Given that I haven't gotten a definitive diagnosis from my ENT, I'd
like to access "the wisdom of crowds."  I find that people who are
experiencing the same condition often have a better sense of things
than "the experts."

In March 2007, I experienced relatively sudden-onset, high pitched
tinnitus, mainly in my right ear.  I'm a very light sleeper, and had
been wearing foam earplugs at night for several years -- to block out
traffic noise, my wife's snoring, etc.  I was thus very aware of the
tinnitus, because I could no longer wear earplugs.  The inner noise
was soon louder than the outer noise I hoped to eliminate.

About a month and a half before these symptoms began, I'd had a
lingering sore throat that lasted for several weeks.  My general
medicine doctor tested for strep, and after the lab screwed up the
test, she put me on ten days of penicillin, just to be careful.  I
finished the antibiotic about four weeks before the symptoms began.

Interestingly, I'd had a routine audiogram about two months before the
tinnitus began.  I'd long noticed very slight tinnitus in a completely
quiet room, which I reported to the audiologist at that time.  But I
also noted that it never caused me trouble in sleeping.  That
audiogram showed normal hearing (around 20 db) in all ranges, but a
marked decrease (around 40 db) at the lowest frequency in the ear that
now bothers me.

An ENT eventually saw that audiogram, and suggested Cochlear Hydrops.
Since then, I've been on 12.5 mg of Microzide, and have cut way back
on salt, while eliminating caffeine and alcohol.

But that first audiogram was the only test that ever showed anything
abnormal.  All others have been at 20 db or better, at all
frequencies.  One audiologist said that I have amazing hearing for my
age (50).  And from what I've read, my symptoms don't very closely fit
the Hydrops profile.  My tinnitus is high pitched, it doesn't seem to
come and go in episodes, I have no vertigo, and while I have a sense
of fullness in both ears, they pop at regular intervals, which then
gives the subjective sense that my hearing is improved.  It feels
exactly like the popping one experiences on an airplane.  My ENT
admits that if the pressure is in the cochlea, it shouldn't feel
relieved in this way.

Other than about five audiograms during this past year, I haven't had
any other tests.  Any thoughts or comments on my condition would be
greatly appreciated.