Permanent spike? I can’t take it anymore.

[Karnold100]

I’ve had tinnitus for 11 years and despite being pretty damn loud (the person who fitted my tinnitus masker in 2016 said she really didn’t want to set the volume any higher) I managed to accept it. A month a go it got a bit louder, so I just upped the volume on my masker to tried forget about it and wait for it to go back down. Then I went to a fairly loud pub with my partner for dinner two weeks ago, and forgot my ear plugs (they haven’t been used much this year). My tinnitus went mad. It’s not gone down and there’s a new electrical sound that I can hear above everything. I’m trying to forget about it, trying craniosacral therapy, but can’t cope. Im questioning what the point of living is, even though I have a good life with lots of hobbies. In 11 years it just got louder and louder so I can’t imagine what it will be like when I’m 40, or 50, or 60. I can’t read because it’s too loud - even the white noise is too loud - which is problem since I’m a journalist/writer. I would pay all my money just to have it go back to the volume it was a month a go. Will it go down??

[SB7516]

Hi I’m sorry to hear you’re having it tough. I’ve only had T since June but what I have learnt is stress and anxiety make it worse. I can’t give you the answer your looking for but I have read some positive stories of how people’s T has improved which I hold onto and hope that you can too. It’s easy said than done but try not to feed the T by giving it the attention it wants. Sending you positive vibes and know that you’re not alone.

[bridgeit]

Karnold, please make an urgent appointment to speak with your GP and explain how you feel. Don't hold back either. Your GP won't be able to make the wretched T go away, but they may well be able to give you something temporarily to dampen the extreme anxiety and distress that you are clearly in the thick of at the moment. Certainly, increased anxiety and distress will make the T worse.

I can't offer you any words that will make a dent in how you're feeling about your T and I only wish I could. All T sufferers know what you're experiencing in terms of frustration, rage and despair at varying levels.

When in crisis, we need to get through it, but cannot always do this alone. Sometimes, it's just too much. If it takes too long to see a GP - or you need to be heard right now because you're truly at the end of your tether, call 111 and use option 2.

Work through the torment of T one hour at a time, and use whatever support you can find and are offered. Don't think about what lies decades ahead for you - now is the only reality in life and now should be your focus. Every hour that you work through T is achievement.

My thoughts are with you and I know that many, many others on this forum who read your post will be thinking likewise.

[daverussell]

Yes I'm absolutely sure it will go down or you'll get used to it. It's a spike, meaning it will go down one way or another.

I would suggest you need another strategy to stop masking it all the time.

I'm guessing this is why audiologist advised me against masking.

[Vuelta1]

Hi, I’m so sorry you’re suffering but I too have experienced a major spike in my tinnitus after doing exactly the same as you. Went to a restaurant, forgot my earplugs and experienced a huge spike. I felt like I’d gone back to square one and was becoming at the end of my tether too. I can honestly say, after initially panicking, being very stressed and back to many a sleepless night, I managed to reason with myself that I was going to get back to my normal sounding tinnitus and that no extra harm had come to my ears and it was the fact I was continually stressing that was making it worse. I went back to my breathing exercises which I’d originally dismissed when I first starting suffering from tinnitus but I can honestly does help with the stress and I made sure I went for a walk every evening, rain or shine which helped with this feeling of despair. I must recommend to you CBT or TRT.. I had TRT and my therapist was amazing and I think also having this therapy helped me get back to where I was with being able to revert back mentally on the sessions I had plus I know she’s only a zoom call or face to face appointment away if I need her which helps with stress levels. I didn’t need my therapist this time to get back to my “normal” tinnitus but the fact of knowing she’s there helps massively. Please consider CBT or TRT and breathing exercises they have been my saviour.. Take care...

[annieggg]

Hello so sorry to hear of your distress.. T is distressing no doubt ! I also have T and have found wearing my hearing aids every day I wake ..really does mask the intensity.. I was wearing my hearing aids on and off.. which is not the thing to do as you have to give your brain time to adjust to them.. and I wasn’t doing that ..

My T was going off the wall so I put them in and I’ve kept them in and it really does help.. I’m sure everyone needs hearing aids as they get older.. please have some fitted if you haven’t already and persevere with them.. along with deep breathing exercises every day .. good luck and I wish you some peace ..

[Ecotonic]

Been there many times over the last 21 years. You'll be ok again I'm sure. By the way, I'm an audio professional and I've been stressing that it's the end of my career right from the start, however, I've done most of my best work in that time. Personally, I've avoided maskers or anything like that, I find it's hard to forget if you're actively doing stuff to combat it, but everyone's different. I know it feels like you can't cope right now but soon you'll probably be wondering what all the stress was about, it just takes time to habituate when there's a change, I've been through many! I've got valium from the GP for when it gets really bad but it's very rare that I'll take one but it's good to have it as backup. As said above, good idea to visit your GP if you're struggling mentally.

[ljraymond45]

I'm really sorry what you are going through.I've had T for 60 yrs & sometimes I feel just the same as you getting really down with it.

I'm 75 yr now & live on my own, I am also profound deaf which makes the T noises stand out more 24/7.

My advice would be to face the T head on as it's no good thinking it will go away soon, unless new technology comes to save us.

Try & tell it you ain't going to beat me & reach out occasionally for headphones etc to get some radio or music into your ears as I've found that along with the positive you ain't going to beat me attitude it does help.

I go to sleep with 2 hearing aids in & also headphones over the aids but so what I just keep battling on with the Tinnitus which is always extremely loud in both ears.

Good luck my friend keep on battling.

Ray

[catman68]

Hi Karnold100 sorry to hear your T is so bad, I have had T for about 3 years and these last six months it has been spiking every day. Like you I have hearing aids maskers and therapy but when the T begins to wind itself up then nothing seems to work. I try to be strong and rely on family for support this does help. I have been referred for CBT perhaps this is something you could try.Be Strong

What do I want for Christmas easy, a cure for tinnitus

Catman68

[Bellyboo]

Hi . I was using my bench saw recently which sent my T to another level. As I’m old I don’t worry too much as I’ve had my life ,but my T did drop to its norm after a couple of days. Please hang on in their and know there’s nothing going to harm you with T. It’s f———- annoying but know we all suffer together and your not unique. Live your life , be calm, deep breaths

[Tarabel]

am so sorry to hear that you are having such a difficult time. Getting a T spike is so incredibly upsetting/annoying and I can sympathise with you. I have suffered from tinnitus following a serious car crash 40 years ago. Sometimes our coping mechanisms go out of the window - realising what has caused the spike is key which you know happened in your case following the visit to the restaurant. CBT techniques are so varied - for me personally, when I get a spike, certain pitched music helps. I have an Alexa which I tune into often if I can't cope with the noise. Everyone has difference approaches and advice - I am fortunate that I have access to a Tinnitus clinic and for some masking works (didn't for me), for others the opposite. I hope life improves soon for you, take care.

[Hidden]

Hi, i too have an electical sound aswell over the screethy sound. Im starting to question wether this is from our environment as it almost sounds like ectrical waves. Mine dropped to a woosh last nite for first time since it started. But now back to all kinds of high low fluttuating sounds again.Maybe its conected to somthing like atmospheric pressure? Or even wifi signals..im questioning it all now. Mine started on the 4th of October and has changed constantly since.

I hope yours settles x

[Nitro192]

Just to chime in here. I've had mine for almost 3 years and had many spikes that I thought would never go down and they did. Sometimes a spike can last up to 6 weeks when I happened to be around something loud. Just be patient and give it time. Take some relaxation herbs like rhodiola rosea, listen to some mask tracks on Youtube like waterfall sounds or birds. Cheers man.

[Jimmuck]

Not much to add to what's already been said other than I too have massive spikes every month. I find them very debilitating and a few weeks ago, for the first time in nearly four years of suffering tinnitus, the noise was so loud and piercing I came very close to a complete meltdown as none of my coping mechanisms were having any effect on it. I went into panic mode and I felt completely overwhelmed. A couple of days later, I woke up to almost complete silence and my "quiet spell" stayed with me for some time which was absolute bliss. It's a predictably unpredictable condition but in my experience, the spikes eventually abate so hang in there. ....I know it's tough but it will get better. Best wishes.