It all started 3 years ago… I got terribly sick with a bad virus. My ears were never the same. I felt severe head and ear pressure. I felt like I was under water. Was sent to an ENT and much wasn’t done really. Had ear test and nose test (I have severe sinus issues) I told him another doctor prescribed prednisone and he said not to take that. I didn’t. I just wish I would have asked why. I got better… I did. My anxiety kept creeping up now and then. I also suffer from severe anxiety. Fast forward to now, it started one month ago. Pressure in my head and noise. Like a whirling or buzzing. Then I had severe headache like migraine. My head hurt and eyes. Just a mess. Went to doctor twice. Said it was sinus. 2nd doctor prescribed prednisone. Didn’t take it. I have major fear. Now I have buzzing in my right ear and feels full and pressure. Itches a little. The noise is so loud for two days. I had to convince myself to fall asleep last night. I haven’t been officially diagnosed with tinnitus. I also think I clench my jaw and I have migraine sensitivity to light and noise. I’m so scared. I’m in a very dark place. I feel so alone. I need encouragement. I’m so scared the noise will not go away and it will drive me crazy. Sorry so long. I’m completely broken and lost. I’m 46 with kids and a husband. I do t know what to do.
IN COMPLETE DESPAIR : It all started 3 years ago... - Tinnitus UK
IN COMPLETE DESPAIR
I’m so sorry, Deeannadee, that you are suffering so much. Everyone on this forum sympathises with you, please feel the warmth.
It looks like your doctor hasn’t quite caught up with the latest thinking about tinnitus. Doctors have not got a test to say: yes this is tinnitus. No one but you can hear it. And it’s beginning to sound as if it’s your anxiety about it, and the other issues you have, is making it worse.
The National Institute for Clinical Evidence (NICE) issued guidance for GP’s on how they might help patients who present themselves in the surgery with tinnitus, This guidance was issued just as Covid got going so GP’s might well have missed it.
So I suggest you go to the NICE website (just google NICE) and input Tinnitus into their search box. Armed with this information, which was produced with the assistance of the British tinnitus Association, you can help your doctor to give you the assistance you need.
The website of the British tinnitus Association is really helpful, and you can call their helpline too.
You say you didn’t take the prednisone that was prescribed and I wonder why? It might well have helped you - I don’t know as I’m not a medical person and don’t know all about you as your doctor would.
If you do have tinnitus then your brain will gradually acclimatise to it.
Thank you so much for the warmth comment and everything else. I DO believe my anxiety and other issues are Agra at my symptoms, as I e noticed that when I calm down the noise and pressure quiet a little. I’m just in a state of crisis at the moment I can’t stop crying. I upped my Zoloft (antidepressant) so hopefully that should start working soon so it can give me a jump start on feeling “better” . Thank you again
Hi Deeannadee really feel for you as I have been there with the severe fear and anxiety.It’s a terrible place to be! I have discovered that it’s been my thyroid thats been causing that.I am finally getting on top of it and feeling calmer and certainly don’t have the fear as bad as I used too.My tinnitus is constant in both ears now and this year I developed a drone and constant ticking sounds.When the anxiety was really bad I couldn’t deal with it! It was driving me to despair! I have slowly came to terms with it since my anxiety has been dropping as I sort my thyroid out gradually.Have you discussed your anxiety with your doctor?
Thank you for you reply. Yes I have suffered from anxiety disorder for many years and have been able to manage it. I just can’t lately and can’t get it together. I also see a therapist on phone every two weeks. I upped my Zoloft to 100mg so hopefully I see a difference soon. I’m just horrified just tormented on the noise in my right ear. It’s gone away before it it has stayed for two days and I feel such dread. I can’t stop crying and I feel sick to my stomach. I will be requesting a series of tests hopefully I find some relief. I just see doom right now
Setraline/Zoloft should help with your tinnitus.I was given amitriptyline but it never helped me.I was putting on noise reduction headphones and listening to audio books or music to take my mind off it although it was extremely difficult!
Thank you I need some relief. I like like I’m on the verge of a nervous breakdown. I don’t want to scare my family.
Woo ooh hold on a moment regarding Sertraline! It states on the list of possible side-effects that ringing in the ear is one. This certainly happened when I was briefly on the tablet. Moreover, chatting with several other people who suffer from T/Meniere's and had it prescribed for depression and they had to stop the treatment like me because they were getting a lot worse noises. Please be very careful and check it out thoroughly before taking.
I felt that with amitriptyline but was told it reduces tinnitus they couldn’t give me sertraline because of thyroid medication so they said.Very glad you pointed that out 1966366! Hope Deeannadee looks in to that!?
A warm welcome Dee. So sorry to hear you're having a tough time. Agree with jacobite33 Addressing the anxiety would be a great place to start. You could ask your GP to refer you to a counsellor. I believe talking is the way to go. It helped me a great deal. I still get anxious but not to the same extent. All the best - whatever you decide to do.
Thank you I agree managing my anxiety may help better deal with my symptoms. I just feel so broken at the moment.
I know. Tinnitus can make you feel like that - especially if it gets louder all of a sudden. Try to stay as calm as possible. Help is at hand. Either thru your GP or the BTA . You might like to ring their helpline (0800 018 0527) They're very good listeners.
Thank you I will call.
I just picked up the phone and called the Samaritans many a night in despair.Feel good after just getting it off my chest have me the strength to get in touch with my doc and even tinnitus groups
Samaritans? Do I google?
I am in Southern California
Course! The numbers there and there 24/7 come hail rain or shine! Well I hung up quiet a few times but then I started stuttering it out…..Can smile about it now especially one time I tried emailing in the beginning but I deleted it to many spelling mistakes
You made me chuckle thank you. Ok I will look into it.
Dee there is help out there to overcome this and feel stronger within.We have to seek it.First and foremost though thank yourself for being a strong spirited person from within with what you have already coped with in the past.Just another hurdle you can deal with!
Thank you so much.
It's so sad to read about your situation which seems to go beyond tinnitus. I got the tinnitus at age 40, more than 30 years ago. It has been a shreiking loud noise.. never goes away and is always louder than ambient sound. Learned to live with it and ignore it because I had no choice. Didn't have headaches or pressure until 10 years ago when I got acoustic neuroma and they operated.. somehow I got past that and the terrible headaches. So sorry for you.. Yours seems different.. I hope the doctors find what is going on.. and you get relief.
Hi forest3 Can I ask - How long did it take you to habituate to T in the first place? And has your T changed since the operation? I'm waiting for ENT to confirm whether I have AN. I've read that the operation can - but doesn't always - relieve the T.
oh boy. In the first 25 years or so of T I did everything possible to fight it, make it go away, treat it.. anything. But no active treatment helped. Staying calm, forgetting about it, getting on with life did help. The AN was another story.. just really bad news for me. Terrible headaches for the first year. And worse T, especially in the side that is now deaf, and permanent dizziness with its concurrent mental issues. Fully 5 to 25% of AN results in permanent dizziness -- a statistic that you are not told about before the operation. The dizziness is worse than the T. I really hope you don't have that. However, to be fair, I've met people with AN operation that did not have the headaches and dizziness side effects.
Thanks forest3 That's very helpful. I'm sorry you've had a tough time with AN. I have the hearing loss & the headaches so far but not the dizziness . It's good to know that you're still positive after everything. It gives me hope 🙂
Thank you so much for your reply and I must say I feel somewhat relieved it may not necessarily be tinnitus. I woke up today with the noise less. I’m always looking for it. And noticed when I calm down it’s quiet. It I did wake up with a major headache and my upper teeth have been hurting off and on for a few months. It’s a constant torment. And I know my anxiety is through the roof because it feels like a nightmare. I’m so happy to hear you are better and I hope to one day get there.
Deeannadee I have very similar symptoms to your.Headaches ear pain tinnitus itchy ear and teeth pain with headaches.I’m putting it down to be long caused by my thyroid.Past year and a half it’s been mental health issues since they dropped my medication.Just wondering if you have thyroid issues too?
Hi, I’ve been tested for thyroid but it’s been a couple years and had come back normal. I need to get tested again. Thank you
It happened to me exactly as you tell it, but I must add that I worked in production, I went to a friend's house one night to teach him production techniques, I used his headphones to teach him the techniques, after a few days it happens to me Like you, later I found out through his own mouth about the friend who suffered from tiinitus years ago, now I have it and as you say it is a virus that attacks the auditory system, and almost 3 years later I am still sick and my work came to his the end, I live alone with the hope that one day it will go away.
Thank you for your reply
Hi Deeannadee,
Sorry to hear about what you're going through. I'm going through something similar, which started over two years ago with possibly a viral infection and has left me with 24/7 light & sound sensitivity, painful eyes, tinnitus (a pulsatile whooshing on one side as well as a high-pitched buzzing) and head pressure/pain which fluctuates in severity. I stare at computer screens for a living and it has made that very difficult. It's debilitating and the lack of answers often leaves me in despair.
Since this started I also became aware of having sleep bruxism and after a referral to maxillofacial I've tried bite guards and now a sleep clench inhibitor. This seemed to coincide with a slight reduction in the severity of my symptoms, though they still persist 24/7. This might be something for you to look into if you believe your jaw clenching could be having a negative impact.
I hope things improve for you soon.
Thank you so much for your reply. I will look into seeing a Maxio speacialist. Yesterday I had the best day I’ve had In two months. I was so hopeful. Then today I’m miserable again with the noise, fullness, and pressure in ears or head. I also caught my sons cold so that’s not helping. I’m trying so hard to remain positive but it’s so hard.
Sorry to hear you are struggling. I have had pulsatile tinnitus for 18 months. Trust me you will get used to it especially once you rule out a more serious condition. One thing you should look into is the overall pressure in your head. There are various conditions which can cause tinnitus, dizziness, vertigo etc...the amount of fluid that surrounds your brain can cause all of these symptoms and is more common with women. If you find that it varies then this could be something worth looking into. I just forget the exact name of it...Good luck!
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