to think you can live a happy life with tinnitus

[Guesswhosbacktellyourfriends]

The posts on here re: tinnitus have really got me through the last two months, so I'm just back to ask (pleadingly) - if you were really down about it in the beginning, and really fixated, did it change for you? I know it sounds so melodramatic but I just think it means I can't live the same life I did before. I guess I'm worried too that it could all get so much worse (quite mild in the day, no hearing loss, annoying at night)

Can you really learn to block it out? Do most people manage that? I read posts that say people can go for weeks or months forgetting they have it but it's on my mind all the time (and I know, I'm doing what I can to not have a stress response to it but it's so alien).

I've got ETD and fluid in my ears which also make it hard not to overthink it. And I'm a writer by trade, so I miss my silence. Sorry for the whingy post.

Do you mean never submerge/get water in your ears? Surely it isn’t never wet at all… how do you shower?! (I’m glad it works for you, it just seems so awkward!).

I've had Tinnitus all my life, well as far back as I can remember (childhood), and vertigo for about 20 years. I didn't know it was a "thing" until I was in my twenties and my Nan got diagnosed with Meniere's disease. I thought everyone had weird noises in their ears.

Most of the time I can block it out but its's much worse if I'm tired, been swimming or go from a loud space into a quiet one. I have a fan on at night in the summer and a white noise machine in the winter, that helps. If it's particularly bad I put some classical music on with earbud headphones.

Tinnitus hasn't stopped me doing anything in life, Vertigo has stopped me going on funfair rides etc and I couldn't use the spiral stairs at work.

Annoyingly my Tinnitus now swaps over from the normal ringing or high pitched buzzing to Pulsar Tinnitus where I can hear my pulse inside my ears. That drives me crazy and I haven't lived with it long enough to develop coping strategies yet.

@Feelingstrange2 Ooh that’s tempting. So the aids sorted the T? I don’t think I have hearing loss though…

@SisterAgatha Yeah I can see how T would’ve been less of a concern than losing hearing. Did you find it atleast settled once the infection cleared? I do wonder if I’ve a bit of barotrauma from the ETD that might calm down.

@ltappleby That’s so reassuring thank you. The idea that anyone can reach a point where it’s actually preferably is so alien to me and gives me such hope.

Yes, they've sorted it.

It was sorted in the free test (good)

But husband was so desperate, he couldn't leave without buying them (cost was £5k)

Just a warning.

So I'd slways see if there's anything NHS can do first in case it's something more simple but my husband has had it over 20 years, been written off by NHS on it, and was climbing the walls in frustration.

@Feelingstrange2 Oh god now I kind of hope there is some hearing loss so I can get an aid!

I have tinnitus and I’ve come to block it out - only really notice it in bed when it’s very quiet. White noise helps.

So are most of you really waking up in the morning and forgetting you’ve got it? Wow.

@Laffydaffy Yep. Started the day I woke up with a viral ear infection (my daughter had one too) and now I have post-viral ETD that pulls fluid into the air. I can feel the fluid clear and then fill so it’s all still working itself out. Two months on.

I’ve had tinnitus for about 20 years (I’m 37) and also have hearing loss and have just been diagnosed with Ménière’s disease. I barely hear my tinnitus now to be honest, I notice it more when it stops as I just tune it out. It drove me nuts initially and then I think just time meant my brain learned to filter it out. Best of luck OP, you’re going to be ok.

I have tinnitus. I've said before here that I didn't realise how bad it was till we moved house, and the "traffic" I could hear every night was actually just in my head.

You need to learn to not notice it. When mine gets bad and I'm constantly noticing it, I listen to wave noises or similar. The more I pay attention, the worse it is.

It is awkward but it’s a life changer. I just use swim ear plugs in the bath/shower.

Barotrauma, yes but mine was mostly balance and sickness, i was falling over for a long time during the healing phase. It did increase the tinnitus a little in that it made it higher pitched but that’s gone down a lot.

the fullness in the ear I haven’t had in two years since the microsuction and keeping them dry.

Well, not since you've reminded me with this thread! The brain really does adjust. A bit like the eyes with floaters.

I’m in the (bloody lucky) position of it being easily masked in most rooms at the moment so if I can just adjust to the bedtime/ crazy quiet rooms it’ll be amazing.

Oh and sack off the ear fluid. That’d be nice.

I know I sound like a drunk prick but I love you all.

I hear you. So did I, but apparently my hearing is perfect for my age. It’s still OK though.

Mostly. But sometimes when I wake up on a weekend when I’m hoping for a bit of a lie in that’s when I hear it, so I just get up and get mumsnetting busy and it’s insignificant again.

I've had it as long as I can remember, I only notice it when it stops from time to time! It's a strange situation.

i honestly only hear it when I open this thread or if there is zero background noise 😂

Whilst I have so many seasoned pros in one place - does anyone else get inner ear vibrations at night? I think it might be either the tinnitus or the Eustachian tube dysfunction.

(Have had a clear MRI to rule out anything sinister)

I am certain my son was actually born with it, when he got to age he could move around he would be bashing his head or smacking his ears , as he got older he could explain about the noise in his ears and his head. He is also Deaf, and we found that letting him sleep with his hearing aids on and the tv on, helped him so much, we didn't know about white noise machines otherwise we would have tried one of those instead of the tv, although the tv did distract him.
He is 36 now and I asked him recently about it, he said he switches it off by keeping busy, but if he thinks about it, it's there.
So many Deaf people suffer with tinnitus and menieres disease.
You will learn to switch off from it, it's new and scary for you right now, I send you best wishes for some relief.

@Sam0207 That’s such a lot to deal with. I’m really glad you haven’t let it get in your way.

Thanks @TheTempest, I really appreciate that.

I just wanted to thank you for posting this link. I sent it to my ds and he tried it & said it did actually work for a short while, but thinks it will really help when it gets loud.