Tenacious Tinnitus Club – Ear Pressure, Noise and Hyperacusis

[[Tr...]]

Hi

 

Anyone had their tinnitus stop? How long did you have it for? Any success stories will really help to get me going. Mine started a month ago, as I started with the taper. It’s a very scary time right now. Any words of encouragement will help :-( Please, only positive stories needed right now...

[[Su...]]

Hi Trying2Bhopeful,

Don't worry, it will eventually fade away to the point you will be able to live a normal life. My T started 8 weeks ago when I was C/T. Zopiclone was reinstated for a 6-week taper and it is my first week post withdrawal.

 

The first 2 weeks folowing C/T were debilitating then it went down. It went down further at the 6 week mark.

 

Tinnitus is commonly the last symptoms to go. It takes 3 to 6 months and sonetimes more (1-2  years)  but there are a few success stories around so do not despair. Most people who heal do not go back to this forum so the posts here are probably not reptesentative...

 

You will need to be patient. I found meditation helps along with sound therapy...

[[ch...]]

Hi everyone . My tinnitus is so very bad today I don't know where to put myself.

I have about 3 different tones going on and it's making my already poor hearing, even worse.

 

I have numbness in my hands and face too, which is worrying me as well as a pressure pushing on my cheek bones either side of my head,

 

I am getting seriously worried what is going on, and wonder if I have something else other than tinnitus, 

 

I have just had my hearing checked and my ears looked in , No wax, and my hearing is down , 

 

I am being fitted for a new aid, but that will take a couple of weeks and them it has to be fine tuned, but with this racket going on I wont be able to hear much anyway

 

I am so upset that I had only anxiety before all this and now I feel I may have something very serious going on.

 

Maybe  just my imagination I don't know . I have been assured by Bristol tranquillizer project and Bataid that Numbness and  tinnitus are commonly reported, but this seems so strong now I am finding it hard to live with .

 

I may have made it worse by eating some very sweet chocolates in the night , I had this strong craving . I usually avoid such things,  I also have a bit if a cold but don't think it's that, My head feels as of its being squeezed,  It's all so very worrying, at my age ,

 

Jen

[[Mo...]]

So Jen has the hyperacusis (sound sensitivity) gone away yet?  Sounds like it?  I know of others who have had horrid tinnitus and it usually fades/goes back to a lower level, even if it doesn't dissipate.  If you are getting new hearing aids, then my guess would be that this should help quite a bit, at least during the day.  And yes, of course the numbness is absolutely normal.  Can you eat something sweet in place of the chocolate?  Some butter cookies (with minimal ingredients) or something else to satisfy the cravings for sweets?  Hang in there, my friend - these are all normal symptoms, unfortunately. 

[[Me...]]

Hey guys, I’m just here to find out if anyone gets pounding in their ears.

I’m at 2 years out, get pounding and ringing in both ears but worse on the right.

 

I think mine was triggered more by getting off other meds recently as well, such as Effexor and gabapentin.

 

Any input would be great. From the looks of it, what I have is called somatosensory pulsatile tinnitus triggered by ototoxic medications  (if I was to google diagnose myself).

 

It causes my brain to feel like it’s literally shaking. If I plug my ears I feel normal. It’s so awful.

The ringing is not so bad, I can handle that. It’s pounding of my ears making my whole head shake that drives me mad.

[[ch...]]

Thank you for your help .

 

The noise in my head is really so very severe today. I am not sure how to help myself.

 

I have tried to distract but cannot seem to find anything that works,  apart from physical activity.

 

I have head pressure too and then the numbness, It all makes me fear it is something other than withdrawal, but early days I know. I will be 7 weeks free this weekend.

 

I have done my walking , almost 5 miles today which might be bit much, not sure on this. I am trying to work out why it's so bad at the moment, 

 

I had hoped it would ease  just a little tonight as nights are often better but this isn't easing at all,

 

I don't know about the sound sensitivity easing, I have this deep base tone going on and it really is the most disturbing of the tones,  so my own voice is hard to listen to. The phone, I have to have on speaker to hear at all  I am finding it very uncomfortable. I have tried all the white noise sounds but am also finding this  uncomfortable at the moment, I keep my fan on but I have trouble hearing it. 

 

As long as I know it will ease down in the end I will have to deal with it, as there is no other option , 

 

I am very used to tinnitus but this is way worse than my original.  I wish it would ease a little .

 

I have probably done everything wrong in eating the very sweet chocolate ,and having  a Tylenol last night for my cold ,which in it self might be adding to the pressure and the noise, I really don't know,  but I do know that this is the loudest it has been and pressure pushing on my face at the cheek bones is hard to cope with along with the numbness

 

I suppose I ought to check with the Doctor really, but am hoping it will ease down a bit to bearable, and my Doctors don't believe in withdrawals so I am not sure what they would make of this

 

I just want to get through this and get on with my life as we all do.

 

I have the usual doubts that these symptoms are something else but trying not to over think, 

 

Once again thank you for replying

 

Jen

 

 

[[50...]]

So sorry that you are struggling. This tinnitus has got to be one of the top 3 worst symptoms. In my 4 th month now and only recently started having good days

[[Me...]]

Anyone have pounding ears?

[[ch...]]

So sorry that you are struggling. This tinnitus has got to be one of the top 3 worst symptoms. In my 4 th month now and only recently started having good days

 

 

It really is a tough one to face along with all the numbness. and adrenalin terror feeling all day long, 

 

I keep hoping something will start to improve,  Just coming up to the end of week 7  on day 48 free.

 

So there is some reduction for you in your 4th month? 

 

Just need a little hope  that all these things ease down

 

Thank you

 

Jen

[[50...]]

yah, great reduction in 4th month

[[Su...]]

My T was debilitating and frankly terrifying (to say the least) the first 2 to 3 days after C/T then it went down in intensity a bit. It remained at a very intrusive level for 2 weeks and went down a bit further. It has remained at a level between intrusive and annoying for the past 7 weeks.

 

I have also noticed the sound has changed over the past few days. From a predominantly hissing noise in my left ear, it has morphed into a buzzing sound on my "middle" ear. Always at a high frequency (8kHz or so).

 

I have also noticed recently there are "windows" where I forget / can ignore the tinnitus. It's not clear whether the tinnitus is getting fainter or I am just getting used to it / distracted by something else. It's a nice feeling though.

 

I must admit I struggle comparing my tinnitus of today with my tinnitus yesterday as it is a constant symptom and its intensity cannot be assessed objectively or either recorded. So frustrating.

 

From conversations I have had with various BB, I think anxiety and lack of sleep play a big part in how we experience the tinnitus.

 

Last but not least, from various messages I have read here and there, it seems that tinnitus is often the last symptom to go. It may take as little as 3 months to go as it may take 6 months, 2 years or more, but there are several examples of remission.

 

So... do not despair, have faith, keep a healthy lifestyle and you will get better!

[[50...]]

the latest in tinnitus treatment advancement:

 

how is everyone? any positive reports?

[[ch...]]

It's been a really horrendous day today. All symptoms have re surfaced, including the rash on my neck that I had in the summer,  ,

So much numbness going on in my hands and some in my face.

 

But oh the tinnitus, I  didn't think it possible to go worse but it has .

 

I don't know where to put myself,  How do I sleep with it this loud yet my hearing destroyed, ?

 

I can't even hear white noise,  I have such a head pressure too.

 

I just have to pray for sleep and hope that tomorrow will be better,

 

I  feel I am losing hope that this will heal,  I need some quiet, I cannot even watch tv or  computer videos, my hearing is ruined and sound it torture, 

 

I wish I knew what to do ,  but guess there is very little except try to survive

 

Jen

 

Jen

[[Su...]]

@[59...]

 

@chinchuck, hang in there Jen. You may want to consider Lenire as a possible treatment for your tinnitus.

 

SG

[[To...]]

My tinnitus is minimal, sometimes moderate, but my sound sensitivity on the other hand is through the roof. It was one of the first symptoms I started having. The sound of silverware and dishes is almost unbearable, and everything else just seems extremely loud and painful. It makes it hard to be out and about. It's a bad combo with the agoraphobia.

 

On an interesting note, I had a window for several hours last week. I used the opportunity to go do some things while I felt okay. I got a haircut because I was getting shaggy due to agoraphobia and social phobia : )  I went to some stores just because it was so great to walk around feeling normal again in public. I was in Wal-Mart, and for the first time in awhile the lights didn't seem too bright and the noise didn't seem loud or painful. Then the window closed while I was still there. The lights seemed too bright again, and the noise felt extremely loud and indistinct. It was weird to experience the contrast of a wave and a window in the same situation like that.

[[50...]]

My tinnitus is minimal, sometimes moderate, but my sound sensitivity on the other hand is through the roof. It was one of the first symptoms I started having. The sound of silverware and dishes is almost unbearable, and everything else just seems extremely loud and painful. It makes it hard to be out and about. It's a bad combo with the agoraphobia.

 

On an interesting note, I had a window for several hours last week. I used the opportunity to go do some things while I felt okay. I got a haircut because I was getting shaggy due to agoraphobia and social phobia : )  I went to some stores just because it was so great to walk around feeling normal again in public. I was in Wal-Mart, and for the first time in awhile the lights didn't seem too bright and the noise didn't seem loud or painful. Then the window closed while I was still there. The lights seemed too bright again, and the noise felt extremely loud and indistinct. It was weird to experience the contrast of a wave and a window in the same situation like that.

 

hold your dose and make smaller cuts

[[Bi...]]

My tinnitus is minimal, sometimes moderate, but my sound sensitivity on the other hand is through the roof. It was one of the first symptoms I started having. The sound of silverware and dishes is almost unbearable, and everything else just seems extremely loud and painful. It makes it hard to be out and about. It's a bad combo with the agoraphobia.

 

On an interesting note, I had a window for several hours last week. I used the opportunity to go do some things while I felt okay. I got a haircut because I was getting shaggy due to agoraphobia and social phobia : )  I went to some stores just because it was so great to walk around feeling normal again in public. I was in Wal-Mart, and for the first time in awhile the lights didn't seem too bright and the noise didn't seem loud or painful. Then the window closed while I was still there. The lights seemed too bright again, and the noise felt extremely loud and indistinct. It was weird to experience the contrast of a wave and a window in the same situation like that.

 

hold your dose and make smaller cuts

 

Very good advice!

[[To...]]

My tinnitus is minimal, sometimes moderate, but my sound sensitivity on the other hand is through the roof. It was one of the first symptoms I started having. The sound of silverware and dishes is almost unbearable, and everything else just seems extremely loud and painful. It makes it hard to be out and about. It's a bad combo with the agoraphobia.

 

On an interesting note, I had a window for several hours last week. I used the opportunity to go do some things while I felt okay. I got a haircut because I was getting shaggy due to agoraphobia and social phobia : )  I went to some stores just because it was so great to walk around feeling normal again in public. I was in Wal-Mart, and for the first time in awhile the lights didn't seem too bright and the noise didn't seem loud or painful. Then the window closed while I was still there. The lights seemed too bright again, and the noise felt extremely loud and indistinct. It was weird to experience the contrast of a wave and a window in the same situation like that.

 

hold your dose and make smaller cuts

 

Very good advice!

 

Thanks guys. My thinking is to hold at 1.6 mg for two weeks and drop down to just 1.5. I had been dropping at a rate of .2 every week, but had to slow it down a little recently.

[[Bi...]]

My tinnitus is minimal, sometimes moderate, but my sound sensitivity on the other hand is through the roof. It was one of the first symptoms I started having. The sound of silverware and dishes is almost unbearable, and everything else just seems extremely loud and painful. It makes it hard to be out and about. It's a bad combo with the agoraphobia.

 

On an interesting note, I had a window for several hours last week. I used the opportunity to go do some things while I felt okay. I got a haircut because I was getting shaggy due to agoraphobia and social phobia : )  I went to some stores just because it was so great to walk around feeling normal again in public. I was in Wal-Mart, and for the first time in awhile the lights didn't seem too bright and the noise didn't seem loud or painful. Then the window closed while I was still there. The lights seemed too bright again, and the noise felt extremely loud and indistinct. It was weird to experience the contrast of a wave and a window in the same situation like that.

 

hold your dose and make smaller cuts

 

Very good advice!

 

Thanks guys. My thinking is to hold at 1.6 mg for two weeks and drop down to just 1.5. I had been dropping at a rate of .2 every week, but had to slow it down a little recently.

 

Yup! The lower the dose gets the slower I had to go too.  The last  1 mg was the worst and took the longest. 

Let time be your friend in a taper. Do not upset those tender glutamate receptors.

[[50...]]

Tried Taurine.. revs up my t like crazy

[[ch...]]

Thank you for the suggestion Surrey Guy .

 

Have you tried the Lenire  treatment?

 

As far as I know, over the years I have had tinnitus, there is not treatment but maskers,

 

However the tinnitus I had before was a nothing, compared to how severe it is now.

 

I  am hoping it will ease down again,  but I suspect it will be one of those symptoms that takes a long time to improve,

 

I do get moments when it's less but cannot tie it to anything.  It never leaves but sometimes the deep drone fades and I am left with the hiss, which I can tolerate. The drone makes what I do hear through my hearing aid, unbearable to listen to anything.

 

I am now at  8 weeks off this weekend so 2 months almost done,  Maybe a little relief will come my way , I  do hope so .

 

So much damage is done by these drugs.. I would never have dreamt that withdrawal off a low dose valium would make my hearing so much worse, and sounds resonate in  my head.

 

But then I realise now that it can do damage to many parts of the body,  so why not the auditory part.

 

I draw hope from reading of  lessening at 4 months off,  I hope it happens for me

 

Jen

 

Jen

 

 

[[50...]]

i find that if i go to a place where the noise is louder than my t and i hang around there for about 20 30 mins, my t gets really low and i have to try hard to listen to it. it stays like this until i wake up from sleep the next day

[[De...]]

I have tinnitus on and off. It's not to bad. Sometimes if I pop my ears it stops. Wondering if chewing gum might help. I know it helps your ears when you fly on planes because of the altitude. Just a thought.

[[Bi...]]

 

So much damage is done by these drugs.. I would never have dreamt that withdrawal off a low dose valium would make my hearing so much worse, and sounds resonate in  my head.

 

Jen

 

Jen I do feel your pain.  One thing you have to remember is that the entire tinnitus mechanism of the brain could best be described as a "hairtrigger".  It's a warning system.  One way to see how it works is to put your hand on your forehead with great force and push your neck forward you will hear the tinnitus scream. This is a warning system to make sure you don't break your neck when it is under pressure and in danger.  Many pathways in the nervous system pass through the tinnitus junction in the brain. Anyhow the point being it takes a long time for this 'hairtrigger' to reset itself because of its extreme sensitivity.  I recommend you get a set of maskers which could be as simple as an MP3 player with some earbuds and find the right frequencies which can be a long hunt.  Recently I have seen a large drop in the price of Bluetooth earbuds which fit inside the ear and are really comfortable to wear all day long.

[[Mo...]]

Jen,

A lot of the really good hearing aids also can be programmed to have maskers. 

 

Birdman,

Interesting to know on how/why tinnitus.  VERY interesting!!