jumped 1 hurdle and now this!

[GDJTAM]

I am a month in to my new companion Mr T, I had my MRI scan and will see the ENT consultant on the 19/6/2017. Sadly, I am totally deaf in my left ear following an acoustic neuroma 30 years ago. During the day I have high pitched hissing and when I go to bed I get tubular bells playing high pitched constant tones? After posting on this sight Michael and a few others gave me some 'sound' advice and I began to accept these intrusions. However, this week my good ear not only has T but it feels like it;s bunged up. I had my ear cleaned by an ENT doctor a 2 weeks ago and I am sure there's no wax.

When I talk it sounds like I have my fingers in my ear and the noises vibrate or it's like I have water in them and base sounds are just heard?

Do any experienced T ers have this? is this the first sign of permanent deafness? I am a postman and when I ring a door bell I can't hear it, when people talk to me I cant grasp the sentence?

Just when I came to terms with these strange sounds in my head and started to have a positive attitude, I get this. Panic is now setting in and I'm back to square one.

Any advice please.

[GDJTAM]

Hi Xene, I thought I was alone and going mad. I too had all my hearing bits taking away and my left ear canal was closed off. When I'm in bed the high pitched tone I thought was coming from my deaf side, but then I thought no way, I'm deaf so how can I hear it on my left (deaf) side? how can I when there's just a big hole there?

The ENT doctor lay me on my side and used a vacuum suction to extract the bucket of wax, apart from the hissing and tones my ear felt ok. But a couple of weeks later I now have this pressure and muffling sound when people talk. It's like I need to pop my ear 30,000 feet when I'm in a plane.

Do you feel cheated by the good health Gods? having gone through your tumour and the loss of hearing, you're now dealt with T, and on top of that you have a hearing aid in your (what was) your good ear. My emotions are all over the place and the thought of walking around with a hearing aid horrifies me, As well as been paralysed on my left face from the tumour removal and deaf in my left ear, I'm seeing the ENT consultant on Monday who will probably suggest a hearing aid on the only good bit on my head.

Like you, the tumour was bad enough but in a way it made me a stronger person and anything that life threw at me I dealt with. But this T and now muted hearing is beating me, How do you cope?

Thanks for replying, it's much appreciated

[GDJTAM]

You're a breath of fresh air, my GP treated me for sinus problems, it was only because I took myself to A&E at 21 a junior doctor found out what was wrong. 33 years later and sod'em attitude and humour got me through the funny looks etc. I suppose outwardly there's no change to people's perception of me having T as it's a hidden torture. A hearing would probably change that and I would have to address a different funny look and banter from work colleagues (which I currently enjoy).

I imagined I had my fill of bad luck and you're right, this T ain't going nowhere so I need to deal with it. Reality check but true Xene.

Thank you for sharing your story, I am in the self wallowing stage at the mo, After the ENT visit on Monday I need to get a grip.

X

[JaneMc16]

Hi GDTAM, you're experience humbles me. My T has been with me 17 years but your experience really knocks mine into a cocked hat!. Just to say even though you are deaf in one ear doesn't mean you won't hear your T on that side. T is in the brain and it will be heard even if you're deaf - it's you're brain that processes the sound not your ears. That's why we T sufferers are such strong people. We have to train ourselves to overcome what the brain wants us to hear. "Mind over matter" as my mother used to tell me and she was so right. We can all get on and do anything as long as we overcome our own internal automatic brain function - it's the mind which makes us who we are. You are an inspiration!.

Jane x

[GDJTAM]

Hi Jane, lovely comments thank you. Thanks for confirming I'm not going crazy by my hearing the T in my deaf ear. Although I'm only a novice at this T intrusion, I actually don't mind hearing something in my deaf ear. It's been redundant for 30 years so about time it found a purpose will it be the ENT consultant who will suggest TRT or do I need to see my GP?

Thank you for replying, truly grateful