Learned to live with it.

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Fred - 09 Oct 2006 19:45 GMT

I just feel obligated to post something like this once in a while. I
contracted tinnitus suddenly 04/19/05. Like most, I tried to figure out
how to "cure" it or at least decrease it. Experimented with this and
that. Tried to figure out why it came and went. What aggravated it from
medication to stress to sleeping arrangements. But in the long run, I
just let myself get used to it. For me in my case the more I tried to
remedy it one way or another, the worse it got per se because I was
registering it in my mind as a problem that needed to be fixed. These
days 18 months later, I don't do anything about it (except avoiding
really loud music etc). When the ringing really bad I'm aware of it,
the same way you can become aware of breathing or blinking. But I soon
become occupied by something else and forget about it again. Some rare
days I'll say "hey no ringing today". But I'll become occupied by
something and forget about that too. I no longer lurk in this
newsgroup. The subject of tinnitus and the latest fix, observation or
finding doesn't interest me anymore. But I do remember what it was like
starting out. Tinnitus can make your life miserable... If you let it.
Just one man's experience. Take care.

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Susan - 10 Oct 2006 01:38 GMT

> I just feel obligated to post something like this once in a while. I
> contracted tinnitus suddenly 04/19/05. Like most, I tried to figure out
[quoted text clipped - 14 lines]
> starting out. Tinnitus can make your life miserable... If you let it.
> Just one man's experience. Take care.

Thanks for posting about your successful habituation, Fred.

Susan

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Joe Sterling - 10 Oct 2006 02:24 GMT

Fred,

Thanks very much for sharing this. Extremely valuable hearing about
how you've managed to get beyond the initial distress that plagues so
many. Posts like yours promote hope and optimism.

Joe

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Fred - 10 Oct 2006 03:11 GMT

> Thanks very much for sharing this. Extremely valuable hearing about
> how you've managed to get beyond the initial distress that plagues so
> many. Posts like yours promote hope and optimism.
>
> Joe

Thanks Joe. That's why I wanted to post this. I don't mean to come off
as caviler or expect everyone to have the same results as I've had.
But I do wish to help promote hope and optimism for those to whom it
can be applied. Everyone has different levels of tolerance coping
abilities. But yeah, if you're fortunate enough to be able to adapt,
and most are as I understand it, there's definitely plenty of hope.
And the best part is that it's right there within yourself, exclusive
of pills and devises. I still have occasional brief flashes of panic,
usually at bedtime when I'm starting nod off and become aware that my
ears are screaming full throttle. But then I think to myself , I've
managed to cope thus far, so why freak out now? And like I said, I'll
soon become distracted by other thoughts which give way to dreams and
I drift off. Although, I do sometimes have dreams about fire engines
and tea kettles : -)

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Tristán White - 10 Oct 2006 11:24 GMT

"Joe Sterling" <bgmpsl@hotmail.com> wrote in news:1160443444.585518.261410
@h48g2000cwc.googlegroups.com:

>> I just feel obligated to post something like this once in a while. I
>> contracted tinnitus suddenly 04/19/05. Like most, I tried to figure out
[quoted text clipped - 22 lines]
>
> Joe

To echo what Joe said, I too am grateful that people really can become
accustomed to it. One year and one month on following my ear operation,
that led to the tinnitus, and I'm feeling desperate. But it's good to hear
that it's possible!

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Fred - 10 Oct 2006 16:52 GMT

> To echo what Joe said, I too am grateful that people really can become
> accustomed to it. One year and one month on following my ear operation,
> that led to the tinnitus, and I'm feeling desperate. But it's good to hear
> that it's possible!

I blamed mine on a time a friend took me to an outdoor shooting range
where I was blasting away all day without ear protection. But now I'm
not inclined to see it that way. I think my tinnitus was always there
under the surface, and just finally broke through regardless. That it
was inevitable I would've contracted it.
I really feel that when we put ourselves in the position of saying if
only it wasn't for that day at the shooting range or for that
operation, I wouldn't be afflicted with this, we just end up making
our tinnitus a problem. When our tinnitus is a problem, that's when
we start feeling desperate. My attitude now is; hey it just happened,
period, end of story. There's not a thing I could've done to
prevent it, and not a thing I can do to make it better. And if it
doesn't bother me, it doesn't make any difference what might have
triggered it, or what I can do to make it less severe. Today I realize
mine is going pretty close to full blast, but I'm really only aware
of this simply because I'm at this moment writing about it. When I
log off, and go on to something else, I know I'll stop noticing it.
Tomorrow might be one of those infrequent days that it's completely
absent. Or it might be even louder tomorrow. But either way, tomorrow
won't be any better or worse of a day based on my tinnitus. However,
I have absolutely no lack of empathy for those who are troubled by it.
My heart goes out to them.
If I was reading what I've just written, when my tinnitus was new, I
would've had a really hard time accepting any of it.

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ferdie - 15 Oct 2006 22:23 GMT

Your tinnitus is obviously small

>I just feel obligated to post something like this once in a while. I
> contracted tinnitus suddenly 04/19/05. Like most, I tried to figure out
[quoted text clipped - 14 lines]
> starting out. Tinnitus can make your life miserable... If you let it.
> Just one man's experience. Take care.

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Fred - 31 Oct 2006 20:55 GMT

> Your tinnitus is obviously small

Nope, it's amazingly loud at times. When I first contracted it, I had
to take Xanax in order to cope. If that didn't work then my ENT was
going to put me on anti depressants and then anti seizure medications
if necessary. The idea of that regimen actually freaked me out worse
than the tinnitus. But I understand your skepticism. In my early T days
I didn't believe people with tinnitus that was as bad as mine could
learn to tune it out either, I thought that was utter nonsense.
Interestingly enough for the past two or three days it's been almost
non existent. But I know from past experience it'll go back to full
throttle screaming pretty soon. What matters is that it doesn't make
any difference to me one way or the other these days. Mind you it took
me 12 to 18 months to get to this point. I'm painfully aware and
extremely sympathetic that this does not, can not, will not work for
everyone. But for many, it does and will work if they let it.

Take care,
Fred

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Beverly.Owens@gmail.com - 31 Oct 2006 23:05 GMT

> > Your tinnitus is obviously small
>
[quoted text clipped - 15 lines]
> Take care,
> Fred

I can't remember when I first noticed my tinnitus but like you I've
learned to live with it. I really can't remember not having tinnitus.
Mine sounds like crickets and it seldom goes away. It becomes louder
as my stress level rises. I've never taken medication for it and have
seen an ENT recently for other problems - frequent sinus infections. I
have noticed a slight improvement in the tinnitus since I've been
taking allergy medication for the sinus problems. I do a lot of outdoor
biking so the noise from the wind often drowns out the crickets :)

Beverly

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