Ok, hi all and I know many have brought up this subject and I know many suffer. But I'd like to hear from you on how to cope and what works for you. Also to hear from those who have had T for a few years and how they coped in the early stages - I'm 3.5 months in and not really coping.
I have been on Zopiclone too long (couple of months) and no longer working - I know that this is how they work, so I am coming off them....😬
In the mean time my anxiety is sky high and it is this that is keep me awake or making me wake up after a couple of our hours sleep, I am on propranolol and tried diazepam but didn't agree with me.
I was put on citalopram (SSRI) for depression and anxiety and my t worsened so much I though my ears were going to blow out along with a very fuzzy head from neck upwards for over 24 hours - anyone else experienced this? I've been on this before - before T.
My anxiety is so high I can no longer read a book or watch tv as it make my ears fuzz and heart beat, also anyone else have issues driving?
I’m currently in this vicious cycle myself. Had insomnia for 2 years. Meds stopped working about a year ago. I’ve had severe sleep deprivation for ages which pumps cortisol your body the next day. This causes massive anxiety, like you’re plugged into the mains. I then can’t sleep and the cycle starts again. This has been going on so long it’s now affected my memory badly. Got a therapist appointment later today. All the best
Hilary, Remember, this is very common. But people do get over the worst stages and they don’t need to come on here again because they’ve habituated to tinnitus. Coming on here just reminds them how uncomfortable they used to be.
You’ve probably also seen a recommendation to go to the website of Tinnitus UK. I’d urge you to have another look.
When my tinnitus is bad and I’m having difficulty sleeping I still regard the tinnitus as a nuisance, not as the end of a comfortable life.
Remember when we were little children and we were bothered about something our parents used to say “count your blessings?” (At least they all did in my day). Well, that’s what I do. I volunteer in a foodbank and I’m so thankful that I don’t, as some clients I met last week, are in a tent, in this weather.
I do hope other posters might see your post and have their say - but maybe they are perfectly happy living their lives not needing to come here.
Hi Hilary. I'm sorry you're having a tough time. It's not unusual to feel the way you do. I couldn't eat, sleep, read etc after three months or so. I was far too anxious. At night I took Phenergan regularly - an anti histamine that makes you sleepy. After six months or so I moved on to 5HTP - a natural supplement. Three years or so later I cope well with my T but still struggle with anxiety at times. I take L-Theanine by day - if need be. Things will get better for you.
Hi Hilary - Don’t despair those awful feelings will pass. I look back on those dreadful days when I was the same 3 years ago, so bad I used to pray I wouldn’t wake up the next day but they did pass and I learned to cope. Please try and be strong and tell yourself you won’t let tinnitus win rule - it thrives on your stress. Is there something you can do to distract yourself? I note you are not able to concentrate on reading but how about watching a favourite film or listening to some music. Is there anyone you can talk to? It doesn’t help with these cold dark winter months either but when I go to bed I always have a good book on the go and literally fall asleep with the book in my hands. It will get better, we have all suffered in the same way. Good luck x
So sorry you're in this place at the moment. I too was prescribed Citalopram (an ototoxic drug) and I believe it caused my tinnitus as the T started 3 days after I doubled the dose after the first 14 days as directed, though I understand that correlation is not causation. That was in September / October 2018 and I haven't had a day without T since HOWEVER for some people it does ease. Don't use habituation as a stick to beat yourself with as I did; "why isn't it going away? Why isn't it easing as it does for some people?" Instead maybe think about T as brakes; there to do the job of slowing you down when you're travelling at speed and wander into territory where speed is not a great idea. Mine is always there and worse when I'm stressed, lacking in sleep, feel ill or under the weather etc. I was formerly an avid reader and haven't been able to read since my stress and anxiety arrived, exacerbated, as they were, by tinnitus, but there are other ways of enjoying life once you accept that things won't be the same any more; great, overwhelming joys in the smallest or simplest of things. Look at what changes you are able to make to your life including letting go of things that you can't imagine being without, for me it was my work and stopping trying to manage or change a difficult relationship, instead just taking a step back and letting it be what it is, for you it may be something else. Have a look at Andrew Huberman on You Tube particularly his "master your sleep" video; lack of sleep is like nectar for stress, anxiety and their favourite bedfellows, tinnitus and depression. For me, never trying to go to sleep without listening to something soothing is key as is getting out in nature during the day. I do hope you find a way to your peace, it is there but you might have to move some obstacles which are obscuring your view of it or just change your position so you get a better view past the obstacles. Medication may help whilst you're in that transition period or may not but there is hope, with or without medication (in conjunction with a supportive medical practitioner) that life will be better for you.
Agree with Rosie. Great post RL. I like the way you describe T as brakes. We need to listen to our T . It has so many things to teach us.
Thank you so much for replies and comments so reassuring and taking the time to do so.
Doc gave me Sertraline yesterday to try and after just 1 pill taken at 10am, my ears started to buzz and I felt awful, I understand that these are side effects. However from 7pm last night my ears/head have been buzzing and a pulsating high pitched scream, it awful now nearly 24 hours. I haven’t taken another., I don’t think I should be on SSRI’s.
Could this be the The Sertraline do you think, will it come down? 😞
hi Hilary, some great useful posts already, so, other than to reiterate that it will get better (I was where you are now a few months back), I will just comment re sertraline. I was prescribed it initially as I was having huge problems sleeping, and also, the start of my T was considered to be stress related. Anyway, my T got worse as soon as I started taking it. I went back to my GP and saw a locum, who fortuitously, had been an ENT doctor! He said that one of sertralines possible side effects was T. He switched me to mirtazapine. This has helped me sleep, which has made me more able to habituate. I have had T every day since it began, but am dealing with it better and am now tapering off mirtazapine. Hang in there. Your brain will stop working against you in a while!
Thank you, i knew. I shouldn’t have taken it! How long were you on sertraline? I am really trying but when it gets worse it’s hard. I’ll go back to the docs
hi, I only took sertraline for a week and then switched straight to mirtazapine. The ability to get a decent nights sleep is a massive help in dealing with T. The T itself hasn’t really changed as far as I can tell, but my reaction to it has calmed down (was almost literally climbing the walls in the first few weeks - 6 months in now). Hang on in there. It will get better .
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