Set back

[shabbagaz]

I've now had Tinnitus for almost 4 months and was gradually learning to cope and thankfully get some sleep.

Unfortunately I've had a major set back over the past week where my T has spiked. I went to a Muse gig last Saturday and wore ear protection. Had no effects afterwards and slept ok that night.

The next day I washed my car and stupidly didn't wear ear protection whilst I used the pressure washer. Middle of that night, I was awoken by by screeching T and could barely get any sleep.

It's been awful most of the week but eventually got a bit better by Friday.

I've been away for the past couple of days and whilst wandering round a cathedral on Friday they started playing the organ - I quickly put my ear plugs I use for gigs in but my T spiked a bit for the rest of the day. It had calmed down by night and was able to get a bit of sleep and everything seemed ok throughout the day.

Last night though it spiked again and once again I could barely sleep. I had been in a noisy pub in the evening but I've been in noisy pubs previously and not had any after effect.

I'm at a loss now as I feel I am back at square one and I'm fearing when my next spike will be. Going back to the doctors or ENT will be a waste of time as last time I found them completely unhelpful, unsympathetic and seemed to want to fob me off.

It's come to the point where I'm thinking I'm going to have to knock a lot of things off I previously enjoyed but that would mean living a pretty miserable existence.

I genuinely now think life isn't worth living anymore - it seems I've "unlearned" to cope and for the past few days I've genuinely considered ending it. I thought I had got over those feelings but obviously not.

I'm not sure where else to turn?

[Robert1961]

Hiya so sorry to hear what you're going through its never easy o know as I had this fir a number of years going to doc is a waste of time because they can't cure you I do hope for all of us that a cure comes along soon if it doesn't ww have to try to live with it best we can yes to protect your ears from Lound sounds is so important thare a lots of good people on hear that can support you I know it's very hard to live with ww just keep going the best we can

[Joeb17]

Hi sorry to hear you are going through a bad time.I have ha T for over 5 years now I think I just can’t remember when it started.I nearly ended it once I was so close but where I live there is a good care team I live there because I had a complete breakdown some of it caused by the T.I now it’s hard but stick with it talk to your family and we are here to listen and perhaps give you advice.I at the time wrote to Charles Bronson who has been in prison for a long time and endured a lot of bad times but he read my letter and replied telling me Don’t be going down that slippery slide into oblivion life’s to precious to give up on.I have it framed and when I feel I might do something silly I look at it and it stops me.Find a photo of a really good time you have had frame it and look at it when you’re down and it will help you get through it I have over my sink a large frame with a lot of photos that help me through bad times.As I said talk to people about T get them to look it up and pass on the information to other people most of the care staff here didn’t know what T was they do now so when I say I’m going through a bad time with my T they understand stand it a bit better now.I had a t shirt made from vista print that says tinnitus you don’t get it until you get and when I have been wearing it people have asked me what it ment and when I explain some say oh I will have to look that up

Here’s hoping for quieter times

Stick with it

Joe

[djv1985]

I completely understand as we all do. I’m going through a terrible time now thanks to a spike. I sleep okay because of all the stuff I use to make noise including having a speaker playing right next to me (dryer noise seems to help me). I’m on my finger tips right now holding on. I don’t have the compassionate family most have mine is the type to only give a monkey if it directly affects them. My father had a short experience of t a few days ago like a roaring sound but it went but during those minutes he was saying things like “I’ll deal with it” and now that it’s passed I’m constantly reminded how he dealt with it for all of a few hours. So I don’t have that type of family and worse in their carer so my problems aren’t important.

I have about five help numbers and message numbers for when I’m feeling like I’m going into a dark moment to try and keep myself going but the annoying thing is that I got used to it once and pray I can again. So you’re not alone.

[Sally07]

I'm so sorry to hear this. I've had t for almost a year and I remember around 4 months in was the worst time for me. When mine started, I was just about to start my third year at university and almost gave up my course many times because it was so much harder to concentrate, read, listen in lectures etc. Also, I was depressed because of the guilt I was carrying around with me feeling like it was my fault.

Long story short - it has got loads better since then, so don't give up! I don't pretend to understand the science behind it, but when my guilt and depression eased up a bit, so did my t. Not everyone's does, but there is definitely a good chance yours will, so hang in there! Even if it doesn't, medical science with regards to t is growing so fast - so many treatments and trials being worked on right now - we can't give up while there is so much hope! I also recommend seeing a private tinnitus specialist. Seeing an ENT can make you think that medical professionals don't really know or care much about tinnitus, but some definitely do, and talking to them helps!

Anyway, I'm wishing you all the best! Hang in there!

Sally

[shabbagaz]

Some positive news - for now, it's gone back down to how it was which is certainly more manageable.

I had also experiencing 'spikes' during the night which kept waking me up but the past few nights I haven't had them. Touch wood I won't experience anymore!

I have a long drive tomorrow (holiday) down to Somerset, Devon and Cornwall - fingers crossed it doesn't spike again. I might just wear my ear plugs I use for gigs as a precaution whilst I'm driving down the motorways.

[Hidden]

I have had Tinnitus for the last 43 years due to a serious right ear operation caused by an infection and I was told this was caused by a child's virus Rubella a form of German measles and had an ear operation to remove the infection and this was called TIMPANI PLASTY the rest is history a very long story .