Tenacious Tinnitus Club – Ear Pressure, Noise and Hyperacusis

[[pr...]]

I'm so sorry to hear that pretty.  Does it make you anxious?

 

PD

 

it's hard to explain. but it actually physically hurts and feels really sensitive to the brain when the loud nosies are present. it kinda cuts through your body like a knife. anyone would be surprised at how physical the hyperacusis symptom really is. that's why i feel like the tinnitus has to be more then just loud noise. loud noise actually hurts when you don't have the right equipment to have it be integrated the way it would when we have normal brain chemistry.

 

Hi Pretty, It sounds like your still in C/T  The only time I have bad hyperacusis was in c/t

 

I talked to many people here and they all say that the "hyperacusis goes first and then the Tinnitus remains.  I think you may heal this way too.

 

what do you mean it sounds like i am still in C/T? i am definitely still in withdrawal with many symptoms. i don't have the tinnitus symptom.

[[Ne...]]

My ears are worse on my bad day.  It's a cycle.  Hormonal. On my good ear day my whole body is better. 

 

Hi Linder, today is a good day for me but yesterday was ear Hell.  I can relate to this cycling thing as I think I am getting it too.  Also on the good ear days I feel kind of tired all day.  It's been over 3 years for you.  Do you still have healing or have you peaked?

 

Hugs Bird

While I am using Birdman's quote in my post I do so because it seems to me we all have these cycles where the tinnitus is either gone or quite manageable only to have it RAMP UP to unbearable levels at times.

 

I have never totally gotten rid of my tinnitus no matter what I have done in my 10 month taper from 22 Mg's of Valium after a cross over from Ativan. I have tried up dosing when I got hit at 1.25 Mg's of Valium with a plethora of intense symptoms to 1.75 Mg's of Valium. I held there for 30 days and while the intensity of my tinnitus improved it never left me.

 

On my slow taper down from 1.75 to 1 mg I had such MAJOR improvement that I re instated COFFEE and on Saturday night in a wonderful restaurant I  had a glass of wine, Pasta with my Scrimp Scampi, a large piece of Chocolate Cake and Cappuccino. That SUGAR STORM with the extra CAFFEINE created an unbearable increase in my tinnitus yesterday so all of that will not be eliminated AGAIN. I define unbearable as a high pitched intense whaling like a fire alarm. Nothing was able to MASK it.

 

I took Benedryl to sleep last night and I did have less interrupted sleep and this morning my tinnitus is back to manageable. Let's see what happens from here.

In my opinion nothing will help me to see this to go away but time and being OFF the Valium. I have a friend who tells me its the glutamate not the benzo...and while glutamate imbalance is an issue pouring in more Valium on the FOREVER taper does not guarantee success and no protracted tinnitus.

 

It seems that with TINNITUS you can question 10 different people and get 11 different opinions or more. So I have no advise for anyone except to finish your taper and hope for the best.

 

I have followed the conflicting discussions on TINNITUS and suicide and it's true WILLIAM SHATTNER had that cross his mind and he's the spokesperson for the American Tinnitus Society. People come and go on this thread. Their stories like tinnitus vary in intensity. So I say in closing do not judge anyone unless you have walked in their ears and brain.

 

 

[[li...]]

I don't know what you mean when you asked me if I have peaked Bird.    I'm still healing.  Very slowly.  I expect to heal 100 percent.  Absolutely no doubt in my mind. xo

[[pe...]]

I have followed the conflicting discussions on TINNITUS and suicide and it's true WILLIAM SHATTNER had that cross his mind and he's the spokesperson for the American Tinnitus Society. People come and go on this thread. Their stories like tinnitus vary in intensity. So I say in closing do not judge anyone unless you have walked in their ears and brain.

 

Amen!

[[Dr...]]

Hello all. I'm just curious about something. Wonder if anyone else has tried this. I had been using all sorts of masking devices while trying to sleep. Naturally, the T is louder than anything else. So for the past week or so I have been doing a little experiment of my own. And it does seem to help for sleep. Don't know why???  Instead of trying to focus on the distracting device of the day, I have been focusing on the brain noise. I began to separate some of the sounds. The crickets and the steamwhistle gave way to a few separated sine waves of various frequencies. I began to focus on just one of the waves and suddenly it was a few hours later and I could remember a dream. 

I know this sounds strange but it does work. I have been sleeping better. Do I like this? NO!   But at least I am sleeping. Not a lot. But better than before. Just though I would say all of this. I suppose this is not any more crazy than the insanity I feel all day.

[[Bi...]]

Okay, question here.

 

I have had the tinnitus for several months now. My ears are also sore to touch. My Dr said they needed to be cleaned out, but I refused because I had to drive home and was worried about the increase in dizziness.

 

Now, I am curious if the tinnitus is related to my dizziness when walking. And, would having my ears cleaned out help with this.

 

I used to have to have my ears cleaned out every year. It has now been three years since I last had it done.

 

So, tinnitus + ear pain + dizziness...all related?? Or, separate issues??

 

Thanks,

 

Nana 

 

YES,  w/d will mess with your cochlea and vestibule if your prone to it! Some people do not get this but OUR little group got hit in the ears BIG TIME.

 

tinnitus + ear pain + dizziness  IS CAUSED BY LACK OF GABAEGIC INHIBITION in the NMDA gabaA receptors.  I will pass but you may wish to consider holding longer in-between cuts.  You will heal either way, it's just damn uncomfortable.

 

All benzo related.

[[Bi...]]

I'm so sorry to hear that pretty.  Does it make you anxious?

 

PD

 

it's hard to explain. but it actually physically hurts and feels really sensitive to the brain when the loud nosies are present. it kinda cuts through your body like a knife. anyone would be surprised at how physical the hyperacusis symptom really is. that's why i feel like the tinnitus has to be more then just loud noise. loud noise actually hurts when you don't have the right equipment to have it be integrated the way it would when we have normal brain chemistry.

 

Hi Pretty, It sounds like your still in C/T  The only time I have bad hyperacusis was in c/t

 

I talked to many people here and they all say that the "hyperacusis goes first and then the Tinnitus remains.  I think you may heal this way too.

 

what do you mean it sounds like i am still in C/T? i am definitely still in withdrawal with many symptoms. i don't have the tinnitus symptom.

Hi Pretty.  I am sure that when the hyperacusis goes the tinnitus will come.  That seems to be the order healing takes place in.  hyperacusis is more of an ACUTE symptom.  You are so brave.  I could not take it and reinstated.  After that event I never had hyperacusis ever again to that degree and tapered off just fine.

[[Bi...]]

I don't know what you mean when you asked me if I have peaked Bird.    I'm still healing.  Very slowly.  I expect to heal 100 percent.  Absolutely no doubt in my mind. xo

 

Hi Linder, I was wondering of your healing has slowed?  I am glad to hear your still getting better.  3 years is a long time to suffer.  I wish you continued healing Linder.  None of us deserved this much suffering.  This is just insane!

[[pr...]]

I'm so sorry to hear that pretty.  Does it make you anxious?

 

PD

 

it's hard to explain. but it actually physically hurts and feels really sensitive to the brain when the loud nosies are present. it kinda cuts through your body like a knife. anyone would be surprised at how physical the hyperacusis symptom really is. that's why i feel like the tinnitus has to be more then just loud noise. loud noise actually hurts when you don't have the right equipment to have it be integrated the way it would when we have normal brain chemistry.

 

Hi Pretty, It sounds like your still in C/T  The only time I have bad hyperacusis was in c/t

 

I talked to many people here and they all say that the "hyperacusis goes first and then the Tinnitus remains.  I think you may heal this way too.

 

what do you mean it sounds like i am still in C/T? i am definitely still in withdrawal with many symptoms. i don't have the tinnitus symptom.

Hi Pretty.  I am sure that when the hyperacusis goes the tinnitus will come.  That seems to be the order healing takes place in.  hyperacusis is more of an ACUTE symptom.  You are so brave.  I could not take it and reinstated.  After that event I never had hyperacusis ever again to that degree and tapered off just fine.

 

thanks Bird but i don't think the tinnitus symptom will just show up after 22 months! i don't think that is a good thing to say to someone either.

[[pr...]]

Hello all. I'm just curious about something. Wonder if anyone else has tried this. I had been using all sorts of masking devices while trying to sleep. Naturally, the T is louder than anything else. So for the past week or so I have been doing a little experiment of my own. And it does seem to help for sleep. Don't know why???  Instead of trying to focus on the distracting device of the day, I have been focusing on the brain noise. I began to separate some of the sounds. The crickets and the steamwhistle gave way to a few separated sine waves of various frequencies. I began to focus on just one of the waves and suddenly it was a few hours later and I could remember a dream. 

I know this sounds strange but it does work. I have been sleeping better. Do I like this? NO!   But at least I am sleeping. Not a lot. But better than before. Just though I would say all of this. I suppose this is not any more crazy than the insanity I feel all day.

 

sometimes when i focus on the feeling of my brain symptoms and/or my other symptoms i can witness the energy changing for the better.

[[il...]]

My ears are worse on my bad day.  It's a cycle.  Hormonal. On my good ear day my whole body is better. 

Hey Linder,

 

Just wanted to touch base and let you know I've had acfew more three day runs of baseline T. I've also been monitoring it over the past 6 months by keeping a log. (Im an analyst so it's in my nature to do this). It seems that it is improving VERY SLOWLY and, much like in benzo healing fashion, the progress is not linear.  Im fairly certain that eventually this will pass.

[[Bi...]]

I am shy of reporting good results since they are always so temporary.  But this is my third day with lower T.  Maybe the betahesine is doing something good.  If it is it's very slow and hard to tell where the healing is coming from. I also directed more of my oxycodone dose towards bed time in the last four days and I wake up from very deep sleep with very low tinnitus in the morning and I have noticed that if I wake up good the rest of the day is good.  Something very positive is happening to my most dreaded symptom here, hope I don't Jinx myself.  I am going to quit the betahistine and see if it get's worse again. 

I also started Sun bathing out by the pool 4 days ago.  Maybe the rush of Vitamin D? Something I did is healing me but I can't zero in on any one thing yet, maybe I am just plain healing from being off the benzo's

 

 

[[Dr...]]

Thank you prettydaisys. I thought that I was speaking into a vacuum. I'm out of here.

[[Bi...]]

My ears are worse on my bad day.  It's a cycle.  Hormonal. On my good ear day my whole body is better. 

 

Hi Linder, today is a good day for me but yesterday was ear Hell.  I can relate to this cycling thing as I think I am getting it too.  Also on the good ear days I feel kind of tired all day.  It's been over 3 years for you.  Do you still have healing or have you peaked?

 

Hugs Bird

While I am using Birdman's quote in my post I do so because it seems to me we all have these cycles where the tinnitus is either gone or quite manageable only to have it RAMP UP to unbearable levels at times.

 

I have never totally gotten rid of my tinnitus no matter what I have done in my 10 month taper from 22 Mg's of Valium after a cross over from Ativan. I have tried up dosing when I got hit at 1.25 Mg's of Valium with a plethora of intense symptoms to 1.75 Mg's of Valium. I held there for 30 days and while the intensity of my tinnitus improved it never left me.

 

On my slow taper down from 1.75 to 1 mg I had such MAJOR improvement that I re instated COFFEE and on Saturday night in a wonderful restaurant I  had a glass of wine, Pasta with my Scrimp Scampi, a large piece of Chocolate Cake and Cappuccino. That SUGAR STORM with the extra CAFFEINE created an unbearable increase in my tinnitus yesterday so all of that will not be eliminated AGAIN. I define unbearable as a high pitched intense whaling like a fire alarm. Nothing was able to MASK it.

 

I took Benedryl to sleep last night and I did have less interrupted sleep and this morning my tinnitus is back to manageable. Let's see what happens from here.

In my opinion nothing will help me to see this to go away but time and being OFF the Valium. I have a friend who tells me its the glutamate not the benzo...and while glutamate imbalance is an issue pouring in more Valium on the FOREVER taper does not guarantee success and no protracted tinnitus.

 

It seems that with TINNITUS you can question 10 different people and get 11 different opinions or more. So I have no advise for anyone except to finish your taper and hope for the best.

 

I have followed the conflicting discussions on TINNITUS and suicide and it's true WILLIAM SHATTNER had that cross his mind and he's the spokesperson for the American Tinnitus Society. People come and go on this thread. Their stories like tinnitus vary in intensity. So I say in closing do not judge anyone unless you have walked in their ears and brain.

 

Hi Doc, What every cycle I am in now I like it.  Best three days I have had in 2 years of this hell.  I hope it continues. Could be the betahistine or maybe the new treatment.  I am loving it.  Symptoms faded 85% in the last 30 days and at this rate I'll be done by end of summer.

 

Sorry guys if I don't spend so much time here any longer but when you start feeling better you just tend to look outward and want to enjoy life again. It's the nature of healing and we do heal.  So many times I thought my life was over during C/T and taper, not true, the benzo brain devices.  Hang tough, it's just a matter of time.

 

Hugs to all  :smitten: :smitten:

[[Bi...]]

You are right pretty.  Tinnitus made me extremely anxious to the point that I couldn't sleep and I couldn't function.  I went through a phase where I would literally just pace the floor.  When I was sitting it was like I had restless leg syndrome.  I rarely left the house or drove by myself.  Absolutely everything was an effort.  I felt like I was living inside a torture chamber with the constant noise in my head. 

 

Boy can I relate.    I wonder if the tinnitus is by design to make us anxious.  It's the bodies ALARM if you will. If your breathing in CO2 or toxic gases your body gives you tinnitus as a warning. 

 

My tinnitus always worse when I am nervy or IF I am nervy I get worse tinnitus, tough to know, the whole chicken and egg thing, confusing.

 

[[pr...]]

Thank you prettydaisys. I thought that I was speaking into a vacuum. I'm out of here.

 

yeah, it is like a vaccum. i think i am too

[[Ne...]]

Confirmed  BETAHISTINE  is an appetite suppressor!!  Feel a tiny bit sick and not hungry after second daily dose each day.  Ears,,, better but no miracle yet.  Feel drowsy but not too bad.  Lot's of yawning and stretching going on here,,,,,,,

 

Woke up with my ears feeling better so the whole day is better.  If I wake up with bad ear symptoms the whole day is bad.  Any one else see the pattern?

I am not commenting on the betahistine but my tinnitus at wake ups are the most horrendous. Right now at 1 mg for 17 days I see no help from the Valium and I have been around this dose for 41 days.

 

There were times where I had perfect days on my taper defined as NO TINNITUS, good days defined as MANAGEABLE TINNITIS...and days like lately where it's been UNRELENTING. Those of us who are suffering this symptom know there's no magic bullet as the other shoe seems to drop all the time until one day it might fade out. I think that day will be after we stop pouring the poison in one end hoping it will come out the other end so to speak with the accumulated benzo decreasing on holds.

The terror of tinnitus is two fold, 1. It's something we have little to fight back with and 2. we know it's the most protracted of all of the symptoms. I just needed to say that.

 

One of the best posts I have seen was where the person said I have tried everything, cut and hold, daily tapering, Micro tapering with holds, up dosing to rescue doses. I believe it was KOKO...who started a cut and hold thread.

I have seen a person who was racked with pain and suicidal just get off after a reasonable taper and he is really improved to the point of enjoying life. I know when are symptomatic we become very venerable and suggestible to any thing that can give us hope. People add in antidepressants, become opiate or opioid dependent, turn to the anti epileptics like Neurontin, etc.  because doing something beats for them doing nothing. To quote BLISS JOHNS " if we try something as we are about to enter a window we swear it works, if we enter a wave we swear it doesn't". That's true too.

She talked about a couple where the wife was on a benzo for years and the husband a short time. Her taper was short and her recovery rapid. His was a taper from HELL accompanied by PAWS so looking for our mirror circumstance to predict our recovery is impossible. Slow symptomatic based tapering seems to be best for some but remember 44% of benzo users can just stop without difficulty.

I see people who are vulnerable get there feelings hurt by a comment NEVER intended to hurt them. I hope those dear people do not say "I am out of here".....as this thread is a an oasis of empathy if not a cure.

Prayers for us all,

B

[[Bi...]]

Thank you prettydaisys. I thought that I was speaking into a vacuum. I'm out of here.

 

yeah, it is like a vaccum. i think i am too

 

I'm a blonde, I was always accused of having a vacuum in-between my ears

 

BLONDE JOKE OF THE DAY

"A blonde, a redhead, and a brunette were all lost in the desert. They found a lamp and rubbed it. A genie popped out and granted them each one wish. The redhead wished to be back home. Poof! She was back home. The brunette wished to be at home with her family. Poof! She was back home with her family. The blonde said, "Awwww, I wish my friends were here."

[[Bi...]]

Confirmed  BETAHISTINE  is an appetite suppressor!!  Feel a tiny bit sick and not hungry after second daily dose each day.  Ears,,, better but no miracle yet.  Feel drowsy but not too bad.  Lot's of yawning and stretching going on here,,,,,,,

 

Woke up with my ears feeling better so the whole day is better.  If I wake up with bad ear symptoms the whole day is bad.  Any one else see the pattern?

I am not commenting on the betahistine but my tinnitus at wake ups are the most horrendous. Right now at 1 mg for 17 days I see no help from the Valium and I have been around this dose for 41 days.

 

There were times where I had perfect days on my taper defined as NO TINNITUS, good days defined as MANAGEABLE TINNITIS...and days like lately where it's been UNRELENTING. Those of us who are suffering this symptom know there's no magic bullet as the other shoe seems to drop all the time until one day it might fade out. I think that day will be after we stop pouring the poison in one end hoping it will come out the other end so to speak with the accumulated benzo decreasing on holds.

The terror of tinnitus is two fold, 1. It's something we have little to fight back with and 2. we know it's the most protracted of all of the symptoms. I just needed to say that.

 

One of the best posts I have seen was where the person said I have tried everything, cut and hold, daily tapering, Micro tapering with holds, up dosing to rescue doses. I believe it was KOKO...who started a cut and hold thread.

I have seen a person who was racked with pain and suicidal just get off after a reasonable taper and he is really improved to the point of enjoying life. I know when are symptomatic we become very venerable and suggestible to any thing that can give us hope. People add in antidepressants, become opiate or opioid dependent, turn to the anti epileptics like Neurontin, etc.  because doing something beats for them doing nothing. To quote BLISS JOHNS " if we try something as we are about to enter a window we swear it works, if we enter a wave we swear it doesn't". That's true too.

She talked about a couple where the wife was on a benzo for years and the husband a short time. Her taper was short and her recovery rapid. His was a taper from HELL accompanied by PAWS so looking for our mirror circumstance to predict our recovery is impossible. Slow symptomatic based tapering seems to be best for some but remember 44% of benzo users can just stop without difficulty.

I see people who are vulnerable get there feelings hurt by a comment NEVER intended to hurt them. I hope those dear people do not say "I am out of here".....as this thread is a an oasis of empathy if not a cure.

Prayers for us all,

B

 

That is so very true Doc  

 

I am so scared this tinnitus symptom will never go away :'( :'( :'(  That thought of that drives me into a panic.  My brain starts milling through the 10 triaquads of tinnitus data in my skull I have on the topic and I can find no answers, frustrated.  I hope it will fade but at the current rate of healing I have a feeling it my take years for me to totally be rid of it :'( :'(   

 

[[pe...]]

You are right pretty.  Tinnitus made me extremely anxious to the point that I couldn't sleep and I couldn't function.  I went through a phase where I would literally just pace the floor.  When I was sitting it was like I had restless leg syndrome.  I rarely left the house or drove by myself.  Absolutely everything was an effort.  I felt like I was living inside a torture chamber with the constant noise in my head. 

 

Boy can I relate.    I wonder if the tinnitus is by design to make us anxious.  It's the bodies ALARM if you will. If your breathing in CO2 or toxic gases your body gives you tinnitus as a warning. 

 

My tinnitus always worse when I am nervy or IF I am nervy I get worse tinnitus, tough to know, the whole chicken and egg thing, confusing.

 

I am so glad you took the time to make this comment birdie.  It seems to explain perfectly how I got tinnitus.  My sodium level was critically low, and the lower it got, the louder my tinnitus got.  In fact, right before I went to the hospital it was like I had a freight train in my head.  My level of consciousness was also starting to decline.  I was sure that I was either going to die of end up in an insane asylum.  The ear doctor that I saw following the event told me that he thought my tinnitus would eventually go away, although it may take months or years.  I remember responding in shock, "Years???!!!"  Anyway, I'm like you, I'm hoping it will eventually go away, even if it takes years.  The reason for the alarm is now gone.  If my nervous system can just completely calm down, hopefully it will fade away. 

 

Have you heard of Julian Cowan?  His theory is that there is an anxiety / stress component to almost all cases of tinnitus.  Thinking about it that way, it seems to make sense that it is a common symptom for people on benzos doesn't it?  Here's an interesting article he wrote explaining this: www.cst.eu.com/downloads/what_is_tinnitus.doc

 

PD

[[Bi...]]

You are right pretty.  Tinnitus made me extremely anxious to the point that I couldn't sleep and I couldn't function.  I went through a phase where I would literally just pace the floor.  When I was sitting it was like I had restless leg syndrome.  I rarely left the house or drove by myself.  Absolutely everything was an effort.  I felt like I was living inside a torture chamber with the constant noise in my head. 

 

Boy can I relate.    I wonder if the tinnitus is by design to make us anxious.  It's the bodies ALARM if you will. If your breathing in CO2 or toxic gases your body gives you tinnitus as a warning. 

 

My tinnitus always worse when I am nervy or IF I am nervy I get worse tinnitus, tough to know, the whole chicken and egg thing, confusing.

 

I am so glad you took the time to make this comment birdie.  It seems to explain perfectly how I got tinnitus.  My sodium level was critically low, and the lower it got, the louder my tinnitus got.  In fact, right before I went to the hospital it was like I had a freight train in my head.  My level of consciousness was also starting to decline.  I was sure that I was either going to die of end up in an insane asylum.  The ear doctor that I saw following the event told me that he thought my tinnitus would eventually go away, although it may take months or years.  I remember responding in shock, "Years???!!!"  Anyway, I'm like you, I'm hoping it will eventually go away, even if it takes years.  The reason for the alarm is now gone.  If my nervous system can just completely calm down, hopefully it will fade away. 

 

Have you heard of Julian Cowan?  His theory is that there is an anxiety / stress component to almost all cases of tinnitus.  Thinking about it that way, it seems to make sense that it is a common symptom for people on benzos doesn't it?  Here's an interesting article he wrote explaining this: www.cst.eu.com/downloads/what_is_tinnitus.doc

 

PD

 

Hi PD,  I loved the article. Thanks   I also noticed benzo's where on the list of trouble makers. Interesting!  I also have a feeling deep down even though we do not feel anxious our brains are very anxious and hence the tinnitus is persistent.  My doc told me that tinnitus is designed like a trip-trap in that any tiny miniscule imbalance can trip it.  It's highly sensitive by it's very design. I do remember getting tinnitus just as bad when running and not breathing right BUT it only lasted 30 seconds and was gone when I got some air.  No wonder it takes so long to heal.  My addiction doc is going to put me on Ritalin in a few months as my final treatment.  He claims the tinnitus will get screaming loud but when they stop the Ritalin it will be dead silent again as I remember it and no more Tinnitus. Then my body can find a natural level after that point. sounds great but have not tried it yet.  I can't wait to try it but not looking forward to T getting worse for a while. My addictionologists doc says sometimes you just have to press the old 'reset button' to get things working quicker. Ritalin is the opposite of a benzo so it will push my brain the other way, he says it will help my brain find center homeostasis faster. All these new drugs are kind of scary to me, time will tell if they know what they are doing. Ritalin is addictive too but it's a stimulant.  How can people can hooked on something as hideous as a stimulant? But they do.  Things that make ya go hmmmmm.

[[pe...]]

Hi PD,  I loved the article. Thanks   I also noticed benzo's where on the list of trouble makers. Interesting!  I also have a feeling deep down even though we do not feel anxious our brains are very anxious and hence the tinnitus is persistent.  My doc told me that tinnitus is designed like a trip-trap in that any tiny miniscule imbalance can trip it.  It's highly sensitive by it's very design. I do remember getting tinnitus just as bad when running and not breathing right BUT it only lasted 30 seconds and was gone when I got some air.  No wonder it takes so long to heal.  My addiction doc is going to put me on Ritalin in a few months as my final treatment.  He claims the tinnitus will get screaming loud but when they stop the Ritalin it will be dead silent again as I remember it and no more Tinnitus. Then my body can find a natural level after that point. sounds great but have not tried it yet.  I can't wait to try it but not looking forward to T getting worse for a while. My addictionologists doc says sometimes you just have to press the old 'reset button' to get things working quicker. Ritalin is the opposite of a benzo so it will push my brain the other way, he says it will help my brain find center homeostasis faster. All these new drugs are kind of scary to me, time will tell if they know what they are doing. Ritalin is addictive too but it's a stimulant.  How can people can hooked on something as hideous as a stimulant? But they do.  Things that make ya go hmmmmm.

 

birdman, it sounds like you have an excellent, understanding doctor.  I agree, I would be a little bit nervous about going on Ritalin, especially if it's going to make the tinnitus worse.  Has your doctor used Ritalin to help any other patients with tinnitus?  How long will you be on it?  Let us know how it goes.

 

I can understand getting hooked on a stimulant.  I was addicted to coffee for many years.  I'm strictly on decaf right now, but if I wasn't trying to heal I'd definitely be back to drinking regular coffee.  But no, it's definitely not as powerful as Ritalin.

 

PD

[[Bi...]]

Hi PD,  I loved the article. Thanks   I also noticed benzo's where on the list of trouble makers. Interesting!  I also have a feeling deep down even though we do not feel anxious our brains are very anxious and hence the tinnitus is persistent.  My doc told me that tinnitus is designed like a trip-trap in that any tiny miniscule imbalance can trip it.  It's highly sensitive by it's very design. I do remember getting tinnitus just as bad when running and not breathing right BUT it only lasted 30 seconds and was gone when I got some air.  No wonder it takes so long to heal.  My addiction doc is going to put me on Ritalin in a few months as my final treatment.  He claims the tinnitus will get screaming loud but when they stop the Ritalin it will be dead silent again as I remember it and no more Tinnitus. Then my body can find a natural level after that point. sounds great but have not tried it yet.  I can't wait to try it but not looking forward to T getting worse for a while. My addictionologists doc says sometimes you just have to press the old 'reset button' to get things working quicker. Ritalin is the opposite of a benzo so it will push my brain the other way, he says it will help my brain find center homeostasis faster. All these new drugs are kind of scary to me, time will tell if they know what they are doing. Ritalin is addictive too but it's a stimulant.  How can people can hooked on something as hideous as a stimulant? But they do.  Things that make ya go hmmmmm.

 

birdman, it sounds like you have an excellent, understanding doctor.  I agree, I would be a little bit nervous about going on Ritalin, especially if it's going to make the tinnitus worse.  Has your doctor used Ritalin to help any other patients with tinnitus?  How long will you be on it?  Let us know how it goes.

 

I can understand getting hooked on a stimulant.  I was addicted to coffee for many years.  I'm strictly on decaf right now, but if I wasn't trying to heal I'd definitely be back to drinking regular coffee.  But no, it's definitely not as powerful as Ritalin.

 

PD

 

Hi PD,  I talked to a few patients that said it worked but of coarse you never hear about the one's it did not work on.

 

He uses an interesting model to illustrate the process, a plastic rod.  The rod is straight and he called it Base-line.  Then he bends it really hard and says  "this is your brain on benzo's"  then he let's the rod go and it pops back somewhat but it stills looks very bent.  He then says "this is benzo healing"  Then he takes the rod and pushes it over the opposite way and THEN it pops back totally straight again and he then says to me  "this is how Ritalin corrects the problem"  It's a convincing demo but I told him my brain is not a plastic rod, we both laughed     I'll try it but if I feel too bad I will back off fast do not worry.

 

Here's some data that says caffeine increases gabaA receptors effectively rebuilding it by 65% increase right at the GABAA benzodiazepine receptor site!

 

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3437321/

 

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8242688

 

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/2835648

 

http://www.precisionnutrition.com/coffee-and-hormones

 

I'm sure drinking coffee or taking Ritalin will not be any fun but the end results maybe worth it.  I start Ritalin in about 6-8 weeks if I think I am ready.  Today I had a bad morning and had an EAR WAVE.  This is a wave that hits 100% in the ears, tinnitus, anxiety, vertigo and hyperacusis.  I call them EAR WAVES since my ears seem to be the epicenter for my whole withdrawal expericne.  It's over now but it shook me to my core, I was in hell.  Better now

[[Bi...]]

I am pretty sure that the key to tinnitus and hyperacusis is to slow a taper down snail speed.

 

The more I look at my notes the more I believe in the 5 year long taper theory.  I still think back to a story of a guy that had a 5 years supply of valium stored improperly and it decomposed so much in 5 years he ended up tapering it and never knew it.  I quickly becoming a believer in radically long tapers for tinnitus suffers and this includes up dosing at key points and holding as it's an extra long process if you are tapering for T and H.

 

This stuff about "YOU HAVE TO BE OFF IN ORDER TO HEAL"  does not apply to people HIT IN THE EARS by benzo's. Tapering and slight updosing to keep the T and H within a tolerable range is part of it.  So it takes an extra year, not a big deal if you can enjoy life during the taper.

P.S.  I am tapering the OXY now, down 30%, piece of cake, like tapering candy, easy/peasy

 

Tapering the baclofen will be tougher as it's a dreaded gaba drug.  Still it rocks since tolerance just dose not happen on this drug, people have been on the same dose for 40 years and it never messes with them. No benzo weirdness. No genetic brain changes, just changes in chemical levels. Better

 

Baclofen is like GHB, not to bad in withdrawal. I thank Barban for this chart on withdrawal pain.

 

http://i.imgur.com/jm9VA2p.png               

 

Interesting

[[sn...]]

I am pretty sure that the key to tinnitus and hyperacusis is to slow a taper down snail speed.

 

The more I look at my notes the more I believe in the 5 year long taper theory.  I still think back to a story of a guy that had a 5 years supply of valium stored improperly and it decomposed so much in 5 years he ended up tapering it and never knew it.  I quickly becoming a believer in radically long tapers for tinnitus suffers and this includes up dosing at key points and holding as it's an extra long process if you are tapering for T and H.

 

This stuff about "YOU HAVE TO BE OFF IN ORDER TO HEAL"  does not apply to people HIT IN THE EARS by benzo's. Tapering and slight updosing to keep the T and H within a tolerable range is part of it.  So it takes an extra year, not a big deal if you can enjoy life during the taper.

P.S.  I am tapering the OXY now, down 30%, piece of cake, like tapering candy, easy/peasy

 

Tapering the baclofen will be tougher as it's a dreaded gaba drug.  Still it rocks since tolerance just dose not happen on this drug, people have been on the same dose for 40 years and it never messes with them. No benzo weirdness. No genetic brain changes, just changes in chemical levels. Better

 

Baclofen is like GHB, not to bad in withdrawal. I thank Barban for this chart on withdrawal pain.

 

http://i.imgur.com/jm9VA2p.png               

 

Interesting

Lucky us. I should have been on heroin instead.