tinnuitis

[tweety]

Hi All,  I am 8wk post op tomorrow.  Glad to be on this side of the recovery. Feeling pretty good now except for the tinnuitis.  Any  suggestions? I have vascular tinnuitis says the audiologist and I hear my heart beat faintly all the time.  My surgeon gave me no real solutions to this but I have read about the lipoflavonoid pills (seems like a lot of vitamins) and also the Ginko Bolba.  Any real suggestions.  Also on my 6 wk check up I went from no hearing 9 days post op to 10% hearing does that improve or does it just stabilize and stop at the 10%?  Just wandering.  My next Dr. appt is not until January 2011 and he scheduled me for an MRI October 2010.  He usually does them post op but since I didn't get one in the hospital, I have to have one then.  Oh well just thought you wonderful people might have some suggestions for the tinnuitis.  Otherwise I am feeling good and back to normalcy. I can't thank you enough for all the support.  This is truly a great site. Tweety alias  Nancy

[CHD63]

Nancy .....

It is good to know that you are doing so well.  Sorry about the tinnitus.  My retrosigmoid surgery was 2 1/2 years ago.  I had no tinnitus pre-op, but it gradually developed post-op.  It has not changed significantly since about a year out.  I can tune it out or re-focus most of the time ..... just certain situations like total quiet or very noisy environments that it are difficult.

I had 80% hearing pre-op, 20% post-op (I did not look up when my first post-op audiogram was ...... probably at three months out).  The neurosurgeon said not to explore a hearing aid for at least six months because it could change.  However, I don't think it changed very much.  In my case I have 100% speech recognition in both ears so I was a good candidate for a digital hearing aid.  I have a Widex Mind hearing aid with excellent results ..... not "normal" hearing but certainly a significant boost in most situations.

Best thoughts.  Clarice

[pjb]

Hi, Clarice I was given information about the Widex and would like some more information with someone who actually has one, does it help alot with the tinnitus and was it very expensive ?

Best Wishes,

Pat

[Mickey]

Hi tweety! Having tinnitus for half my life (31 years) I can tell you that the worst part of it was at the beginning. There is a big adjustment from no sound to an annoying noise in your year. As time goes on you will adapt yourself to it and although a nusiance become used to it. I`ve tried everything under the sun and at best have gottin some relief at times. My best procedure was "neuromonics" which kind of puts it in a less annoying place. Part of my AN  W+W regiment is a healthy lifestyle which will also keep your tinnitus at its minimum. Keep in touch with American Tinnitus Association for all the latest updates with the hope of someday a cure for this pesky ailment. Best wishes, Mickey

[pjb]

Hi, I tried both of those but they did not seem to help but then again I am not sure maybe it take months I did not give it that long I am one to give up to easily. Several people received some relief taking Xanax...I know we rather try something natural but if not just to get some help maybe you should think about the Xanax.. Hoping you find something that will help you !

Best Wishes,

Pat

[sunfish]

My hearing aid helps "drown out" most of the tinnitus.  I know it doesn't work that way for many people.  There was a good article in one of the more recent ANA newsletters about some sort of re-training program.  As a psychologist, it sounded very interesting to me.  I had some tinnitus and other weird noises in my ear before CK.  I'm lucky - after CK, I had significant tinnitus for a couple weeks, then one really bad day, then back to normal.  It's been acting up more lately (5 months post-CK), but the hearing aid does help.  However, my tinnitus isn't all that bad.  And I think I've had more or less of it for years.

[CHD63]

I notice, as well, that my tinnitus is much worse when I am not wearing my hearing aid.  Mickey is the one on the forum with experience in tinnitus re-training (neumonics is one).  My hearing aid has a Zen setting that consists of random soft chimes.  The theory behind it is these sounds will train the brain to refocus on something besides the tinnitus.  I only use that setting when I am sitting reading or resting.  There were excellent presentations on tinnitus at the Chicago ANA Symposium last summer.  I am looking forward to next June for the ANA Symposium in Cincinnati where I know they will be presenting the latest research on many topics of concern to all of us.

Clarice

[moe]

Hi Nancy,
So glad you are doing well, 8 weeks post op (except for the tinnitus)!

No answers on the tinnitus, mine is pretty bad on my deaf AN side and I've tried everything. I also get the ATA newsletter, which gives hope for a cure..

 Did you lose all your hearing? Since you are pretty fresh post op, give it more time to settle down in there, hopefully it will diminish as your brain readjusts itself.

I'm scheduling the BAHA soon, so seeing if that will help the tinnitus, which is worth a shot. I've been told the newer BAHA has many different settings that my help muffle the tinnitus.

I do take xanax, small dose and it brings the sound down from a scream to a high shrill (.25 mg 4 times a day, or .50mg  extended release 2 times a day). I actually prefer the .25,  4 times a day.

Hang in there, also the busier I stay the less I tend to think about it
Maureen