I am into my forth week of Tinnitus. Its a high pitched tone and it feels central in my head, hard to tell if it's one ear or both? Initially the first week I thought I was effing nuts. Little sleep and anxiety was torture as I am used to sleeping easily. My first appointment with the doctor was basic. Ear check, clear. He quickly said it was tinnitus, probably temporary as its came on so quickly and he gave me a 7 day supply of zopiclone 7.5 to help with lack of sleep. The tablets helped enough I got another 7 but haven't been offered more due to the possibility of becoming addicted. I am somewhat exposed to loud noise in my work (I now wear ear protection at the correct time) and in my spare time I have always listened to music loud and computer games via headset (now I don't). I am fine during the day and I hardly think about or let it bother me but nights are the worst I sleep for minutes at a time until I need to get up, I use white noise app but Im scared it annoys my gf as I keep having to reset the timer and I don't want to put on headphones incase it makes it worse. I had a very basic hearing test via the opticians and it was pretty normal but I was given eadrops to take for blocked tear ducts after eye examination. After reading info others have posted here I asked my GP for a referral to ENT he told me I would be refused as the symptoms are not serious enough. He might give me anti anxiety drugs but I am not sure about that. Zopiclone are the only thing that has granted me a near normal night's sleep in 4 weeks. Thanks for reading. It's 2. 50am so sorry if this is a bit lengthy. I have read a good few posts and sympathise with anyone who suffers.
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Andy79
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On a practical level, if you're wanting to use sound therapy at night to help you relax, you could look at something like a sound pillow. It plugs into a phone or music player headphone socket and lets you use sound in a way which won't disturb your partner.
Andy, I’m sorry you are distressed by this horrible T.I think your doctor might have missed the fact that, right at the beginning of Covid, the NICE issued guidance to doctors on the pathway they might follow when someone presents with T.
The BTA has a video of a doctor talking about this.. contact the admins of the BTA direct and ask for the link. Then, when you’ve watched it, go back to your doctors practice and calmly ask to talk again. I suggest you watch it with your partner so that she understands what you are going through too.
Doctors practices are really stretched I imagine with vaccines and so on - but you deserve to be heard.
I spoke with my GP this morning and I was brutally honest with him. I told him that I don't think I required anti anxiety at this time and that I was doing my homework on this condition. Funnily enough I mentioned this website and all the useful info I have come across from people. He has now put me forward for an audiologist appointment, may take months but I will wait np. He also agreed to give me more zopiclone 3.5 mg two weeks supply a month as I stated I have no side effects from it and I have no intention of abusing them. A better day today and thank you for your advice. I will watch the link. Its nice to know I'm not mental. (at least not regarding tinnitus) ☺
Agreed 🤝 sloth in your avatar... Pint of blue vodka in mine 😁. I'm hoping it's temporary T. But I'm bracing myself for the long haul. I've been unkind to my ears as I have other things in my life. I'm going to try and use it as a positive to change things.
Hi Andy. I have suffered tinnitus for 20 years now, and in a strange way feel blessed, as I suffer the white noise you suffer. We all need to *listen* to ourselves when we were young. I was a Pink Floyd, Yes ETC man. Too much volume, though it was the Menieres through the stress that kicked off tinnitus.Protect yourself from excessive sound, earplugs in the workplace, and turn the music down.
You may not need this but there are in my mind three ways to escape tinnitus, and I'm welcome to discover more suggested by this forum. White noise (or I use music in the car, but do not override the white noise (you'll do more damage), but do "compete". Sleep is the second escape, you cannot really escape white noise it's in your head, try hard to accept it.
The final escape I have found is intense concentration, give yourself a crossword, hard jigsaw (or your own "thing") and really get into it.I am a keen sea fisherman-hence the name, and you'll be surprised at a day of concentrating on the rod-tip does to you. The noise of the boat steaming out...etc
Good luck, and try to not get stressed out with it. Try to accept and work with it. In a week's time, it may be over. Don't forget to turn those headphones DOWN when listening to heavy rock.
Yeah I think I've caused my own T tbh. I use all sorts of heavy noise tools at work and never bothered with ear protection 🤔 idiotic I know. I also played shooter games with wireless headphones on for last 18months, again idiotic. Music aswell, used to play The Who in my headphones and fall asleep, basically I've always been a bit loud. Maybe it's temporary T maybe it's permanent. But I won't let it win. 😉.
Headphones are off now and I'm trying to manage my anxiety and find solutions to the problems it causes. I will be sure to share any and try everything advised by Legendary T sufferers 👍
Don’t be afraid of a low level masking at night, as long as it’s loud enough just to take your mind off the tinnitus it should be fine and sleeping well is important otherwise your tinnitus will only get worse from being too tired. I use a head band with in built speakers and have a low level ambient noise at night and it seems to work for me. Not sure why tinnitus is worse at night, the experts say it’s because it’s quieter but I don’t buy it, it’s def louder at night (for me from about sixish onwards) but what is important is to find a coping strategy. Hope it gets better for you
my tinnnitus acts like yours and mine too increases around sixish onwards i had about about half an hours sleep last night because i did not take my zopiclone feel terrible this morning tinnitus worse just been for a walk but still bad feel down
Agree with you. I do believe your body is winding down after 6pm if you are up early. I'm normally awake at 7am but obviously some nights now I'm not getting any decent sleep so I just have to adjust to that. I cut out the caffeine as well, but I do like a couple of drinks on a Friday and Saturday so I normally drift off no problem on those nights.
I have a few sleep sound apps on my phone and I'm considering getting a headband with the headphones built in. My gf swears she's not bothered by me playing it anyway so I'll hang off. She has her own sleep issues to so we are sympathetic with each other thankfully.
It's been an eye opener theses last few weeks that's for sure.
Hi Andy i know what you mean about nights it always seems worse at night my tinnitus increased dramatically after banging my head twice at work and my t sometimes also feels like its coming from the top of my head and also from the back of my head just above the neck, i also work in a very noisey environment iv taken time of work, but i will not be going back my t is so bad im scared in case the noise makes it any worse. Iv also been taking zopiclone for just over a week had no choice impossible to sleep at night t so loud very scary and i have slept well since. I did google zopiclone and found out that some people who took it for other reasons not t but later developed t which did scare me, so last night i didnt take one and i just could not drop off i do not think i got more than half an hours sleep so im going back on zopiclone tonight. Not sure how i will manage with out sleeping tablets like i say impossible to sleep with out them I do go for walks every day and had a couple of lovely country walks this week made me feel normal i just felt like snuggling down next to a stream looking over a field watching cattle and falling to sleep.
Hi John, Tinnitus is a nightmare when you can't sleep I totally agree with you. Sometimes even having to put white noise on is annoying too because you just want to sleep. Double edged sword 🤔
Zopiclone has helped me get sleep but like you say I don't think it will be a long term solution. I have lowered the dose to 3.75mg through my doctor but he will only give me a two weeks supply out of four so I will do one night on and off if required. I'm waiting for an audiologist appointment to eliminate any hearing impairment, could be months away.
Things I have tried to help myself is reading, cold showers before bed or in the early evening help to take my thoughts off of T and the worry of not sleeping (without zopiclone). I don't drink tea or coffee after 5pm green tea or chamomile with honey. Luckily I work outside so I'm in nature all day and that's the best part of it. Never bothers me. I'm sitting in my room just now and my T is noticeable so I'm going to go do something lol 😂.
I know like everyone with T does, the busier and more active you are, the less it bothers you. I think we have to accept it and live with it and try 110% to not let it beat you. I'm viewing it as a challenge and a chance to change things in my life. I'd recommend 7.5mg zopiclone for you when you can't sleep, your doc cannot refuse you. Anxiety management is key to the T I think 👍
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