Wonderful you are feeling better too! Oh gosh, lots of root canals in my mouth over the years. 🤣 They really aren't as bad as they sound. Glad to hear you had a long window with your symptoms and T! You can almost forget you are healing at all! 

I seem to be improving physically from the ravages of Benzos, I still have waves but more occasionally now and they don't take me down as low as they used to. My T still gives me 1 or 2  24 hour windows a week, otherwise I THINK its starting to get more quiet, either that or I'm getting used to it. Its there but I can go hours if Im doing something and not be annoyed by it. The pressure in the inner ear is better this week, Hyperacusis is really starting to disapate now. So I believe there is hope for me yet! 😁

@[PE...] Glad to hear your T is improving and you can go about your day without thinking about it much. Definitely a plus! 

Well, here's to all of our improvements, ups, downs, and everything in between. Lets all stay positive, we can beat this monster! ❤️

 

[[Sw...]]

@[Th...] that’s fantastic! This is such a good example to people that improvements do take place! I am so glad you’re having a good stretch here. This is a big deal and proof that we don’t and won’t have to suffer years and years. Slow and steady progress! Thank you for updating!

[[Sw...]]

Tinnitus doing this weird thing like a static/electric fuzz in my whole head. Definitely not uncommon for me. My least favorite of the tones. Loud, uncomfortable, difficult to ignore Ringing blended in there. Wanted to note it so I can look back one day. 
 

also coming up on 32 weeks pregnant and curious how much my hormones are causing my tinnitus to fluctuate. I wonder if I’ll feel totally different after having baby. I’ve been pregnant my entire withdrawal. What a life!

[[Kh...]]

Occasionally I take 5 mg ambien if i cant sleep.  I know its against the conventional wisdom here but it helps sleep and, strangely, lessens the T the next day for 12-24 hours.