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Return of an old "friend"

September 10, 2017, 5:19 am
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Hi Dr  Nagler. I thought id post some happy news and ask a few questions. My T started 10 yrs ago. After the usual panic, looking on certain forums (ouch) I found out about TRT. I wont say what my day job is but lets say I know a great deal about therapies and make up of the human body. I was fortunate and met a guy who had done TRT in London. He went through several years of therapy with the result his T just fell away to a nothing, the occasional jump but as he wasn't bothered it just went. So of I went to London and engaged in TRT. I understood the concepts and sort of linked them to what our bodies do. We hear a new noise, panic, light up our nervous system so the brain does as it does, monitors the noise and appears to amplify it. After two years, maybe less the T had become a nothing. I wasn't bothered what it did so brain had turned it down. Happy days.

Five years later my day job has become very stressfull. My brother became very ill (since passed away) and my thoughts on T slowly changed to fear again or more accurate fear of reaction.  So.......back comes T. Damm I thought, why did you do that!

So, I have re engaged with what I know of TRT and our brains. I live in a gentle noise induced environment, nice rain sounds. I always sleep great anyway. I avoid forums generally and have began to enjoy life again.

I noticed stress on my shoulders and jaws, a sign of tension which I now take as a warning im not habituating Im stressing so work on stress reduction. I realised thoughts play the central role. I cant change that Ive got T but I can change how I feel about it and so as my brain has better things to do, change my T again.

I just wondered if any of your patients had successfully completed TRT like me then at some point in the future relapsed only to re learn the skills they had learned previously. Its weird but the skills that you learn don't seem to ever go away. Yes its frustrating and yes I could kick myself but it just seems what took 5 years last time is taking much less this time.





Category: Questions and Answers

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Azithromycin vs Doxycycline?

September 21, 2017, 3:54 am
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Hi Doc,



Thanks for your great forums!



So I'm super lucky to get the news of getting a positive Chlamydia result today! Ha!



So begins treatment. I have a prescription for both, Azithromycin (2x 500mg) or (7x100mg 2x) a day of Doxycycline. So which begs the question, which is the most safe for somebody with tinnitus? I'm inclinded to think Doxycycline, but my doctors are not sure and left the choice to me.'



I'm also wondering if I should try or request Augmentin or Amoxcillian as they have not caused me problems in the past. But will these penicillin antibiotics even assist with a Chlamydia infection?!



Thanks for your help!

Category: Questions and Answers

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Tinnitus

October 12, 2017, 2:44 am
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Dear Dr Nagler,

I live in Bangalore (India) and was diagnosed with Tinnitus 3 months ago with a hearing loss at 8 khz in both ears through an audiological evaluation test.(Report- Enclosed).Although i panicked in the beginning, i came to terms with my Tinnitus fairly well without much anxiety and was able to sleep 5 hrs with sound oasis at the back of my pillow.Currently i am taking Gingko 120 mg twice daily as suggested by an ENT. I read Dr Jastreboff's TRT model in detail and honestly, i became confident that Tinnitus is manageable only after reading your articles and Q & A section. Thanks.  
 
I was sensitive to loud sound since many years before developing Tinnitus.In the last one week i have become sensitive to slightly above normal sounds and my ears begin to ache slightly and the pitch of my tinnitus increases. It seems to subsides a few hours later and then picks up again.This is now beginning to bother and scare me. 
 
I am confused about the next course of action to be taken and request your opinion on this. Should i undergo any further ear tests and start treatment. There is a professional audiologist in India trained by Dr Jastreboff for administering  TRT Model (Suggested by  Dr Jastreboff).Should i start the TRT programme with him right away or should i wait for some more time and observe. 
 
Please respond.
 
With warm regards
 
Vinayak S.Murthy 

 

Category: Questions and Answers

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Anesthetic

October 27, 2017, 9:46 am
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Hello Dr. Nagler,



I've had tinnitus for almost 3 years now and I'd like to say that for the most part, I feel as if I've habituated to it. That is, most of the time, I can go for days to weeks without noticing it.



However, there are certain things that seem to "make it louder" or draw my attention to it more, every once in awhile.



My concern is that I'm scheduled to have a surgery in January in which I'll be fully anesthetized for a few hours. I will have the opportunity to talk to the anesthesiologist beforehand. Are there certain anesthetics that you know of to avoid?



I'll definitely tell the doctor about my worries but if he doesn't know about tinnitus, maybe I can give him a few guidelines with your help.



The reason I bring this up is that oftentimes, I'll notice the ringing more the day after I've been drinking alcohol. So if alcohol can have an effect on my tinnitus, I'm afraid of what a full-on anaestic might do.



Best case scenario : I wake up from the surgery and the tinnitus is gone forever with perfect hearing still there. Now, wouldn't that be nice?



THANKS!



STELLYBOOTS



Category: Questions and Answers

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Azithromycin

October 27, 2017, 12:57 pm
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Dear Dr Nagle,

You have stated on many occasions that you have anecdotal evidence that azithromycin may be ototoxic and even cause irreversible changes to the point that you recommend tinnitus sufferers to avoid taking it if possible. Can I ask in more detail about this anecdotal evidence that you found, for example, how many patients (or what %) had developed permanent tinnitus, was the temporal association convincing enough to attribute to the azithromycin etc etc?

Thanks,
JP

Category: Questions and Answers

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Telephone consultations

November 23, 2017, 9:38 am
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Hello All -

I turn 70 next year and have decided to close my tinnitus and hyperacusis clinic effective 12/31/17. Over the years I have been approached by a number of people who wanted to know if I could make myself available for telephone consultations. I have declined because my clinic schedule was full.

Next year I will have the time for such consultations - just a few a week - while still enjoying my retirement. My question is whether or not you feel it would be a valuable service to the tinnitus and hyperacusis community. And, if so, what do you think it would be reasonable for me to charge for a one-hour telephone consultation.

Thank you in advance for taking the time to respond.

Stephen M. Nagler, M.D.

Category: Your Advice Requested, Please Read ...

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Distortions & Ear pain

November 26, 2017, 7:36 am
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Hello Doctor,
It's been a few months since my last contact to you. Unfortunately i had further worsening of my symptoms. Louder tinnitus, new tones that fluctuate etc. It's not that i have managed to habituate completely but i had my good days and my bad days. After my summer holidays i felt quite strong and when i returned to noisy Athens the first week i tried to wear only my low-filter musician type ear-plugs in the traffic (where there are super noisy motorbikes, Athens is full of them and i am very concerned about them). Long story short one week later things started to get complicated and in general i feel very distressed, very sad and i am really tired with the agony.

A. I am experiencing a very weird auditory phenomenon that my doctor couldn't provide me with much information. When i am out in the traffic, listen to music or i hear white-noisy kind sounds, i can listen over those sounds various tones/whistle kind of sounds. Those whistles are triggered by the above sounds. For example when i flush the toilet i can listen the sound of the water+a morse code beeping. I am not sure if this is distrorted hearing, since i can still listen the sounds that trigger this. It started a bit mild and it got a bit worse with time. I tried to play the piano once and the piano sounds as if it's broken.

Are you aware of this symptom? What is this?

B. With every sound i feel like something is moving in my ears. It sounds like when you have a bit of water inside. And i get this thumping sensation. This lately got worse as well.

Is that the so called tonic tympani syndrome? Can i do something about it?

C. My last progression which puts me in a very bad place right now is that this week i have developed constant ear pain in my right ear (the ear that my tinnitus begun, one year before). In general i have been protecting my ears a lot. Due to the above symptoms i only am ear-plug free when i am inside my house, or a friends house. I use my ear-muffs when i walk in busy streets. Keep in mind that i still teach dance (fewer lessons with the music in lower volume). So this week i began getting intermittent pain, till Friday, where after class it got worse and constant. I don't know what to do. The pain doesn't seem to subside till know. I could deal probably with A+B but this is a totally new world that is super limiting. I am locked in the house two days and i am afraid to switch on even the tv.

I need serious help. I think i am forced to quit my job and move away from Athens. I suppose i have developed Hyperacusis? I just want the pain to cease and my condition to stabilise.

What are my options? 

Category: Questions and Answers

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Relapses

November 28, 2017, 10:13 am
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Hello Dr. Nagler,
My question is in regards to what I'm calling a relapse in my being able to continue what I learned in my TRT on how to deal with my tinnitus. I was never able to reach your level of moving on with my life and not letting the tinnitus bother me. It always bothers me but, for the most part, I had learned to get on with my life and not let it get to me as badly as it once did. I'm always a bit stressed because of it which makes the normal stresses of life harder to handle.
My question is, are relapses in dealing with tinnitus, once you have learned how to deal with it by using TRT, common or normal? Why would the "noise" seem just as bad to me now as it did right at the beginning when I started the training? I'm struggling all over again and desperately trying to fill my life with all that is good so I can get back on track. But it's hard, all over again. I'm trying to figure out what in my life is different now than it was a month ago when I was handling it. It's panicking me.
Thanks for your time,
Jon

Category: Questions and Answers

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Telephone Consultations

November 28, 2017, 5:09 pm
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Hello Friends (Old and New):

I will be retiring next year and am no longer accepting new patients.

As my scheduled office hours begin to fall off, I will at long last have the time to engage in a limited number of telephone consultations, thereby providing convenient one-on-one individualized access for tinnitus sufferers from across the US and around the world. A typical 45-minute telephone consultation will include a detailed review of your tinnitus history and medications, an analysis of the degree to which your tinnitus is affecting your life and why, and (based on the above) an outline of the reasonable legitimate strategies that might be expected to result in meaningful lasting relief. Of course, any and all questions will be answered to the best of my ability. I do not claim to know all the answers, but if an answer exists ... I know how to find it.

If you are interested in arranging a personal telephone consultation with me, please CLICK HERE. Be sure to include your e-mail address and phone number so I will be able to reach you to set up a mutually convenient time for the consultation.

Kind regards,

Stephen M. Nagler, M.D.
Atlanta Tinnitus Consultants, LLC

Category: Telephone Consultations

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Duloxetine

November 29, 2017, 6:11 am
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Hello Dr Nagler,

First of all I would like to apolgize as for my poor english.
I am from France so I am excused :-)
I also wanted to express my thanks for all you do for T sufferers.
I would like your opinion concerning my long journey towards habituation.
My T started 3 years ago and I took Duloxetine for 2 more than 2 years to overcome anxiety and depression. Months after months I felt that my T was less intrusive even if still noticeable.
Therefore I started tapering off with the AD and from July 2017 onwards I was free of it.
My T was still here but as I said I had control on it.
But a few days ago it flared up again.
So I am back under the AD and I must admit it has a powerful effect on my T. Since I started the medecine again T is less noticeable  and I can manage it.
So do you think in my case what I thought to be habituation was only a consequence of the duloxetine effect on my T ?
With my best regards
Cyril

Category: Questions and Answers

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TRT and the use of sound enrichment

November 30, 2017, 8:14 am
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Dear Dr. Nagler,

Currently I have been struck by tinnitus about 3 weeks ago and the sound best describes as a high pitched ringing noise which I can hear in both ears although I feel it is more present on the left. I have no (noticeable) hearing loss, ENT checked and found nothing, also an MRI did not show any disturbances that could explain the tinnitus. The sound can be drowned out by noise but seems to definitely become worse by focussing on it and by sitting in silence.
In TRT standards I would say I am category 1 (significant tinnitus).

Initially I completely panicked and I was in a total state of alarm, the reading of tinnitus forums really did nothing to change that state of mind because of all the negativity and despair I found on there. What did help me to calm down somewhat were the videos of Julian Cowan Hill and learning that amongst other people William Shatner also has tinnitus.

By doing more research I found out about the Jastreboff model and also had this model explained to me at an Audiology practice. This brought me onto the notion of habituation which has become my goal as I truly believe this is the only tangible thing one can reach for with tinnitus. Searching for habituation stories I came across yours on one of the forums, I noticed that with the use of TRT you managed to fully habituate to your tinnitus. I also read that you used Xanax to deal with your anxiety in the first months after your onset.

As in the Netherlands TRT is not offered as a official method of helping tinnitus ''sufferers'' I am building my own support network and aim to implement a kind of TRT of my own through the help of a psychotherapist (who also has tinnitus), the support of my GP, who was kind enough to prescribe me Xanax (for anxiety) and Temazepam (for sleeping), implementation of relaxation exercises, social interaction with friends and family, reduction of stress, short exposures to the tinnitus noise, self education on the subject and just trying to cope with it on a day to day basis (which still seems impossible some times).

I currently use sound enrichment during the day and nighttime by opening my windows, playing nature sounds on speakers, watching TV or playing games, having friends over and going into the city (really drowns out the sound most of the time) for grocery shopping, I also have bought a sound pillow which I play the nature sounds on. However I find it difficult to have sound enrichment around me 24/7, there are always periods (like coming out of the shower) where there are moments of silence. When researching TRT I read that sound enrichment needs to be present 24/7, I also noticed that in many cases WNG devices are used for the first period of treatment which patients use for large parts of the day.

Seeing as that these devices are quite expensive and I do not have the funds to pay for them my question to you is; do you think these devices are necessary or is the use of sound therapy as I am doing now enough? 

Warm regards,

Christian


Category: Questions and Answers

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Telephone and Skype Consultations

November 28, 2017, 5:09 pm
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Hello Friends (Old and New):

I will be retiring next year and am no longer accepting new patients.

As my scheduled office hours begin to fall off, I will at long last have the time to engage in a limited number of consultations via telephone or Skype, thereby providing convenient one-on-one individualized access for tinnitus sufferers from across the US and around the world. A typical 45-minute telephone or Skype consultation will include a detailed review of your tinnitus history and medications, an analysis of the degree to which your tinnitus is affecting your life and why, and (based on the above) an outline of the reasonable legitimate strategies that might be expected to result in meaningful lasting relief. Of course, any and all questions will be answered to the best of my ability. I do not claim to know all the answers, but if an answer exists ... I know how to find it.

If you are interested in arranging a personal telephone or Skype consultation with me, please CLICK HERE. Be sure to include your e-mail address and phone number so I will be able to reach you to set up a mutually convenient time for the consultation.

Kind regards,

Stephen M. Nagler, M.D.

Category: Telephone and Skype Consultations

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tinnitus severity

December 2, 2017, 4:16 pm
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Hello DR!
I'm just curious of the tinnitus severity rating for yourself when you first had tinnitus to where you are at today? 
In regards to habituation, is this like hearing the noise of a fridge in the background but you never respond to it?  almost like you have to focus on it in order to hear the noise? we are surrounded by noise for most of the day but we live our lives with ease.  sometimes the noise is louder and sometimes soft.  Its amazing how normal people without tinnitus carry on with no issues with noise.  i'm assuming this is what habituation is with tinnitus?
would you say that someone with severe intrusive tinnitus is rare as compared to what the majority of people living with tinnitus have?  what would cause someone to have a severe case of this?  where is the breakdown?
thank you for your time!  this is a wonderful board for support!

Category: Questions and Answers

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Hello Dr Nagler

December 3, 2017, 9:52 am
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Hi and greetings from Scotland, UK

I somehow stumbled upon this board from another when googling something related to Tinnitus and I am glad I did.  

A little about me Im 38 now, my Tinnitus onset happened almost 2 years ago I went out for New Years eve for 3 hours the place I went was beyond loud and I left with a ringing in my ears.  It never left.  Over the coming weeks I grew ridiculously anxious I have read your entire requested posts section and related to so many of the things you said.  I was really low given SSRI prozac that seems to make me worse and within 3 days I was having alarming thoughts.  I stopped that and was given Propanolol to use as needed it didnt quell the continual waves of anxiety so in that worst week I used Diazepam for a couple of days. I  seen an ENT I basically told the ENT yeah I know you cant help me I only went as ENT here refer to audiologists.  The timeline gets blurry but I was issued with a sound ball for bedtime, (I was already using rain sounds from Youtube) white noise generators and I think at a next visit sound enrichment devices mixed with hearing aid ( I have a mild hearing loss 15db I think) cant even remember which ear. Bottom line they made my ears itch so I never wore them

As time went on in general i sort of adapted.  Fast forward to the last 8 weeks and something has gone wrong.  I find my Tinnitus seems to be reacting/increasing in volume when at work/out and about.  This was my solace before I wasn't much noticing it when out and about that was a kind of therapy for me.

I feel like I'm back to square one, my anxiety is troubling to say the least.  I burst in to tears at work the other day (Im a nurse just started practicing 1 year now) and had to call in sick the next day as due to the anxiety I was vomiting.  Hadnt eaten for 2 days (anxiety making me nauseous) My family needs me and its coming up to Christmas I cant go on feeling this way.  I think I understand the psychology as much as the next person to be feeling this way after seemingly habituating I find truly confusing. 

I have read about the Jasterboff (sorry if I spelt that wrong ) model and I think I understand it.  Nurses here dont make good money but I tried to contact one or 2 of the people on the list of trained TRT practitioners in the UK.  No response from Lisa Sheldrake and the other email to someone called Anna Blair failed I thought maybe I could see her through our NHS. So I still dont even know what it cost to see these people who really understand TRT.

I am due to commence CBT with a psychologist for free on the NHS.  Maybe that will help me.  I think really ultimately I need TRT though.  Where do I turn? 

Apologies if some of this information was superfluous my state of mind right now is not the best and i was worried I might leave out something relevant

Also I downloaded the book you posted thanks 
Siobhan

 

Category: Questions and Answers

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Do I have to give up the things I enjoy?

December 4, 2017, 11:49 am
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Hello Dr. Nagler, I have found myself on your support forum a few times in the last few weeks and figured I would ask my own question finally. 

So on November 17, 2017 I developed (or noticed) my T after a band practice I had. I am quite certain that it was caused my kneeling besides the guitarists speaker while fixing something for about 30 seconds, the treble set on the speaker was higher than normal and ever since I have had ringing in what I believe was originally both ears, but has since been in one ear for the last week or so. This could however be wishful thinking, it may have always been in one ear. 

I have not played with the band since though I would really like to, and have been pressured to since. I visited an audiologist and told him of my problems and he suggested that I get custom ear plugs that "open and close" depending on the loudness of the music. That was last week, they are apparently supposed to come in sometime this week.

Should I quit the band? It is/was my main and major hobby for the last 5 years of my life, though I have never had prolonged ringing such as I am experiencing now. I can say with a certain degree of certainty that the ringing in has reduced, on Thanksgiving it was audible enough where I had several sound maskers (a fan, white noise) playing just to hide it. Today I can't really hear it unless I am in a quiet room, going to bed, or if I look for it actively. I can now fall asleep without the need of sleep aids, which I also consider to be an improvement. 

In total, I can't tell. I can't tell if my anxiety regarding it made it worse, which has gradually died down since its onset, or if it has actually gotten better. 

Thanks for reading

Jacob

Category: Questions and Answers

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Otomize ear spray

December 6, 2017, 7:16 am
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Hello Dr. Nagler,

I just want to be on the safe side. Is Otomize ear spray safe.
Its the Neomycin that has caught my attention

The active ingredients are:
Dexamethasone O.1%w/w
Neomycin Sulfate 0.5% w/w
Acetic acid (glacial) 2% w/w

All the best,
Adam


Category: Questions and Answers

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TRT specialist in Germany

December 8, 2017, 5:44 am
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Dr. Nagler,

First of all, I am so happy that this site exists. Most support sites make me feel worse than I do anyway, because they are full of anxious people discussing whose tinnitus is the worst and how they can no longer cope with their lives.

 

I am based in Southern Germany and was wondering whether you know any TRT specialists in Germany? Also, I started to suffer from tinnitus while taking Venlafaxine. Could it be that this medication has permanently damaged something and led to my current situation? I am having a very hard time because I cannot forgive myself haven taken this medication. I must admit that the reason why I took it in the first place is that I suffer from anxiety. The tinnitus has made my anxiety even worse, but I am scared to take any meds at the moment since I thin they could make the tinnitus even worse.

I first developped tinnitus in 2002, but back then, was able to habituate within a couple of weeks. This time the situation is slightly different, as my tinnitus is way louder than my "old" one, I can even hear it when the TV is on. Also, I noticed that some sounds (for example when I watch TV or listen to music or white noise) make my tinnitus really loud. Do you have any idea why this is the case and whether this could become better at some point?

If my tinnitus stays at it is, I know I can habituate - I have done it before. However, what I am scared of is that it could become even louder, which I might not be able to deal with. Do you have any suggestion how I could cope with this fear?

I have been to 4 different ENTs so far, but none of them was really able to help. They basically told me that there is not much they can do for me.

I would appreciate your advice.

Viele Grüße,

 

Eva

Category: Questions and Answers

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Tinnitus Treatment Recommendation in Southeast Michigan

December 8, 2017, 12:12 pm
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Dr. Nagler,

I have ready many of your posts and responses to questions about tinnitus.  You always seem to give good, sound and straightforward advice.  I never thought I would be one to ask a question or seek advice, but I am now.  I was always hoping I could overcome my tinnitus, and habituate without intervention.  I'm not sure now.

Six months ago I went sport target shooting with some colleagues that were experienced shooters.  This was my first time shooting anything.  I had simple foam ear plugs, that must not have been inserted fully or properly.  I had no idea what I was in for.  I took my first shot and felt something in my right ear.  I pushed in the ear plugs a little more and kept shooting.  Everything seemed quieter after the first shot, and I had no idea that I was losing my hearing.

Afterwards, when I took the ear plugs out, I knew something was wrong because everyone talking to me sounded muffled.  At that time I thought it was similar to going to a concert and that the next day I would be fine.  Well, I wasn't fine the next day.  I knew something was wrong, so I immediately started to seek out an ENT.  I was able to see an ENT a couple of days later.  I did an audiogram and hearing in both ears was lost at the 4000 Hz level (60 dB loss).  They started me on prednisone and scheduled me to come back a couple of days later for intratympanic injections.  The hearing in my right ear pretty much came back to normal, but in my left only slightly; hearing loss at 4000 Hz was 50 dB.  I subsequently had a second intratympanic injection in my left ear, and continued with prednisone.  I had another follow up visit a couple weeks later, and the hearing loss in my left ear was still 50 dB at 4000Hz.  I told the doctor the hearing loss didn't bother me much, but the tinnitus did.  He pretty much said that you'll get used to it and it won't be noticeable over time.  He scheduled me for a 4 month follow up.

Well, after a month of tolerating the whistling, I decided to get a second opinion.  I saw an ENT at a major research university and hospital in the area.  He said the first ENT did exactly everything right and that in 6 months, maybe 9 months, you'll be fine.  Not what I was expecting to hear, but now two doctors are saying the same thing so I must be over-reacting.

Like I said, it's now been six months, and I do have good days, but I still get bad days.  On the good days, I feel like the tinnitus is there, but so what, and there are times I don't even notice it.  However, on the bad days, I struggle, and wonder is there something more I should be doing?

I did go to the 4 month follow-up with the first ENT, and a new audiogram showed a 10 dB improvement in my left ear.  Now only a 40 dB loss.  The doctor said that I could still see more hearing improvement within the first year, and to come back in 6 months.  He said the tinnitus would also still improve over time, especially if more hearing comes back.

I've searched the internet for doctors in southeast Michigan that would be able to treat tinnitus, but feel like I'll get the same response from the two I've already seen.  Do you have any recommendations in this area?  Should I just continue to habituate on my own?  I feel like I will eventually, but I would rather not have days where I struggle if there is something more I could do now.

Thank you for your time!

Category: Questions and Answers

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Could Fe deficiency or Fe treatment be implicated in recent increase in Tinnitus.

December 12, 2017, 8:37 pm
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Hi,

I hope you are well, approaching this festive season.  I live in Adelaide, South Australia. Tinnitus has been with me when it arrived during a virus 17 years ago (in my mid 20's). The virus also damaged my (R) Cranial N VIII, my balance was severely affected for a couple of weeks, and hearing is permanently damaged. I have had constant tinnitus since.  But... my balance is now pretty good ( I can use a surfboard poorly!), and I use my tinnitus as a distraction when I'm seated next to a dull person at dinner. It's always there, but really doesn't bother me.

In the last few weeks, my tinnitus has increased from a quiet buzz, with occasional high pitched squeals, to much, much louder, an associated feeling of fullness in the same ear, and a change in pitch and quality.  It is now bothering me sometimes. It "feels" similar to when I first had my virus, but my balance appears unaffected.  Subjectively, my hearing seems worse, and my kids and partner agree.

I have been tested twice for Meniere's disease (negative), but I currently have iron deficiency, and am taking Ferro Grad C for it.  Could the iron tablets or the deficency be the cause of the change, and how concerned should I be at a sudden worsening of symptoms?

Category: Questions and Answers

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Pulsatile tinnitus with vibration feeling

December 13, 2017, 7:13 am
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Hello, dear Dr. Nagler.

I need some fresh point of view on my problem. I´m suffering from pulsatile tinnitus in my right ear for 6 months now. I had MRI/MRA of my brain and also CTA of my brain and neck. All test came out clear except for MRA which showed possible neurovascular conflict (AICA loop pressing on viii and vii nerve, I. grade). I started to take carbamazepine for two weeks but with no avail, then pregabalin - again two weeks. I stopped taking these drugs because it had no effect on my condition.

I can´t stop whooshing by pressing on my neck veins, but I can hear the sound with my stethoscop. Neurosurgeon told me that it is not clear if it is NVC, that we have to wait and rule out every other possible reason (at this appointment I did not know that I can hear it with stethoscop). But my neurologist insist on treating NVC. I told him that I can actually hear the sound with the stethoscop, but he refused to listen to it with saying that it is normal - without listenig. Maybe it is normal, but maybe something is wrong that I can hear it "normally" and he maybe could better understand what I hear.

I live in a small country in Europe, here does not exist pulsatile tinnitus diagnose, only tinnitus aurium. I´m afraid if I can find somebody here who would better understand. The sound what I hear is in the rate of my pulse and I can hear it the best under my ear where is the mastoid processus near to the mandible. The sound I can manage, but what is worse is the vibration feeling that brings me often to the tears. I can not feel normal even if the sound is covered with daily normal noises.

After two weeks of onset I had also short intensive pressure like pain somewhere in my ear - maybe? I felt like something separated from something - I don´t know how to describe it better. And the perception of sound has changed. The first it was like gun shooting in the timing with my pulse, than it has changed to something softer - fizzing and whooshing - something like the sound of a vessels - and these sounds I can hear objectively. Since that time I can also feel it pulsing, I have nonstop discomfort in my ear.

It has changed my life, I try to cope. I also sometimes feel some kind of rumbling in my second ear (I´m convinced that it is also the sound of my vessels and blood flow), I have never had it before PT started on my right ear. I hope it will not develop the same way as my PT on the right side.

I would like to ask you if there is a chance to find something on normal CT of temporal bones - if I should try to get this one more test? And if it is important that I can hear it but I can not make it stop by pressing on my neck vessels? I would like to ask if NVC can be heard and if there is a chance that some drug can help me even if it is on the same basis as what I have already tried (because both drugs were anticonvulsants, antiepileptic drugs) and if two weeks are too short for feeling of some relief?

I would like to thank you very much for your site and time that you are devoting to everybody who has questions. It is not common in my country to communicate like this. And I apologize for my English, it is not my first language and also for such a long post. All the best wishes to you and thank you one more time. Andy (32 years old).

Category: Questions and Answers

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