Holding down a job

[Louie04]

General question

As everybody is of a different age and many different situations does everyone still keep there jobs careers family etc with this Tinnitus

[Happyrosie]

I’m 75. I developed T when I was about 16. I can’t tell you what I would have been like without T of course but:

I was the first girl in my school to acquire what was then called a double A in french (and the school had been going for sixty years at that point).

I went on to college and was in the top ten of my cohort.

I had a good career and when I was made redundant at age 51 my pension, earned through work, was sufficient to live on along with a little part time poorly paid job

Maybe without T I could have done even better but I don’t think so. I just accepted it as part of life.

Life always involves many difficulties and is enriched when we either accept or overcome them.

[White-noise]

Hi Louie. I’m Bella. I couldn’t work had no energy and my ears scream all the time. Have anxiety and stressed to the max most days. I had to pack my job in as it was on the phones. That was 5 years ago. My relationship broke down and family don’t understand why I can’t do every day things. Even going for a meal is torture. They thought I was being difficult. I’m not that type of person it’s what’s happening to me that stops every. I ask myself a lot. My family know me as a person and if confuses me why they think I’m being difficult. I used to love going out. I used to cry a lot when no one around. People don’t realize what we need to go through every day. 5 years on from my diagnoses and I’m still taking a day at a time. For me it’s the only way. I wake up most days and I don’t no what day it is. I could scream every day if I could.

[doglover1973]

Hi there. I've got a health condition which means I haven't been able to work for several years so I don't know if I could work with T. In a way I'm glad I don't have to. I keep up my family commitments but it's not always easy. Sometimes I don't feel like doing anything. Other times it's light relief . In general I try to count my blessings. I have my lovely dog - Goldie - who makes me smile every day. How are you coping with everything?

[Allgie]

I’m 47 - I’m the Managing Director of a medium sized company, I have no choice but to work to provide for my family and future. My work is a distraction from the T but I must say I found it tough during my depression from my spike, the thing I miss the most is my Radio DJing - I’ve not returned to that (yet) I’m currently looking at professional acoustic earplugs to see if that could help.

[Louie04 in reply to Allgie]

Hello Allgie thanks for the upbeat message very encouraging I am on leave at present merchant seaman and really struggling to keep it all together

I like you have to work to keep it all together family mortgage etc very difficult decisions

I have stayed away from meds but it’s very difficult not had any illness in past so this is a major shock

[Allgie in reply to Louie04]

As you will see from my previous posts I strongly feel you need to address the Depression and anxiety - you can’t deal with the T directly but you can treat how it makes you feel. I didn’t want to take medication but finding the right combination of medication was definitely a turning point for me. Obviously you need to make your own choices and discuss with your doctor, but ask yourself the question if you were told you could take two pills a day and that would quieten the T would you take them? I think most people would bite the doctors arm off.

With Sincere respect to the posters who have had a negative effect with antidepressants, The people who have been helped and are getting on with their lives won’t be posting in these forums.

[Currylover100]

Hi Louie04 I got T when I was 24, thankfully I had a great career cumulating in running a business and I took redundancy and retired early at 49. I keep myself busy - exercising, cooking, golf and other things and although I am currently in a spike I’m playing decent golf and use the noise I am getting for rhythm when I am putting…….. i won’t allow it to take over me. So while everyone is different you must try your best to be positive, protect your ears, be healthy, and be busy.