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British Tinnitus Association
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GP visit

Had to see my GP today for a medicine review.

Walked through the door and literally burst into tears. She did try and help, but explained other than antidepressants there wasn’t a lot more she could do. She didn’t really have a clue, But did say I might be getting over a virus which has caused the t to peak. I haven’t felt ill so I guess she was clutching at straws. She never even examined my ears.

She’s stopped one lot of my blood pressure pills as the side effect is t. I’ve got to see how this effects my t over the next 4 weeks. It probably won’t make any difference, but we’ll see.

Very difficult especially this time of the year, but I’m doing what I’ve done in the past. Keeping busy, but my brain just won’t detach from the noises, which is LOUD.

Hoping for a bit of respite soon 😢

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Don't feel bad I've seen three or four GP and then the same answer they don't have a clue. Just try to stay busy I know it's hard I'm going through the same thing.

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Absolutely so down at the moment, but happier times are round the corner 😁

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I really hope that you get some respite. This is the time of the year when all emoticons are exaggerated. If you are happy then you feel really happy. If sad then you feel very sad.

I am sending you warm thoughts. It may not mean much but as a fellow t sufferer , i know hiw you feel.

Praying that you get some peace and quiet.

Ade

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Thank you.

Been in this black hole before and always managed to get through it.

Been really busy today, but still had no respite 😡

Take care xx

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Hi Ingrid, I have yet to see a GP who knew as much as I do about T. Few have sympathy.

But...... my fella has had T for over 30 years to which he has mostly habituated- until he was put on tablets for his high blood pressure. Almost immediately his tinnitus became so loud that it drowned out the sound of the radio! So I hope it follows that your T becomes quieter once the bp tablets are out of your system.

It really is a bothersome affliction that we have to manage, but you will beat it into submission with your positive outlook pm life.

Love

Angela xx

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Thanks Angela

I stopped my Ramipril today and I've got to measure my BP at home. She's also told me to up my amitryptaline from 10mg to 20mg and take it at 6pm. Have you ever taken that?

We'll see what happens.

Take care

Ingrid xx

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It will get better Ingrid. No, not taken amitryptiline, I was given Mirtazapine 3 months into my T - 30mg nightly, gradually reducing and I stopped taking them 12 months later when I had begun to habituate.

Love

Angela xx

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Hi Angela, I take mirtzapine at night .. 15 mgs and it really helps me. I also cannot sleep without music in my ear , so going to bed is certainly a process. Are you on Facebook, would you be interested in communicating through Facebook? Or email. I email Ingrid and it has been lovely . Cheers Jen xx

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hi Jenny, yes, Mirtazapine helped me too. Did you know that forum members can send private messages on here? Just click on the Chat icon and it should work.

I hope that being on this forum is a great help to you, and is distracting enough to help quieten your T!

Angela xx

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Sorry to hear your struggling BD.My tinnitus is hell and has been for a few weeks now. There is no sound I can use to mask it, it just screeches over everything. It's definitely got worse.

It's no help, but as you know there are plenty of us out there going through this. I am just trying to do the same as you and keep busy.

Try keep your chin up, people have no idea what it is like when it is so severe😱

Well get through it though, spring will soon be on its way 😁👍

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I'm sorry you're suffering as well. My hubby told me not to be a baby and get over it. Impossible at the moment. He has t but only mildly (thank God).

We'll from there 😊

Take care, Ingrid

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I have had a very desperate week with my PT raging along with severe migraine and no apetite and seen five or six drs inc emergency. I have been put on blood pressure tablets even though they don’t think it’s my BP. Im staggered to read this morning that these can actually make it louder!!! I can hardly hear over mine and I’ve had to stop working because I can’t function. Is this a generally known fact about BP medication?

Can I just stop them?

I’ve sent my scans to drs in NY but they can’t find a diagnosis either.

We all know more than any medical professional but that’s not enough is it?

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Hi, I think my doctor was at a loss as to what to do. I literally broke down.

I have read that some BP meds do affect tinnitus, but I’m not a medic so really don’t know. I’ve been bad like this before and I gradually get “better”. The t is still there, but it no longer bothers me.

I hate feeling like this, there’s so much to do this time of year.

I can’t understand you being on BP pills if your BP isn’t high. Best check with your doctor. I hate taking pills unless it’s really necessary.

It’s about time more research was done into tinnitus. So many people are affected by it. Surely there must be a cure out there somewhere?

Take care and really hope you get on top of it soon xx

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It angers me that Tinnitus is ignored by the medical field. Is it because the big pharmaceutical companies can’t make millions off of us? There is so much that has to be learnt from this affliction.

DSH

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I totally agree. 37 years I’ve had it at varying levels. My 2 pregnancies were ruined by constant loud t. I seem to go ages and be ok with it and then boom it’s back! I think mine now is definitely linked to hearing loss as it’s quieter with my aids in. But at the moment it’s 24/7. I’m lucky I sleep ok otherwise I don’t know what I’d do.

I read somewhere that 6 million have it in the UK and something like 24 million in the USA. How many worldwide? Surely there is money to be made in finding a cure, but it seems the big money research is in cancer.

I’ve got breast cancer so obviously I’m glad that research into cancer has improved so much, but I’d love to see us all get help with our t. It’s so unfair 😭

Take care xx

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Thank for the reply!

And good luck with your T

Merry Xmas 🎄

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Hi Ingrid, sorry to hear you are struggling at the moment, don’t feel bad about bursting into tears, I’ve done it many times in front of my GP, surgeon and Audiologist. Hang in there, keep busy and keep those ear phones in your ears. Love Jen xxxxx

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Hi Jen, I’ll message you privately xx

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Hi I don't have the awful T husband suffering ....but after good few days things started getting bad again so much so the dreadful anxiety and panic attacks all came back ...I persuaded him to go back to docs (even though they've been less than supportive) because our surgery was full sent him to another surgery...upshot is he actually now got 'glue ear' which has obviously made things go off the scale again....2 days later he feeling so much better....he is on anti depressants and has been having councelling both of which have helped. It's only been just over 3 months since his diagnosis but keeping positive and keep pushing doctors for help really think they should have at least looked into your ears even if it's just to discount something else! !

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My GP seemed so young, I think I scared her!

I’ve got to go back in January, but left ear definitely feels muffled. That could be to do with my hearing loss. It was only when I left I realised that she should have at least had a look.

Glad your hubby seems to be coping better.

Ingrid

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Hi coping .....just....realise early days but I only read out positive posts to him and push him to councelling as it really has helped him ..... best of luck M

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hi i hope you can plod on that s the best you can do , it s something you got live with i find just put up with it dont fight it dont think you get cured and except it then you start to live with it which is very hard at time , doctor s ect try to help but they dont know enough about it to do anything getting some one to listen to you is hard enough , if you find some way of coping stick with it but it s a pain if you try to fight it you get stress and then everything get s worse , if crying talking anything that might help you , but in time you plod on like me .i like be alone because i cant explain to people who dont understand and explaining all the time just doe s me in

merry Christmas and try plod on

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Merry Christmas to you too.

I work on the checkouts in Asda and if anyone asks how I’m feeling I always tell them my tinnitus is getting me down it’s surprising how many people say they’ve got it as well. At least this time I’m still going to work. In the past I haven’t felt able to, so that’s a bonus.

After 37 years I can’t believe how every now and then it totally consumes my every thought, every waking minute. I know this stage will pass, but I really hate feeling like this.

Take care and carry on plodding on. A cure of some sort might be just round the corner. We can but hope!

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Hi Buddie, l know exactly what you are going through your not a loan mate. Had mild T for years but early jan mine spiked and over the months it’s been getting really bad a couple of weeks ago I had a really bad cold/ flu then its gone mega crazy. I’m praying it will drop but doesn’t look good I’m just waiting for my brain scan just to see if it’s not something more serious. Absolutely craping myself but what can we do. Anyway please can you let me know what blood pressure tablets the doctor took you off as I’m on all sorts and I’ve always blamed my tablets for my T the doctor says no but I say yes. Cheers mate please stay focused we will some how beat this shit. Good luck John.

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Hi John

I was on ramipril 5mg a day, but my GP has stopped them to see if it makes a difference. We will see. I only had high blood pressure when I went to the doctors or hospital, typical case of white coat syndrome. Testing it at home has always been ok.

Good luck with the brain scan.

There’s got to be a cure out there soon.

Take care, Ingrid xx

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Thanks for that, I’m on the same 5mlg , I’m stopping mine did the doc offer any alternative. Cheers chin up John.

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Hi I also take 5mg of amlodopine. I wouldn’t stop taking the medication until you’ve seen your GP.

My blood pressure was only high when I went to the doctors, when I test it at home it’s ok.

Take care, let me know what your GP says.

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Hi Buddie,

I've had T for 20 years. Like so many others on this forum, mine rose to a severe level a few months ago. I had a cold that left me with sinusitis. It's been three weeks of cold meds and all that. My T has reached the level where it interrupts cognition. My method of coping so far, has been to imagine T as a high or buzz. Imagine that it's some path to enlightenment. I'm not sure how long this will work for or how much worse my T can possibly get. For now, this is the only way for me to manage it.

I've tried not to get too involved with this forum out of concern that it may be an addiction that prevents me from shutting out T? The thing is, sometimes you just want to talk to someone who truly understands severe tinnitus and the challenges of living with it, as well, there's always the hope of finding a cure on this site, justifying the guilty pleasure of coming back to it. We just need to be careful not to feed the social media beast at our own expense. It's a double edged sword.

Anyhow, try my buzz theory. It's a multi-model approach to therapy that may offer more success than what's provided by the drug industry.

Happy holidays!

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