View Full Version : Tinnitus experience
farflungstar
14-04-2017, 17:16
So for some unknown reason I've been suffering from low level reactive tinnitus AND evil hyperacusis for the last year.
(I have a theory based on speaking with my pharmacist - most antibiotics are otoxic and I was on a bad one for 3 months - never take an antibiotic with a name ending in xacin, norfloxacin for example)
To be honest it hasn't interfered with my listening pleasure for about 6 months (the first 6 months was a learning curve of understanding what made the problem worse) - as long as I've taken precautions not to trigger them (loud screechy noises beforehand, no marijuana) but that hasn't always been possible and the hyperacusis has really been a problem out in the street and at work so I've tried everything from chewing Turmeric powder to all the quack remedies out there as well as wearing ear plugs 24/7 unless in the house.
Well I've finally found a combination of medication that has reduced the tinnitus to the point where I'm not aware of it unless I listen for it, and the hyperacusis is reduced and tolerable.
After researching and researching I first put myself on Neurontin (gabapentin) which improved things 50% - but after 6 weeks I also put myself on Tegretol (carbamazepine). Both these drugs are anti epileptic and also used for facial neuralgia. They stop nerves getting overexcited. This has improved things another 40%, though I've only been on them a few days.
Now I'm lucky in that I can get these without having to try and convince a doctor that they might help an ear problem that drives you to suicide - but it really should be discussed with a doctor before trying them, they have side effects though I haven't experienced any, and you have to avoid alcohol. The reason why they can be dangerous is the way that Tegretol speeds up the metabolism of the liver meaning any other meds you might be on are got rid of quicker, so dosages need to be adjusted. This has to be discussed with your doctor.
So - they have worked at reducing my problems 90% - problems that unless you've experienced them you cannot understand - particularly the hyperacusis which has changed my personality and destroyed my social life. I haven't discussed it with a doctor (bad boy) but I'm not on any other medication - and to be honest I'll take the risk if it gives me my life and my love of sound back.
Adey
Hi Adey, I have been suffering with Tinnitus for about 2 years. However it has increased markedly since I had my ears cleaned out in January. I used to have them done once a year (prob for the last 10 years - which they say can increase the risk) as I am a very light sleeper and wore ear plugs every night. It was my right ear that blocked up first as I am told I have a narrower canal in that ear. During the day it is not too much of a problem, but when noise levels lower (evenings) it becomes more pronounced. I have a high pitched whistling noise/signal whine which is like the sounds made by our old HMV radiogram (when I was a boy) when tuning the radio. Thankfully it does not affect my listening to my hifi, although I am much more careful about how loud I listen these days. has anyone had produced a hearing aid which is able to filter out Tinnitus, in the same way that noise cancelling headphones work?
Had tinnitus half my life... was maddening for a good long time, but i got used to it, and it did reduce slightly too. A night i used to use a personal cassette player at a low level worked well at time. I use tv now.
Ronksley
14-04-2017, 19:11
Hi Adey, I have been suffering with Tinnitus for about 2 years. However it has increased markedly since I had my ears cleaned out in January. I used to have them done once a year (prob for the last 10 years - which they say can increase the risk) as I am a very light sleeper and wore ear plugs every night. It was my right ear that blocked up first as I am told I have a narrower canal in that ear. During the day it is not too much of a problem, but when noise levels lower (evenings) it becomes more pronounced. I have a high pitched whistling noise/signal whine which is like the sounds made by our old HMV radiogram (when I was a boy) when tuning the radio. Thankfully it does not affect my listening to my hifi, although I am much more careful about how loud I listen these days. has anyone had produced a hearing aid which is able to filter out Tinnitus, in the same way that noise cancelling headphones work?
Ditch the ear plugs your ears need to breath literally you will be damming up the wax. To help with your sleep try relaxation techniques works brilliantly for me one of my neighbours gets annoyed with kids playing football in the street when he wants a kip in the evening I dont even notice and sleep through it.
Tinnitus is a symptom so whether it can be filtered out could depend on the cause. Never imagined it was possible. I think wearing ear protection in noisy environments would help, mine increases with exposure to noise.
I've had tinnitus for about 20 years, and it is in my case stress linked.
Its origins must I think be callously abusing my hearing in youth; Chislehurst caves pop, tape azimuth alignment at too higher level 10kHz in right ear - where it appears now, and using some pulse detection headphones whilst searching for lines when working in telecoms. These latter in an ambient noise level sometimes of 105dB, and the headset producing up to 131.5dB.
I also when stressed after heavy weight training, get the sound of a Colchester student lathe gearbox in my left ear. Hyperacusis does occur, seemingly randomly, and can make me jump. Also my personal 'gain' seems to drift from day to day, and I find that if I have a bout of colitis/IBS, that can make it worse.
It is similar to the above description of radio noise, but more like a 10k sine wave.
I am not a fan of prescription drugs and believe that doctors, and indeed the NHS is in the pay of drug companies. There are many myths about their innocuous usage, and also side effects.
I am not a fan of earplugs in many situation because they can be mechanically moved and suck and push on the eardrums, and I also wonder about splashing water into the canals when rinsing in a bath, surely that must produce a high spl.
mine is like a crt scan line rate... probably a little lower but not much. 15kh I'd guess. Its fairly annoying tonight, and i find it is advanced by sinus pressure.
walpurgis
14-04-2017, 22:38
mine is like a crt scan line rate... probably a little lower but not much. 15kh I'd guess.
I checked my hearing using a steady and sweep tone CD a while ago. I can't discern anything above about 9kHz. Funny thing is, the music still sounds just fine to me. This makes me think of the 'supertweeter principle'. Even if you can't hear high frequencies, you'll notice if they are missing.
(oh and I had a bit of tinnitus today, a high frequency ticking in the left lughole for a while)
It's those cheap speaker s mate [emoji23]
A couple of places you might like on this subject ... 1, is the American Tinnitus Assoc
https://www.ata.org/understanding-facts/symptoms
and an interesting one on the Mandella effect
https://www.buzzfeed.com/christopherhudspeth/crazy-examples-of-the-mandela-effect-that-will-make-you-ques?utm_term=.qiAX9QmKO#.rwKonAa2E (see what I did there ;) )
Ditch the ear plugs your ears need to breath literally you will be damming up the wax. To help with your sleep try relaxation techniques works brilliantly for me one of my neighbours gets annoyed with kids playing football in the street when he wants a kip in the evening I dont even notice and sleep through it.
Tinnitus is a symptom so whether it can be filtered out could depend on the cause. Never imagined it was possible. I think wearing ear protection in noisy environments would help, mine increases with exposure to noise.
David, I haven't used ear plugs for about 2 years. I have had high BP on an off for years, I have now been prescribed meds which it says you can experience ringing in the ears! double whammy :). I have only been on them for about a month and my Tinnitus started way before that, maybe due to high BP and stress. Thankfully it does not affect my sleep.
I have had tinnitus for thirty years or more, coupled with 25% upper register hearing loss. I find that if I ignore the tinnitus (in my case a constant hiss in my ears) life is fine. When I am thinking about it(like right now obviously) it is there loud & clear. The hearing loss comes from shooting without ear defenders in my youth.
walpurgis
15-04-2017, 09:12
I have had high BP on an off for years, I have now been prescribed meds which it says you can experience ringing in the ears!
Ha. Same here mate. I've got the 'ringing' right now and have it most days. I find it's not in the ears as such, but in the head. A bit like the ringing you get when you get a bang on the nut. I've got used to it and just shut it out of my thoughts. It's lowish level anyway. It's definitely the BP meds, 'cos when I forget to take them it goes away. :)
Ronksley
15-04-2017, 09:39
Ha. Same here mate. I've got the 'ringing' right now and have it most days. I find it's not in the ears as such, but in the head. A bit like the ringing you get when you get a bang on the nut. I've got used to it and just shut it out of my thoughts. It's lowish level anyway. It's definitely the BP meds, 'cos when I forget to take them it goes away. :)
Speak to your GP ask if your try a different medicine or better look a none medicine way of reducing BP eg exercise and diet lots of good advice on British Heart Federation web site I did I few months of gym with a local Heart support group maybe something similar in your area. I really believe tinnitus is related to health mine gets a lot worse when I am ill or run down apart from when having steroids for asthma which seem to really lessen it.
walpurgis
15-04-2017, 09:43
Speak to your GP ask if your try a different medicine or better look a none medicine way of reducing BP eg exercise and diet
Done all that. The current med (Ramipril) gives me fewer side effects than others I've used, which have been ghastly!
I am on Amlodipine now (2 weeks) was previously on Ramipril (3 weeks) and BP showed no change. There is still no change, but will give it a couple of months before I go back to see if it needs time to work. Mine is Familial high BP, is that harder to treat? I have exercised all my life and have a healthy weight and the same waist measurement as when I was 16 (32). Depending on what I have on in the week I cycle 3 or 4 times, up hills mainly :) given that is what we have around here.
walpurgis
15-04-2017, 11:23
I am on Amlodipine now (2 weeks) was previously on Ramipril (3 weeks) and BP showed no change.
I had terrible side effects with that. Messed up thinking (well, more than usual :D), freezing extremities, disturbed sleep, disorientation and a general feeling of not being at all well.
I had terrible side effects with that. Messed up thinking (well, more than usual :D), freezing extremities, disturbed sleep, disorientation and a general feeling of not being at all well.
I had bad diarrhoea with the Ramipril, no side effects on the Ploppydine. I also started Statins a couple of weeks ago. Haven't had any side effects with those either.
I have tinnitus in my right ear from riding my Harley Davidson Road King with Stage one pipes - the ignorance of youth :)
As people have said, ignore it and it disappears, listen out for it and its back. The specialist advised always having background music playing and this will train you to listen through the tinnitus which will recede until it is no longer an issue.
One benefit of the tinnitus is that it allows me to audition equipment at a level few others can. If the system shows any sign of harshness (digital) then the tinnitus comes back. If it is analogue sounding then it stays away.
Watch out taking Gabapentin and tetegrytol, the wife was on them for years because of trigeminal neuralgia, they are not known as stupid pills for nothing, not only stop misfiring nurves from working but seriously slow the rest down.
Had tinnitus for 30 odd years myself, due to working in heavy industry, no help offered by the NHS so just have to live with it.
Been on Amytriptaline for years for other issues so the nurse pain killer has no effect on the tinnitus although it does slow the brain down.
Never been a fan of self medication especially knowing the long term damage the likes of Tegrytol does to other major organs which is why you are supposed to have regular blood tests done, which you don't get when self medicating.
Pete The Cat
16-04-2017, 11:15
I got hyperacusis and an increase in my existing tinnitus following a gig in 2010. The OP correctly describes hyperacusis as "evil". Even silence becomes scratchy, never mind the pinprick pain from the slightest innocuous sounds. It's like having a permanent hangover where everything is harsh and too loud and means that you can end up shutting out the world. That's not illogical, since if you burned your hand you'd keep away from flame. But constantly snapping at your family for laughing, talking loudly or coughing spreads the misery. At my worst I couldn't listen to the news on TV never mind listen to music at all, and a trip to the supermarket was a torture cacophany.
However the philosophy on treatment, which I ultimately bought into, is to expose your ears to normal sound even though it's grating and after a while your threshold resets to a degree as your hearing becomes retrained. I was helped by getting a referral to a consultant who arranged white noise generators. They look like hearing aids to the unfamiliar eye and crank up a smooth air conditioner type background noise that you get used to. I notice quite a few people with them now. After a couple of years I could listen to music at a moderate domestic volume and although I still can't take sound levels above normal street noise (eg the cinema is off limits without earplugs) I'm grateful for it having improved to a point where it no longer dominates. The only medication that made a slight difference was Serc on prescription.
Tinnitus is a battle with yourself to reach a "cure". Mine gets worse with a cold or tiredness, but other than that I control it - I'm the one who makes it loud when I'm down or who makes it disappear when I'm busy living life.
I was panicked when I couldn't find the solution to H and T early on, and the internet is full of all the worst case stories and quack remedies, but if you hang in there and keep yourself occupied you do get to a better place.
Pete
Dynamics
16-04-2017, 18:02
I sympathise as I suffer eustacian tube disfunction where I get clicking noise occasionally. I think I got it gliding and going up in height quickly, about 1200 feet in around a minute. But due to ill health I don't do gliding much any more. My mental health is much more tricky for me.
Ah yes, fucked ears and brain......welcome to the club:D
Dynamics
17-04-2017, 15:56
I can hear very well though as etd doesn't really effect my ability to hear my hi fi, it's just where I think the eustacian tube gets blocked. It's akin to the bass reflex port and venting the air in the middle ear, but the ear drum is still vibrating and stimulating my ossicles!
farflungstar
17-04-2017, 16:25
I got hyperacusis and an increase in my existing tinnitus following a gig in 2010. The OP correctly describes hyperacusis as "evil". Even silence becomes scratchy, never mind the pinprick pain from the slightest innocuous sounds. It's like having a permanent hangover where everything is harsh and too loud and means that you can end up shutting out the world. That's not illogical, since if you burned your hand you'd keep away from flame. But constantly snapping at your family for laughing, talking loudly or coughing spreads the misery. At my worst I couldn't listen to the news on TV never mind listen to music at all, and a trip to the supermarket was a torture cacophany.
However the philosophy on treatment, which I ultimately bought into, is to expose your ears to normal sound even though it's grating and after a while your threshold resets to a degree as your hearing becomes retrained. I was helped by getting a referral to a consultant who arranged white noise generators. They look like hearing aids to the unfamiliar eye and crank up a smooth air conditioner type background noise that you get used to. I notice quite a few people with them now. After a couple of years I could listen to music at a moderate domestic volume and although I still can't take sound levels above normal street noise (eg the cinema is off limits without earplugs) I'm grateful for it having improved to a point where it no longer dominates. The only medication that made a slight difference was Serc on prescription.
Tinnitus is a battle with yourself to reach a "cure". Mine gets worse with a cold or tiredness, but other than that I control it - I'm the one who makes it loud when I'm down or who makes it disappear when I'm busy living life.
I was panicked when I couldn't find the solution to H and T early on, and the internet is full of all the worst case stories and quack remedies, but if you hang in there and keep yourself occupied you do get to a better place.
Pete
There is so much I recognise in this. The barking at people for making a sound lol imagine working in classrooms! Life has been hell. But luckily music hasn't been a problem with the H, only the reactive T.
Right now things are going topsy turvy being on the neurontin and tegretol. The tegretol works like a silver bullet for the T - seriously it has changed from a two tone to only one tone and at such a low level im not aware of it. So good is it that I can even smoke marijuana and there is no difference whereas before my T went crazy.
The H has also changed - now life in the street etc isn't a problem at all, nor classrooms which crucified me before and had me running out more often than not - but listening to music is a problem - go figure - the reverse of before. It's ok under a certain level thank God and right now im listening to Malia and the sofa is vibrating so it's not so bad.
I read a similar experience of a guy who was on both meds and cut to Tegretol only so that's my plan. I'm hoping i can keep the benefits and lose the downside.....
I have had tinnitus for over 20 years now.
I blame it on listening to Sigue Sigue Sputnik on my friend's Sony Walkman many years ago. However, both my mum and late grandfather suffer/suffered from it, so it may be hereditary as well.
My tinnitus sounds like the flash on a camera charging up. It has become louder over the years.
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