tinnitus / ear ringing

Once again to the collective wisdom of this board. I'm hoping anyone can shed a little light on this situation. My early symptoms were stomach (still comes and goes, mostly a weird floating migratory dull or sharp ache). Have had everything but CT scan and HIDA scan (doc suspected maybe gallbladder but that's another story and I'm thinking more and more it's benzos), anxiety, and weird bodily aches and pains/tingles/joint aches/etc.

 

Within the last month I've started getting tinnitus or ear ringing in my right ear. I know there seems to be no consensus on which symptoms happen for which person and when, but I can't help but feel like it's so weird to suddenly get this symptom later in the game of my withdrawal. It's most pronounced when there's silence. It's very hard at night before bed. Even with my white noise machine I hear it. I can't "zone" it out. I try listening to nature sounds and music too. I can't say if it's there all the time. Haven't observed when it comes and goes but think it might have something to do with food/hydration but not sure if it's when I'm hungry or thirsty or not.

 

Anybody have any insight? How long did it last? It came on very, very suddenly and has been with me for a couple weeks now. I'm entering Month 4 after c/t end of December and 1-week reinstatement at very low doses beginning of March.

 

Thanks,

HT

Hi

Tinnitus was why I was put on benzos.  It was a very bad idea.  Since you are getting it as a siide effect it will likely pass.  There is an Apple app called Tinnitus Pro that might help.  I don't know how to cope very well with it and need a strategy since mine is coming back big time. 

Need2Heal, thanks for the tip. The tinnitus is strange. I mean I've had occasional ear ringing before (everyone has, right?) and always thought of the superstition: that someone is talking about me. Laughed it off. About 2 months into my w/d the tinnitus started. No idea why. This process is really frustrating at times because of the way symptoms come and go. Today I'm feeling very much like, "When will this pass? When will I be back to normal? I hate this so much."

 

I'm sorry you had tinnitus before the benzos. Did it get worse after you got off them? Experiencing it now for the first time in my life gives me a new respect for those who suffer from it. I've been reading that tinnitus is usually a symptom and not a disorder in and of itself. Was yours related to another health issue?

 

Welcome anybody else's thoughts: did your w/d ear ringing get better? How long before it came on and how long before it went away?

Hi healingtruth. I got tinnitus about a month in and I'm starting month 5. Lately its been shifting frequencies and very painful with pressure on each side of my head. I don't know how far along you are but it definitely one of my worst symptoms at month5. No relief in sight yet but who knows? We could wake up tomorrow healed!

Hi healingtruth. I got tinnitus about a month in and I'm starting month 5. Lately its been shifting frequencies and very painful with pressure on each side of my head. I don't know how far along you are but it definitely one of my worst symptoms at month5. No relief in sight yet but who knows? We could wake up tomorrow healed!

 

Thanks for input, Confused1! I hope you're right that we could wake up tomorrow healed. I'm in month 4 right now and this came on around the beginning of month 3. Not fun. Any tips or tricks for relief? I know there's different stuff  out there about frequency, white noise machines, etc etc.

I've been tinnitus all my life- but it wasn't very loud and it never lasted long, eventually I learned of a way of silencing it.,for myself at least.

 

But during W/D, it got WAY worse. Accompanying it were auditory hallucinations of music, often music I could hear (and sing along to), but occasionally of music I never recalled hearing before or since. I wish I could've written it down as it was a catchy tune.  But even during the episodes, my self tuning ability never worked.

 

The stuff eventually went back to 'normal' levels.

Thanks Rockingchaircat. Good to know there's hope and that it does improve. Trying to hang in there but it's hard when new stuff comes up all the time. I'm about to post an exercise that I hope others will take part in to compare before/after and progress symptoms to remind us of where we came from and where we're going and that improvement does happen.

 

It's hard to believe especially because "new" stuff seems to keep coming up, but I guess healing is taking place.

ive had it for 3 and half yrs. its a hissing in my left ear.

rarely goes away.

i cant stand total quiet.

fan helps

i hear every little noise around me

everything seems too loud.

Hi all- I have had slight tinnitus before, but since my CT it got way worse. I'm a month in and I can't stand it - especially nights! Hope this gets better - good luck to all of you!

My tinnitus started in month 6. I'm not sure why such a delay. Mine is a hissing sound in both ears.

I had it some before CT. Got worse on day 1. Drove me nuts for several months. Now, 2+ years later it's still there but I've learned to live with it. Don't notice it that much. Life is good.....

Hi rhafe. Your usage profile sounds very much like mine, short term low dose. I'm in my fifth month (barely) and although I'm better I still have days where I feel I might be dying. It's very discouraging and I'm having doubts about my health even though all the tests have come back negative. My tinnitus is off the charts but I could live with that if its all I had going on. How long was it for you before you started feeling GOOD? I know we're all different but looking for a little encouragement. I just keep telling myself that I didn't have any of this craziness til xanax and hoping... Thanks.

About 5 months or so things started getting better. I suppose it could be shorter/longer for some. It's been almost 2 1/2 years now and tinnitus still bugs me some but all in all life is good. Actually better than before. Hope that helps.